Easy Cardamom Cinnamon Rice Krispie Treats

These cardamom cinnamon rice krispie treats are super easy to make and full of flavor. They’re gooey, buttery, and crispy with a warm, spice flavor that’s perfect for fall. They’re great when you’re craving a dessert or snack that doesn’t take much time to make.

Cardamom is a staple spice in Swedish cooking and can be found in most Swedish pantries. It’s used a lot in holiday foods and baked goods like Kardemummabullar (cardamom buns) and selma (a wheat bun filled with whipped cream).

Cardamom has a warm, spicy and sweet, citrusy flavor. The flavor is strong so a little goes a long way. It pairs perfectly with cinnamon, especially when you throw in some butter and a bit of sweetness.

Ingredients

1. Marshmallows: I like to use mini jet-puffed marshmallows. Make sure they’re fresh and not stale, so they’ll melt into a soft and gooey texture.
2. Puffed rice cereal: Of course we’ve all heard of Rice Krispies, and those are perfect for this recipe (for obvious reasons), but I also use other brands of rice cereal with the same results. The brand name cereal is usually the most expensive, so store brands are a great, less expensive alternative.
3. Butter: This recipe calls for unsalted butter. If you’re using salted butter, omit the salt.
4. Ground cardamom: Adds a lovely warm spiciness to the treats.
5. Ground cinnamon: Compliments the cardamom.
6. Vanilla extract: This takes the flavor up a notch.
7. Salt: Salt in small amounts enhances the taste and flavor of sweetness.

Step by Step Instructions

• Line an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper, or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat.
• Add marshmallows and stir.

• Stir mixture until the marshmallows are about 75% melted.
• Remove the marshmallow mixture from the heat and stir in the vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon and salt.

• Slowly pour about a third of the marshmallow mixture over the cereal and gently fold into the cereal.
• Continue adding marshmallow mixture a little at a time and folding it into cereal. Completely cover the cereal with the marshmallow mixture.
• Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Spray spatula with cooking spray. Using the spatula, gently press the mixture into an even layer in the baking dish.
• Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Lightly grease a sharp knife and cut into squares.

Expert Tricks

1. Use fresh marshmallows!! I can’t emphasize this enough. I’ve tried to make these several time using not-so-fresh marshmallows and they turned into a hard, clumpy ball of marshmallow. I had to throw the whole thing away. After doing some research, I found out the importance of using fresh marshmallows and it’s no lie!
2. Cook over medium-low heat. Cooking over too high a heat will cause the marshmallows to become tough and dry, instead of melting into the butter.
3. Add the cereal gently. Stirring too hard will crush it into little bits. Gently fold in the cereal with a rubber spatula.
4. Grease the spatula. It makes spreading the mixture much easier and keeps it from sticking to the spatula.
5. Even better, grease your hands and press the mixture into the baking dish with your hands. I find that to be much easier than using a spatula.
6. Don’t press hard when adding mixture to the pan. Pressing too hard will crush the cereal and you’ll end up with a very hard and dense treat.

How Long Do They Last?

These treats will last up to 3 days when kept in an airtight container at room temperature. The treats will be a bit chewier the next day because they absorb the moisture from the marshmallow mixture.

Can You Freeze Them?

Yes, you can freeze these treats. Allow them to cool completely before transferring them to a freezer-safe bag or container. Wrap individual treats in plastic wrap and put them into a freezer-safe bag. You can also freeze them in layers by separating each layer of treats with parchment paper. Let the treats stand out at room temperature for about an hour before serving.

Why Are They Hard?

There are a couple of reasons these treats might be hard. First of all, you could be using stale marshmallows. Using fresh, soft marshmallows is crucial in order for the treats to turn out soft and chewy.

Another reason they may be hard is that the treats were packed down into the baking dish instead of gently added in, causing them to become dense and hard.

Are These Gluten Free?

This recipe for cardamom cinnamon rice krispie treats is not gluten free. You can easily make it gluten-free by using gluten-free crispy rice cereal.

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