Rice Krispy Treat Troubleshooting

Ok, today is a no recipe post! Mostly because I'm too lazy to edit pictures,... ahem... but also because I need to address several questions I repeatedly get.

So, sometimes in life things don't turn out just as we hoped. My Tax Refund. The Bachelor Finale. The NCAA Bracket. My Car's Smog Check.... just to name a few. And sometimes, dare I say it, my cooking falls into this category as well. And it stinks. Especially when you put a lot of work into making something and then it comes out wrong. And the only thing that is worse is having no idea what went wrong.

So here are some of the top issues I've heard of/seen/had happen to me in regards to rice krispy treats:



1.) "My marshmallows melted into a gummy blob."

The number one reason I find this happens is because you are using old marshmallows. As soon as they start getting that dry exterior, their melting capacity goes down the drain. Save yourself the hassle and set those marshmallows aside for s'mores.

If your marshmallows aren't old, it could also be the brand you're using. Certain store brands just don't melt as well.



2.) "My treats have a soggy/stale texture."
This is most likely due to too much butter. I've tried a few variations that use more butter and I often end up with this weird soggy/stale texture. Next time try reducing the amount you are using and see if that helps.
Another reason could be if you are using margarine. Some margarines have worked out fine for me, some haven't. Check your brand for the oil/water %. If it is too high this makes your cereal turn out soggy. Either try switching to butter or a margarine brand with a lower % of liquids.


3.) "My treats are hard instead of soft and chewy."
How high was your heat when you were melting your marshmallows? If you crank up the heat and zoom through melting them, they will dry to a hard texture instead of a soft gooey one. So take the extra 5 minutes and melt them over low heat, stirring constantly. Show them a little love :)
If you did melt them slow and they are still hard, you most likely need to use more marshmallows. In my recipes I always use very full measurements. So if I say "6 cups of marshmallows", I meant 6 Full cups, don't skimp.


4.) My treats are overly gooey/sticky.

The only answer for this is that you used too many marshmallows. (I know, is that even possible?) I like to keep around a 1:1 ratio of marshmallows to dry cereal, so try to stick close to that unless you like your treats super gooey. Also be sure to spray your pan/bowls with nonstick spray or butter - that helps eliminate a lot of mess.





5.) My Marshmallows are Stuck Together in a Big Clump in the Bag.
Now, you may have ventured into unusable marshmallow territory (See Problem #1 above). But they may be salvageable. To unstick your mallows, sprinkle 1-2 tsp of corn starch or powdered sugar into the bag, seal it, and shake vigorously to evenly distribute and coat the marshmallows. They should begin to come apart  a few moments.


Ok, that's that! Let me know if there are any other problems you have!