Growing up in Central Florida means you go to Disney. A lot. In elementary school, we went to Epcot on field trips. I've been an annual passholder for over 10 years. I've even worked at Disney. And anytime any family visits, you will find yourself in one of the four theme parks of Walt Disney World. Which means you’re gonna eat some snacks. 😛 This recipe is a copycat of my favorite Walt Disney World snack: Rice Krispie treats.
If you want to take these crispy rice treats to the next level, try making them with some whipped brown butter. If you want your treats to taste exactly like they do on Main Street though, be sure to follow the recipe. There are two secret ingredients which are not in most other crispy rice treat recipes, and that is what makes the difference in these copycat Disney world rice krispie treats!
2023 Update: Cast Members have confirmed that since the pandemic, these treats are no longer being made onsite at the Main Street Confectionary. 😭 They are now being made in a separate facility, which means this recipe is the closest you'll get to pre-pandemic treats!
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🛒 ingredients
- crispy rice cereal - use whatever brand you like, but I've had the best success with Rice Krispies. This is also the exact cereal that they use in Disney World. This is confirmed firsthand by my walks through the tunnels of Magic Kingdom when I was a Cast Member. 😏
- marshmallows - I know it seems crazy to say you MUST use a specific brand, but Jet Puft marshmallows just taste better, and they melt better, too. Opt for the jumbo variety, if possible.
- unsalted butter - use a good quality unsalted butter. Since there are so few ingredients, the best quality will mean the best flavor!
- vanilla extract - vanilla is an ingredient you don’t find in most homemade rice krispie recipes, but it helps elevate the flavor of the marshmallows. If you don’t have it on hand, you can omit this, but I recommend it!
- white chocolate - this is the secret ingredient! A small amount of white chocolate chips is what makes this recipe a Disney rice krispie treat copycat! The ingredient labels on the now-discontinued giant Mickey head crispy rice treats included white chocolate, even on the plain ones! Turns out, a little bit of white chocolate adds a bit of cocoa butter which keeps the treats soft and chewy!
- kosher salt - I use and recommend Diamond brand kosher salt. If you can only find Morton’s salt, be sure to cut the amount of salt in half if measuring in teaspoons (or weigh your ingredients to keep the grams the same!) because the crystals of Morton’s are larger than Diamond brand kosher salt.
See the recipe card for quantities.
🍳 instructions
Start by lining a 9 x 9-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang so you can lift the bars out of the pan later.
Step 1: Melt the butter over medium-low heat, then add in the marshmallows and allow them to slowly melt.
Step 2: Once the marshmallows are almost fully melted, add in the white chocolate, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Stir until melted and incorporated, then remove the pan from the heat.
Step 3: Add in the crisp rice cereal, and mix thoroughly to combine. It may seem like you don’t have enough marshmallow mixture at first, but keep stirring until the cereal is evenly coated!
Step 4: Scoop the mix into your prepared pan lined with parchment paper. Using a clean silicone spatula, press the mix down into the pan. Don't pack it in too firmly, or your treats will be very dense and tough to take a bite out of.
Hint: using medium-low heat may take a little longer, but you’ll be sure not to scorch the marshmallows, butter, or white chocolate. Low-n-slow is the key! 😉
♻️ substitutions & variations
♻️ substitutions
- brown crisp rice cereal - if you want to use whole grain cereal, brown rice crisp cereal can be a nice substitute in this recipe.
- salted butter - if you only have salted butter on hand, you can substitute that. Just omit the added salt in the recipe to offset the salt in your butter.
🎛️ variations
Try these variations, or comment below with your own!
- brown butter - use browned butter instead of regular butter for a deep, nutty, toasted flavor.
- chocolate chips - want a cocoa flavor? Add regular chocolate chips in place of white chocolate chips for a chocolaty spin on this recipe. You can also drizzle extra chocolate on top!
- Mickey shaped - you can use a Mickey cookie cutter to cut these into the classic mouse head shape if you like! I never have the patience, so I go for the classic rectangle!
🧰 equipment & storage
🧰 tools needed
One of the greatest things about making these copycat Disney rice krispie treats is that you don't need super fancy equipment to make them. The most specialized thing you'll need is parchment paper.
- large stock pot or saucepan - having a large enough pan or bowl is super helpful in making rice krispie treats without making a huge mess. I use an 8-quart stock pot, but you can use a smaller saucepan to melt the butter and marshmallows and then pour that mixture over the crisped rice cereal in a large bowl to mix. This set of glass bowls from Duralex is one of my favorite kitchen purchases ever.
