This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
These Rice Krispie treats are like no other—made with salted butter, brown sugar, spiced apple cider, dried apples, and toasted marshmallows (plus the classic cereal, of course). They’re extra-gooey, a little toasty, and perfectly sweet, with real apple flavor and a cinnamon-cider caramel swirl. You’re going to love these—fun to make at any age, and the fall treat for Halloween and Thanksgiving snacking.
I’m deep into fall baking this season, and clearly still on my apple kick. I love pumpkin too (promise a sweet pumpkin recipe is coming next week!), but apples are my favorite. I don’t usually go for marshmallow desserts, but I make an exception for a really good Rice Krispies treat—especially in October.
Every year growing up, my mom would make a couple of batches for school parties. One year we even made a giant pumpkin-shaped Rice Krispie “cake” for my cousin’s birthday. It was so fun—and yes, there was a lot of orange food coloring. Different times!
Point is, I love an occasional fall Rice Krispie, and these are so special. The cider-brown-sugar caramel and chewy dried apples bring cozy autumn flavor, and toasting the marshmallows adds that perfect, lightly smoky depth. Best part? They’re incredibly easy. Mix, press, set—then try not to eat the whole pan!
Half Baked Harvest At Home
20+ new recipes for wholesome comfort food made with everyday ingredients. Pre-order today! HBH At Home will be released on Tuesday, February 23rd!
Here are the Ingredients
- salted butter
- dark brown sugar – preferably organic, I swear it makes a difference!
- apple cider – I like to use a cinnamon-spiced/no sugar-added cider
- mini marshmallows – these melt evenly
- brown rice krispies cereal
- dried apple chips/slices – ideally no added sugar and Granny Smith!
- regular marshmallows
Kitchen Tools Needed
Ideally, a large pot, something nice and big that you can mix everything together in. And a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Plus a good spatula for stirring.
The steps
Step 1: Make the brown-sugar cider caramel
Use salted butter, dark brown sugar, and apple cider (not vinegar). Add everything to your largest pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in a pinch of flaky sea salt (I always do).
Step 2: Melt in marshmallows, then add cereal + apples
Stir the mini marshmallows into the hot caramel until fully melted and glossy. Fold in the Rice Krispies and the dried apple pieces (I use a 3-oz bag of dried Granny Smiths). It won’t look fancy, but it smells amazing.
Step 3: Toast extra marshmallows
Spread marshmallows on a baking sheet and broil until golden and toasty. Do not walk away—broilers go from white to black in seconds. Gently fold the toasted marshmallows into the cereal mixture; streaks are fine—no need to fully mix.
Step 4: Press and set
Press the mixture into a parchment-lined pan (lightly butter your spatula or hands to prevent sticking). Let it set for at least 30 minutes, then cut into bars. They’ll be extra gooey and a bit messy—that’s the charm.
Looking for easy party desserts? Here are a few ideas:
Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Blondies
Homemade Vegan Peanut Butter Twix Bars
Caramel Butter Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting
Retro-Style Chocolate Sheet Cake
Lastly, if you make these Salted Caramel Apple Rice Krispie Treats, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Salted Caramel Apple Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 bag (10-ounce ) mini marshmallows
- 1 box (12–ounce) Rice Krispies cereal
- 1 bag (3-4 ounces) dried apples, no added sugar
- 1 bag (12-ounce) regular marshmallows
Instructions
- 1. Line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper. Preheat the broiler.2. Add the butter and brown sugar to a large pot set over medium heat. Let the butter melt, then add the cider. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar has melted and the mixture is dark and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt. Turn the heat to low. Add the mini marshmallows and stir until melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.3. Mix in the cereal and dried apples.4. Arrange the regular marshmallows on a baking sheet. Broil for 1-2 minutes, until toasted. Watch closely, the marshmallows will toast FAST. Mix the toasted marshmallows into the cereal. Immediately transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Spread mixture evenly and pack tightly. Sprinkle with flaky salt.5. Let set, and cool for 30 minutes to an hour. Cut into bars and serve. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
These are next level! Super easy and so decadent for a rice krispie treat. I would definitely recommend crunching up the apple bits. I also concentrated the cider just a bit to amp up the flavor.
