S’mores Rice Krispie Treats

Rice Krispie Treats.  They always bring me back to the old school.  No literally.  I can remember my first run in with a Rice Krispie Treat at my elementary school bake sale.  It was love at first sight.  From then on I always made sure I had a few extra quarters in my pocket so I could stock up on these gooey goodies whenever the next bake sale would roll around.

It’s no secret, I have long had an addiction to s’mores.  Some might consider it an obsession (I mean I do have an entire board dedicated to s’mores on Pinterest).  Either way, I’m kind of proud of it.  I guess you can say I am a s’mores connoisseur.  And so far, there hasn’t been a s’mores concoction that I didn’t like.

So when I came across the idea to marry these two treats into one…it was truly a match made in heaven.

Ingredients

3 tbsp unsalted butter

10.5 oz. bag mini marshmallows, plus 3/4 cup roughly chopped for mix-ins and topping

6 cups Rice Krispie cereal

1 cup graham cracker pieces ( about 3 1/2 regular sheets)

3/4 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

Preparation

Start by breaking up the graham crackers into small pieces, being careful not to crush.  Reserve about 1/4 cup in a separate bowl.  Add about 1/4 cup of the mini chocolate chips, and the chopped mini marshmallows to the bowl and set side, reserving for topping.

Over medium heat, melt butter in a large pot.  Once butter is melted, go ahead and add the bag of mini marshmallows, making sure to stir constantly while marshmallows melt.  When the mixture is fully melted and smooth, add cereal.  Using a rubber spatula stir mixture until cereal is coated completely.  Once combined, add graham crackers, chocolate chips, and chopped mini marshmallows.  Stir until s’mores mixture is evenly dispersed throughout.

Pour mixture into an 8×8 or 9×13 glass baking dish.  Using your hands (which you can grease with cooking spray), evenly press mixture into dish.  Sprinkle with reserved toppings, pressing down gently.

Let treats sit for at least 30 minutes before cutting into squares.

Recipe slightly adapted from Baked by Rachel

As all relationships aspire to be, this marriage of Rice Krispie Treat and S’mores is truly a 50/50 balance.  You have the crunch and chewiness of the Rice Krispie Treat with the delicious flavor combination of graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows.  It truly is the perfect pairing.

With summer just around the corner, this dessert is perfect for picnics, barbecues and outdoor parties.  Kids of all ages (including adults) are sure to love them.  So make sure you whip up enough batches to share with your friends and neighbors, because these puppies will be flying off the platters.

Your turn:  What is your favorite childhood treat?