Cocoa Krispies Treats

By Samantha Seneviratne

Updated September 15, 2025

Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Ready In
50 min
Rating
4(179)
Comments
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Rice Krispies treats are a classic dessert for a reason. They’ve got everything: crunch, chew, buttery sweetness and just the right amount of salt. You’ll get extra credit for browning the butter first. What happens if you also stir some cocoa powder into the browned butter before mixing in the rest of the ingredients? The classic transforms into something deeply chocolatey, gooey and even a bit sophisticated. These treats are reminiscent in flavor to hot chocolate, thanks to the cocoa and marshmallows, but you can enjoy them any time of year. For some campfire vibes, stir in about ½ cup broken pieces of graham cracker with the crisp rice cereal.

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Ingredients

Yield:9 servings

  • ½ cup/113 grams salted butter, plus more for greasing

  • ½ cup/56 grams unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or 1 teaspoon fine salt

  • 1 (12-ounce/340-gram) bag marshmallows 

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 6 cups/180 grams Rice Krispies, or other crisp rice cereal

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (9 servings)

52 grams carbs; 27 milligrams cholesterol; 307 calories; 3 grams monosaturated fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 11 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 180 milligrams sodium; 3 grams protein; 22 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Butter a 9-inch square baking pan. 

  2. Step 2

    In a large pot, melt the ½ cup butter over medium heat. Cook, stirring often with a rubber spatula, until the milk solids on the bottom of the pan turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cocoa powder and salt until incorporated. 

  3. Step 3

    Add the marshmallows and stir until they are about 80 percent melted. Some lumps are OK. Remove the pot from the heat, add the vanilla and cereal and stir the mixture until all the cereal is coated.

  4. Step 4

    Transfer to the prepared pan. Use the spatula to gently spread the mixture out evenly but avoid packing it down. Let cool completely.

  5. Step 5

    Remove from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 9 even squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
179 user ratings
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Comments

Richard M

My mum used to exalt this recipe by taking the bottom of the boxes of raisin bran, cheerios, wheaties and everything else we 60s kids grew up with and marshmallowing them together...but she didn't stop there. She'd spread some peanut butter on the top, let it cool, and melt a bunch of dark chocolate chips to spread over that. The result was a chewy, sweet peanut-buttery chocolate cereal-y delight that never lasted more than a day.

Renly

I struggled for about 10 minutes trying to understand why your mum would serve you cardboard cereal box bottoms! ;-)

Bill

or you could just make regular rice krispie treats with cocoa krispies!

Jeff R

I doubled the recipe and only added one tsp of kosher salt instead of four, and it was plenty. Went with Ghirardelli brand natural unsweetened cocoa. I normally do not like this sort of sweet, in the same vein as cookie dough...so much potential for processed ingredients. This, however, challenged my take on a #RKT :) Tasty!

Laura

Stay away from the marshmallows at Trader Joe’s. They don’t melt. So frustrating.

Goldy

The second I add the marshmallows to the pot, it starts sticking to the bottom like crazy - anybody else? Any tips?

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