Caramel Puffed Rice Balls

Gluten-Free Caramel Puffed Rice Balls

These delicious no-bake Caramel Puffed Rice Balls are so good that you want to eat more and more of them. Their deep caramel flavor and the chewy-like texture of Popcorn Balls make it a real challenge to only eat one. They’re fun and easy to make and always a crowd-pleasing treat.

This recipe is a great option for those who are gluten-free. It can also be made dairy-free by substituting margarine for the butter. The caramel sauce is made from simple ingredients you most likely have on hand–butter, light corn syrup, brown sugar, and sweetened condensed milk. It can be tricky, though, to find plain puffed rice cereal. The Walmart I shop at does not carry it, but my town’s grocery store does. Trust me, though. The search for the cereal is totally worth it.

My mom made these Caramel Puffed Rice Balls quite a bit when I was growing up, especially around Halloween. I had forgotten about them until my sister made them for a family reunion. There are a few family members on the Hutchinson side that have celiac disease, and we’re always looking for things that they can enjoy. So for our family reunion this past summer, I made them, and they were a hit again! My brother, Jeremy, loves them!

Give this fun and easy-to-make treat a try. I bet you can’t eat just one! 😉

More Recipes with Cereal

Step-by-Step Photos for How to Make Caramel Puffed Rice Balls

Tips for Making Caramel Puffed Rice Balls

It can be tricky to find puffed rice cereal that is not flavored. The Walmart I shop at does not carry it, but my town’s grocery store carries the 16-ounce bag of puffed rice cereal. You can order it online, but it costs a lot more than buying the cereal at a grocery store.
The recipe calls for 16 ounces of puffed rice cereal. If you cannot find a 16-ounce bag, you can buy three 6-ounce bags and use 2 1/2 bags’ worth.
If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can test the caramel mixture for the soft-ball stage by doing a cold-water test. The mixture will start to thicken around 10 minutes. At this point, drop a small amount of the caramel mixture into a cup of really cold water and wait a second. Dip your fingers into the water and form the caramel into a ball with your fingers. The mixture is at soft-ball stage when it forms into a soft ball that flattens when you remove it from the water. If it has not reached the soft-ball stage, continue stirring the caramel mixture and checking it every couple of minutes until it does. It usually takes about 20 minutes to reach the soft-ball stage.
Before forming the puffed rice mixture into balls, make sure to let it cool slightly for 5-10 minutes or until you can handle it without burning yourself.
Place the caramel puffed rice balls on wax paper or a baking mat to allow them to completely cool before wrapping them in plastic wrap.

Cook’s Tools for Caramel Puffed Rice Balls:

Caramel Puffed Rice Balls

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

30 mins

A delicious no-bake treat with a deep caramel flavor and chewy texture.They're gluten-free, and can also be made dairy-free by substituting margarine for the butter.

Author: My Mom

Recipe type: Dessert/After-School Snack

Serves: 40-50

Ingredients

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup butter
1 (14-ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk
1 (16-ounce) bag of puffed rice cereal

Instructions

Pour the puffed rice into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Next, in a medium-sized pan, combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
Add the sweetened condensed milk, and let the mixture come back to a boil as you continue to stir it.
Turn the heat down to medium-low. Continue to stir the caramel mixture at a soft boil until it reaches a soft-ball stage (240 degrees if using a candy thermometer). It usually takes about 20 minutes to reach soft-ball stage. If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can test the mixture by doing a cold-water test. The mixture will start to thicken around 10 minutes. At this point, drop a small amount of the caramel mixture into a cup of really cold water and wait a second. Dip your fingers into the water and form the caramel into a ball with your fingers. The mixture is at soft-ball stage when it forms into a soft ball that flattens when you remove it from the water. If it has not reached the soft-ball stage, continue stirring the caramel mixture and checking it every couple of minutes until it does.
Pour the caramel mixture into the bowl of puffed rice. Mix until well-coated.
Let the puffed rice mixture cool slightly for 5-10 minutes or until you can handle it without burning yourself.
Next, butter your hands and form the puffed rice mixture into balls the size of a golf ball, and place the balls on a sheet of wax paper to allow them to completely cool.
Wrap each cooled caramel puffed rice ball in plastic wrap.
Enjoy!