The perfect balance of chewy and crisp, chocolate rice krispie treats are a dessert the whole family will love. With a rich, deep chocolate flavor, just the right amount of marshmallows, and fail-proof steps, this extra fun take on a classic no-bake recipe hits the spot every time.

Stacked chocolate rice krispie treats on a serving plate.

I liked plain rice krispie treats just fine when I was a kid, but my eyes were opened to all of the fun variations you could make in college. The dining hall often had marshmallow cereal treats made with Trix which, quite frankly, blew my mind.

I've kept that fun spirit going with Captain Crunch Treats (two different ways), but today is all about revamping an old friend with chocolate rice krispie treats.

Rice krispie treats are simple to make, but you can run into a few pitfalls. Without a sufficient amount of marshmallows and butter, you run the risk of very dry, crunchy treats that scratch up the roof of your mouth. These chocolate rice krispie treats have just the right amount of both, with three different additions of chocolate for an extra elevated flavor.

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Why You'll Love Chocolate Cereal Treats
Recipe Ingredients
Step-by-Step Instructions
Recipe Tips and Tricks
More No-Bake Desserts
Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats
Comments and Reviews

Why You'll Love Chocolate Cereal Treats

The chocolate flavor. Choosing the right cocoa powder, melting chocolate into the marshmallows, and dotting the squares with additional chocolate chips will satisfy the chocolate lovers in your life.
The texture. These chocolate cereal treats are soft and chewy while retaining all of the cereal crispness, and they'll stay that way until the last square is eaten.
The whole family will love them. Rice krispie treats are such a kid dessert, while the chocolate flavor really speaks to adults (at least in my house!).

Recipe Ingredients

The text-labeled chocolate rice krispie treat ingredients in separate containers.

Crispy Rice Cereal: Whether you use Rice Krispies or a store-brand equivalent, make sure the cereal isn't stale so it still crunches.
Marshmallows: Mini marshmallows will melt quicker than the jumbo kind. Similarly, use soft, fresh marshmallows. Ones that have been sitting in the pantry for some time are firmer and won't be pillowy soft.
Butter: This recipe is written assuming the use of unsalted butter. If you prefer to bake/prepare desserts with salted butter, eliminate the separately added salt.
Cocoa Powder: If available to you, I highly recommend using Dutch-process cocoa powder here instead of natural unsweetened cocoa powder (the basic supermarket kind). It has a richer taste that really shines in a simple, no-bake dessert like this.
Chocolate Chips: These are melted into the butter/marshmallow mixture to amplify the flavor of the cocoa powder beautifully. Choose your favorite variety, though I'm partial to using an equal mix of dark chocolate and semisweet.
Vanilla Extract: This is added once the pot is off the heat so the flavor doesn't cook out.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Melt marshmallows and butter. Over low-medium heat, heat most of the marshmallows and butter in a big pot or Dutch oven until the marshmallows have lost their shape and have melted.
Stir everything together. Stir in the chocolate chips until they melt, then remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt, then alternating amounts of crispy rice cereal and reserved marshmallows.
Press into pan. Line a square baking dish with parchment paper, then press the mixture into it in an even layer. It'll be sticky, but there are some tips on handling this below.
Slice once cooled. Let the chocolate rice krispie treats cool completely until solidified before slicing into squares and serving.

Mini marshmallows and butter melting together in a Dutch oven.

Everything stirred together in a Dutch oven.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Fresh ingredients. For best results, use newly opened marshmallows and cereal. Marshmallows will begin to harden once opened which can impede smooth melting, while stale cereal will lose its crispness.
Less mess. The rice krispie treat mixture will be sticky. Use a greased spatula, greased piece of parchment paper, buttered side of a butter wrapper, or slightly wet hands to shape it in the pan.
Different pan sizes. Using either an 8- or 9-inch square pan works for this recipe. The treats pictured here were made in an 8-inch pan so they're taller. A 9-inch pan yields shorter treats that may be easier for kids to eat.
Flavor variations. Have fun with this recipe framework to create your own twist!
- Chocolate peppermint: Replace no more than ¼-teaspoon of the vanilla extract with peppermint extract for a chocolate peppermint version, or melt Andes chocolate mints into the marshmallow.
- Chocolate peanut butter: Use peanut butter chips in place of the chocolate chips, or press peanut butter chips into top surface of the treats as they're cooling.
- Chocolate coconut: Sprinkle toasted coconut flakes into the treats as you're adding the cereal.

Chocolate marshmallow cereal treats arranged on a plate.

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