Is there gluten in rice crispy treats

Gluten-free rice krispies treats are a simple, classic dessert made mainly of crispy rice cereal and marshmallows that can be made in no time. With just six simple ingredients and twenty minutes of work, you'll have a sweet, crispy, and colorful treat that all will love.

Why this recipe works

Rice Krispies treats were a staple in our household growing up. My mom would whip them up for us whenever we had a sweet tooth. This gluten-free Rice Krispies treats recipe has been updated to include sprinkles for a fun spin on the classic. With just six simple ingredients and twenty minutes of work, you’ll have a sweet, crispy, and colorful no-bake treat that everyone will love.

Kellogg’s Rice Krispies have malt listed as an ingredient, which comes from barley (a gluten containing grain). This means Kellogg’s Rice Krispies are NOT gluten-free! 

Remember, gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and spelt. Barley (and gluten for that matter) is not considered one of the top 8 allergens and therefore does not have to be called out in the allergen statement. Be sure to check ingredient labels for ingredients containing barley or malt because they will not be called out like wheat will be. 

Kellogg’s used to carry a gluten-free variety, but due to poor sales they discontinued the product a few years ago. Luckily, there are some gluten-free rice cereal alternatives to Kellogg’s Rice Krispies that you can use in this recipe. Some of my favorites are Bake to Nature Gluten-Free Sprout and Shine Cereal, Malt-O-Meal Crispy Rice Cereal (this is confusing since the word “malt” is in the name brand, but their product contains no malt or gluten), and Aldi Millville Crispy Rice Cereal (not certified gluten-free).

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

• Sprinkles – You can use whatever sprinkles you like. I used a combination of confetti sprinkles and nonpareils. You can also leave the sprinkles out if you’d prefer and either leave plain or top with melted chocolate.
• Rice crispy cereal – If you need your treats to be gluten-free, be sure to check the box to make sure the rice crispy cereal you use is certified gluten-free. I used Aldi Millville Crispy Rice Cereal in this recipe, which is gluten-free. Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Cereal is NOT gluten-free!
• Cooking spray – We’re just using the cooking spray to coat the pan to ensure that the rice krispies treats come out easily. You can use any cooking spray or oil for this, or even just melted butter.

Step-by-Step instructions

1. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with wax paper or parchment paper. Coat the pan and parchment paper with cooking spray or melted butter, then set aside.
2. Add the butter to a large saucepan or dutch oven over low heat, and stir continuously until the butter is melted. 
3. Add all but 2 cups of the mini marshmallows to the butter and melt over low heat, stirring occasionally to keep the mixture from burning. It will take about 5-6 minutes for the mini marshmallows to melt. Do not raise the heat as this will make the marshmallows tough. Patience is key! Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine. 
4. Take the pot off the heat, and add the remaining 2 cups of mini marshmallows. Stir for 1-2 minutes, until the mini marshmallows are partially melted. You do not want them to melt all the way.

1. Pour the gluten-free crispy rice cereal into the pot, and stir until the cereal is covered completely with the melted marshmallows. 
2. Add the confetti sprinkles to the rice krispies, reserving about 1 teaspoon to use later. Stir until the sprinkles are just distributed. 
3. Spoon the rice krispies into the prepared pan. With a greased spatula, lightly press the cereal mixture down until even across the pan. 
4. Top with remaining confetti sprinkles. Let cool for an hour before slicing and serving.

Expert Tips

• Be sure to use a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon to stir in your crispy rice cereal. This may seem really basic, but it makes a big difference!
• As always, if you need your recipe to be gluten-free, be sure to check that all of your ingredients are gluten-free. Kellogg’s Rice Krispies are not gluten-free, and some cooking sprays also contain gluten.
• When melting your butter and marshmallows, make sure that you stir the contents of the pot occasionally to avoid burning.

Recipe FAQs

Are marshmallows gluten-free?

Most, if not all, marshmallows are gluten-free. I personally like Campfire marshmallows which are made in an allergen friendly facility. They’re available at many of my local grocery stores. I’ve also used Kraft marshmallows with no issues.

Can this recipe be made dairy-free?

Yes, you can easily use dairy-free butter in this recipe. Everything else in this recipe is non-dairy.

Can this recipe be made vegan?

You can use dairy-free butter and vegan marshmallows in this recipe to make it vegan. Conventional marshmallows contain gelatin, which is not vegan. Dandies Marshmallows are vegan. As a note, they may take a bit longer to melt than conventional marshmallows.

How long will these Gluten-free Rice Krispies Treats last?

Store your gluten-free rice krispies treats in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze your treats. I recommend placing wax paper in between each one or individually wrapping them so they don’t stick together. Let thaw at room temperature for an hour before serving.

• Gluten-Free S’mores Bars
• Gluten Free Giant Strawberry Pop Tart
• Gluten-Free Vegan Baked Chocolate Sprinkle Donuts
• Gluten-Free No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to know! Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also share your pictures and tag @adashofmegnut on Instagram.

• ▢ 1/2 cup salted butter
• ▢ 16 oz mini marshmallows (456g – about 10 cups, divided)
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 8 cups gluten-free crispy rice cereal (8 oz or 227g)
• ▢ 2 tbsp confetti sprinkles (optional)
• ▢ cooking spray (for greasing pan and spatula)

• Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with wax paper or parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray or butter the pan. Set aside.

• Add the butter to a large saucepan or dutch oven over low heat. Stir until the butter is melted.

• Add all but 2 cups of the mini marshmallows to the butter and melt over low heat, stirring occasionally. It will take about 5-6 minutes for the mini marshmallows to melt. Do not raise the heat as this will make the marshmallows tough.

• Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine.

• Take the pot off the heat. Add the remaining 2 cups of mini marshmallows. Stir for 1-2 minutes, until the mini marshmallows are partially melted. You do not want them to melt all the way.

• Pour the gluten-free crispy rice cereal into the pot. Stir until the cereal is covered completely with the melted marshmallows.

• Add the confetti sprinkles to the rice krispies, reserving about 1 teaspoon for later. Stir just until the sprinkles are distributed.

• Spoon the rice krispies into the prepared pan. With a greased spatula, lightly press the cereal mixture down until even.

• Top with remaining confetti sprinkles. Let cool for an hour before slicing and serving.

• I used Aldi Millville Crispy Rice Cereal in this recipe, which is gluten-free. Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Cereal is NOT gluten-free!
• You can use whatever sprinkles you like. I used a combination of confetti sprinkles and non-pareils. 
• Store your gluten-free rice krispies treats in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze your treats. I recommend placing wax paper in between each one or individually wrapping them so they don’t stick together. Let thaw at room temperature for an hour before serving.

Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 1182IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 5mg