Rice Krispie Cookies with toasty marshmallows on top take just 10 minutes of prep, and there's a little butter-softening shortcut in here that means no standing around waiting on the counter. I tested this copycat of the viral Costco cookie four times (old test kitchen habits die hard, y'all) until it was soft, chewy, and loaded with crisp rice cereal with mini marshmallows that toast up instead of melting away.
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If you've never had cookies made with Rice Krispies, then you're in for a "treat". (See what I did there!)
These Rice Krispies Cookies are big, soft, and chewy and land somewhere between a buttery brown sugar cookie and a rice crispy square.
I'll confess, when these Costco cookies went viral, my friends asked if I could make them so they wouldn't have to fight the crowds at the wholesale store. So I tested it over and over until I perfected it so you don't even need a membership to enjoy them!
Cereal and marshmallows in a treat is nothing new around my kitchen. I've been making Chocolate Rice Krispie Squares, Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Bars, and Fruity Pebbles Crispy Treats for years. Putting rice krispies in cookies felt like the natural next step, and it turned out to be a delicious one!
The crisp rice cereal added to cookie dough gives the cookies a light little crunch. They sit pretty on a cookie tray next to my Maple Pecan Cookies and Texas Sheet Cake Cookies. Cathedral Windows are another marshmallow favorite of mine.
Shortcuts
- Microwave your butter. What! I know. I know. But we aren't making puff pastry here. Skip the waiting-around-for-room-temperature step. Microwave the two sticks of butter on HIGH (1100 watts) for just 8 seconds, flip them over, and give them another 8 to 9 seconds. They should be soft but not too soft.
- Use a #20 cookie scoop. It holds 3 tablespoons, so every cookie is the same size and bakes evenly. It's also much faster (and less sticky) than shaping dough by hand.
- Line your pans with parchment. No greasing and almost no cleanup. You can also slide a fresh parchment-lined pan of scooped dough right into the oven while the last batch cools. If you have double ovens and two pans, bake the whole batch in half the time.
Ingredients to make Rice Krispie Cookies
Scroll down to printable recipe for exact ingredient quantities.
- All-purpose flour - Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off instead of scooping straight from the bag. Scooping packs in extra flour and makes cookies dry.
- Baking soda and salt - Check the date on your baking soda. Old soda won't give you those soft, puffy centers.
- Salted butter -That's two sticks. It should give slightly when you press it but still hold its shape.
- Granulated sugar and light brown sugar - The brown sugar is what makes these chewy, so firmly pack it into the cup.
- Large eggs - Add them one at a time and beat well after each so the dough stays smooth.
- Vanilla extract - It gilds the lily and really makes a difference in the taste.
- Crisp rice cereal - Rice Krispies or any store brand will work. Stir it in gently at the end so it doesn't get crushed.
- Mini marshmallows - You'll put 3 on top of each cookie. Fresh, soft marshmallows toast best, so skip the bag that's been open since Easter.
Substitutions & Variations
- Add some extra crunch: Roll the scoops of cookie dough in crisp rice cereal before baking. Leave a little room at the top so the marshmallows have a spot to stick.
- Stir in chips: Stir or fold in your favorite chocolate chips or butterscotch chips along with the cereal.
- Unsalted butter: If that's what you have, add a ¼ teaspoon extra salt to the dough.
- Stick with mini marshmallows: Larger marshmallows tend to melt and spread across the pan.
How to Make Rice Krispie Cookies
Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe with detailed instructions.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Gather your ingredients.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them.
- Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium size bowl.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes), scraping down sides.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one and scraping down sides. Add vanilla and beat just until incorporated.
- Stir in the crisp rice cereal.
- Spoon the cookie dough onto the prepared pans in about 3 tablespoons each of dough placed about 2 inches apart. I can get 6 large cookies or 9 regular cookies on one baking sheet.
- Arrange 3 mini marshmallows on top of each cookie dough ball, gently pressing them in.
- Bake for 10 to 11 minutes or just until the center is almost set. They will look not quite done in the middle, but that’s perfect if you love soft and chewy cookies.
- Let the cookies cool 2 minutes on the pan, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Pro Tips
- Reshape cookies that run together. If your cookies spread into each other, take a table knife or offset spatula the moment they come out of the oven and pull the soft cookie toward its center, away from its neighbor. Then nudge that edge back into a nice round shape.
