6 Tips for the Best Rice Krispy Treats (or any cereal variation)

On Saturday we hosted some friends for dinner before we headed to a Triple-A baseball game. My dad is the Syracuse Chiefs biggest fan, so Triple-A ball games always bring me back to childhood. Wandering the stadium, scrapping for change to buy french fries and cotton candy, watching the antics between each inning and hoping I would be called down for my chance to shine in the dizzy bat race. Searching for Scooch, the ridiculously orange and imaginary mascot, to pose for a picture in the time of disposable cameras and no social media, so wanting this picture for my own personal reasons was actually really weird, in hindsight.

Saturday was the perfect day to be outside, especially after the hellish 90+ temps we endured the first week of July, and even though the humidity was gone, I was still reluctant to turn on the oven (read: lazy). I decided to go with a classic rice krispy treat, and was perusing the cereal aisle for the generic Crispy Rice when another cereal caught my eye and I had a flash of inspiration. 

If you like s'mores as much as I do (and if you don't, what's wrong with you?), you need to try these Golden Grahams S'mores. I'm not trying to take credit for this creation; Google it and you'll get a dozen variations. I'm here to help make sure your treats are as gooey and marshmallowey as mine were. Whatever recipe you decide to follow, here are six ways to ensure your treats are the hit of the summer.

-Don't be stingy with the marshmallows

The best part of these things are the 'mallows, so don't skimp. You'll probably be tempted to use one 16 ounce bag, which you already opened to make s'mores for the 4th of July, but what's a few missing 'mallows? Stop! Go to the store and get another bag. You'll probably need to go to the store anyway, because who keeps Golden Grahams in the house? Dry cereal treats are brittle and crunchy and almost impossible to cut and enjoy. The best treats call for a 1:1 ratio of 'mallows and cereal. 

-Butter the pot first

Before you throw the marshmallows in the pot to melt down, throw in a few tablespoons of butter. This will help make sure they don't totally stick to the pot and add more flavor.

-Don't melt all the marshmallows at once

After the butter is melted in the pot, add the marshmallows in small amounts and wait for them to melt before adding more. There's no preheating the oven and baking and cooling time here, so you've got the time to do this right. 

-Keep the heat low

I know what you're thinking: the faster I melt the marshmallows, the quicker I can eat them! It's an easy trap to fall into, but patience is key here. If the heat is too high, the marshmallows on the bottom will burn before the ones on top even start to melt. You want the marshmallows to melt down slow and evenly, with no scorching. 

-A rubber spatula is the best tool for the job

I use two; one for melted the 'mallows and mixing in the cereal and add-ins (CHOCOLATE) and then a clean one for pressing the gooey cereal into the pan. If you coat the spatula ahead of time with non-stick spray it's an even bigger help. 

-Plan to eat them all the day they're made

These aren't a good make ahead treat, they should be eaten the day you make them. Even if the cereal is fresh, the treats always end up tasting stale the next day. Either make a small batch if they're just for you (no judgement here) or plan to bring them to a large gathering where they'll all get enjoyed.