Marshmallow Krispie squares are a type of...

[Mangetout]

...what?

They're not cakes

They're not cookies either, really - because they're made in a tray and cut up into squares.

What are they?

[Wallflower]

I would call them either a bar cookie, or a dessert bar.

[Szlater]

They're confectionery like Lion bars (except with marshmallow and not chocolate).

[NinjaChick]

Pure joy.

[Zsofia]

Clearly, they are "treats".

[Mangetout]

Ah, 'treats' is good.

[Hockey Monkey]

Cereal bar. :)

[hawthorne]

A slice (http://www.theage.com.au/news/Epicure/Slices-to-savour/2005/05/02/1114886287260.html). Pronounced sloice. The article says Americans would call them bar cookies.

[Beadalin]

Nope, we call them treats.

[Otto]

...torture designed to torment vegetarians because of the ridiculous scarcity of marshmallows that don't contain gelatin.

[Least Original User Name Ever]

"Yummy".

That's what they are.


By the way, you guys are assholes. Yesterday, I got an oatmeal cream pie out of the vending machine because of this place, now I'm about to pay 80 cents for a freakin' Rice Krispie treat. I hope you guys are happy.

[Shagnasty]

They fall into the general category of partially gelatinated processed puffed grain confections.

[Engineer Dude]

hors' dourves

[Eureka]

A slice (http://www.theage.com.au/news/Epicure/Slices-to-savour/2005/05/02/1114886287260.html). Pronounced sloice. The article says Americans would call them bar cookies.

This American would call Marshmellow Krispie Squares "treats" (actually, Rice Krispie Treats, probably).

A bar cookie to me is what you get if you take a batch of cookie dough, and spread it in a flat pan, bake it and the cut it. And I'd almost never call it a "bar cookie" as opposed to a "bar" with the cookie part understood.

OK, I might call the treats "bars" in a context where having fewer terms was useful "3 people brought cakes, 4 brought pies, and the rest brought bars", but not ordinarily.

[Jodi]

Mangetout, if you had grown up in the American Midwest you would say with complete assurance that Rice Krispie treats are "bars." Any dessert that is cooked up in a pan and then cut into squares is (are?) bars. Except fudge. The traditional upper midwest church-supper type buffet is: Hot dish (casserole); salad; fruit punch (non-alcoholic, of course); and bars.

[Bayard]

...torture designed to torment vegetarians because of the ridiculous scarcity of marshmallows that don't contain gelatin.
Yeah, I was going to answer the OP with "...meat". Blasted gelatin is hard to avoid. Didja know that bitters, of all things, have gelatin? I got my little bottle of Angostura bitters home a few moths ago, and I was looking forward to many happy evenings of Old Fashioneds when I thought, "What are bitters anyway?" I turned the bottle over, and...let out a stream of curses. Who the *&%$! puts gelatin in something you drink?!

Anyway, to answer the OP, I vote for "treats". Meaty treats.

[Thudlow Boink]

By the way, you guys are assholes. Yesterday, I got an oatmeal cream pie out of the vending machine because of this place, now I'm about to pay 80 cents for a freakin' Rice Krispie treat. I hope you guys are happy.It's not a real Rice Krispie treat unless you buy it at a bake sale.

[Harmonious Discord]

Mangetout, if you had grown up in the American Midwest you would say with complete assurance that Rice Krispie treats are "bars." Any dessert that is cooked up in a pan and then cut into squares is (are?) bars. Except fudge. The traditional upper midwest church-supper type buffet is: Hot dish (casserole); salad; fruit punch (non-alcoholic, of course); and bars.

Jodi has said it best. Though they are a bar cookie, they are specifically a Rice Krispie Treat.

[InappropriateHumor]

"Yummy".

That's what they are.


By the way, you guys are assholes. Yesterday, I got an oatmeal cream pie out of the vending machine because of this place, now I'm about to pay 80 cents for a freakin' Rice Krispie treat. I hope you guys are happy.

Seconded.

What the hell, guys? I went home last night and made a big batch of snickerdoodles (since fruit pies were out of the way) and it'll be all the Dope's fault when my ass expands past the point where I can still stuff it into my pants. MMMMM, Rice Krispie bars.

