Add This Unexpected Ingredient For The Tastiest Rice Krispies Treats

Rice Krispies treats are already a delicious sweet snack that is easy and fun to make at home. But what if there was a way to make them even better? All you need is an unexpected ingredient: potato chips.

It may seem like a surprising addition, but there's a reason the salty and sweet combination is so beloved — whether it's salted caramel or the iconic chocolate-covered pretzels, saltiness and sweetness balance each other out well, making for an irresistible snack. Adding chips is also the perfect solution for anyone who has ever thought that Rice Krispies treats were a little too overly sweet. Or, even if you love the original version, it's fun to have a tasty variation on hand to switch it up from time to time.

To make this happen, start with your favorite Rice Krispies treats recipe and your favorite bag of potato chips, such as Lay's or Ruffles. The process stays mostly the same — just crush up those potato chips and mix them with the Rice Krispies before combining them with the other ingredients. You can start with a one-to-one ratio of cereal to chips, but feel free to adjust to your preferences — for a little less saltiness, add fewer chips, or vice versa. Some recipes even use potato chips to replace the Rice Krispies altogether for a crunchier, more unique take on the salty-sweet snack, which may be a good idea for the most enthusiastic potato chip lovers.

As if the inclusion of potato chips wasn't exciting enough, there are also ways to make this salty-sweet snack even better. But first, you'll have to decide if you want to lean more into the salty element or the sweet element. For example, if you want to add a bit more sweetness, then a drizzle of chocolate will go a long way — and will be reminiscent of chocolate-covered potato chips, which is another fantastic salty-sweet combo. However, if you don't want to make it too much sweeter, you can swap out the chocolate drizzle for a peanut butter drizzle. Or, drizzle salted caramel sauce for the best of both worlds.

Additionally, you can add in extra ingredients along with the potato chips for a more varied and interesting snack. You can take inspiration from our recipe for birthday Rice Krispies treats, which integrates rainbow sprinkles into the mix for a colorful and sweet addition. There are also plenty of other underrated ingredients to add to Rice Krispies treats to consider — plenty of which will complement the potato chips, such as brown butter for extra richness or pretzels for even more saltiness.