Loaded Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

Some recipes are truly special. You know the ones. Anytime you serve them to guests or bring them to share anywhere, you are bombarded with requests for the recipe. You know it will happen, expect it even. These Loaded Caramel Rice Krispie Treats is one of those recipes. Trust me. I know because I was one of those people who raved about these gooey, double decker, caramel rice krispie treats.

About 15 years ago while in college, my good friend Nicole served them during a party. I was absolutely, positively hooked on them. She was kind enough to share the recipe with me, stating that she always tweaked the recipe because it didn’t really work as written. The amounts were quite off actually and the rice krispie to filling ratio didn’t work at all. When I made them for my mom, she also fell in love. She’s been making them for many years now and together, we’ve come up with perfect balance.

Because these bars are on the sweet side, a little of the caramel goes a long way. Originally the recipe called for a 13×9 inch pan, but we found that the treats were a bit tall and a little awkward when trying to take a bite. We also found them to be a bit less stable because of so much caramel filling. By increasing the amount of the top and bottom layer a bit and using a bigger pan, we’ve achieved the perfect balance and a less messy bar.

These no-bake treats are perfect for year round and are surprisingly easy. You can do what I do and only make half of the rice krispie treats at a time. I like not having to guess how much I need for each layer, and I’m not so rushed trying to get to the top layer before the rice krispies treats start to set.