Caramel Apple Rice Krispie Treats Recipe (2024)

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The classic flavor combination of sour green apple and caramel set these yummy Caramel Apple Rice Krispie Treats apart from any other Krispie Treats that you have had before. The only problem you are going to have after you try them, is making sure you have all of the ingredients on hand at all times so that you can make them as often as possible…well, and maybe cursing me because your pants don’t fit anymore…lol.

Caramel Apple Rice Krispie Treats Recipe (1)

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About this recipe

Have you ever had those yummy Caramel Apple Pops suckers? I can still remember the first time I was introduced to them.

My fifth grade (& all time favorite) teacher Pam had bought some to share with our class and they were such a hit that they soon became a regular treat.

Fast forward nearly twenty years and I still love them…in fact, they were the inspiration for my recipe today.

If you’ve never tried Caramel Apple Pops, they are basically a sucker that tastes similar to a Green Apple Jolly Rancher candy because it’s a sour green apple hard candyand is covered in Caramel.

YUMMY! I’m salivating just thinking about them…and now I’m salivating thinking out those flavors in the form of rice crispy treats…because that is exactly what I did.

These aren’t just your run of the mill regular rice krispie treats. There are just a couple of extra steps but that is what makes these SO GOOD!

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Recipe variation ideas

How to make Jolly Rancher Rice Krispie Treats

Keep in mind that this is my recipe for the Caramel Apple Rice Krispie treats…but you could easily omit the Kraft caramel bits (leave them out), and just do any flavor of Jolly Rancher Gelatin mix that you want to make yourself some Jolly Rancher Flavored Krispie treats!

How to make Caramel Rice Crispy Bars

The great thing about this recipe is that it’s super versatile… if you want to turn these into plain old Caramel Rice Krispie treats all you need to do is not add the Jolly Rancher Flavored Gelatin mix and they will turn out super yummy.

Or, just make some regular traditional Rice Krispie treats, but here are some other fun variations of crispy treats.

You could try my Cinnamon Vanilla Rice Krispie Treats…and I even have a recipe for basic plain Rice Krispie Treats that will perfectly fill a half sheet-pan.

How to make them (video and photo tutorial here)

So, I made a cheesy video to show you how to make these, and below it are the still images, directions, and a free printable recipe card.

Now on to the still image tutorial.

You start out making them like regular rice crispy treats.

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But then you add Jolly Rancher Brand Green Apple flavored gelatin mix. You can find it at most grocery stores in the Jello section or get it on Amazon, here.

It is MUCH cheaper at a grocery store though, so keep that in mind.

You just mix in the gelatin mix with the marshmallows, and make sure that all the sugar dissolves as the marshmallows melt…it happens naturally in the process though, so don’t worry.

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Once the marshmallows have melted, we remove it from the heat and add the Kraft Caramel Bits.

These can be found at any grocery store near the chocolate chips, or on Amazon here…these are also MUCH cheaper in a grocery store than online.

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Next, you just add the Krispie Rice Cereal, mix well, and press it into either a buttered 9×13″ casserole dish, or one that has been lined with some parchment paper.

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I prefer to line my 9×13″ casserole dish with parchment paper…it doesn’t get the dish dirty because I love that it is minimal cleanup.

I spread it out in the dish and then cover it with more parchment paper and then push down and rub on the parchment paper to flatten it out.

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Now it’s time to let it cool at room temp. Then cut into bars and try hard not to eat half of the pan because they are that good!!!!

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Recipe card found here

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Caramel Apple Rice Krispie Treats Recipe

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 42 minutes

The flavor combo of sour green apple and caramel set these yummyCaramel Apple Rice Krispie Treatsapart from any other Krispie Treats that you may have tried before. The only problem you’re going to have after you try them, is making sure you have all the ingredients on hand so that you can make them as often as possible.

Ingredients

  • ½ Cup Salted Butter
  • 1 (10 oz) Bag Marshmallows (regular or mini)
  • 1 (2.79 oz) Package Jolly Rancher Green Apple Gelatin Mix (dry)
  • 1 (11 oz) Bag Kraft Caramel Bits
  • 7 Cups Crispy Rice Cereal

Instructions

  1. Begin to melt the butter in a large pot over low to medium heat.
  2. Add the Marshmallows and stir until they start to melt a bit.
  3. Add the (dry) Jolly Rancher Gelatin Packet, and stir gradually until melted and the sugar from the gelatin has dissolved.
  4. Remove from heat.
  5. Mix in the Kraft Caramel Bits.
  6. Mix in the Krispie Rice Cereal until well incorporated.
  7. Pour into a buttered, or parchment paper lined, 9"x13" casserole dish. Spread as evenly as you can with the spoon you were already using. If you would like them to be very packed down or flat you can either butter your hands and rub them flat or add some parchment paper to the top and rub your hands across the parchment paper.
  8. Let cool until hardened. Then cut into bars and enjoy.

Notes

*DO NOT REFRIGERATE TO SPEED UP THE COOLING*.

How to make Jolly Rancher flavored Rice Krispie Treats

You can easily turn these into any flavor of Jolly Rancher rice krispie treats by omitting the caramel bits, and using whatever flavor you want of the Jolly Rancher Gelatin Mix.

How to make Caramel Rice Crispy Bars

The great thing about this recipe is that it’s super versatile… if you want to turn these into plain old Caramel Rice Krispie treats all you need to do is not add the Jolly Rancher Flavored Gelatin mix,and they will turn out super yummy with gooey caramel chunks throughout.

