Coconut Rice Krispie Treats upgrade a nostalgic classic with a flavorful twist. Nutty brown butter, toasted pecans, and sweet coconut add richness, crunch, and chew to every bite.

They’re simple to make, yet just special enough for holidays, potlucks, or any time you want a quick dessert that stands out.

coconut pecan rice krispie treats cut into squares on a wood serving board with a gray and white striped napkin

Before You Start Cooking

Brown the butter. Its nutty flavor is what makes these bars special. Use a large, light-colored pot (like the pale interior of a Le Creuset Dutch oven) so you can clearly see the color change and avoid burning.
Measure ahead. Once the butter is ready, you’ll need to move quickly. Have your (fresh!) marshmallows, cereal, coconut, and pecans prepped and within reach before you start.
Don’t overheat the marshmallows. Melt them just until they’re mostly smooth. Too much heat will make the bars too firm.
Press gently. When spreading the mixture into the pan, press it in lightly and evenly. Compacting it too much will give you dense, tough treats instead of chewy squares.

How to Make Coconut Rice Krispie Treats

overhead of ingredients needed to make coconut pecan rice krispie treats in bowls with text label overlays

Step 1: Prepare Your Pan

Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang on two sides for lifting the bars out later. I like to spritz the pan with a little cooking spray before laying down the parchment so it sticks in place.

Step 2: Toast Coconut and Pecans

Toasting is an extra step, but it deepens the flavor of the coconut and pecans and brings out their natural sweetness. I like to leave the coconut in the base un-toasted for a soft, chewy bite, and save the golden, toasty crunch for the topping.

Coconut. Use sweetened shredded coconut (“angel flake” style). Scatter ⅓ cup in a dry skillet over medium heat and stir constantly. You’ll see the shreds turn from bright white to flecked with a golden, toasty color in just a few minutes. Coconut can go from toasted to burnt quickly, so don’t walk away.
Pecans. Start with shelled pecan halves if you can—they toast more evenly than chopped. Cook them in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until they smell fragrant and look a shade darker (about 3 to 5 minutes). Transfer them to a plate to cool, then roughly chop them.

Tip: Pre-chopped pecans work too, but they toast a little faster. Shave about a minute off the cook time and watch closely—smaller bits can burn quickly.

overhead of toasted coconut in a skillet — Toasting the coconut for the topping.

Have extra coconut and pecans on hand? Try my Coconut Custard Pie, Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie, or Caramelized Pecans!

Step 3: Brown the Butter

Add a stick of unsalted butter, cubed, to a large pot over medium heat. Stir often as it melts and foams. After 4–7 minutes, the milk solids at the bottom will turn golden, and the butter will have a nutty, caramelized aroma. Keep gently stirring through this process so the butter browns evenly.

overhead of melted butter in a white enameled cast iron pot — Melting the butter.

You can use American-style butter for these treats, but I love using European-style butter (such as Plugra or Kerrygold). Its higher butterfat makes the flavor richer and the bars extra indulgent. As soon as the butter starts to turn amber-colored, take the pot off the heat so it doesn’t burn.

overhead of brown butter in a white enameled cast iron pot — Browned butter.

Step 4: Melt the Marshmallows

Off the heat, immediately add your mini marshmallows. Stir them into the butter until they’re about three-quarters melted.

mini marshmallows added to a pot of brown butter with a wood handled spatula — Stirring in the marshmallows.

The residual heat in the pan is usually enough to melt the marshmallows, but if they need a little help, you can return the pot to the lowest heat on the stove. You don’t want to overcook the marshmallows to the point where their sugars start to caramelize.

Add coconut extract and vanilla extract, plus a little salt to help boost the flavors, and continue stirring just until the marshmallows are melted into the butter and start to look smooth.

overhead of melted marshmallows in a white enameled cast iron pot with a wood handled spatula — Ready to add the cereal.

Step 5: Fold in the Cereal and Add-Ins

When the marshmallows are melted, fold in your Rice Krispies cereal, untoasted shredded coconut, and 1 cup of the toasted chopped pecans. Use a rubber spatula to fold gently from the bottom of the pot upward, until everything is evenly coated.

Rice Krispies cereal, shredded coconut, and toasted pecans added to melted marshmallows in a white enameled cast iron pot with a wood handled spatula — Adding the cereal, shredded coconut, and toasted pecans.

Be careful not to mash the cereal. The mixture should still look loose and stringy with marshmallow when fully combined—it will firm up as it cools.

Mixed coconut pecan rice krispies treats in a white enameled cast iron pot with a wood handled spatula — Combined and ready for the pan.

Step 6: Press and Top

Transfer the warm cereal mixture into the prepared pan. It’s going to be very sticky! I usually use the butter wrapper or a piece of parchment lightly sprayed with cooking spray to keep it from sticking to my hands as I press it into the pan.

Press the mixture into an even layer, but don’t pack it down too firmly. Scatter the toasted coconut and remaining pecans over the top, pressing very gently to help them adhere.

overhead of coconut pecan rice krispie treats in a parchment lined pan next to a bowl of pecans — Pressed into the pan and topped with more pecans and coconut.

