I originally posted this as a blog post but to make it easy to pull up it is also a page now.

About a decade ago I found myself always spending more money than I really had on things. I thought if I invested all my money in film that one day a project would take off and make it big. I have since learned to be wiser with my money but it was always notice able around Christmas time. I would feel bad I didn’t set a little aside to get friends and family any present to celebrate. So I decided at the very least I would make the traditional holiday treats with rice cereal we all know but I won’t mention in case it’s trademarked.

But naturally I didn’t just want to make regular version that everyone knows. I wanted to at least add a signature to it to make it something people thought was special and really loved. And after about a decade of experimenting and tips of gotten from various people over the years I think I’ve come up with the best but also the most simple version of the formula to making these delicious treats.

Since the original purpose was to come up with something yet affordable to share with people at Christmas I think its only fair now I share the trick to help this time a year. So whether on a budget or just not share of any last minute holiday ideas go ahead and give this a try.

You will need the following:
Cereal of your choice (5 cups worth)
Baking chips or crushed melt-able candy of your choice (1 cup worth)
10 oz bag of marshmallow
Salted Butter (1/4 cup or 4 tbsp)
Unsalted Butter (1 tbsp)
Measuring cup(s)
Gallon size bags
9 x 13 cooking pan
Spoons
Cooking pot large enough to fit all the ingredients

Step 1:
Pour out 5 boxes of cereal and 1 cup of chips and place it into a gallon size bag. Seal the bag and shake it a little bit to have the chips and cereal mix.

Step 2:
Throw one tbsp of unsalted butter in the microwave just for a few seconds to soften if pull directly from fridge. Coat the entire inside of the 9×13 pan with unsalted butter and set aside nearby.

Step 3:
Melt 1/4 cup of salted butter in the pot on the stove at medium low heat until stick is completely melted.

Step 4:
Pour 10oz bag of marshmallows in pot and stir to coat in the melted butter. Then leave and stir occasionally until completely melted (but try not to burn it)

Step 5:
Once marshmallows are melted immediately move the pot away from heat. Then quickly add cereal mix and start stirring it all together. Once the whole batch is covered in marshmallow and your chips are melted pour mixture into coated pan.

Step 6:
Let mixture cool for a few moments (don’t walk away) and then use the back in of a spoon to flatten and smooth out the mixture around pan. If cereal mix is gripping spoon simply wait a few more seconds while you clean off or grab a new spoon to allow mixture to cool a little more.

Step 7:
After several minutes of cooling they should be cold enough to cut into squares and can be eating or stored. Best to store at room temperature and no more for a couple days after being made as they get stale after that.

Bonus tips:

  1. In the picture above I’ve given 3 unique examples. The one on the left was made using golden grams and milk chocolate chips. The one in the middle looks like the original Rice Krispy Treat but it actually contains white chocolate. The one on the right is made up of Oreo Os and crushed cookies and cream candy bars. There is no real limit to cereal and melt able combinations.
  2. Things like M&Ms that have a hard shell have a harder time melting so it will give it more of a chocolate chunk taste but the shells don’t make it look appealing.
  3. If you used flavor marshmallows it will give the batch a bit more of a kick (such as fruity marshmallows with Fruity Pebbles) but the batch will dry out much faster.