Next Post
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!
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
Servings: 24 bars
Calories Per Serving: 38 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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.
This post was originally published on October 17, 2025
Well these were a disappointment!
Sorry to hear this, Paula. Please let me know if there is anything that I can help with!
My flabbers are gasted at the reviews for this recipe! Y’ALL… these are incredible! The only thing I can think to explain the experiences of others is maybe the quality of your apple cider? I’m in New England, so we have an embarrassment of cider riches here. Maybe the cider game where you live is weak? These are UNREAL good and gone pretty immediately after I made them.
Lol thanks so much, Allison:) I am so glad these turned out well for you and I appreciate your feedback! Happy Sunday!
Honestly these were kind of bland and mediocre.
Hi Melinda,
Sorry to hear you did not enjoy these treats, thanks for giving them a try.
If anyone needs convincing to give it a try, allow me 😋 what a delicious seasonal twist on a classic childhood staple! I Love the subtle hint of apple from the cider and dried apple with the lightly toasted flavor that comes through from the toasted marshmallows. While it was still sticky in the pan, as it cooled, I sprinkled just a little cardamom and cinnamon on top to add a little more flavor depth and it turned out fantastic! Happy fall! 🍂🍁
Hi Angie,
Happy Fall! Thanks a bunch for making these Rice Krispies and sharing your feedback! I am so glad they were a hit!
These were not a hit in my household, I won’t be making again. My kids were excited but these just were not good.
Sorry to hear this, Erica. Thanks for trying the recipe. If there is anything that I can help with, please let me know.
I did not enjoy these.
Sorry to hear this, Barbara. Is there something specific that you did not enjoy or that I can help with? Please let me know!
Made these today and they are delish! The whole family enjoyed them – what a wonderful fall take on a classic treat. Thank you for sharing.
Yay! Thanks so much, Curt! Love to hear your family enjoyed this recipe! Have a great weekend!
I love, apples and marshmallows, but unfortunately, I don’t feel like the flavors worked well together here at all. I also feel like the instructions to pack them tightly made them pretty dense.
Thanks for trying this recipe, Patricia. Sorry to hear it was not enjoyed!
Why would diced apples not work for this? I know you’d recommend recommended them with your bark so I wanted to try them with these also!
Hi Monica,
Well they are completely different recipes to start with:) I tested the bark with fresh apples several times and they are an ingredient in that recipe.
I did not test the Rice Krispie treats with fresh apples and I worry they would release too much moisture into these treats. I would stick with the dried apples here:)
Let me know if I can help in any other way. Have a great weekend!
Why are yours so orange? Is there an ingredient missing?
Hi Kara,
There are no missing ingredients, I think the color you are seeing is coming from the brown-sugar cider caramel. I hope this helps!
Doesn’t packing them tightly make them really dense? Is that correct?
Hey Emma,
I wouldn’t say they are dense, you just want to make sure that they are sticking together. I hope this helps!
Apples and marshmallows– interesting mix of flavors. What do these taste like?
Hi Karen,
I would say these have the classic Rice Krispie treat flavor with the addition of cinnamon, cider, and caramel. Let me know if you give them a try!
Can you explain how organic brown sugar makes a difference for the recipe, or is that just a personal preference of yours?
Hey Kit,
It’s a personal preference for me:) Please let me know if you give this recipe a try. Happy Friday!
Girl your marshmallows are BURNT!
Hey Sara,
I toasted mine exactly how we like our marshmallows, but you should toast yours to your liking:) I hope you love this recipe!
These sound delicious 😋. Could you substitute diced fresh apples?
Thanks so much, Bridget! So sorry, I would not recommend fresh apples for this recipe! Please let me know if I can help in any other way!
Haven’t tried the recipe yet, but I’m going to do it with cinnamon toast crunch! I’ve done crispy treats like this before. Excited to try the apple cider and dried apples!
Hi Jessica,
Such a fun idea! Let me know how the recipe turns out, I hope you love it!