There is nothing better than gooey & crunchy rice crispy treats, except M&M Rice Krispies treats. All the marshmallow & cereal chewiness you love plus colorful chocolate M&Ms candies to set these squares over the top.
Why this Rice Krispies Treat Recipe is Amazing: I have been making plain cereal treats with marshmallows for decades but once I started adding M&Ms to them, my family went wild & yours will too.
These are great for snacks and desserts. What I love about them most is they are great for taking places like potlucks, parties, school events, and more. They are not only easy to make ahead of time but travel well.
We like to experiment and make fruity pebbles treat bars instead of plain rice. Or add food coloring and make festive shapes like a holiday favorite, Christmas Rice Krispies Treat Wreath. Ok, now we cook!
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Ingredients for M&M Rice Krispies Treats
To make these easy rice cereal treats with M&Ms, you need only 4 ingredients. This extra marshmallowy (yes its a new word!) recipe is so chewy you will fall in love.
Why so many marshmallows? The quantities for these need a higher marshmallow to cereal ratio. I tested this several times & it is all about the high marshmallow ratio - trust me, do NOT skimp on this.
This is so there is enough stickiness for the M&M candies to stay in place. Plus it is way better with extra gooey chewiness than the original recipe on the Kellogg's box.
- Salted Butter - better than regular butter since that bit of salt helps the overly sweet treats balance.
- Mini Marshmallows - do not use large puffed marshmallows, mini ones melt quicker & more easily.
- Rice Krispies Cereal - the star of the recipe, use brand name or generic brands.
- M&Ms - the regular classic M&Ms in any color combination are what is used; not peanut or any other fun new versions.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Rice Krispies Treats with M&Ms
If you love marshmallow treats and chocolate, this is the yummy no-bake recipe for you. Here are the steps for making M&M Rice Krispie Treats:
- Prep the Pan & M&Ms
- Melt the Marshmallows in Butter
- Stir in the Rice Krispies
- Add the M&Ms
- Cool & Cut
1 - Prep the Pan & M&Ms
Prepare an 8x8 or 9x9 square baking dish with a nonstick spray. I love my Pyrex glass baking dish and it works perfectly when making a big batch of Rice Krispies treats. This will help you get the yummy treats out once you cut them.
I also recommend using the spray on a rubber or silicone spatula. This helps you stir, scoop, and press the mixture with ease.
Begin by placing the M&Ms in the freezer. Frozen M&Ms hold up better and do not melt as quickly once they hit the warm marshmallow mixture.
2 - Melt the Marshmallows in Butter
This is a stovetop rice crispy & marshmallow recipe. I prefer doing it this way versus in the microwave.
In a large pot melt the butter over medium heat. Next, add the mini marshmallows and melt while stirring constantly. It should take about 3-5 minutes.
3 - Stir in the Rice Krispies
Remove the pot from the stove. Pour in the rice cereal and stir to combine. It will be very sticky.
Work fast so they don't cool & set to much. You still need to fold in the chocolate candies.
4 - Add the M&Ms
Grab the frozen M&Ms from the freezer & sprinkle them into the rice krispie mixture. Fold them in gently so they stay whole with minimal breakage.
Immediately pour into the prepared pan. Using the spatula press it down to get an even layer. Press in additional M&M candies on the top if desired.
Hint: Work fast so that everything comes together before the marshmallows cool and set. It is best to have all the ingredients and equipment ready before you start melting the marshmallows. That includes your greased pan & frozen M&Ms.
5 - Cool & Cut
It doesn't take long for the rice cereal, marshmallows, and candies to set when making these treats. Traditional Rice Krispies treats can be cut and ready to eat in about 30 minutes.
For these, I recommend you wait a bit longer. The M&Ms really benefit from setting for a full hour before cutting. This way when cutting the candy-coated chocolates stay intact and do not fall out of the squares.
Now it is time to cut them. Depending on if you want large treats or smaller squares, you can get anywhere from 9-12 servings with this recipe.
