Lemon Rice Krispie Treats

5 from 7 votes

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Sweet with a hint of tartness, these bright Lemon Rice Krispie Treats are a twist on a classic. Perfect for spring or summertime, just like my Perfect Lemon Bars!

lemon rice krispie treats on a white plate

Lemon Extract, Juice, or Zest

I use lemon extract in this recipe because it gives the whole thing a nice bright concentration of lemon flavor. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t use lemon juice or zest! Keep in mind you will have to use more lemon juice and/or zest to achieve the same intensity as lemon extract.

For this recipe you can use any of these options:

  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Do I have to use lemons?

No! This lemon rice Krispie treats recipe could easily turn into orange, lime, grapefruit, or whatever other citrus you can think of. Simply replace 1:1 extract, juice, and/or zest with your choice of citrus!

Browned Butter

Browning butter is basically melting and cooking butter until the milk solids separate and toast up nicely. The butter will go through a couple of different stages before it’s done. First, it will melt, get bubbly, then foamy, and then finally you will see the butter turn a nice amber color.

I love to brown my butter for this recipe. It leaves a slightly toasty nutty taste that surprisingly pairs really well with the lemon flavor! If you don’t want to brown your butter, you don’t have to. To each their own 🙂

lemon rice krispie treats in a glass baking pan

How to Make Lemon Rice Krispie Treats

For full details on how to make Lemon Rice Krispie Treats see the recipe card down below 🙂

Prep

Spray an 8×8 pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Also, spray a medium pot and a rubber scraper with nonstick cooking spray.

Can I double the recipe?

Absolutely! To double the recipe prep a 9×18 glass baking dish instead of an 8×8 and double each ingredient.

Brown the Butter

In a medium pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Continue to cook butter, swirling occasionally until golden brown, 7 minutes or so.

Add Ingredients

Stir in marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Stir in lemon extract then remove from heat. Pour in cereal and stir to coat in melted marshmallows. Once coated, pour the mixture into the prepared 8×8 pan.

Do I have to completely melt all of the marshmallows?

Nope! If you like having some unmelted marshmallow bits left in your rice Krispie mixture simply reserve 1/2 cup of marshmallows when initially adding them to the recipe. After taking the mixture off heat add cereal and reserved marshmallows and mix briefly. They will melt slightly from the heat, but not completely which is what you want.

Press Into Pan

Using lightly greased fingers, press bars down to flatten the top. Cool 15-30 minutes before cutting into squares.

Optional Toppings

Before cutting into bars, consider topping your lemon rice Krispie treats with any of these options!

  • white chocolate drizzle
  • lemon icing
  • lemon zest
  • lemon peel

Storing Lemon Rice Krispie Treats

Store Lemon Rice Krispie Treats at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. After a couple of days, they tend to get hard and dried out.

More Rice Krispie Treats to Try!

Here’s the printable recipe card! Be sure to print/pin/save/bookmark/share this recipe! It’s a yummy variation to the original Rice Krispie Treats recipe…and no I didn’t eat the entire pan of these….but it was close. Have a great day, friends! 🙂

lemon browned butter rice krispie treats
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5 from 7 votes

Lemon Rice Krispie Treats

Sweet with a hint of tartness, these bright Lemon Rice Krispie Treats are a twist on a classic. Perfect for spring or summertime, enjoy!
servings 12 bars
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Spray an 8×8 pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Also, spray a medium pot and a rubber scraper with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a medium pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Continue to cook butter, swirling occasionally until golden brown, 7 minutes or so. Stir in marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Stir in lemon extract then remove from heat.
  • Pour in cereal and stir to coat in melted marshmallows. Once coated, pour the mixture into the prepared 8×8 pan.
  • Using lightly greased fingers, press bars down to flatten the top. Cool 15-30 minutes before cutting into squares. Top with any desired topping: lemon zest, lemon icing, white chocolate drizzle, etc.
  • Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.

Notes

  • 9×18 Pan: Simply double the recipe to fit into a 9×18 glass baking dish.
  • Toppings: Feel free to top these lemon rice Krispie treats with lemon zest, lemon icing, or a white chocolate drizzle!
  • Marshmallow Bits: If you like having some unmelted marshmallow bits left in your rice Krispie mixture simply reserve 1/2 cup of marshmallows when initially adding them to the recipe. After taking the mixture off heat add cereal and reserved marshmallows and mix briefly. They will melt slightly from the heat, but not completely which is what you want.

Nutrition

Calories: 109kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 739IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 3mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemon, Lemon Rice Krispie Treats
5 from 7 votes (1 rating without comment)

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10 Responses
  1. Candi

    5 stars
    I have a question. Just curious if we can use real lemon juice and lemon zest instead of extract? My daughter is 6 and always has fresh lemons 🍋 handy lol

  2. Pat

    5 stars
    Lemon, yes! Browned butter, yes, yes! But, Lauren, do try with citrusy cereal bits. A little snap of citrus in bites of crispies. Plus the little spots of orange, yellow and green.

  3. Chris

    5 stars
    I saw this and had to try it! OMG! Now I am addicted…they are soooooo good! I didn’t have lemon extract so I finely grated the rind from 1 lemon along with the juice, which I added to the browned butter and they turned out AWESOME!

  4. Jessica Prather

    Oh. My. Gosh.

    I must make these, after my wedding… Can’t have rice crispy’s showing when I wear my strapless gown.. HAHA

  5. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar

    Whoa. I don’t know anything about screaming or non-screaming babies, but not being able to eat chocolate sounds wild!! Thank goodness you can still add lemon to your sweets.

    1. Fatima Royer

      Thank you Lauren for making life easy, always have a hard time thinking of what to make for dinner,love you and your beautiful family especially the new baby.❤

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