Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats
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These chocolate Rice Krispie treats are perfectly gooey with a delicious chocolate flavor and tons of gooey marshmallows. Top them with an extra layer of chocolate for the perfect cereal treat. These are so easy to make and the perfect twist on classic Rice Krispie treats.
**This post was updated May 20, 2025 with new photos, recipe tips and the addition of chocolate topping**
Rice Krispie squares are delicious, but have you ever added chocolate to the gooey, melted marshmallow mixture? These chocolate Rice Krispie treats taste almost like the middle of a s’more with milk chocolate and marshmallows. They have the perfect ratio of gooey marshmallow to Rice Krispies and taste delicious with an extra layer of chocolate on top.
Making Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats
These chocolate Rice Krispie treats are easy to make, just like the classic.
- Melt the Marshmallows and Butter. You’ll start by melting together 1/3 cup unsalted butter with one 10-oz bag of mini marshmallows in a large pot over low heat.
- Make sure that your burner is on very low heat and that you gently stir the mixture so that the marshmallows don’t burn.
- Add in the Chocolate & Cocoa. Then you’ll add in 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder and 4 ounces chopped chocolate and stir it into the mixture as the marshmallows and butter continue to melt.
- You may need to turn off the mixture or remove the pan from the heat if you see the chocolate becoming grainy. The heat should be very low to ensure that the chocolate doesn’t bake or burn.
- Stir in the Rice Krispies. Once the chocolate is melted, you’ll stir in 4-5 cups of cereal. I always use 4 cups because I prefer my Rice Krispie treats on the gooier side.
- Press into the Pan. I actually recommend not pressing the mixture into the pan too firmly – otherwise the Rece Krispie treats can become really difficult to slice.
Optionally, you can add a layer of chocolate on top of your Rice Krispie treats. You can use your favorite type – I actually used a combination of milk chocolate and dark chocolate because that’s what I had on hand. If you would like to be able to pull apart your Rice Krispie treats, I actually recommend leaving off the chocolate topping however.
Baking Tips & Tricks
- Some people like to make Rice Krispie treats in the microwave. I don’t recommend it for this recipe because I find you run the risk of the chocolate burning.
- You can easily double the recipe and make it in a 9×13 inch pan (note that you will need a very, very large saucepan).
- Before stirring in the cereal, lightly spray your spatula or wooden spoon with non-stick cooking spray to avoid sticking.
- Never store Rice Krispie treats in the fridge – otherwise, they can get too hard.
Or for more no bake cereal treats – be sure to try:
- Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
- Tiger Bars – these are a cereal treat made with butterscotch chips
- Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats
Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats
Equipment
- 8×8 inch (20×20 cm) pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (84 grams)
- 10 oz bag mini marshmallows (283 grams), about 5 cups
- 4 tablespoons cocoa powder (22 grams)
- 4 oz milk chocolate, chopped* (112 grams), or 2/3 cup chocolate chips
- 4-5 cups Rice Krispies* (100-125 grams)
Topping
- 6 ounces chopped chocolate (84 grams), milk, semi-sweet or dark – your favorite, or about 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 teaspoon shortening, or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Add the butter and marshmallows to a large saucepan over low heat. Gently stir the mixture as the marshmallows and butter begin to melt. Stir constantly to avoid burning.
- Once the mixture is almost melted, stir in the cocoa and 4 ounces chopped chocolate. Keep stirring until the chocolate has melted. If you notice the chocolate looking at all grainy, remove from the heat. If the chocolate gets too hot it will bake and become grainy or burn.
- Once everything is melted, turn off the burner and stir in the cereal. I typically start with 3 cups, and then mix in 1 cup at a time.
- Lightly grease an 8×8 inch (20×20 cm) pan. Turn the cereal into the greased pan and gently press it down using a lightly greased hands (I spray them with non-stick cooking spray) or a lightly greased rubber spatula.
- For the topping, finely chop the 6 ounces of chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl. Microwave for 45-seconds on medium power, and stir. Repeat the process until smooth. Do not use high power, as the chocolate will burn. Alternatively, the chocolate can be melted in a double boiler over low heat – ensure that the bottom of the bowl containing your chocolate does not touch the gently simmering water underneath. Once melted, stir in the shortening.
- Pour the chocolate over the Rice Krispie treats and smooth into an even layer.
- Once the chocolate looks about 60-70% set, use a thin knife to draw into the chocolate where you plan to slice the bars. This makes the bars easier to slice later. Once the chocolate topping is set, slice the bars with a sharp knife, cutting down where you scored the chocolate.
Notes
- Chocolate: Feel free to use milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate for these bars.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted is fine. You can also substitute butter with margarine for this recipe.
- Marshmallows: A 10-ounce bag is equivalent to about 5 cups of mini marshmallows
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. I do not recommend storing Rice Krispie treats in the fridge because they get too hard.
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 square with chocolate topping, assuming the pan is sliced into 16 uniform pieces.
Nutrition
These are so good! I used Hersheys milk chocolate chips, Ghirardelli dark chocolate powder, 20 oz of marshmallows, and a little more butter
Made these today and though they aren’t completely set yet I might have licked off the mixing spoon lol…boy are these good! It actually took longer to find the conversion for the marshmallows! We’re stuck with the metric system here (and I HATE it, pain in the backside to keep dragging out a scale) so to make it easier for myself and others wondering the same thing in the future – a 10 ounce bag of mini marshmallows is 6 cups. – thank you Google lol