Keto Rice Krispie Treats
Published May 19, 2020 • Updated March 11, 2026
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
Four ingredients, no homemade marshmallows, and 11.2g protein per serving. I've been making these keto rice crispy treats for years, and the white chocolate plus vanilla syrup combo is what nails that sticky, chewy texture without any of the sugar.
I get asked all the time why I don’t use homemade marshmallows in these. Simple: I don’t need them. Melted white chocolate chips and sugar-free vanilla syrup create that same sticky pull and chew that makes rice crispy treats addictive, and you skip the 45 minutes of marshmallow-making that other keto versions require. Four ingredients, ten minutes of hands-on time, and they taste like the ones I grew up eating.
The protein angle surprised me too. When I ran the macros, these come in at 11.2g of protein per serving, which is more than double what most competing recipes produce. I didn’t engineer it that way. The keto cereal and white chocolate chips just happen to stack up. That makes them a solid option if you’re packing keto no bake cookies or other low carb treats for the week.
I’ve tested dark chocolate chips in place of white, and the texture holds up fine. But the flavor shifts completely. White chocolate plus vanilla syrup is what replicates that marshmallow sweetness. Swap it for dark and you get a good chocolate treat, not a rice crispy treat. Reader Stephanie tried two other versions before this one and called them “granola bar disasters, dense, dry, no chew.” The vanilla syrup is the difference.
One thing that’s changed since I first posted this: HighKey discontinued their rice-shaped cereal. I’ve switched to Magic Spoon frosted as my go-to replacement. The texture is slightly different (a little crunchier) but it holds together the same way once the white chocolate sets. If you find the frosted version too sweet, their plain variety works just as well here.
These freeze well too. I wrap individual squares in parchment, drop them in a freezer bag, and they keep for about two months. The texture firms up a bit but comes back to normal after 10-15 minutes on the counter. I make a double batch most weeks and stash half for my kids’ lunchboxes.
If you’re into treats that come together fast, I have a whole lineup. My Halloween rice krispie treats use the same base with festive colors. For something richer, try my keto candy recipes or keto toffee. And if you want the campfire version, my keto s’mores use a similar no-bake approach.
How to Get the Perfect Batch Every Time
The biggest thing I’ve learned making these is how you press the mixture matters more than you’d think. Don’t use your hands. Lay a piece of wet parchment over the top and press down with a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup. You get cleaner, sharper edges that actually hold their shape when you cut. One of my readers, Sonia, figured this out and it’s now how I do it every time.
For the chocolate dip at the end, I melt a separate batch of white chocolate chips and work fast. The coating sets within a few minutes at room temperature, so dip and place on a wire rack immediately. If you want colored drizzle, add gel food coloring (not liquid, it seizes the chocolate). I keep my sprinkles within arm’s reach so I can hit them before the chocolate hardens.
Refrigeration time is 10-15 minutes, but I’ve found 12 minutes is the sweet spot in my kitchen. Pull them too early and they crumble when you cut. Leave them too long and the edges get overly firm. Once they’re set, a sharp chef’s knife gives you the cleanest squares.
Ingredients
3 cups keto rice cereal -
1 cup ChocZero White Chocolate Chips, melted
-
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
-
1/4 cup ChocZero Vanilla Syrup
-
pinch of salt
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Add the sticky ingredients
Pour in melted white chocolate chips, melted butter, sugar-free vanilla syrup, and a pinch of salt. Stir together until combined.
Mold and set
Add a sheet of parchment paper to a square baking dish or spray dish with cooking oil. Scoop rice crispy mixture into the parchment lined baking dish and spread mixture evenly. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes or until set. Then remove from refrigerator and cut into squares.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
Your Macros. Your Recipes. Calculated in 60 Seconds.
Get personalized keto macros and instantly see which recipes fit your targets. No more guessing what to eat.
Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze keto rice crispy treats?