Enjoy while fresh & extra soft. They will be very sticky which is amazing. Just go for it & worry about washing your hands later. I like to have wipes around for the kids when I serve these.
How to Store Rice Krispies Treats
Storing leftovers is easy. If your 9x9 glass baking dish comes with a lid, you win. All you need to do is snap on the lid and store in a cool dry place for up to 5 days.
I suggest stacking rice crispy treats with parchment paper between layers so they do not stick together if you remove them from the dish. Next, wrap them in foil or plastic wrap so they are airtight.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here is my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, funny stories or bloopers, and more.
- #1 Tip - use cooking spray or parchment paper so they remove from the pan easily. I use binder clips to hold my parchment in place.
- DO NOT SKIP freezing the M&Ms & make sure to not skimp on the extra marshmallows.
- Melt the marshmallows low & slow on the stovetop - stir constantly. I need a step stool to do this and find that kids love doing this step as one of the first things "they cook".
- Use mini M&Ms instead of regular or try seasonal/holiday colors like red & green for Christmas.
- Did you know that there was a fourth elf, not just Snap, Crackle, & Pop as the cereal mascots? Yes, there was also a POW originally.
FAQ
The number 1 reason your treats are not sticking together is - not enough marshmallows. Unfortunately, I have no advice on how to fix the current batch. They will taste good but just may not cut into good squares. Just make sure you measure correctly in the future.
Your treats may be hard for a number of reasons. The first one is improper storage and they were exposed to air or extreme temperatures.
If they are not chewy, this could also be a result of compacting them in too hard. If you pressed them into a smaller-sized dish than recommended, they may be too dense and hard now.
You can use them if that is all you can find. It will take longer for them to melt in the butter on the stove and you will want to be sure to stir constantly at the end so nothing burns as the last chunks try and melt.
I advise you not to refrigerate Rice Krispies treats. They will likely dry out and become hard. See above for the proper way to store them.
All ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free, including the M&Ms & the rice cereal. Please check the ingredients & labels for the brands that you use to be 100% sure.
M&M Rice Krispies Treats
Equipment
- 9x9 baking dish
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon salted butter
- 6 cups mini marshmallows 10 ounce bag
- 4 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 1 cup M&M candies about 2 individual bags
Instructions
- Prepare ahead of time the M&Ms and baking dish. Add the candies to the freezer for 30 minutes. Spray an 8x8 or 9x9 square baking dish with nonstick spray. You can also use parchment paper, see my Top Tip above.
- Melt the butter on medium heat in a large nonstick pot. Add the marshmallows. Using a rubber or silicone spatula, stir. Let them melt over medium heat. It should take about 3-5 minutes. Turn off the heat.3 tablespoon salted butter, 6 cups mini marshmallows
- Once fully melted, remove from the stove. Slowly pour in the crispy rice cereal. Stir to combine.4 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- Pour in half the M&M candies and fold them into the mixture. Add a bit more (reserving about a dozen or so for the end) and fold in those M&Ms as well.1 cup M&M candies
- Transfer the mixture to the 9x9 pan. Using the spatula or sprayed hand, press the mixture evenly into the dish. Top with the remaining candies and press them into the Rice Krispies Treats.
- Let cool for about 60 minutes, then cut into 9 squares and enjoy!
Notes
- Try mini M&Ms or seasonal/holiday colors like pastel for Easter or red & green for Christmas.
- Do not recommend adding peanut or large-sized M&Ms.
Nutrition
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Brandon says
They are chewy with extra marshmallow stickiness. The whole batch was gone within 24 hours.
Stephanie says
Confession. I did try to use peanut M&Ms. that was all I had. Some stayed and mixed in but many do fall out when I cut them or bit in them. I recommend using regular M&Ms. I will try these again and follow the recipe better. They were good and just not pretty like the pictures.
Angela says
Uh oh! Messy but tasty!
Susan says
Why do the instructions mention a double boiler?
Angela says
Great question - not sure how that got listed under the equipment. I have removed it, thanks.