It’s ridiculous, really. I’m always looking for any and every excuse to buy a bag of cookies from the grocery store.
The best excuse I’ve come up with so far is that I need to buy this bag of cookies to make a dessert with cookies in/on/all over them.
Related: Milk Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cookies.
I tell myself that I can’t possibly make a good dessert if I don’t have cookies to make a dessert with. It makes the most sense, if you think about it (while standing in the cookie aisle, hungry, so hungry).
It’s my work. I really need these cookies. I’m gonna get these cookies. And make some dessert.
Key ingredients are simple: a box of rice cereal, a big bag of marshmallows, butter (lots), lemon zest and vanilla sandwich cookies because we’re fancy (and we were standing in the cookie aisle too long).
Tron (yes, my cat) is a huge fan of marshmallows. He always steals one, takes it to a corner, and I can hear him chomping through the soft, sweet pillow. Cats aren’t supposed to eat marshmallows. You try telling him that. He doesn’t seem to listen to me.
Butter, marshmallows and lemon zest are melted until goupy, sticky, messy, melted, just right.
You know the deal here: rice cereal, crumbled cookies, and the lemony melted marshmallows!
A sticky stir to bring it all together.
The treats are pressed into a round spring-form pan.
A square pan is also fine and good. The key is to press lots of vanilla cookies into the top of the treats because, why not!?
Sliced like pie and shared for the good of all.
Print
Lemon Vanilla Cookie Krispie Treats
- Prep Time: 20
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 40 large marshmallows, 1 bag of large marshmallows
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 cups rice cereal
- 1 cup crumbled vanilla sandwich cookies, divided
- coarse sea salt for topping
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Melt butter until is begins to crackle and sizzle. This means the water is cooking out of the butter and the butter will begin to brown. Add marshmallows and lemon zest to the melted butter just as it begins to brown and reduce heat to low. Add salt and stir until the marshmallows are completely melted, and the marshmallows and butter are thoroughly combined and smell lemony.
- Quickly add rice cereal and 3/4 cup of cookies and stir to combine. The mixture will be thick and sticky.
- Press the mixture into a 9-inch round greased pan. Use a greased piece of wax or parchment paper to firmly press the mixture into the pan. The krispies will be thick. Press the remaining crumbled cookie pieces into the top of the treats.
- Allow to rest at room temperature until set and sliceable. A refrigerator will make the setting process faster.
- Slice into 8 wedges and wrap individually. Treats will stay fresh for up to five days.
27 Responses
This is an absolutely fabulous recipe for Lemon Vanilla Cookie Krispie Treats… adding melted Butter, marshmallows and lemon zest should make it a fab treat for a dessert
https://www.benonscatering.co.uk
This looks like absolute h e a v e n on a plate. I need to give this a try! Xx
My Harriet cat is a marshmallow licker too. Must be a weird cat thing.
Yes!!! These! I will have to try orange zest version! Thanks.
Nice to see a recipe that includes the vanilla version of these cookies. Nowadays, everything is made with black oreo’s, but we kinda had enough of them. It’s time for a change and this “cake” looks like the perfect thing to start with
xoxo
I am beyond sad there is no picture of Tron glomming his marshmallow!
I love that you counted out exactly how many marshmallows are in one large bag. That’s true dedication to your craft.
Yummy, this looks great. My husband and I are venturing to New Orleans soon and I wanted to thank you for all the great suggestions you’ve put on your blog. We have a list of 41 bars/restaurants to check out while we’re there for 5 days.
I’ve never considered adding lemon to rice krispie squares…. very interesting. I do love to add peanut butter and then a handful of chocolate chips after adding the cereal, so they start to melt a little but remain chip-like. Wonderful.
It’s like cereal cake! Pinned :)
Can we make these with the new Cinnamon Bun-Flavored Oreos coming out?? :)
I’ve thrown many a things into rice krispies, but cookies are not yet one of them! Love a lemon dessert and love that they’re round too. Yum!
Oh, it’s cute you think we’d let these last 5 days ;)
These look amazing! I will be trying them out asap! x
Looks Yummy!!
Hugs,
Love from http://www.trangscorner.com {a lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and food blog}
These look like some yummy and fancy rice krispies! I totally have to try this recipe. :)
xoxoBella | https://xoxobella.com
i actually made rice krispie treats this weekend and as usual added an extra dose of marshmallows. not sure why but i always desire adding something more — and here is the answer! i ate up my treats fine (don’t get me wrong) … but now i see what i have really been missing :)
WOW. I need to try this. If only everyday was a cheat day!
https://bowsandfitness.blogspot.co.uk
this sound yummy; the look of krispie is so fabulous
Cookies just belong in bars…and these are seriously unreal! SO yummy!
Only you Joy could make Rice Krispy even more wonderful! This looks like one of those recipes I could make and eat the whole thing by myself in a day.
Yes! These win Mondays – also, lemon zest … love it!!
My little grandson has a nut allergy, and I am always looking for treats to make for him. These look like a big winner! Thanks!!
I have recently discovered Lemon Oreo’s and they are shockingly amazing. I think they would be amazing in this.
Rebecca – I was thinking the SAME thing. The Lemon ones are SO good!!
This looks amazing, I want to try this at home.
You made rice krispie treats look so fancy. I love marshmallows. Whenever we grill I toast a couple after dinner over the still-hot coals. Luckily I don’t have to share them with my cat.