Or, other fun variations of crispy treats… you could try myCinnamon Vanilla Rice Krispie Treats…and I even havea recipe for basic plain Rice Krispie Treats that will perfectly fill a half sheet-pan.

Nutrition Information

Yield 12Serving Size 1
Amount Per ServingCalories 150Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 20mgSodium 160mgCarbohydrates 19gFiber 0gSugar 6gProtein 2g

These caloric amounts are automatically estimated by a plugin on my site and should be treated as an estimate only.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

I hope that you come to love these crispy treats, however you want to spell it, as much as we do at my house.

Hopefully they’ll soon become your new favorite dessert treat…but don’t hold it against me if your pants don’t fit before long ;).

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and supporting my endeavors to make people’s lives a little easier/better/more affordable.

If you liked this recipe post, or found it helpful in any way, please make sure to share it with your family, friends, and co-workers via social media.

Or you could even send them the direct link via email. Whichever way you choose to spread the love, I super appreciate it! ~Sarah

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Check out my other recipes

  • To see all of my recipes, go here.
  • To see all of my sweet tooth recipes, go here.

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*Please note that this recipe was originally published to this website on September 2, 2016 and has since been updated to improve user experience, get a free printable recipe card, as well as to improve share-ability across the social medias.

Caramel Apple Rice Krispie Treats Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you put too much butter in Rice Krispie Treats? ›

What happens if you put too much butter in Rice Krispies Treats? If you put too much butter in rice krispies treats they will become oily, the cereal will soak up the butter and the treats will become soggy, rather than crispy.

How do you keep homemade Rice Krispie Treats from getting hard? ›

Don't overcook the marshmallows and butter.

Sugars become more hard the longer they cook. So to keep your treats soft, make sure to only cook the butter and marshmallow mixture just until the marshmallows have melted, and not longer.

Why are my rice crispy treats not crispy? ›

A rubbery of flimsy Rice Krispie treat is due to the addition of too much butter! The cereal is coated in more butter than marshmallow, making it soggy.

Why can't Muslims eat rice krispie treats? ›

What about Rice Crispy Treats that have marshmallows in them, are they Haram too? Yes, they also use gelatin from pork. All pig products like pork are Haram (forbidden) for Muslims to eat.

Can you mess up rice krispie treats? ›

It's tempting to turn up the heat to speed up melting the butter and marshmallows, but resist the urge. High heat is the prime culprit for rock hard rice krispie treats. → Follow this tip: It will take a few more minutes of cook time, but melt the butter and marshmallows over low heat.

Why are my rice crispy treats hard as a rock? ›

Why did my rice krispie treats turn out hard? The most likely culprit is the heat that you are using to cook them. Keep your heat below medium-low at all times. If the marshmallows are exposed to too much (/too high) heat, they'll become tough once they cool.

Can you use old marshmallows for rice krispie treats? ›

You can but I would not recommend it. The marshmallows will clump instead of melting into a nice even goo. Stick to fresh marshmallows for your treats and save the stale ones for a cup of hot chocolate later.

What can you do with expired marshmallows? ›

Marshmallows don't really go “bad” that I am aware of. Personally, I would try to use them. You can soften hard marshmallows by dipping a sealed bag in a hot pot of water boiling for a couple of minutes. The expiration date is just a best by date.

What ingredient is in rice crispy? ›

INGREDIENTS: Rice, sugar, salt, barley malt extract, niacin, iron, vitamin B6, riboflavin, thiamin, folic acid, vitamin D, vitamin B12.

Why do my Rice Krispies fall apart? ›

Adding too much butter will make the rice krispie treats fall apart. The amount specified will be perfect and your rice krispie treats will stick and stay together.

What makes rice crispy pop? ›

Once the Rice Krispies hit the cereal bowl and absorb liquid (milk), the moisture content increases and the kernel goes from glassy to rubbery. The pockets of trapped air release as the walls of the kernel are weakened, which in turn break the parts of the structure that are still glassy, forcing the Snap!

What is a substitute for marshmallows in rice crispy treats? ›

The substitute breaks down like this: combine an invert sugar (like syrup or honey) with a nut or seed butter to create a sweet adhesive for your Rice Krispy treats. Not only does this sticky mix work as a proper swap for marshmallows, but it also brings its own unique flavor to your crunchy bars.

When should you cut Rice Krispie Treats? ›

Don't press too hard and PACK the treats into the pan. We don't want them to be hard. Let the Rice Krispie Treats sit on the counter and cool completely before cutting, about 1 hour.

How long are homemade rice crispy treats good for? ›

After 3 days, you should throw away the old rice crispy treats and just whip up a new batch! Eat the treats as soon as possible for the best flavor and texture. If you wait too long, the rice crispy treats will lose their soft, gooey consistency. Once they go stale, they'll turn rock-hard.

What happens if you add too much butter? ›

Too much butter will result in a very soft, sticky dough that's difficult to shape, and bakes up greasy and dense.

Does butter make things crispy? ›

Butter is made of mostly fat, which when separated out is called clarified butter or ghee and can take more heat that butter as a whole. The problem is butter also contains water, which we covered before keeps the temp too low for browning and crispiness, and proteins, which just burn under heat.

Why are my homemade rice crispy treats so sticky? ›

The perfect Rice Krispie Treat requires the perfect ratio of butter to marshmallow to rice cereal. Too much marshmallow and butter can make a super sticky, wet or soggy slice, while too little makes a hard, dry or crumbly one.

Why are my rice krispies so dense? ›

Don't pack your rice krispie treats into the pan too hard. If you pack them really tight, they will end up too compacted to bite into easily. You just want to gently maneuver them into the shape of the pan and then let them be.

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