Crispy rice treats bring me so much joy - it's childhood nostalgia and gooey marshmallow goodness all in one bite... so of course I'm adding in some matcha!
The matcha really kicks the wow factor up a notch with these treats, plus I am showing you how to brown your butter to get an extra layer of nutty flavor in your rice treats, and how to turn them into Halloween treats.
Why this recipe works
This recipe requires no baking and just 4 ingredients making it very easy. Aside from matcha powder, it uses simple ingredients that you can find at any grocery store.
The melted marshmallows and butter serve as a binder that helps hold the crispy rice puffs together when the mixture cools down.
You can make this recipe on a stovetop or in a microwave, depending on your preference, and I provide instructions for both.
This recipe uses vegan or kosher marshmallows, making this a recipe that anyone can enjoy.
Ingredients & substitutions
This post contains affiliate links where I might receive a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
Butter - I have used unsalted butter and vegan butter for this recipe with great success. If you prefer a salty treat, salted butter is OK in this recipe. However, I find that salt can overpower the matcha flavor.
Mini marshmallows - I like to use mini as they melt more easily and are easy to handle. If you want to make this recipe kosher or vegan, make sure the marshmallows are marked kosher or vegan as not all of them are. Many include gelatin, which is not kosher or vegan.
Crispy rice cereal - Any brand of crispy rice cereal will work with this, so pick your favorite.
Matcha powder - Make sure to use culinary-grade matcha powder for this recipe.
For baking and cooking, I buy these matcha brands:
How to make this recipe
Let's make the best easy matcha treat! First, use butter to grease an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish.
Then, in a large pot, melt the unsalted butter slowly over medium heat, taking care not to burn by stirring constantly and keeping your eyes on it.
If you'd like to make browned butter, follow these additional steps.
When melting the butter, let it first melt, then foam, then turn golden and translucent. Watch it carefully at this point and stir it often. It will turn brown and start to smell nutty, indicating your brown butter is ready.
Note: It's not required, but the brown butter does add a delicious nutty flavor to the matcha rice crispy treats. The brown butter can be overpowering to some people, so I don't always add this step when making this treat.
Once the butter is melted, stir in the mini marshmallows. Stir until everything is completely melted together and smooth.
Turn off the heat and gradually sift in your matcha powder. Sifting it helps create a really smooth final texture. Mix it in well to get a bright green mix.
Now, you're ready to mix in the cereal. Mix so that all the cereal is evenly coated with the matcha marshmallow mixture.
Next, transfer the rice crispy cereal mix to your prepared baking dish. Press down to gently compact the cereal and fill up the dish. Set it aside and let it cool completely.
Cut the treats into squares or bars and enjoy!
Add googly eyes to your treats for Halloween
Plus, if you want to make a really fun addition, you can Halloween-ify these with some little googly eyes to make rice crispy treat monsters!
Purchase some edible googly eyes or make your own. To make your own, here are a few options:
- Take some white chocolate chips and draw pupils on the flat side with black, oil-based food coloring. It must be an oil-based coloring or it won't work on the chocolate chips.
- Take some white chocolate chips and add mini chocolate chips to the flat side. You can use melted chocolate or frosting to make them stick to each other.
Stick the googly eyes onto the rice crispy treats with some melted chocolate or frosting.
FAQs
It is a sweet treat that is made from crispy rice mixed with marshmallows and butter, then pressed into a baking dish and cut into bars or squares. They are well-known because of the famous Kellogg's brand Rice Krispies that are commonly used as the crispy rice brand in the recipe. Rice crispy treats are very nostalgic for a lot of people as they are a very common snack or treat that children love.
Unfortunately, it is quite easy to burn butter when you're melting it over the stove, especially if the heat is too high. The secret to melting your butter without burning it is to keep a close eye on it and stir it continuously over a low to medium temperature.
A better description for this type of rice is puffed rice or popped rice. It's rice that has been transformed into a more aerated puff-like grain due to a reaction between the moisture in the rice and starch which can be achieved by heating the rice in certain conditions.
There are a few reasons the texture may be too hard to bite – the first is that the treats have been refrigerated or frozen which isn't necessary, they only need to cool to room temperature. The second is that too high heat was used to melt the butter and the marshmallows together. While this may be tempting to speed things up, always do this gradually over medium-low heat.
Related Recipes
No matter where you are in your matcha baking journey I have the best matcha recipes to delight and impress.
★ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!★
I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m up to.
Matcha Rice Krispy Treats
Ingredients
- 4 oz. unsalted butter ½ cup
- 10 oz. mini marshmallows* one package
- 6 oz. rice crispy cereal about 6 cups
- 1.5 tablespoon culinary grade matcha powder
Instructions
- Butter your 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish.
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat.**
- Once melted, stir in the marshmallows. Stir until completely melted.
- Turn off the heat and sift in the matcha powder. Mix well.
- Mix in the cereal. Mix well, and transfer to your prepared baking dish.
- Press down to gently compact the cereal and let it cool completely.
- Cut into squares or bars and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Take some white chocolate chips and draw pupils on the flat side with black, oil-based food coloring. It must be oil-based or it won't work on the chocolate chips.
- Take some white chocolate chips and add mini chocolate chips to the flat side. You can use melted chocolate or frosting to make them stick to each other.
Aliza
Loved this recipe! Super easy and yummy! I did add some freeze dried strawberry to make is strawberry matcha latte flavored. It turned out delicious!
Candice
So glad you loved it, Aliza... thank you for taking the time to share! I love the freeze dried strawberry addition... I'll have to try it!
Steve
These were so addicting, will definitely be making again! They had the perfect amount of matcha - not overpowering but such great flavor.
Candice
So glad to hear it, Steve... thank you for taking the time to share!