Step 7: Cool and Slice

Let the treats set at room temperature for about an hour, and then use the parchment sling to lift the slab onto a cutting board. A sharp knife gives the cleanest cuts—slice into 9 large squares or 16 smaller bites.

If you aren’t ready to cut them right away, the bars can sit in the pan longer—just cover them once cooled so they don’t dry out.

overhead of coconut pecan rice krispie treats cut into squares

Serving and Storing Coconut Rice Krispie Treats

Store the treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend refrigerating—they firm up too much when chilled.

Like most Rice Krispies treats, these are at their softest on the day they’re made. That said, my family happily snacked on them on days 2 and 3 with no complaints.

One family member even remarked how surprisingly soft they stayed. I attribute that to the shredded coconut and generous butter in the base, which both help lock in moisture.

If your bars seem a little firmer after a day or two, you can pop a square on a plate in the microwave for just 5-6 seconds to bring back that just-made texture.

coconut pecan rice krispie treat served on a black plate scattered with mini marshmallows

Variations

Cocoa Krispies. Swap the cereal for a chocolatey base.
Nuts. Chopped toasted walnuts, macadamias, and almonds also pair well with coconut if you prefer not to use pecans.
Toastier Coconut. Like more crunch? Toast all of the coconut instead of just the topping.
Chocolate drizzle. Drizzle the cooled slab of treats with melted dark or white chocolate before slicing. (If you’re using almonds instead of pecans, it’ll give these treats an “Almond Joy” vibe.)

More Rice Krispies Treats Recipes

coconut pecan rice krispie treats cut into squares on a wooden serving board

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Coconut Rice Krispie Treats with Pecans

by Amanda Biddle

Coconut Rice Krispie Treats upgrade a nostalgic classic with brown butter, coconut, and toasted pecans. An easy no-bake treat that's perfect for holidays, parties, or sharing with friends and family.

Prep Time: 40

Cooling Time: 1

Total Time: 1 40

Servings: 9 large squares (or 16 small)

Ingredients

▢ 8 tablespoons unsalted butter , cubed (see note)
▢ 10 ounces Jet-Puffed mini marshmallows (see note)
▢ 1 teaspoon coconut extract
▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ ¼ teaspoon table salt
▢ 4 cups Rice Krispies cereal (4 ounces)
▢ 1⅓ cups sweetened shredded coconut , divided (see note)
▢ 1⅔ cups shelled pecan halves , divided (5½ ounces, see note)

Instructions

Prepare the pan. Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on 2 sides for easy lifting. Lightly spray the pan with cooking spray before lining it so the parchment sticks.
Toast the coconut and pecans. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast ⅓ cup coconut until golden, stirring constantly (it browns quickly). Set aside for topping and leave the rest of the coconut untoasted.
In the same skillet, toast the pecan halves for 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Remove the pecans from the skillet, let them cool, and roughly chop. Set aside 1 cup for the base and the remaining (¼ to ⅓ cup) for topping the treats.
Brown the butter. In a large, light-colored pot, melt the butter over medium heat, stirring often. After 4–7 minutes, the milk solids will turn golden and smell nutty. Remove from heat immediately once it turns amber-colored, so it doesn’t burn.
Melt the marshmallows. Off the heat, immediately stir in the mini marshmallows until about three-quarters melted. If needed, return to the lowest heat briefly to help the marshmallows melt. Stir in coconut extract, vanilla extract, and the salt.
Fold in cereal and add-ins. Working quickly, fold in Rice Krispies, 1 cup untoasted coconut, and 1 cup toasted pecans with a rubber spatula. Gently fold from the bottom up—don’t crush the cereal. The mixture will look loose and stringy; it firms up as it cools.
Press and top. Immediately transfer the mixture into the prepared pan. Use the butter wrapper or greased parchment to press lightly into an even layer (don’t compact firmly). Sprinkle with reserved toasted coconut and pecans, pressing gently to adhere.
Cool and slice. Let the pan sit at room temperature for about 1 hour, until cooled and set. Lift the treats out with the parchment sling and cut into 9 large or 16 smaller squares. (If you won't be slicing the treats right away, cover the pan once they're cooled so they don't dry out.)
Serve and store. Keep the treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Do not refrigerate.

Notes

Butter: For an extra-rich treat, I most often use European-style butter, such as Kerrygold or Plugra.

Marshmallows: Be sure they’re fresh for the best-textured treats! For the best results, measure by weight. If measuring by volume from a larger bag, fill your measuring cup loosely. A 10-ounce bag of marshmallows contains about 5½ to 6 cups of marshmallows.

Coconut: Sweetened shredded coconut is also often labeled “angel flake” coconut. For the most accurate measurement, weigh it. 1⅓ cups should equal about 3.7 ounces (roughly 2.8 ounces for the base and 0.9 ounces for the topping). If measuring by volume, lightly spoon the coconut into a dry measuring cup and gently level it off without packing.

Pecans: 1⅔ cups shelled pecan halves will yield 1¼ to 1⅓ cups when roughly chopped. If you’re starting with chopped pecans, they’ll need about a minute less toasting time. Watch them carefully.

Nutrition Estimate calculated from cutting the treats into 9 squares.

Nutrition Estimate

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

About our recipes

Please note that our recipes have been developed using the US Customary measurement system and have not been tested for high altitude/elevation cooking and baking.

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