Yeah, that's the ticket. Not my fault at all...

[Diogenes the Cynic]

In Minnesota "bars" are a category unto themselves and Rice Krispy Treats (or as they're called up here, "Rice Krispy Bars") are clearly bars.

[Least Original User Name Ever]

The Rice Krispie treat was a buck.


I'll see you all in hell.

[Morgyn]

If you have it, stir a splash or two of real vanilla into the marshmallows as they melt.

mmmmmmmmmmMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmm

Melting chocolate chips into the marshmallows is also good.

[Silver Tyger]

Melting chocolate chips into the marshmallows is also good.

GOOD? It's fabulous and I was about to recommend it. I'd imagine then sprinkling coconut over the cooling chocolate would make it even better too. (I don't make Rice Krispie treats because then I'd eat them all. And I have Oreos which don't take cooking.)

[Della]

Even better are rice krispie treats made with coco krispies. Stir vanilla and a little cayenne pepper in with the marshmallows as they melt, and you have yourself dessert perfection.

[cochrane]

I'd characterize them as like S'mores, but with Rice Krispies in place of the graham cracker crumbs.

[Mangetout]

This is all very enlightening, thanks folks. I'm actually working at the moment on the very ultimate confection of this type, and was wondering what best to call it. The project is under wraps at the moment for fear someone might steal my thunder, but I'll post more details when it's complete (it's going to be an open-source recipe, not a commercial product, BTW)

[Ferret Herder]

Mix in peanut butter, then top with melted chocolate chips. Let harden.

[Fear Itself]

Rice Krispy Treats are in the crack family of desserts. I can no longer 'bake' them, as I will immediately eat the whole tray. Damn you, marshmallow fluff goodness!!

[Maus Magill]

Marshmallow Krispie squares are a type of...Crack.

[zweisamkeit]

Mangetout, if you had grown up in the American Midwest you would say with complete assurance that Rice Krispie treats are "bars." Any dessert that is cooked up in a pan and then cut into squares is (are?) bars. Except fudge. The traditional upper midwest church-supper type buffet is: Hot dish (casserole); salad; fruit punch (non-alcoholic, of course); and bars.

In your part of the Midwest, sure. I never heard of that.

[Jodi]

In your part of the Midwest, sure. I never heard of that.

I didn't mean to sound like I was speaking for every person who ever lived in the Midwest. But just because it's a generalization and you personally have never heard of it doesn't mean it's not broadly true. Cite (http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/index.php/2006/12/07/a_question_for_the_ages_how_to_classify_); cite (http://www.blacktable.com/schulte040331.htm); cite (http://hotdishnsushi.blogspot.com/2006/12/holiday-cheesecake-bars.html).

[chique]

[b]Any dessert that is cooked up in a pan and then cut into squares is (are?) bars. Except fudge. And brownies.
Mix in peanut butter, then top with melted chocolate chips. Let harden.Now you're moving into Special K bar territory. As much as I like Rice Krispie bars (crack), Special K bars are crack + heroin + oxycontin.

1 c sugar
1 c white corn syrup
Heat over low/medium low and stir til sugar is dissolved. Add:
1 1/2 c peanut butter
Stir until mixed. Pour over:
6 c Special K cereal
Melt together:
1 c chocolate chips
1 c butterscotch chips
Spread over top. Cool on counter. Get frustrated it's not cooling fast enough and place in fridge. Decide it's "cool enough" and burn mouth on hot peanut butter.

Um. I have to go shopping now....

[beowulff]

And brownies.
Now you're moving into Special K bar territory. As much as I like Rice Krispie bars (crack), Special K bars are crack + heroin + oxycontin.

1 c sugar
1 c white corn syrup
Heat over low/medium low and stir til sugar is dissolved. Add:
1 1/2 c peanut butter
Stir until mixed. Pour over:
6 c Special K cereal
Melt together:
1 c chocolate chips
1 c butterscotch chips
Spread over top. Cool on counter. Get frustrated it's not cooling fast enough and place in fridge. Decide it's "cool enough" and burn mouth on hot peanut butter.

