Rice Krispies treats are, well, epic. Crunchy, sticky, and oh so gooey, every kid loves them and every adult who grew up eating them reverts to a state of pure nostalgic bliss when they take a bite. The basic, no-fail recipe from the cereal box has been a fan favorite for generations, but most home cooks have probably tried their hand at making it gooier along the way, by adding things like more butter, more marshmallows, or even using the genius hack of incorporating sweetened condensed milk for richer Rice Krispies treats.
It isn’t just the satisfying bite that somehow combines soft and crunchy at the same time; it’s also the visual of the gooey marshmallow strings stretching as you pull the treat apart — a satisfying visual akin to the perfect cheese pull on a hot and steaming bowl of mac ‘n cheese. But like all good things that humans can’t leave well enough alone, Rice Krispies treats can actually be made better with an unexpected ingredient: corn syrup. Corn syrup may not have the healthiest reputation thanks to a similar sounding ingredient, high fructose corn syrup, but those two sweeteners are not the same thing. Plus, we’re talking about a treat packed with marshmallows and butter, so put those worries aside and let your inner child enjoy a nostalgic treat.
The how and why of using corn syrup
Corn syrup is an inverted sugar, meaning it is a liquid version of table sugar that has been broken down into its core components of glucose and fructose using water and heat in a process known as hydrolysis. These types of sweeteners are excellent for baked goods and sweets like Rice Krispies treats, because they enhance the chewy texture and prevent sugar from hardening into crystals. They also help retain moisture to increase shelf life so you end up with a sweet treat that doesn’t dry out too quickly — and anyone who has made Rice Krispies treats knows that once they dry out, they become so hard that no amount of marshmallows can save them.
Incorporating this liquid is easy, and it works no matter how creative you want to get with the ingredients for mind-blowing Rice Krispies treats, whether you’d like to add peanut butter, chai spice, coffee, or even a splash of bourbon. You can even use your own homemade marshmallows — and when you learn how easy it is to make marshmallows using just three ingredients at home, you’ll never buy a bag at the store again. Simply add a half cup of light corn syrup (dark corn syrup, which includes refiner’s syrup, will give your treats a darker color and a sweeter taste reminiscent of molasses) for every six or so cups of cereal while you are melting your butter before adding in the marshmallows. The result will be a soft treat with just the right amount of sweetness and a taste that reminds you of childhood.