I freeze these all the time. Wrap each square individually in parchment, then stack them in a freezer bag. They keep for about two months. The texture gets a little firmer in the freezer, but I pull them out 10-15 minutes before eating and they soften right back up. I usually make a double batch specifically so I can stash half for the week.
What cereal can I use now that HighKey discontinued their rice cereal?
I was bummed when HighKey pulled their rice-shaped cereal. My current go-to is Magic Spoon frosted, which is the closest low carb replacement I've found. The texture is a little crunchier than the original HighKey, but once it's coated in melted white chocolate it holds together the same way. If the frosted flavor runs too sweet for you, their plain variety works just as well in this recipe.
Can I use dark chocolate chips instead of white chocolate?
I've tested both and the texture holds up either way. Dark chocolate melts and sets the same. But here's the thing: the white chocolate and vanilla syrup together is what makes these taste like the original. Swap to dark and you get more of a chocolate cereal bar, which is good but it's a different treat entirely. My reader Sonia used Lily's 55% dark and liked the bitterness against the vanilla syrup, so it comes down to what flavor you're after.
Can I add peanut butter to this recipe?
I haven't used peanut butter as the main binder here, but you could add 2-3 tablespoons alongside the white chocolate for a peanut butter twist. I'd keep the white chocolate in the recipe though, because that's what gives the treats their structure and set. Straight peanut butter as the sole binder makes a denser bar. If you're after a full PB treat, my keto peanut butter mousse might be more what you're looking for.
How do I get clean edges when cutting these treats?
My trick is pressing the mixture with a piece of wet parchment on top instead of using your hands. I use a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup to press down evenly. This gives you a smooth, level surface that cuts into clean squares. I also let them set the full 12-15 minutes before cutting, and I use a sharp chef's knife rather than pulling them apart.
Can I substitute ChocZero vanilla syrup with another brand?
I've used both ChocZero and Lakanto vanilla syrups and honestly can't tell the difference once the treats are set. Lakanto tends to be a bit thicker out of the bottle, so it might even set up slightly faster. Either one works. The key is using a sugar-free vanilla syrup specifically, not just vanilla extract, because the syrup adds both flavor and that sticky binding quality I need in these.
How should I store these treats?
I keep mine in an airtight container at room temperature and they stay good for about a week. The texture is best in the first 3-4 days. After that they start to firm up a bit. If you need them to last longer, the freezer is a better bet than the fridge. Refrigerated ones get overly hard in my experience, but frozen ones bounce back to the right texture after sitting out for 10-15 minutes.
Can I make these ahead of time for lunchboxes?
This is exactly how I use them. I make a full batch on Sunday, cut them into squares, and wrap each one in parchment. My kids grab one for their lunchbox each morning. They hold up great at room temperature all day. For a full week's worth, I keep Monday through Wednesday's batch on the counter and freeze the rest, pulling them out the night before. If you want variety in the lunchbox rotation, my keto oatmeal cream pies freeze just as well.
Ever since going low carb, I have been dying for a sugar-free alternative to every kids favorite dessert – rice crispy treats! Now, it is here and it is easier to make than you would think. These treats are made using a zero carb protein “rice” cereal, a combination of melted sugar-free white chocolate and vanilla syrup to give that characteristic marshmallow flavor, and butter. Everything is mixed together and spread out in a 9×9 baking dish to set. You will not believe how spot on they taste compared to the real thing.
This is a fun recipe to make with kids. They love the pouring, mixing, and frosting each bar with bright colors and sprinkles.
If you do not want to use the cereal, you can try crushed plain pork rinds instead. I know it sounds weird, but they taste similar to real rice crispy treats once the white chocolate and butter are added. The only downside is the bottom layer can get soggy depending on how well you mix everything.
To get that realistic marshmallow flavor, this recipe uses sugar-free white chocolate. The combination of frosted protein cereal and melted white chocolate creates a taste almost identical to actual marshmallows.
