Ooey gooey rice crispy bars with a layer of soft creamy caramel and more marshmallow for the best crispy rice bar ever. These Caramel Marshmallow Rice Crispy Bars are a classic turned extra decadent and irresistible.

So there’s the Classic Rice Crispy Bars. And that’s really great. It’s iconic. Almost everyone has made them at least once. I was eating one once and had this crazy idea. I thought to myself that I could improve on this classic treat. I could make it absolutely incredible. It could be the star of the bake sale table.  

To Improve a Classic

You might be wondering who looks at a rice crispy bar and thinks, “You know, that could really use more marshmallows”? It’s me. Hear me out though. The marshmallowy chewiness is the real reason anyone eats a rice crispy bar and these have not only a ton of marshmallows inside the bar but a whole layer of ooey-gooey marshmallow goodness inside! The caramel is an unexpected chewy surprise that works so wonderfully with the rice crispy cereal and the sweet marshmallows. 

Mixing and Making the Caramel Marshmallow Rice Crispy Bars

To make these, I use a 16-quart stockpot to combine the marshmallow mixture with the cereal. The size is probably a little bigger than absolutely necessary, but it helps keep bits of cereal from flying all over your kitchen in the process. Once you pour the melted marshmallow mixture in, tilt the pot at about a 45-degree angle and use the biggest, long-handled wooden spoon you own to stir. Once everything is combined, the best tool for getting it all out of the pot is a cheap, plastic bench scraper. 

These Caramel Marshmallow Rice Crispy Bars are so fun to make. My favorite part is taking one of the giant bars out of the pan and sandwiching it on top of the other. Press down firmly to push out any air pockets that might have gotten trapped, but not too hard. You don’t want to crush the cereal into dust. As a finishing touch, I like to drizzle a bit of extra caramel to make these extra pretty. 

Once they cool completely, I cut and wrap these individually, then place them in a zip-top bag. They can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 weeks or the freezer for 3 months. If you are serving them for an event, simply unwrap them and place them on a wax paper-lined tray. 

More Rice Crispy Goodness

If you’re like me, you can’t get enough of these Caramel Marshmallow Crispy Rice Bars. There are so many different variations on the Classic Rice Crispy Bar though. Some of my other favorites are Peanut Butter Chocolate Rice Crispy Bars. They have the chewy rice crispy base you expect with a rich, peanut buttery layer and a sweet chocolate layer on top. It’s a crowd favorite every time I make them.

Marshmallow Sprinkle Rice Crispy Bars are also super yummy and easy to customize for any occasion or holiday. Check out these ones we made for the Fourth of July!

I love the chewiness of crispy rice bars. I also love the chewiness of a good caramel. What could be better than combining them? Almost nothing. Unless you add more marshmallow. Now we’re really talking. This fantastic, gooey treat is so delicious you’ll question how you ever lived life without it. Let me know what you think in the comments!