Gluten-Free: Rice Krispies by Sahra Kant

The prettiest cereal box in the world. 

Like many people, Kellogg's Rice Krispies were a staple of my diet since I first began eating solid food.  I grew up on the symphonic sounds of Snap, Crackle, & Pop and their many television advertisements.  A newly-diagnosed celiac may be confused at the sudden loss of their favorite breakfast cereal.  It's made of rice, after all!  But take a closer look at the ingredients -- original Rice Krispies contains malt flavor and malt is made from barley, a verboten grain for the gluten-free.  I grieved over the loss of this food product more than any other just like so many other celiacs.

There were years of letter-writing campaigns asking Kellogg's to remove the malt from Rice Krispies or put out a gluten-free version to no avail.  Recently Kellogg's finally caved and provided the celiac community with Rice Krispies Gluten Free!  I love having this cereal again and being able to share it with my daughter (who regularly requests "Krispies") and being able to make gluten-free Rice Krispies treats.

Let me repeat that.  Gluten-free Rice Krispies treats.

As is true with most gluten-free versions of popular products, you will be disappointed if you're expecting gluten-free Rice Krispies to taste and behave exactly like the original.  Snap, Crackle & Pop are in delightfully full force.  Using brown rice instead of the standard white rice is a nice healthier touch but adding sugar to the recipe isn't; these changes do make the cereal taste a little different, though it by no means has become anything resembling a sugary cereal.  Gluten-free Rice Krispies turn to mush in milk much faster -- but is it really a problem to eat it quickly?  I don't think so.

Extreme cereal close-up! 
Image courtesy of Gluten-Free Optimist.  I can't remember to take pictures first thing in the
morning, either.

You might have guessed that I have nothing negative to say about the treats.  Adding the butter and marshmallows makes it exactly like it was when I was a kid, especially if extra marshmallows are added.  GF Rice Krispies treats are so good that every time I make them -- or my mother brings them over for Liberty -- I forget to take pictures for Mass Bytes.  They are incredibly moreish, taste and act exactly like the original and do not last very long around my home.  The Kellogg's website also has recipes for peanut butter treats and seasonal Gluten Free Tree Trimmer Treats.  I am loyal to the plain so cannot vouch for them but nice touch, Kellogg's.

GF RICE KRISPIES TREATS YUM 

Rice Krispies Gluten Free are available for the same $3.99 price as regular Rice Krispies.  It can also be bought in bulk packs of four for about $10 using Subscribe & Save on Amazon when they have it in stock, which is currently not the case. :(  Third-party sellers currently have it in stock with fulfillment by Amazon for $11.99, which is still better than buying four individual boxes at a supermarket.


However, bonus points go to local shopping on this one for every supermarket in my area accepting general Kellogg's manufacturers coupons & WIC checks for this gluten-free cereal.