Crispy Marshmallow Mounds; Inspired by 1-Ingredient Mistake

Crispy Marshmallow Mounds grew out of a simple mistake I made when preparing a world-famous snack. You will want to make the same mistake yourself!

We all make mistakes when cooking and baking, and I’ll tell you my latest was a doozie, but it inspired a 1-ingredient change that will forever change how you make a traditional no-bake popular recipe! My one mistake led to a fabulous dessert my family can’t stop raving about; crispy marshmallow mounds with chocolate drizzle and confetti topping. I will share my yummy mistake with you!

My Mistake + How I Discovered My Crispy Marshmallow Mounds

This simple mistake was a misfire of an ingredient because I was cleaning out the pantry and using different items. Still, I pulled back my s#$t and created chocolate-drizzled and confetti-topped crispy rice mounds. My recipe for the day was simple rice krispie treats, but I ended up with something very different because of an ingredient that would not agree with my recipe.

I may never make rice krispie treats again and instead make these effortless crispy chocolate drizzled and confetti-topped crispy rice cereal mounds!

P.S. If you need a new baking sheet, I use the best and they are 100% guaranteed plus 25% off with code >> INTHEKITCHENWITHDANA25

So if you are not following what happened, allow me to provide a few examples of mistakes.

1. You follow a recipe to a T, but your cake still comes out dry
2.  Your dough won’t come together no matter how much you knead it
3.  You want to make a showstopper cake, but one cracks
4.  Your signature dish is a flop.
5.  You’re baking cookies, and they spread all over the baking sheet.

I Tried To Make Rice Krispie Treats But…

The best part about this mistake is that I didn’t have to mold, roll, or press these great round krispie-treat snacks. And clearly, when making a dessert like a krispie treat, you aren’t going for the gold in kitchen awards, right?

Most people know the krispie treats recipe; it’s easy as can be:

• rice krispie cereal (or the generic form of it)
• marshmallows
• butter
• vanilla
• a pot or bowl
• a large baking tray
• Plenty of nonstick spray (for the fabulous sticky mess we could live without, lol)

So it’s not like I have a secret recipe here; I was trying to make our favorite, easy, non-time-consuming dessert.

How I Created Crispy Marshmallow Mounds

Ok, I’ve got to tell you that these are not krispie treats; they can’t be based on the content involved in making them. Unlike a Krispie treat, your ratio of ingredients is more about the rice krispies than the other ingredients, so with that said, here’s what exactly happened, and I’ll tell you how to make these!

First, I went into my pantry and gathered my crispy rice cereal and marshmallows, where the issues started.

I set out my bowl and grabbed the butter and vanilla. Next, I added the butter and vanilla to the bowl with my marshmallows. I used a microwave-safe deep glass bowl and programmed the microwave to cook the ingredients.

While the marshmallow, butter, and vanilla were melting in the microwave, I measured out my crispy rice cereal (we used a generic brand, so I am not spelling it as Rice Krispy Cereal). Once I had that measure, I turned around to look in the microwave, and THIS is What I Saw!

For perspective, this is a 4-quart glass Pyrex bowl, and I have a TALL and DEEP microwave (in other words, it is not dorm room size), and the marshmallow was INCREASING by size each second and not melting. I thought there would be an explosion, so I took the bowl out and stirred it…I mean, I tried to stir it, but nothing happened.

Frustrated, I tossed the bowl back into the microwave and began preparing for disaster! I didn’t want to waste my already mixed ingredients, but I didn’t want to sacrifice my krispie treats; I was unhappy. As I pulled the marshmallows butter mixture out of the microwave, I stirred the mix and stirred harder, but the damn marshmallows would not break down!

Pro Tip: How To Handle A Kitchen Cooking Mistake ↓↓ I uttered many curse words into the bowl and figured I better get on with the disaster.

Pro-Tip: I laid the non-stick coated tray on the counter near the bowl (yep, you got it, the non-stick spray should be on the tray)and began attempting to mix this mess. Nothing worked.

How To Officially Make The Crispy Marshmallow Mounds

At this point, I decided that whatever was in that bowl would be whatever I was putting on that tray. Those MF’ing marshmallows were not going to win. I mixed and hoped that the marshmallow mixture would at least start adhering to the crispy rice cereal, and it did, but oddly enough, as it was in the bowl, it was just making its mounds.

Suddenly a light bulb went off, not in my oven, but in my brain…I had a new idea and way to solve the Campfire marshmallow crisis! Why stir harder or longer than I had to? Instead, I quickly (watch for the pro tip again) used a pastry brush and spread around the nonstick spray, and then I began dropping those rice cereal mounds with the big-ass heaping spoon!

But how would I make those crispy marshmallow mounds turn into something that looked better than a round-dropped Krispy treat?

Chocolate-Drizzled And Confetti Topped Crispy Marshmallow Mounds

Chocolate makes everything better, and if there is one thing I am pro at melting chocolate and drizzling it. But that would not be enough, so I pulled out my new bag of confetti topping with mini mallows and set to work.

First, I dropped all of the crispy treat mounds onto two trays, not one, those Campire Jumbo Marshmallows mean business, and they are huge. After I dropped the serving spoon-size mounds onto the nonstick treated trays, I topped each with melted chocolate and followed that with sprinkles.

And that, my dear friends, is how my 1-ingredient mistake inspired me to make something so much better than a tray of krispie treats, and here is why they are better!

Chocolate-Drizzled And Confetti-Topped Crispy Marshmallow Mounds Are The Best Because…

• They crispy marshmallow mounds are already portioned
• You drop the crispy marshmallow mounds onto a pan with no pushing, flattening, etc.
• You can use white chocolate, butterscotch, or any other chocolate on top of the mound.
• You could package these up and provide single-serve treats to anyone, and they travel well!
• Add any confetti sprinkle colors you want for any season or party.
• The rice cereal mounds are MORE interior marshmallow dead-on and more exterior crispy rice cereal; it’s insane.
• It’s like biting into a big puffed bar of marshmallows with a crispy exterior crunch.

What Tasty Ingredient Was The Mistake Ingredient That Led to Crispy Marshmallow Mounds?

For anyone who hasn’t figured it out, I used Campfire Jumbo Marshmallows with some mini mallows I had opened. Those Campfire Marshmallows are perfect, but they don’t quite melt unless you add some water, and I never thought about it because I had vanilla and butter in the microwave. But no matter how many times I attempted to melt those suckers, they would not reduce in size, which is why we love them at the firepit!

So I was lucky that I had used the mini marshmallows as they could be mixed, and enough of the bigger marshmallows softened to the point that I could coat but not break them down. The crispy rice mounds are a fantabulous discovery because these were dropped on a pan, and no rolling was required.

So, I would like to thank those giant roasting marshmallows for leading my creativity to a new family favorite recipe, and I hope You’ll try it out! ~ Dana XO

Recipe For The Crispy Marshmallow Mounds

Make sure to come back and tell me if you tried these and like them better than the traditional crispy treats! ~DANA XO

About Dana

Dana, an award-winning travel writer, embarks on journeys that transcend mere destinations. Her passion for exploring the globe is matched only by her enthusiasm for sharing every adventure, from delectable dining to cozy lodging and everything in between. When not traversing the world, Dana transforms her home into a culinary playground, where as a former restaurateur and self-trained chef, she whips up innovative dishes and drinks. Each creation is an invitation to celebrate every day and every occasion. Join Dana as she unveils the world’s hidden gems and brings a taste of magic to your table.