Um. I have to go shopping now....
NOW we're talkin'!

[zweisamkeit]

I didn't mean to sound like I was speaking for every person who ever lived in the Midwest. But just because it's a generalization and you personally have never heard of it doesn't mean it's not broadly true. Cite (http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/index.php/2006/12/07/a_question_for_the_ages_how_to_classify_); cite (http://www.blacktable.com/schulte040331.htm); cite (http://hotdishnsushi.blogspot.com/2006/12/holiday-cheesecake-bars.html).


I didn't mean to sound snotty if that was how it came across, but honestly, in my area of Michigan (and I'd guess I could safely expand that to the Lower Peninsula in general), upper Mid West (Minnesota, Wisconsin I suppose) is considered extremely different in a lot of ways. I just meant that all the things I hear about the upper Mid West aren't familiar really to me (or people around me) at all. Instead of Scandinavian influences, it's more Polish, German and Italian by me (along with African American).

[Alan Smithee]

Yeah, I was going to answer the OP with "...meat". Blasted gelatin is hard to avoid. Didja know that bitters, of all things, have gelatin? I got my little bottle of Angostura bitters home a few moths ago, and I was looking forward to many happy evenings of Old Fashioneds when I thought, "What are bitters anyway?" I turned the bottle over, and...let out a stream of curses. Who the *&%$! puts gelatin in something you drink?!

Anyway, to answer the OP, I vote for "treats". Meaty treats.
This is weird to me, since I was raised vegetarian (fourth generation vegetarian, in fact) and no one in my family ever objected to gelatin. I remember raising the issue with my parents when I found out what it was made from, but they said they had thought about it and didn't think it was worth worrying about. Of course they also wore leather; I didn't. I'm no longer vegetarian. I'm not good at half measures; if I hadn't given it up, I think I'd be a breatharian by now.

[Bayard]

This is weird to me, since I was raised vegetarian (fourth generation vegetarian, in fact) and no one in my family ever objected to gelatin. I remember raising the issue with my parents when I found out what it was made from, but they said they had thought about it and didn't think it was worth worrying about. Of course they also wore leather; I didn't. I'm no longer vegetarian. I'm not good at half measures; if I hadn't given it up, I think I'd be a breatharian by now.
Yeah, I was going for humor moreso than really trying to be an ideologue. Personally, I don't wear leather, and my basic rule is not to buy anything that requires the donor animal to die. So, I do consume milk and eggs and such but try to avoid gelatin and rennet. I do realize I'm drawing some arbitrary lines. But, by golly, gelatin is over one of them. And, I ask again, who puts gelatin in something you drink?! Curses!

[Rysdad]

Marshmallow Krispie squares are a type of...

Insulation. Similar to honeyed packing peanuts.

[Oslo Ostragoth]

If they are refrigerated, wouldn't they be called "refrigerator bars", a term I have read.

posting solely to subscribe :(

[Hey, It's That Guy!]

In college, a kid in my dorm had a relative who worked for Kellogg's Cereal, and he was able to get factory-made Rice Krispies Treats, individually wrapped in the blue foil pouches, except they were 13" x 9" x 1.5" (or something similar to that), officially produced and packaged in those dimensions -- giant rectangles of krispy goodness.

[OpalCat]

...torture designed to torment vegetarians because of the ridiculous scarcity of marshmallows that don't contain gelatin.
Did the rest of the vegetarians on this board not realize that you can make Rice Krispies Treats with Marshmallow Fluff (the stuff in the jar) which contains no gelatin? :eek: They come out just as good. (It does have egg white in it so if you're vegan it's still out.)

I feel so bad that so many people have been missing out needlessly all this time.

Edited to add: you follow the same recipe except use 1 jar of fluff instead of the bag of marshmallows (or "40 marshmallows" or whatever it is they say to use.)

[Bayard]

Did the rest of the vegetarians on this board not realize that you can make Rice Krispies Treats with Marshmallow Fluff (the stuff in the jar) which contains no gelatin? :eek: They come out just as good. (It does have egg white in it so if you're vegan it's still out.)

