Craving something sweet? Chocolate lovers will fall head over heels for these Chocolate Rice Krispies! With cocoa rice krispies, mini marshmallows, and chocolate chips, they are easy to make and have the most delicious chocolate flavor.
Classic rice krispie treats are so fun to make desserts out of because there’s so much you can do with them! We love using the crispy rice cereal to make these super fun and festive Halloween rice krispie treats: Frankenstein Rice Krispie Treats and Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats.
But sometimes we’re desperately craving chocolate. You know? And for those times we make a chocolate version with this easy peasy Chocolate Rice Krispies Treats recipe.
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🌟 Why this recipe works
This delicious dessert recipe is a winner, and we think you’ll love it as much as our family does!
- This is an easy recipe that’s also a no-bake recipe.
- It calls for just 4 simple ingredients that you can find in any local grocery store.
- It’s rich and chocolatey, with just enough ooey gooey marshmallow mixture without making a mess.
- You can make thick bakery-style cereal treats or smaller, thinner treats if you want to make more bars.
- It’s easy to customize! See our Serving Ideas section for different holiday rice krispies treats ideas.
🛒 Ingredient notes
Cocoa Krispies – You’ll need Cocoa Krispies cereal, which you can usually find right next to the classic rice krispies cereal in the grocery store cereal aisle. You can also buy Cocoa Krispies online.
Marshmallows – This recipe calls for 8 cups — or about one and a half 10-ounce packages of — mini marshmallows, divided. You can certainly use a little less than what’s called for. Use 7 cups for the main cereal mixture with the cocoa krispies. Then use 1 cup to add at the end along with the chocolate chips.
Chocolate chips – Use semi-sweet chocolate chips for the best chocolate flavor. You can use mini chocolate chips if you prefer, but I like the larger chunks of chocolate in these.
Butter – You’ll need a stick of unsalted butter, which melts with the marshmallows for that oh so delicious ooey gooeyness of these treats!
✅ Step-by-step instructions
The full ingredients list and detailed instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. But here are visual step-by-step instructions:
- Line a 9″x 9″ baking pan with parchment paper or wax paper. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-low heat.
3. Add the miniature marshmallows and stir with a wooden spoon or heatproof silicone spatula until melted together, which takes about 2 to 4 minutes.
4. Add the vanilla and stir.
5. Add in the cocoa rice krispies, stirring constantly to coat the cereal.
6. Add in the chocolate chips, stir, and add the remaining 1 cup of marshmallows. Stir just until combined. You want some of this last set of marshmallows to remain somewhat intact and not totally melted in. They add a yummy texture to these treats!
In fact, feel free to add some extra marshmallows sticking slightly out of the mixture, if you want!
7. Use your wooden spoon or heatproof silicone spatula to gently push the chocolate rice krispies mixture into the bottom and corners of the prepared pan. Then gently press to create an even layer.
8. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes or let set at room temperature for about 30-45 minutes (unless your house is hot and it’s summer — then definitely set in the fridge!). Then remove and slice into squares or bars.
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQs
Store these rice krispies treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
Yes! You can slice then flash freeze them by placing on a baking sheet and freezing, then wrapping individual slices in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. They will stay good for up to 6 months in the freezer.
Rice krispies cereal is not vegan. It contains Vitamin D which is made from animals.
🍽 Serving ideas
These delicious treats are so yummy all on their own. Or enjoy them with a glass of milk!
You can easily customize these for different holidays:
- Valentine’s Day – use pink marshmallows
- Easter – use pastel-colored marshmallows or Lucky Charms marshmallows
- Halloween rice krispies treats – check out our Frankenstein Rice Krispies Treats and Pumpkin Rice Krispies Treats recipes!
🍳 Kitchen tools and equipment
Ready to make this recipe? Here are the kitchen tools and equipment you’ll need:
Baking pan – A 9″ x 9″ square pan works beautifully for this dessert recipe. It yields 12-15 thick, bakery-style rice krispies treats. You could also use a 9″ x 13″ baking dish, which would give you smaller treats.
Spatula – Use a heatproof silicone spatula or a wooden spoon to mix the ingredients together. You will also need this to push down the mixture into an even layer in the pan.
More dessert and snack recipes
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Chocolate Rice Krispies
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 8 cups mini marshmallows, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 cups Cocoa Krispies cereal
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line a 9" x 9" baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt the butter over low-medium heat.
- Add 7 cups of marshmallows, setting aside one cup for later. Immediately stir the marshmallows and melted butter, stirring constantly with a heatproof silicone spatula for a few minutes, until the marshmallows are mostly melted.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla until incorporated.
- Then add the Cocoa Krispies cereal and stir constantly to coat.
- Gently fold in the remaining 1 cup of marshmallows and the chocolate chips until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and use the silicone spatula to press the mixture into the bottom and corners of the pan until the top is fairly even.
- Allow the cocoa krispies to set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or at room temperature for an hour. Then slice into square or rectangular bars.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
