Swap Rice Krispies With This Old School Snack For An Unexpected Treat

While some cooks love to jazz up Rice Krispies Treats, others will tell you that the classic recipe is perfect and extra ingredients can never improve on it. To please both camps, swap out the cereal for other crispy, crunchy goodies to make treats that are familiar yet delicious in their own right — no comparisons needed. One nostalgic snack that deserves the Rice Krispies Treatment is a sleeve of Ritz Crackers.

If you're used to eating these classic crackers with cheese, this idea may sound out there, but there are lots of creative ways to use Ritz that involve sweet ingredients. Ritz Crispy Treats may be one of the best, as the buttery, salty crackers both complement and contrast with the gooey marshmallows. The denser crunch of Ritz also creates more filling, satisfying treats that you can really sink your teeth into. With a heartier texture and more complex, sweet-and-salty flavor, the final result feels rather grown-up (though kids will devour them, too).

Ritz Crispy Treats are incredibly fast and easy to make, and also let you get creative with the texture. You can finely crush the crackers for a consistency that's more like Rice Krispies Treats, or make the pieces slightly bigger for extra crunch. After crumbling the crackers, melt butter and marshmallows together, mix with the Ritz, and press the mixture into a dish to let it set. Once you have a taste, you'll want to make these over and over again, perhaps with some fun extra frills.

Any ingredients you might throw into Rice Krispies Treats can work with the Ritz version, though add-ins that complement the crackers' slight savoriness are particularly tasty. Salted caramel Rice Krispies Treats would be even better with Ritz, as the sticky, sweet, buttery caramel with a sprinkle of sea salt would bolster the crackers' flavor perfectly. Other Rice Krispies Treat upgrades that would be excellent with Ritz include brown butter, honey, peanut butter, or Nutella. You can even fold in some bacon bits to play up that sweet-savory taste.

Another delicious addition is a handful of mini chocolate chips, which create a s'mores vibe when combined with the crackers and marshmallow. Or, try dipping your slices of Ritz goodness in a chocolate shell for a stunning appearance. Even better, a chocolate dip helps other toppings adhere to the squares. Try tossing sprinkles, crushed nuts, shredded coconut, flaky salt, or peanut butter chips onto the coating before it fully dries.

To really get inventive, merge your Ritz with another pantry staple. Pudding mix is the addition that gives Rice Krispies Treats a fun twist, and certain flavors would pair wonderfully with the crackers. Butterscotch, chocolate, or French vanilla pudding mix are obvious picks, but adding a banana-flavored mix and a spoonful of Nutella would be divine. And since jelly and peanut butter on a Ritz makes for the best faux-PB&J, try adding strawberry pudding mix with a bit of peanut butter to the cracker mixture.