Hey Mary,
Happy Monday! I’m thrilled to hear this recipe turned out well for you!
Thanks for making it and your comment:)
My parchment paper smoldered and ruined the marshmallows. I did a google search and found out you should NOT put parchment paper under a broiler. Sure wish I would have known this, I almost had an oven fire if I hadn’t been keeping an eye on it!
Hi Flora,
Very sorry to hear this, I’ve never had this experience before. Thanks for sharing your feedback.
I made these for dessert after carving pumpkins last night. They are amazing! Gooey and delicious. A perfect fall treat.
Hi Amy,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear it turned out well for you!
My family enjoyed these, so much better than the original ! So nice to have something different .
Hey Melanie,
Awesome! I’m so glad to hear your family enjoyed these Rice Krispies! Thanks for giving them a go!
These turned out well, but definitely crush the apple pieces first. The large chunks of slightly rehydrated apple just weren’t great, even though I had broken them into pieces. I would go very small next time. (I used the Bare brand which were originally quite crispy)
Also added 1/4 t Penzeys Baking Spice to the caramel.
Yay!! Thanks so much, Amber! I am so glad you enjoyed these Rice Krispie treats! Have a great Friday!
My husband is a huge fan of Rice Krispies but these were unfortunately not a hit for either of us. 🙁
Hi Karne,
Sorry to hear you did not enjoy this recipe. If there is anything that I can help with, please let me know. Have a great weekend!
Turned out very tasty, but I have a few comments to note: reduce salt if too salty for your tastes, it’s ok to leave out the dried apples, if you do put in the dried apples, be sure to chop them up first. I didn’t notice this instruction in the recipe. My dried apples were very chewy and large, so I decided to leave them out of my recipe. Makes a large tray, so good to share with friends and family.
Thanks so much, Janet! Love to hear you enjoyed these Rice Krispies and thanks for sharing your notes!
Hi Teighan!
Since we’re using marshmallows that are packed with sugar and other icky ingredients, does it really matter if we use organic brown sugar? Or can I use regular brown sugar? Can you really taste the difference? Just curious because I don’t have any organic sugar. Thanks! I can’t wait to make these! They look SO amazing! And yes, I’m the girl who charbroils my marshmallows for s’mores until they catch on fire, so this recipe is meant for me.
Hey Clarissa,
Totally up to you on the brown sugar:) I hope you love this recipe, let me know if you give it a try!
I love this! Thank you. Perfect for the fall and parties. Keep them awsome recipes coming.
Hi Yvette,
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback after trying this recipe, I’m happy to hear it was a win. Have a wonderful day!
I followed your instructions to pack tightly but they turned out super dense. 🙁
Sorry to hear this, Britt. Thanks for trying the recipe and your feedback.
The cider flavoring wasn’t strong at all & they turned out pretty dense.
Hi Sarah,
Sorry to hear you did not enjoy this recipe, thanks for sharing your feedback.
So confused by some of y’all’s ignorant reviews — this was AMAZING. The best most flavorful, most easy to follow, recipe for a fall krispy treat I’ve ever had. I can’t even stop eating them. I’m gonna attempt to freeze some for Halloween — hopefully it turns out okay because these will be such a hit! I only make HBH recipes and everyone knows it 💛
Thanks so much, Kari:) I am so glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, I appreciate you making it!
Oh my gosh…LOVE these and so does my husband!!!
Thanks so much, Lisa!! So glad to hear you and your husband enjoyed these treats. Thanks a bunch for giving them a try!
These were soo good! Everyone loves them. Stayed soft for days instead of getting crunchy and tough. I didn’t pressed firmly into the pan. So easy and yummy!
Hey Amanda,
Fantastic! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so glad they were enjoyed!
This does not deserve such a low rating! The haters are out.
These were good! I would definitely make again. The cider flavor is light, so I would add a bit of apple pie seasoning to enhance it. This is a great twist on a classic. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Jenelle,
Yay! Thank you so much for trying this recipe. I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed. Have a great week!