Crispy rice treats are an iconic American sweet. When my family came to the United States, we had no clue that they were. We took them for an American version of a Vietnames puff rice bars called cơm nổ (exploded rice). The puff rice makers popped rice from scratch over a live fire in a drum that rotates constantly. After cooling the puffed rice, the cooks mix it in caramelized palm sugar then press the hot mixture into a wood mold. By comparison, the American version, Rice Krispies Treats, was so easy to prepare with breakfast cereal, butter, and marshmallows! Funny thing is that we never thought of tweaking the American recipe to give it an Asian twist.

Matcha Fancy Rice Crispy Treats -- tall by Aya Bracket

That was about fifty years ago. Nowadays, people stir all kinds of add-ins to tweak rice crispy treats. One stand out recipe is chef Joyce Tang's Fancy Crispy Rice Treats. They are green from matcha and contain salty pretzels. Sweet-salty treats are a natural for Asian kitchen.

Putting an Asian Spin on Classics

Joyce's recipe, published in her debut cookbook, Bake Sum was born of nostalgia and perhaps even some boredom. Instead of making the same old Rice Krispies Treats, she boldy inserted her creativity to channel her preferences. In turn, she created a nod to her Asian American, adult palate. As Joyce writes in the Fancy Crispy Rice Treats recipe introduction:

During the global pandemic of 2020, I was one of many people who was moved to take stock and look at life differently. Stuck at home, I joined the masses in baking obsessively and finding comfort in nostalgia. In this era of bulk-buying dried beans and cereal, I made and devoured countless Rice Krispies Treats, which really brought me back to my childhood in a big way. This recipe is versatile; I've found that most types of cereal work well, but using smaller, similarly sized pieces yields the best results. In this "fancy" version, I love how matcha powder gives these treats both a unique green color and a slightly more grown-up touch of bitterness. Salty pretzels add nuance and texture too.

Joyce's cooking and book weaves together cultures and melts borders. That's how most of us exist nowadays so why shouldn't we cook and eat that way too? The pastries and treats in Joyce's Bake Sum cookbook reflect the clever and tasty collision of flavors and ingredients. Solid cooking traditions and techniques support the tasty outcomes.

Bake Sum cover by Joyce Tang with Soleil Ho

For instance, you may be unfamiliar with the colorful toppings and red bean filling for the conchas on the cover of the book but the Bake Sum buns convey the history of Chinese people in Mexico. The dough for Bake Sum's conchas is an Asian-style milk bread dough using the tangzhong method developed in China. That milk bread magic creates a pillowy sturdy enough to contain oozy fillings like the purple ube shown on the right below.

There's happiness in what Joyce creates as well as deliciousness. I've eaten at the bakery and while I'm no pro-level, laminated dough fiend (the book has a whole chapter on croissants and the like for you to master), I know I can make fanciful crispy rice treat like this one.

For a throwback dessert spread, serve the fancy crispy rice treats with my updated Magic 7-Layer Cookie Bar. Sisters and I loved the puffed rice bars. My mom adored the coconut and chocolate cookie bar. You cannot go wrong with these classics.

Print Recipe

Fancy Crispy Rice Treats

An Asian American take on crispy rice treats, this recipe has been slightly tweaked from the original one published in Bake Sum, a cookbook by Joyce Tang (co-authored with Soleil Ho, published by Hardie Grant, 2026). Check the main post for extra tips from Joyce. I suggested swaps for a vegan version!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Asian American

Keyword: crispy rice ceral, crispy rice treats, matcha, not-too-sweet

Servings: 12

Ingredients

Cooking spray for the pan
6 tablespoons | 85g unsalted butter (cow or plant-based), at room temperature
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons milk (cow, oat, or otherwise), at room temperature
7 cups | 420g mini marshmallows (standard or vegan)
1 tablespoon matcha powder
10 cups | 255g crispy rice cereal
1 cup | 50g mini pretzels
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Prep the pan: Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) square pan with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper, allowing the parchment to extend slightly beyond the edges. This will create handles for lifting the treats out of the pan later.
Cook the crispy rice mixture: In a large shallow saucepan over high heat, melt the butter, salt, and milk together. Once melted, lower the heat to medium and add 5 ¼ cups (320g) of the marshmallows and cook, stirring occasionally, until they fully melt. (You can do this step in the microwave: Just use a medium bowl and blast it for 30 seconds at a time.)
Sift the matcha into the melted marshmallows and mix until combined. Allow the matcha/marshmallow mixture to cool slightly, about 1 minute, before stirring in the rice cereal, pretzels, and vanilla. (This brief cooling period helps prevent the treats from becoming soggy by allowing some steam and moisture to escape.) Stir in the remaining 1 ¾ cups (100g) marshmallows using a stiff spatula, wooden spoon, or, my personal favorite, a fiberglass spatula while the mixture is still warm.
Mold, cut and serve: Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press it down flat with an oiled hand or spatula. Let it cool for several hours before cutting. For best results, use an oiled serrated knife and a ruler to cut the treats into even shapes. They're delicious no matter how you slice them. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days.