Malted Cocoa Krispies Treats

Packed with crunchy cereal, chocolate chunks, and plenty of brown butter and gooey marshmallows, these malted Cocoa Krispies Treats are easy, delicious, and perfect for feeding a crowd.

By
Genevieve Yam
Genevieve Yam headshot
Genevieve Yam
Senior Editor
After graduating from the International Culinary Center, Genevieve cooked at Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Per Se. Prior to joining Serious Eats, she was an editor at Epicurious. She grew up between Toronto and Hong Kong and is a graduate of the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She currently lives in New York with her husband and two cats.
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Published October 31, 2025
Hands pulling apart a sticky textured crispy rice treat

Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Why It Works

  • Toasting the cereal and browning the butter give the bars a deeper, richer nuttiness.
  • Malted milk powder brings a savory note to the bars and enhances the flavor of the brown butter, marshmallows, and chocolate.

I'm a champion snacker with a sweet tooth, and there's nothing I love more than a portable treat that takes less than 20 minutes to prep. For that reason, homemade Rice Krispies Treats are a staple in my home. The minimal effort dessert requires little more than tossing the ingredients into a pot, scraping the mixture into a baking pan, and letting it cool before portioning. (It's also gluten-free, nut-free, and can be easily made dairy-free by swapping in melted non-dairy butter, making it a great contribution for school bake sales and community events.)

Stack of malted rice krispies displayed on a surface

Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Another perk? Rice Krispies Treats are wonderfully versatile. The neutral flavor of the cereal and marshmallows makes the bars easily adaptable to a variety of flavors or additions. S'mores, schmaltz, and chocolate are just a few of the other flavor variations available on our site. Recently, I gave my go-to recipe a twist by adding chocolate—via Cocoa Krispies and dark chocolate chunks—and malted milk powder.

Made from a blend of wheat flour and malted barley extracts, malted milk powder is deeply savory, with what former Serious Eats editor Stella Parks describes as a "roasted, toasted, earthy flavor." The dry milk powder also adds rich creaminess, which enhances the flavors of the brown butter, marshmallows, and chocolate. (Unfortunately, these treats are not gluten-free because malted milk powder does contain wheat.)

Malted rice krispies squares arranged in two rows of three on a flat surface

Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

As simple as Rice Krispies Treats are, there are a few ways to make them even better. As in my basic recipe for Rice Krispies Treats, I toast the cereal and brown the butter to give the bars a rich nuttiness and deeper flavor. I also season the bars generously, creating a salty-sweet dynamic that keeps you coming back for more. Packed with crunchy cereal, chocolate chunks, and plenty of brown butter and gooey marshmallows, these malted Cocoa Krispies Treats are easy, delicious, and perfect for feeding a crowd.

Recipe Details

Malted Cocoa Krispies Treats Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 15 mins
Total 20 mins
Serves 9 to 12
Makes 1 9-by-9-inch pan
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Ingredients

  • 99 g Rice Krispies (3 1/2 ounces; 3 1/2 cups), see notes

  • 85 g Cocoa Krispies (3 ounces; 3 cups)

  • Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing

  • 56 g unsalted butter (2 ounces; 4 tablespoons)

  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume

  • One 16-ounce bag marshmallows, any size

  • 1/2 cup malted milk powder (about 2 1/3 ounces; 65 g)

  • 149 g dark chocolate (5 1/4 ounces), coarsely chopped (1 cup), between 64 and 70% cacao

  • Flaky salt, such as Maldon, to garnish, optional

Directions

  1. Adjust oven racks to the second from the top and second from the bottom. Preheat oven to 325ºF (163ºC). Line two 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Arrange Rice Krispies and Cocoa Krispies evenly between the 2 sheets. Toast in oven, stirring every 3 minutes, until Rice Krispies are golden brown and the Cocoa Krispies smell chocolaty, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Transfer Rice Krispies and Cocoa Krispies to a large bowl; set aside.

    Toasted plain and chocolateflavored puffed rice in trays and a mixing bowl with combined ingredients and a wooden spoon

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

  2. Meanwhile, line a 9-by-9-inch baking pan or dish with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 opposite sides. Coat evenly with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

  3. In a 6-quart pot, melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat, stirring and swirling, until milk solids turn golden brown and the butter smells nutty, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add salt, followed by marshmallows. Using a silicone spatula, stir until the marshmallows have just melted, about 4 minutes. Add malted milk powder, whisking constantly to dissolve. Add Rice Krispies and Cocoa Krispies and, using a spatula, fold until combined. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about 3 minutes. Fold in chopped chocolate to combine.

    Cooking process of mixing ingredients for a recipe including melted marshmallow rice cereal and chocolate chunks in a saucepot

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

  4. Quickly scrape cereal and marshmallow mixture into prepared baking dish. Spray another spatula with nonstick cooking spray, then use it to press mixture into an even, compact layer. Sprinkle all over with flaky salt, if using. Allow bars to cool for 30 minutes before portioning.

    A mix of malted rice Krispies being poured into a dish from a pot using a utensil

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

  5. To portion, remove bars from the baking dish and place on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut bars into squares, rectangles, or your desired shape.

    A hand lifting a square piece of crispy rice and chocolate treat cut into smaller squares

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Special Equipment

Two 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheets, parchment, 9-by-9-inch baking pan or dish, whisk, serrated knife

Notes

The Rice Krispies can be substituted with Cocoa Krispies, and vice versa, if desired.

To make these bars dairy-free, melt 4 tablespoons dairy-free butter instead and skip the browning. To make the bars vegetarian, substitute the regular marshmallows with a vegetarian-friendly alternative.

Make-Ahead and Storage

The bars can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, but are best enjoyed within 5 days.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
317 Calories
8g Fat
60g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 9 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories 317
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 11%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 11mg 4%
Sodium 189mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 60g 22%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 35g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 5mg 25%
Calcium 26mg 2%
Iron 5mg 30%
Potassium 136mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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