The white chocolate used in this recipe is by 
You can also experiment by adding 
I've tried a few different keto rice krispie treat recipes and they all had the same problem: too dry, wouldn't hold together, basically fell apart when you picked them up. The white chocolate chips and vanilla syrup combo here is what's different. It actually gets chewy and sticky the way the original does. Docking one star because mine firmed up more than I expected after sitting overnight, but fresh (or pulled from the fridge for about 10 minutes) the texture is exactly what I'd been hoping to find.
Yeah they firm up overnight, that's the ChocZero setting up as it fully cools. The 10-minute fridge pull you found works. I sometimes go 15 if they've been sitting longer.
Ok, I've been keto for about three months and I was nervous about this one because rice crispy treats were my pre-keto weakness. Swapping marshmallows for melted ChocZero chips felt like it was never going to hold together, but I kept going. And then I pressed it into the pan and started picking at the edges while it set and the vanilla syrup flavor just hit me out of nowhere. The texture is exactly right, that pull and slight chew with no sugar crash after. I'm already planning batch two this week. Quick question though, have you ever done these with dark chocolate chips instead of white? Curious if that works or if the white chocolate is doing something specific for the texture.
Yeah, the texture holds either way. Dark chocolate melts the same so it sets up fine. But the white chocolate and vanilla syrup together is what makes it taste like the original , swap it out and you get more of a chocolate treat than a Rice Krispie treat. Sonia in the comments just tried Lily's 55% dark if you want to see how that landed.
Swapped out the white chocolate for Lily's 55% dark chips because white chocolate keto sweets tend to run too sweet for me, and the bitterness against the vanilla syrup is actually kind of perfect. Way better balance. Practical note: compress them with a piece of wet parchment on top instead of your hands and you get cleaner edges that actually hold their shape. These are a 4 for me with white chocolate, but with the swap I think they're a 5.
Lily's 55% makes sense for people who run sweet. The wet parchment is in my FAQ under clean edges but nobody finds it until they figure it out themselves.
Brought these to a Super Bowl party and a friend who doesn't eat keto kept coming back for more. She asked what bakery they were from. Four ingredients, made at home. The ChocZero white chocolate is what sold her.
'What bakery' is the best compliment this recipe gets. Four ingredients and nobody suspects a thing.
I was skeptical because the two other keto rice crispy copycat recipes I've tried were basically granola bar disasters (dense, dry, no chew). These are actually sticky in the middle the way the original is, and the ChocZero vanilla syrup is what does it, that coating without any weird sweetener finish. I pressed mine into a square pan lined with parchment and they came out clean. Four stars only because I want to try the white chocolate drizzle next time before I go full five, but that's happening soon.
The vanilla syrup is what does it. White chocolate drizzle next batch and you'll have your five.
Swapped ChocZero syrup for Lakanto and it set up just as well.
Good to know! I've used both and honestly can't tell the difference once they're set. Lakanto tends to be a bit thicker out of the bottle, so it might even set up faster.
The sugar-free marshmallows from ChocZero work great in a tradition recipe. I use crushed pork rinds and a Carmel marshmallow recipe that I adapted. Sometimes I like to add some nuts. Delish! Janice
Haven't done pork rinds as the base but I bet the texture is way different. Caramel marshmallows with nuts sounds like it's heading in a candy bar direction.
Actually rice Crispies has the same amount of carbs. I prefer using that in the recipe as I found the Frosted High Key cereal made the squares overly sweet. I prefer treats to be less sweetened.
Regular Rice Krispies isn't keto, it's around 25g net carbs per serving. High Key is 2-3g. If the frosted version runs too sweet, I'd do the plain High Key here.
Oh no! I cannot find the HighKey “rice shaped/ style” cereal anywhere! Do you have a source that I’m missing? Thank you for ALL you do for us! Your recipes are ALL WINNERS!!
They stopped making it! Which is so sad because it's the only company that was making "rice" cereal. I put a link for a substitute but they are "O" shaped.