OMG!  This trail mix must have been invented by a PMSing woman because it has ALL the goodies!

 

 

What else could you need???

 

 

I’m not sure that I ever would have discovered this mix at the grocery store except that I spotted it on Cookies&Cups.  Shelly created one of the best looking Krispy treats that I have ever seen, and I was eager to make it for my TREAT DAY!

 

 

The only problem is that I couldn’t find the Kraft caramel bits that I use for melting.  They didn’t have them at any of the stores that I visited, and I didn’t make it to Target where I always seem to find them.  Instead, I discovered these caramel chips at Woodman’s and figured that they would be better than nothing.

 

 

Sadly, they didn’t melt as well as typical chips and not nearly as good as my caramel bits. This made it challenging to spread the salted caramel throughout the bars.

 

 

In retrospect (and I share this incase you don’t find the caramel bits because I know you will want to make these bars immediately and may not have time to search 5 stores), I would have added the chips to the melted mallows OR just thrown them in with the trail mix.

 

 

Whatever you do, don’t leave out the caramel.  It is a necessary part of these complex tasting bars!

 

 

I loved the combination of sweet and salty in these Krispy treats. However, I could have used A LOT more salted caramel!

 

 

 

But then again, who doesn’t want more caramel in their life?

 

 

 

I know they disappeared quickly from this plate when I brought them to work on Tuesday!  Lesson learned…I’ve added caramel bits to my shopping list (and two more bags of M&M Trail Mix) to make another (more perfect) batch of these amazing Krispy treats!

 

 

Thanks to Shelly for creating these inspiring bars!  Doesn’t it make you want to get crazy creative with your Krispy treats?!

 

 

What is your favorite Rice Krispy treat recipe? 

Share your links below!

 

 

 

Trail Mix Krispie Treats with Salted Caramel Swirl

From Cookies&Cups

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter

1 (10.5 oz) bag mini marshmallows

3 cups trail mix (2 bags of the M&M mix)

3 cups krispie rice cereal

1/2 cup chopped soft caramel candies or caramel bits

1 tsp milk

1 tsp coarse sea salt

 

Directions

Lightly spray a 9×9 baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.

In a large pot on low heat melt butter.

When butter is melted add marshmallows, stirring until melted. Set aside just while you melt caramels in microwave for 1 minutes. (You want the marshmallow to cool slightly before you add your trail mix in, because if there are chocolate pieces in the trail mix they will melt if the marshmallow is too hot) .

Immediately pour in you krispie rice cereal and trail mix, stirring until evenly coated in marshmallow mixture.

Stir in coarse sea salt into caramel and drop my the spoonful into the marshmallow/trail mix.

Without stirring the caramel in, pour mixture into prepared pan and press evenly into pan.

Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into squares.

 

Notes: If you use the M&M snack mix, like I did, you will need 2 bags, as 1 bag yields about 1 1/2 cups mix.

***I used a bigger baking dish for more bars, which was great!