Gluten-Free Rice Crispy Cereals and Treats Recipe

Kellogg's disappointed many people in the gluten-free community when it discontinued the gluten-free version of Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal. Not only did the public lose a perennial kid's favorite gluten-free cereal, but they also lost the primary ingredient for gluten-free Rice Krispies Treats.

But don't despair—people with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity have several "crispy rice" ​cereals ​that range from reasonably similar to nearly identical. Bonus: They will work perfectly well in the rice crispies treat recipe included below.

Gluten-Free Substitutes for Rice Krispies

Discover the five gluten-free crispy rice cereals you'll find in stores.

Barbara's Organic Brown Rice Crisps

This brand, crafted from whole grain, non-GMO brown rice, is sweetened with organic fruit juice. It may not work well for the most sensitive, however. It's manufactured in a shared facility that also processes wheat, soy, tree nuts, and peanuts. That said, the cereal is tested to make sure it contains less than 20 parts per million of gluten.

Nature's Path Crispy Rice Cereal

This cereal—from the maker of perennial gluten-free kid cereal favorite Koala Crisp Cereal—is certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO), which requires testing to below 10 parts per million of gluten. That's an important number to know depending on how much gluten can make you sick.

The cereal contains organic brown rice flour, organic evaporated cane juice, sea salt, and organic molasses. Nature's Path makes this cereal in a facility that also processes tree nuts, peanuts, and soy.

One Degree Veganic Sprouted Brown Rice Crisps

This cereal is made from non-gluten ingredients including organic sprouted brown rice, organic coconut palm sugar, unrefined salt, and tocopherols. The box states that the cereal is gluten-free.

However, the smaller print indicates that it is manufactured in a facility that uses wheat, soy, tree nuts, and dairy. As a result, the potential for cross-contamination exists and those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity should be cautious.

Are Marshmallows Gluten-Free?

If you choose to make Rice Krispie treats, the other main ingredient you'll need to evaluate is marshmallows. But you shouldn't have a problem finding a bag to meet your needs. Even if you pick up a bag of marshmallows randomly in the grocery store, it's very likely to be safe.

In the United States, the marshmallow industry is dominated by two main companies: Kraft Foods Inc. and Doumak Inc. Both manufacture only gluten-free marshmallows.

Gluten-Free Rice Crispy Treats Recipe

This recipe can work with any of these gluten-free Rice Krispies alternatives. These treats are super-easy to make. Just take your time on the stove, or you'll risk burning the marshmallows.

Ingredients

• 6 cups gluten-free crispy rice cereal (choose your favorite from the options listed above)
• 1 10-oz. package gluten-free marshmallows
• 3 tablespoons butter (to make dairy-free rice crispies, substitute either coconut oil or a non-dairy shortening such as Spectrum Organics Butter-Flavor Shortening)

Cooking Instructions

1. Melt the butter (or non-dairy substitute) in a medium-sized saucepan over low heat.
2. Slowly add the marshmallows and stir until they melt completely and mix thoroughly with the butter/shortening. Be patient and keep the heat low, or you'll start to brown the liquid marshmallows.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the gluten-free rice crispies and keep stirring until all the cereal is coated. The mixture will be very sticky.
4. Grease a 13-inch by 9-inch pan with butter or non-dairy shortening (use plenty, or the treats will stick).
5. Using either a greased plastic spatula or wax paper, carefully press the mixture into the pan, pressing it out into the corners and leveling it.
6. Allow the treats to cool completely, then cut into squares.

To store uneaten treats, cover them with plastic wrap or wax paper. Old-fashioned wax paper works better since it doesn't stick.

Yield: 12 large gluten-free rice crispy treats