- 9 x 9-inch pan - I love these pans by USA pan because they are sturdy and non-stick. Using an 9 x 9-inch pan means you’ll get thicker treats, so if you prefer a thinner rice krispie treat, you can use a 9 x 13-inch pan for thinner treats, or an 8 x 8-inch pan for even thicker treats.
- parchment paper - these pre-cut parchment paper liners make the job of lining the pan with parchment so much easier.
- silicone spatula - these spatulas are guaranteed to make your life so much better. GIR is my favorite brand of silicone tools! I love using the flip-turner spatula for pressing these crispy rice treats down into the pan because it has a larger surface area. 🤓
🫙how to store your rice krispie treats
Slice into bars just before serving to keep them fresher for longer. Store any uneaten bars in an airtight container or zip-top storage bag for up to 5 days.
💡 tips and tricks for getting it right
🍽️ serving tips
Use a sharp knife to cut these treats because they are super sticky! You may need to clean your knife between cuts.
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
Rice krispie treats are simple to make, but certain things can go wrong, leading you to have less than optimal treats! Try these troubleshooting tips to get it right, the first time!
- too hard - Do NOT turn the temperature higher than medium-low when melting the butter and marshmallows. Higher temperatures can lead the sugars in the marshmallow to crystallize and cause the gelatin to break down. This means rock hard rice krispie treats. Cook low and slow for soft and chewy treats.
- too soggy - When your mix has too many marshmallows, the butter and marshmallow mixture will seep to the bottom of the pan as the treats are cooling, leaving you with soggy-bottomed treats.
⚖️ scaling tips
You can scale these up or down, but if you do scale them up, you'll need a very large pot! For that reason, it's best to make these treats in batches.
🔆 top tip
Lining the pan with parchment paper makes for quick and easy release without the need for cooking spray!
💭 q+a
Why are my rice krispie treats hard?
Heating the mixture to high temperatures can cause the sugars in the marshmallows to reach the "hard crack" stage of sugar melting, which means...yup...your treats will be brittle like once they cool. Be sure to melt your marshmallows at a medium-low temperature and remove them from heat once they are almost all melted.
How long does it take for the rice krispie treats to cool?
It takes about an hour for these treats to fully cool. While it may be tempting to cut into them sooner, they will be stickier and harder to cut if they are warm at all. As long as you don't mind eating them in a sticky, lumpy pile, you're good. 🤣
Do I need to refrigerate my rice krispie treats?
Nope! You can store any uneaten treats right on the countertop for up to 5 days without them getting stale. Putting them in the fridge actually leads to them drying out faster.
Why are my rice krispie treats soggy?
You may have used too much butter or not enough crisped rice cereal. When your mix has too many marshmallows, the butter and marshmallow mixture will seep to the bottom of the pan as the treats are cooling, leaving you with soggy-bottomed treats.
Additionally, make sure you cover them tightly with plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container so that the treats don't take on moisture from the surrounding air. This is especially important in a high-humidity area like Florida!
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted butter?
Yes, you can! Just omit the additional salt from the recipe and substitute in salted butter.
If you make this recipe, please leave a review in the comments and a star rating!
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🥣 recipe
Copycat Disney Rice Krispie Treats
Equipment
- 1 large stockpot or pan
- 1 9 x 9-inch non-stick square pan
Ingredients
- 57 grams butter unsalted, 4 TBSP
- 283 grams jumbo marshmallows 1 large bag
- 50 grams white chocolate chips ¼ cup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 175 grams crisped rice cereal 6 cups
Instructions
- Line a 9 x 9-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang to lift the crisped rice squares out of the pan.
- Place the stockpot or large saucepan over medium-low heat, and melt 57 grams (4 tablespoons) of butter.
- Once the butter is melted, add in 283 grams of jumbo marshmallows (one large bag) and melt slowly over medium-low heat.
- Add 50 grams (¼ cup) of white chocolate chips and stir just until melted. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Pour in 175 grams (6 cups) of crisped rice cereal and stir until combined using a silicone spatula.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared parchment lined pan, and spread out using a clean silicone spatula to reduce stickiness.
- Allow to cool for at least one hour before lifting the rice krispies out of the pan and slicing. Store in a zip top bag for up to 5 days.
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