Last updated on March 28th, 2025 at 10:24 pm
If you’re anything like me, you have a soft spot for nostalgic treats—gooey, marshmallowy, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. While I love a classic brown butter Rice Krispies treat, sometimes I like to shake things up with these fun Cinnamon Toast Crunch Treats!
Imagine everything you love about Rice Krispies treats, but with a serious upgrade: buttery, cinnamon-sugar cereal coated in gooey marshmallows, with a hint of browned butter magic. These treats are sweet, crunchy, and bursting with warm cinnamon flavor, making them perfect for everything from movie nights to potlucks—or just because you need a little pick-me-up. Plus, they come together in about 15 minutes with just a few ingredients. Let’s make them!
Jump to Recipe
Ingredients for Cinnamon Toast Crunch Treats
You only need a handful of ingredients to make these addictively good treats:
- 6 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
- 1 (10 oz) bag of marshmallow (I prefer mini marshmallows, but large ones can work too)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, browned.
- 1 tsp vanilla, optional
How to Make Cinnamon Toast Crunch Treat
1. Prepare the Pan: Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Brown the Butter: In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Be careful about browning such a small amount of butter, as it will burn fast. You’ll see your butter get kind of foamy and frothy, and then after that the foam will mostly go away and you can see small little brown flecks floating in your butter. Remove the butter from the heat as soon as you see the little brown flecks, or as soon as you smell a nutty kind of smell. That means the browned butter is done.
3. Add Marshmallows: Once the butter is melted, add the marshmallows and stir constantly until they’re fully melted and smooth. You want them gooey but not browned.
4. Add the Vanilla: Add in the vanilla with your melted marshmallows to get a bit of extra flavor
5. Mix in the Cereal: Quickly fold in the Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. Gently stir until all the cereal is evenly coated with the marshmallow mixture.
6. Transfer to Pan: Using a buttered spatula or your hands (buttered or sprayed with non-stick spray to avoid sticking), press the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Be careful not to press too hard; you want the treats to stay soft and chewy!
7. Let Set: Allow the treats to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour, until firm enough to cut.
8. Slice and Serve: Once set, cut into squares or rectangles, and enjoy your delicious Cinnamon Toast Crunch Treats!
Pro Tips
- Work Fast –Once you remove your browned butter from the heat, make sure to stir in your marshmallows and cereal quickly. You want to make sure you get your cereal nice and coated in melted marshmallows before the marshmallows set.
- Don’t Overheat the Butter – Low and slow is key! Burnt browned butter won’t have a great taste. If you’re worried about burning the butter, you certainly don’t have to brown it! You can just melt the butter in your pan and your Cinnamon Toast Crunch Treats will still come out tasty.
- Add Extra Mini Marshmallows – For that gooey, chewy magic, stir in an extra cup of mini marshmallows just before pressing the mixture into the pan.
- Butter Your Hands or Spatula – The mixture is super sticky! A little butter on your hands or spatula makes spreading it much easier. Also, I really recommend parchment paper for your pan, as getting marshmallow out of baking pan isn’t easy.
- Store Properly – Keep your treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Avoid the fridge—it’ll make them too hard.
FAQs
Can I use regular-sized marshmallows instead of mini?
Yes! Just be sure to measure by weight (10 oz.). I would also cut them into smaller pieces so they melt more evenly. Probably cutting them in half would do.
Don’t I need more butter?
You know, I really thought you would! I had to rewrite this recipe three times before I got it right because I kept wanting it to use more butter. However, I really think too much butter just makes these Cinnamon Toast Crunch treats fall apart in the end. The amount of butter called for in this recipe worked out great for me in the end.
Can I add mix-ins?
Absolutely! Try white chocolate chips, crushed cinnamon sugar cookies, or a drizzle of caramel for extra indulgence.
How do I keep my treats soft?
Make sure you don’t pack them too tightly in the pan, and store them in an airtight container to keep them from drying out.
Can I use a different cereal?
Yes! Golden Grahams, Fruity Pebbles, or even Cap’n Crunch would work—get creative!
These Cinnamon Toast Crunch Treats are a total game-changer. They take everything you love about classic marshmallow cereal bars and dial it up with warm cinnamon-sugar flavors, extra gooey marshmallows, and a touch of browned butter magic. Perfect for parties, late-night cravings, or an easy sweet treat, these bars never last long in my house!
Let me know if you try them—I’d love to hear how they turn out! Happy snacking! 😊
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Treats
Ingredients
- 6 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal
- 10 oz mini marshmallows large marshmallows can work too, but cut them in half first
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 1 tsp vanilla optional
Instructions
- Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Be careful about browning such a small amount of butter, as it will burn fast. You’ll see your butter get kind of foamy and frothy, and then after that the foam will mostly go away and you can see small little brown flecks floating in your butter. Remove the butter from the heat as soon as you see the little brown flecks, or as soon as you smell a nutty kind of smell. That means the browned butter is done
- Once the butter is browned, add the marshmallows and stir constantly until they’re fully melted and smooth. You want them gooey but not browned.
- Add in the vanilla with your melted marshmallows to get a bit of extra flavor
- Quickly fold in the Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. Gently stir until all the cereal is evenly coated with the marshmallow mixture
- Using a buttered spatula or your hands (buttered or sprayed with non-stick spray to avoid sticking), press the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Be careful not to press too hard; you want the treats to stay soft and chewy!
- Allow the treats to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour, until firm enough to cut.
- Once set, cut into squares or rectangles, and enjoy your delicious Cinnamon Toast Crunch Treats!
