Description
These soft and chewy Protein Rice Krispies combine crispy cereal, gooey marshmallows, and vanilla protein powder into one easy no-bake snack. They taste like classic rice crispy treats but come with an extra protein boost, making them perfect for dessert, meal prep, or quick sweet cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5 cups crispy rice cereal
- 2 tablespoons milk or almond milk
- 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 bag mini marshmallows
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Prepare Your Pan
- Grab an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper or foil. Lightly coat the lining with cooking spray or butter to prevent sticking later.
- Setting up the pan first makes transferring the mixture much easier once the marshmallow base is ready.
- Make the Protein Mixture
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the milk and vanilla protein powder.
- Whisk thoroughly until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy with no visible lumps. Set this mixture aside while you prepare the marshmallow base.
- This step helps the protein blend evenly into the treats and prevents dry pockets inside the bars.
- Melt the Butter
- Place a large saucepan or stockpot over medium heat.
- Add the butter and allow it to melt completely while stirring occasionally so it heats evenly.
- If you want deeper flavor, let the butter cook for another minute until lightly golden and fragrant.
- Melt the Marshmallows
- Reduce the heat to low before adding the mini marshmallows to the pot.
- Stir continuously as the marshmallows melt down into a smooth and sticky mixture. Once fully melted, pour in the vanilla extract and the prepared protein mixture.
- Keep stirring until everything blends together into a glossy marshmallow coating.
- Avoid high heat during this step because overheated marshmallows can create hard treats instead of soft chewy bars.
- Mix in the Cereal
- Remove the pot from the heat immediately.
- Add the crispy rice cereal and gently fold everything together using a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Continue mixing until every piece of cereal becomes evenly coated in the marshmallow mixture.
- If you want extra gooey texture, fold in an additional handful of mini marshmallows at the end.
- Transfer to the Pan
- Scoop the mixture into the prepared pan.
- Using a buttered spatula or greased hands, gently spread the mixture into an even layer.
- Do not press down too firmly. Pressing too hard compresses the cereal and creates dense treats instead of soft chewy squares.
- Scatter sprinkles over the top if desired.
- Let the Treats Set
- Leave the pan at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes so the treats can firm up properly.
- Once fully set, lift the treats out using the parchment paper edges and place onto a cutting board.
- Slice into squares or rectangles and serve.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container to keep the treats soft.
- For extra gooey bars, stir additional marshmallows into the cereal mixture before pressing into the pan.
- Almond milk works well as a dairy-free option.
- You can easily double the recipe and use a 9×13-inch pan for larger batches.
- Add chocolate chips, peanut butter, crushed cookies, or candy pieces for fun flavor variations.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 139 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Fat: 3.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Protein: 6 g