Gooey, crispy, crunchy AND chocolatey? YES PLEASE. These easy gluten-free Chocolate Rice Krispie treats have it all!

gluten-free chocolate rice crispy treats cut into squares

These Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats Were Made For Chocolate Lovers!

I love a good twist on classic rice krispie treats, whether it’s peanut butter rice krispie treats, strawberry, brown butter, or M&M! These gluten-free Chocolate Rice Krispies Treats are our latest fave, and for good reason:

🥣 EASE: This easy no-bake dessert is made from simple ingredients, done in under 30 minutes of work, doesn’t require and oven, and can be made in advance!

🍫 FLAVORS: Chocolate is the star of the show, thanks to cocoa powder and chocolate chips, but you’ll also get subtle notes of vanilla, marshmallow, and butter–yum!

😍 KID-FRIENDLY. What kid doesn’t like rice krispie treats?

☁️ TOP TIPS: Make sure your marshmallows are super fresh so these treats stay soft and gooey!

Happy (no) baking! xo, Emily

Gather Your Ingredients

This simple recipe only calls for a few ingredients, and most are pantry staples! Let’s take a look:

ingredients for gluten-free chocolate rice krispie treats

Gluten-Free Crisp Rice Cereal. Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal is NOT gluten-free (it contains male syrup, derived from barley, which contains gluten), so to keep these cereal treats safe for a gluten-free diet, make sure you use a gluten-free crisp rice cereal. We used Aldi’s store brand (Millville) today, but we’ve also had good luck with One Degree and Nature’s Path brands.
Butter. Next up, you’ll need some salted or unsalted butter. This helps keep the chocolate rice crispy treats soft and gooey, so don’t reduce the amount!
Mini Marshmallows. Make sure to use super fresh marshmallows, or they won’t melt properly and will set up hard and chewy, rather than soft and gooey. (Large marshmallows can work in place of the mini marshmallows, I just like how fast the minis melt!)
Cocoa Powder. Unsweetened cocoa powder adds richness and color. I recommend natural cocoa powder (like Hershey’s or Ghirardelli) rather than Dutch-processed cocoa powder or dark cocoa powder here.
Chocolate Chips. I should really call these double chocolate rice krispie treats, since you’ll turn up the chocolate even more with some chocolate chips! I like dark chocolate chips, but semi-sweet chocolate chips also work well! I don’t recommend milk chocolate chips here, since they run too sweet.
Vanilla Extract & Salt. My secret ingredients for the BEST flavor!
Maybe Some Mini Chocolate Chips! Last, but not least, I like to top these gluten-free chocolate rice krispie treats with a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips. You could also do regular chocolate chips, drizzle with melted chocolate, or even add a thick layer of melted chocolate on top like we do with our Scotcheroos!

Use The Right Cereal!

In case you scrolled past the notes above, I wanted to make sure you get the right thing, so these homemade treats turn out just right. Make sure that the cereal you buy is…

CRISPY RICE CEREAL. First, make sure you’re using CRISP rice cereal NOT puffed rice cereal. Puffed rice is soft and will get soggy when added the melted marshmallows and chocolate.
NOT RICE KRISPIES BRAND! Second, make sure that you’re buying gluten-free crispy rice cereal. Rice Krispies brand (and many others) are NOT gluten-free, since they contain malt (barley malt, malt syrup, or malt extract), which contains gluten. Look for gluten-free cereals, like Aldi’s Millville brand, One Degree, or Nature’s Path.

How To Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with full ingredient measurements, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

making gluten-free chocolate rice krispie treats, step by step

Prep. Line a metal 8×8 or 9×9 square pan with parchment paper or lightly grease and set aside. Measure and gather all your ingredients and have them close by, since you’ll need to work quickly once you get started.
Melt. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add mini marshmallows and cocoa powder to the melted butter, and stir constantly until the marshmallows are melted and the melted marshmallow mixture is evenly blended.
Combine. Add chocolate chips, vanilla, and salt, and stir over low heat until the chocolate chips are just melted and the chocolate mixture is smooth.
Add Crisp Rice Cereal and stir until the cereal is evenly coated.
Gently Pat & Garnish. Transfer the cereal mixture to your prepared pan and use gentle pressure to lightly pat down the cereal into an even layer. You want it to stick together, but don’t want to overly compact the cereal or the bars won’t have that soft, gooey texture we’re looking for. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, if using and gently pat down on them to lightly press them into the cereal layer.
Cool & Slice. Let the chocolate rice krispie treats cool to room temperature before slicing cereal bars into 9 large squares, 12 medium rectangles, or 16 small squares.
Serve & Store. Enjoy right away or store chocolate rice krispie squares in an airtight container up to 2-3 days at room temperature. (These treats are best enjoyed within 24 hours, but will still be good on day 2 & 3!)

