What Is Crisp rice cereal and How Can I Use It?

Here's everything worth knowing about crisp rice cereal and how to pick it, what it is, how to store it, and what to use instead, plus 128 recipes to cook tonight.

What is crisp rice cereal?

Crisped (or puffed) rice refers to a method of cooking rice which leaves the grains with a crisp, airy texture.

It is created in much the same way as popcorn; in short, the reaction of both starch and moisture when heated within the shell of the grain.

Unlike popcorn, rice kernels are naturally lacking in moisture and must first be conditioned with steam.

Crisped rice can be created by heating the steam-conditioned kernels either with oil or in an oven. The latter process is used to produce Rice Krispies breakfast cereal as well as the crisped rice used in Lion Bars, Nestlé Crunch, Krackel, and similar chocolate bars. 

Though not as dramatic a change when compared to popcorn, the process and end result are the same.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find crisp rice cereal: Crisp rice cereal is usually found in the cereals section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Crisp rice cereal is a member of the Breakfast Cereals US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

清脆的米糊

British (UK) term

Crisp rice cereal

en français

céréales de riz croustillant

en español

cereales Crespo arroz

How much does crisp rice cereal weigh?

Related

Breakfast Cereals

Recipes using crisp rice cereal

There are 128 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Very Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Crunchy chocolate chip cookies with crisp rice cereal mixed into the dough for serious snap and a chewy interior. The unexpectedly textured spin on the classic chocolate chip cookie.

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Puffed Rice Bars

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Puffed Rice Bars recipe

Muffin's Fun Snack Bars

Muffin's fun snack bars pack instant oats, crispy rice and corn cereal, sunflower seeds, and raisins into chewy-crunchy squares bound with honey and brown butter. A wholesome lunchbox snack kids actually grab.

No-Bake Rice Cereal Snowball Cookies

No-bake rice cereal snowball cookies bound with marshmallow and butter, rolled in powdered sugar for sweet treats kids can help make.

Double Peanut Snowballs

Crispy and crunchy. These snowballs are made with peanut butter, chunks of peanuts, raisins and puffed rice cereal. They are delicious treats for kids or grown-up :)

White Chocolate Chip Krispie Squares

I add a couple of teaspoons of multi-colored nonpareils to make them a bit more festive.

Deluxe Chocolate Marshmallow Bars

Three-layer chocolate marshmallow bars: cocoa cake base, marshmallow middle, and a chocolate peanut butter Rice Krispies crunch topping. Bake sale showstopper.

Crunchy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

These delicious bars are just like the name, crunchy, chocolaty and peanut buttery. They are so easy to make, and you can adjust the sweetness according to your own taste. Great for breakfast or snack.

Salted Caramel Rice Krispies Squares

This favorite back-to-school treat is kicked up with a topping of creamy caramel and a sprinkling of sea salt.

Crunchy Chocolate Peanut Butter & Coconut Bars

I customized the crunchy chocolate peanut butter bars into this recipe by adding some toasted oats, wheat germ and coconut flakes. They were super crunchy an delicious.

Crispy Chocolate Fudge

These crispy, chocolaty treats keep well in the refrigerator, but they won't last long---they'll be gone in no time! Make them Mexican by adding a pinch each of ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper.

Crispy Crunchy Peanut Snowballs

Crispy and a children pleaser. A very quick and easy no-bake recipe that the kids can help make.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Crispy Bars

These delicious three layer bars are made with chocolate, peanut butter, coconut flakes, and puffed rice. They are perfect for breakfast or a tasty snack.

Peanut Butter Dreams

Peanut butter dreams are no-bake chocolate-dipped peanut butter balls with crisp rice cereal for crunch. Vintage church-cookbook candy that yields 48 freezer-friendly bites and disappears at every bake sale.

Honey Queen Kisses

Honey queen kisses drop cookies with a full cup of honey, butterscotch chips, flaked coconut, and crisp rice cereal for crunch. A chewy, crunchy, golden cookie with no refined sugar.

Double Decker Brownies Using Basic Cookie Mix

Double Decker Brownies Using Basic Cookie Mix recipe

Rice Cereal Roll

No-bake rice cereal rolls with crunchy peanut butter, marshmallow cream, and crispy rice cereal, rolled into balls and dipped in melted chocolate. A 4-ingredient treat.

No Bake Date Drops

No bake date drops, chewy stovetop cookies made by cooking chopped dates with butter and eggs, then folding in crispy rice cereal and chopped nuts for a quick treat.

Peanut Crisps

Peanut crisps made with crunchy peanut butter, crisp rice cereal, and just five ingredients total. Flourless peanut butter cookies with an extra-crunchy snap in every bite.

Crispie Treats

Peanut butter crispie treats roll classic rice cereal squares into balls studded with colorful M&Ms. A no-bake party favor kids love to help make.

Chocolate Ice Crispy Pie

No-bake chocolate ice crispy pie with a crunchy Rice Krispies and chocolate chip crust, layered with ice cream and a sour cream chocolate sauce. A freezer dessert kids adore.

Cheese Balls

Crispy Southern-style cheese balls with sharp cheddar, crisp rice cereal, and a hint of cayenne. One-bite appetizer that bakes in 10 minutes. Party-ready.

Rice Trail Mix

Rice cereal trail mix with crispy rice chocolate bars, banana chips, roasted peanuts, chocolate candies, and raisins. A no-cook, kid-friendly snack mix that stores well in an airtight container.