I feel so bad that so many people have been missing out needlessly all this time.

Edited to add: you follow the same recipe except use 1 jar of fluff instead of the bag of marshmallows (or "40 marshmallows" or whatever it is they say to use.)
Oooooh. It's 8:20 am....I get out of work at 5:00, then go to school...should be out of class by 9:00pm...Aha! 24-hour Kroger!

[Snickers]

In your part of the Midwest, sure. I never heard of that.

Preach it. I grew up in Western Wisconsin and now live in Minneapolis, and while Jodi and Dio are right in their general definition, I know of no one who'd ever refer to the yummies in question as "bars." There's tons of dessert bars 'round these parts, but there is only one way to refer to said krispie and marshmellowy goodness, and that is as "treats."

I've never heard anyone refer to them as Rice Crispie bars.

[lunar elf]

....project my hubby can handle for a picnic this weekend while I make cakes and cookies!

[Eureka]

There is a good chance that as a result of this thread, I'll be taking rice krispy treats to a potluck this Sunday.

(There may be an even better chance that I fix the rice krispy treats at some point this weekend so that I can enjoy the whole panful, and figure out something else to take to the potluck).

[Mangetout]

In college, a kid in my dorm had a relative who worked for Kellogg's Cereal, and he was able to get factory-made Rice Krispies Treats, individually wrapped in the blue foil pouches, except they were 13" x 9" x 1.5" (or something similar to that), officially produced and packaged in those dimensions -- giant rectangles of krispy goodness.
Catering size or something, I guess...

I want one the size of a surfboard.

[irishgirl]

They're a kind of traybake. Things you bake or chill in a tray and cut into squares (like brownies, caramel squares, rice krispie treats or date squares) are traybakes. They're what church ladies and the mothers of small children spend their weekends making.

I make crunchies, which are basically melted butter, golden syrup and rolled oats, they're damn good.

[Lunar Saltlick]

Where I come from, they're simply squares, as you termed them in the OP. Like date squares and apple squares. "Squares" was definitely a legitimate dessert category when I was growing up. Cakes, bars, candies, pies, ice cream and squares -- the double trinity of my youth.

[Jodi]

I've never heard anyone refer to them as Rice Crispie bars.

Gah! I never said ANYONE refers to them as "rice krispie bars"! These are Rice Krispie Treats, which are a type of "bar," which is the term used by SOME midwesterners -- not ALL -- for a category of dessert. The OP asked what they are generally, not what they are called specifically. Jeez, it's like pointing out a Ho-Ho is a species of cake and having someone reply, "I've never heard anyone refer to them as Ho-cakes."

[yellowval]

Preach it. I grew up in Western Wisconsin and now live in Minneapolis, and while Jodi and Dio are right in their general definition, I know of no one who'd ever refer to the yummies in question as "bars." There's tons of dessert bars 'round these parts, but there is only one way to refer to said krispie and marshmellowy goodness, and that is as "treats."

I've never heard anyone refer to them as Rice Crispie bars.
I've never heard anyone refer to them as anything but Rice Krispie bars.

[Lynn Bodoni]

A couple of my local grocery stores carry strawberry flavored marshmallows. However, each time that I buy these marshmallows, my husband snags them for snacks, before I make the treats.

[Fear Itself]

Gah! "I've never heard anyone refer to them as Ho-cakes."
I think ho's call them that.

[Ceejaytee]

The Rice Krispie treat was a buck.


I'll see you all in hell.

Stay far away from the Hostess fruit pie thread in MPSIMS. That one cost me 90 freakin' cents.

[OpalCat]

They're a kind of traybake.
As someone who has grown up in the US, I've never ever heard that term before, and would have no idea what it meant if someone used it.

[beanpod]

Glue.

delicious, delicious, crunchy glue.

[Mangetout]

As someone who has grown up in the US, I've never ever heard that term before, and would have no idea what it meant if someone used it.
I've heard the term before, but only ever in connection with things that are actually baked... in a tray. So refrigerator cakes et al wouldn't normally fit (IMO).