gluten-free chocolate rice krispie treats cut into squares

gluten-free chocolate rice krispies treats stacked on a white dessert plate

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

More Decorating Ideas To Try. If you prefer, you can skip the mini chocolate chips and melt another 1/2 cup chocolate chips to make a chocolate drizzle you and add to the top of the bars. Or, add the chocolate topping from our Scotcheroos recipe and finish with some flaky sea salt or sprinkles!

Can I Use Chocolate Cereal? Yes, if you want to! While Cocoa Krispies brand isn’t gluten-free (it also contains barley malt extract), Cocoa Pebbles and Mom’s Best Crispy Cocoa Rice cereals are gluten-free and should work here! Chocolate cereal will definitely take the sweetness to the next level, but could totally work if you’ve got a serious chocolate craving.

Option: Add More Marshmallows! Another option you have is to stir in an additional cup of mini marshmallows along with the crisp rice cereal. It adds a cute effect!

Dairy-Free? No Problem! We”ll just use a few simple swaps! Just use vegan butter (like Earth balance) in place of regular butter, and dairy-free chocolate chips (like Guittard, or Enjoy Life). Everything else is naturally dairy-free! Vegan? You can use fresh vegan marshmallows, like Dandie’s!

a gluten-free chocolate rice krispie treat with a bite taken out of it

More Gluten-Free Rice Krispie Treats Recipes To Try

Gluten-Free Scotcheroos

Strawberry Rice Krispie Treat Squares with freeze-dried strawberries

Gluten-Free Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

gluten-free m&m rice krispie treats cut into squares

Easy Homemade Lemon Curd

Recipe Card

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Gluten-Free Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

5 from 1 vote

Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Gooey, crispy, crunchy AND chocolatey? YES PLEASE. These easy gluten-free Chocolate Rice Krispie treats have it all!

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 8

Total Time: 28

Print Pin Rate

Servings: Servings

Ingredients

5 Tablespoons Butter (or vegan butter!)
1 (10 oz) Package Mini Marshmallows (Make sure they're super fresh!)
¼ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (30 grams) – Regular Cocoa, Not Dutch-Processed!
½ cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt (or a pinch of fine salt)
5 cups Gluten-Free Crisp Rice Cereal (NOT Rice Krispies Brand–See Notes!)*
2 Tablespoons Mini Chocolate Chips (Optional, for decoration)

Instructions

Prep. Line a metal 8×8 or 9×9 square pan with parchment paper or lightly grease and set aside. Measure and gather all your ingredients and have them close by, since you'll need to work quickly once you get started.
Melt. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add mini marshmallows and cocoa powder to the melted butter, and stir constantly until the marshmallows are melted and the melted marshmallow mixture is evenly blended.
Combine. Add chocolate chips, vanilla, and salt, and stir over low heat until the chocolate chips are just melted and the chocolate mixture is smooth.
Add Crisp Rice Cereal and stir until the cereal is evenly coated.
Gently Pat & Garnish. Transfer the cereal mixture to your prepared pan and use gentle pressure to lightly pat down the cereal into an even layer. You want it to stick together, but don't want to overly compact the cereal or the bars won't have that soft, gooey texture we're looking for. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, if using and gently pat down on them to lightly press them into the cereal layer.
Cool & Slice. Let the chocolate rice krispie treats cool to room temperature before slicing cereal bars into 9 large squares, 12 medium rectangles, or 16 small squares.
Serve & Store. Enjoy right away or store chocolate rice krispie squares in an airtight container up to 2-3 days at room temperature. (These treats are best enjoyed within 24 hours, but will still be good on day 2 & 3!)

Notes

Crisp Rice Cereal. Rice Krispies brand is NOT gluten-free, since it contains malt syrup, which is derived from barley and has gluten. Instead, use certified gluten-free options like Aldi’s Millville brand, One Degree, or Nature’s Path.
Cocoa Powder. We recommend natural cocoa powder (like Hershey’s or Ghirardelli), NOT dutch-processed cocoa for these treats, but you can use dutch-processed if you want a darker flavor.
Option: Add More Marshmallows! Another option you have is to stir in an additional cup of mini marshmallows along with the crisp rice cereal. It adds a cute effect!