Gluten Free Rice Krispie Treats

Rice Krispie treats are such a delicious snack or dessert to make, and although regular rice krispie treats are not gluten free, it only takes a couple of easy swaps to make a gluten-free version that is safe for those with Coeliac Disease or gluten intolerance 🙌🏻.

We love easy gluten free recipes around here, and these gluten-free rice krispie treats are super easy to make, with only 5 simple ingredients (plus optional sprinkles).

Ingredients

Ok, let’s talk about what you’ll need to make these.

Where to Buy Gluten Free Rice Krispies

Kellogg’s Rice Krispies (called Kellogg’s Rice Bubbles in NZ and Australia) are not gluten free, because they contain barley malt extract or malt syrup for flavouring.

However, in most countries, there are gluten-free alternatives from different brands. They may be in the regular cereal aisle, or in the gluten free / free-from aisle. Just check the back of the packet and make sure that it doesn’t contain any variations of the words malt or barley, or any other gluten-containing ingredients.

You may want to look for certified gluten free cereal, as it is tested to ensure that it is free from cross-contamination.

Other Ingredients

Marshmallows – Make sure you check that you’re buying gluten free marshmallows, as some contain gluten. Often it will say gluten free on the front of the pack, but if not, a quick look at the ingredient label will tell you. One thing to remember is that they may contain “glucose syrup from wheat”, which is actually considered to be gluten free, as it is so highly processed that no gluten remains. It isn’t safe for anyone with a wheat allergy (which is different to Celiac/Coeliac disease), but it is considered safe for Coeliacs.
I usually use regular-sized marshmallows to melt, and then toss in some mini marshmallows with the rice krispies, so they stay whole and make delicious little marshmallow pockets.
Butter – You can use salted or unsalted butter here. I use unsalted; if you use salted, you can omit the pinch of salt from the recipe.
Vanilla – This is optional, but since marshmallows don’t have a ton of flavour on their own, it’s a nice addition.
Salt – This helps balance the sweetness of the marshmallows.
Sprinkles – These are optional too, but I wouldn’t be me if I weren’t throwing sprinkles at anything that stands still long enough. Make sure your sprinkles are gluten free, as some contain wheat starch.

To make them gluten and dairy free or vegan

You should be able to swap the butter for a dairy-free or vegan butter alternative. Choose one in block form if you can, as they tend to be a similar consistency to butter. To make them vegan as well, choose vegan marshmallows that are made without gelatin.

How to Make Gluten Free Rice Krispie Treats

If you’ve made a regular rice krispie treat before, then you’ll know what we’re about to do, and if you haven’t, well, let’s just say that it’s so easy that I almost didn’t bother doing step-by-step photos for it.

Start by preparing your cake pan. I use a 9″ square pan, which makes for lovely thick pieces, but you can use a 9″x13″ pan, or really any roughly equivalent-sized pan. Line the pan with non-stick baking paper or parchment paper – I like to do two long strips and crisscross them, which makes a nice sling to help lift the crispy squares out later. Lightly spray the paper with oil spray and clip with binder clips if you like.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat then add in your marshmallows, vanilla and salt, and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until melted. Make sure you choose a very large pot, as it needs to fit all of the marshmallows and cereal.

It’ll look a bit weird and separated to start with, and then the butter and gooey marshmallows will combine into a smooth, sticky mixture. Don’t let it boil; if it starts to bubble, then turn it down to low or medium-low heat.

Then you can add in the crispy rice cereal, and toss in some extra mini marshmallows if you like. I find it easiest to add the cereal in two additions, which helps to make sure that it is completely coated in the marshmallow mixture.

Once it’s all mixed, tip it into the prepared pan and use the oiled spatula to gently level it into an even layer.

Sprinkle it with gluten free sprinkles, if you like.

Then just let it set. It will take half an hour or so to cool and set, depending on the room temperature, then you can cut it into pieces.

These are their chewy, crunchy, stretchy best the day they’re made, but you can store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

If they get a bit hard, you can soften the marshmallow by gently warming the gf rice krispie treats in the microwave on low power just until they soften.

If you enjoy these, you should also definitely make these Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats next! 🍓