The Simple-yet-Ingenious Hack for Making Mess-Free Rice Krispies Treats

published Jul 7, 2022
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Eggnog rice krispies are stacked on parchment paper.
Credit: Yossy Arefi

Rice Krispies treats are some of the most nostalgic eats of my time. While the store-bought version is delicious, Rice Krispies treats are incredibly easy to make at home, whether you choose to go with the classic version or mix it up with a spin like piña colada Rice Krispies treats or this fun grilled version of rice cereal treats.

As easy as Rice Krispies treats are to make, they can also be just a little bit messy. Melted marshmallows become extremely sticky and, in a matter of seconds, you have little pieces of cereal stuck to your pot, spoon, rubber spatula, and hands.

The trick to fighting back on the stickiness? Use the butter wrapper you used to make the treats to press them into the pan! After you’ve added the butter to the cereal mixture, the wrapper essentially becomes a small sheet of greased parchment paper that is great for pressing the mixture into the pan.

This simple trick come to us from TikTok user CrazyforCrust, who shows her method for using the butter wrapper to press the treats into a foil-lined pan. The result? Perfectly shaped treats and mess-free hands!

Kitchn Executive Food Director, Nina Elder, uses this trick when she makes Rice Krispies treats and can confirm that it’s the easiest way to press the treats into the pan quickly and easily. No more sticky fingers!