Rice Trail Mix

Rice cereal trail mix with crispy rice chocolate bars, banana chips, roasted peanuts, chocolate candies, and raisins. A no-cook, kid-friendly snack mix that stores well in an airtight container.

Tipton Bars

Tipton bars made with chocolate almond bark, Froot Loops, crisp rice cereal, and mini marshmallows. A no-bake candy bar treat that kids love, set and sliced in under an hour.

Chocolate Banana Pie

Chocolate banana pie sets sliced bananas under chocolate pudding on a peanut butter rice cereal crust. A no-bake light dessert with three pantry-staple flavors stacked tall.

Peanut Polka Dot Bars

No-bake peanut butter bars packed with crispy rice cereal, chopped peanuts, and colorful M&M's pressed on top. A fun, kid-friendly treat that comes together in one saucepan, no oven required.

Maple Rice Crisp Cookies

Cinnamon-spiced maple cookies rolled in crispy rice cereal with chopped nuts. A crunchy, unique drop cookie with a sweet maple flavor and cereal coating.

Maple Rice Crisp Cookies

Cinnamon-spiced maple cookies rolled in crispy rice cereal with chopped nuts. A crunchy, unique drop cookie with a sweet maple flavor and cereal coating.

Witches' Hats

Witches' hats Halloween treats made from crisp rice cereal, marshmallows, and chocolate, shaped into cones and dipped in melted semi-sweet chocolate. A fun no-bake project kids love.

Checkerboard Square Clam Crunch

Checkerboard clam crunch: crispy pan-fried clam patties bound with Rice Chex cereal and egg, topped with sour cream. A retro mid-century appetizer with surprising texture.

Salted Peanut Chews

Salted peanut chews with a brown sugar shortbread crust, gooey marshmallow layer, and a crunchy peanut butter chip topping loaded with crisp rice cereal and salted peanuts.

Date & Nut Treat

No-bake date and nut balls combine simmered dates, candied cherries and butter with rice cereal and walnuts, rolled in coconut. A retro Christmas cookie tray classic from the 1950s.

Cocktail Crisps

Sharp cheddar cocktail crisps with butter, flour, and Rice Krispies for extra crunch. A 4-ingredient savory cheese cracker baked in tiny bite-sized rounds.

Oven-Crisped Chicken

Oven-crisped chicken coated in crushed rice cereal for a shatteringly crunchy crust, no deep frying needed. A classic three-step breading and a wire rack keep every piece golden and crisp all over.

Andrea Cassoni's Buckeyes

Creamy peanut butter balls studded with crispy rice cereal, dipped in chocolate for the iconic Ohio candy that's dangerously easy to eat by the dozen.

Sweet Marie

A classic Canadian no-bake treat: peanut butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup bubbled together, mixed with Rice Krispies, and topped with chocolate icing. Four ingredients. Irresistible crunch.

Chocolate Fruit Crispies

No-bake chocolate rice crispy squares with dried apricots and raisins. Milk chocolate and marshmallows hold it all together. Makes 96 bite-sized treats for snacking, lunchboxes, or bake sales.

Swiss Chocolate Crispies

Chocolate cake mix cookies with crisp rice cereal folded inside and crushed on the outside for a double crunch. A 5-ingredient cookie that kids love to roll and bake.

Krispie Crunch Candy

No-bake peanut butter Rice Krispie balls dipped in chocolate. Crunchy, sweet, and loaded with chunky peanut butter, then coated in a glossy chocolate shell.

Creepy Crawly Spider Cookies

No-bake Halloween spider cookies with melted chocolate, crispy rice cereal, coconut, and chow mein noodle legs. A spooky-fun treat kids love to make and devour!

Fluffy Peanut Butter Pie

No-bake peanut butter pie with a chocolate rice cereal crust, cream cheese filling, and whipped cream folded in. Crunchy, creamy, and drizzled with chocolate syrup.

Favourite Party Mix

Classic party mix tosses Chex-style cereals and pretzel sticks in a Worcestershire butter sauce, baked low until every piece turns deeply seasoned and crisp. The original snack-bowl staple, ready in an hour.

Peanut Butter & Fudge Bars

No-bake peanut butter and fudge bars with crispy rice cereal layers sandwiching a rich chocolate fudge center. Double boiler or microwave method included.

Methodist Cookies

No-bake cereal bars with peanut butter, chocolate, and butterscotch chip topping. Church potluck favorite ready in 35 minutes, feeds a crowd sweetly.

Chocolate Crunch Brownies

Three epic layers in one bar: a fudgy cocoa brownie base, a blanket of marshmallow creme, and a crunchy peanut butter-chocolate chip-rice cereal topping. Think Scotcheroos meet brownies in the best possible way.

Energy Balls No Bake

This is my favorite way of making them, by mixing all kind of dry fruit, seeds, oats with peanut butter and honey. It can be a quick snack, delicious dessert, or even a present in a jar!

Cheese Balls #1

Baked cheddar cheese balls with crispy rice cereal, butter, cayenne, and hot sauce. Dime-sized, crispy appetizer bites that bake in under 10 minutes and store indefinitely.

Peanut Butter Candy Squares

No-bake peanut butter candy squares with toasted rice cereal, marshmallow creme, and butter. Chewy, crunchy, and only four ingredients.

Halloween Crisp Candy Corn Treats

Halloween rice crispy treats loaded with candy corn, mini chocolate chips, and candy pumpkins. Dyed bright orange, these no-bake bars are a hit at school parties.

All 128 recipes