- Use a cutter for a perfect circle. If you're making smaller cookies, set a round cookie cutter or drinking glass slightly larger than the cookie over each hot, soft cookie. Move it in a circular motion and the edges will tidy up into a neat round.
- Chill for thicker cookies. Refrigerating the pans of scooped dough for 15 minutes before baking gives you an even thicker, chewier cookie.
- Don't overbake. Pull the pans when the centers look almost set, even if they seem a little soft. The cookies keep cooking on the hot pan, and that's how you get that soft and chewy center.
What to Serve with Rice Krispies Cookies
Serve these rice krispie marshmallow cookies with a tall, ice-cold glass of milk, because it's the classic for a reason. They're also wonderful with a hot cup of coffee in the morning or a mug of hot chocolate on a chilly evening.
For a party, arrange them on a platter with other favorites like my Coffee and Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies and Double Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies. They also pack well for lunchboxes and potlucks, and you could sandwich a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two cookies!
Storage
- Store at room temperature: Keep cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Put a piece of parchment between layers if you stack them in two layers.
- Freeze baked cookies: Freeze completely cooled cookies in a single layer until firm, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Freeze the dough: Scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined pan, freeze until solid, and then bag the dough balls. Add the marshmallows right before baking and add a minute or two to the bake time.
- Make ahead: Cover and refrigerate the scooped dough for up to 2 days, then top with marshmallows and bake when you're ready. Freeze cookie dough balls for up to 3 months, then thaw before topping with marshmallows and baking.
Kathleen Answers Your Questions
I don't recommend it, because they melt and spread more than minis do. Mini marshmallows toast on top of the cookie and hold their shape better.
They have that same toasty marshmallow and crisp rice flavor, but in a soft, chewy cookie. Think of them as rice krispie treat cookies with a buttery brown sugar base.
The most common reason is butter that's too warm or melted instead of softened. Chill the scooped dough for 15 minutes before baking and they'll hold their shape even better.
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Rice Krispie Cookies (Costco Copycat)
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups crisp rice cereal such as Rice Krispies
- About 1 cup mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Gather your ingredients.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them.
- Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium size bowl.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes), scraping down sides.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one and scraping down sides. Add vanilla and beat just until incorporated.
- Stir in the crisp rice cereal.
- Spoon the cookie dough onto the prepared pans in about 3 tablespoons each of dough placed about 2 inches apart. I like to use a #20 cookie scoop which holds 3 tablespoons for large cookies.Note: I can get 6 large cookies on a half sheet pan and 9 regular size cookies on a half sheet pan.
- Arrange 3 mini marshmallows on top of each cookie dough ball, gently pressing them in.
- You can bake the cookies right now, or you can refrigerate the baking sheets of cookie dough balls for 15 minutes for a thicker cookie.
- Bake for 10 to 11 minutes or just until the center is almost set. They will look not quite done in the middle, but that’s perfect if you love soft and chewy cookies.
- Let the cookies cool 2 minutes on the pan, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: 22 large cookies or 33 regular size cookies -2 tablespoons each.
Notes
- Soften butter fast: Microwave two sticks of butter on HIGH (1100 watts) for 8 seconds, turn them over, and microwave another 8 to 9 seconds. The butter should be soft but not too soft.
- Yield: Scooping 3 tablespoons (a #20 cookie scoop) makes 22 large cookies. Using 2 tablespoons makes about 33 regular-size cookies.
- Pan capacity: A half sheet pan fits 6 large cookies or 9 regular-size cookies, spaced about 2 inches apart.
- Marshmallows: Use mini marshmallows, 3 per cookie, and gently press them into the dough so they stay put.
- Thicker cookies: Refrigerate the pans of scooped dough for 15 minutes before baking.
- Bake one pan at a time: Keep the second pan in the fridge or at room temperature while the first one bakes. Two racks at once won't give you the same results.
- Don't overbake: The centers should look almost set but not quite done. That's what makes them soft and chewy.
- Reshape cookies that spread together: Right out of the oven, use a table knife or offset spatula to pull the soft cookie toward its center, away from its neighbor. For smaller cookies, you can also circle a round cutter or glass around each hot cookie to make it round.
Nutrition
Nutrition analysis on GritsAndGouda.com recipes are mostly calculated on an online nutrition calculator. I am not a dietitian and nutritional information is an estimate and can vary based on products used.
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