Sometimes the craving for a sugary, sticky treat hits without warning, and it must be addressed. I came home from Walmart Tuesday with mundane stuff that was on my list (printer paper, milk, green bell peppers, whole wheat bread) and exciting stuff that was decidedly not (Rice Krispies® and marshmallows!).

I had a pan of these cooling on the counter when Last born came by to pick up her dogs. She was in mid-sentence on another subject when she spied them. Her head swiveled, conversation forgotten, and she was poised above the pan with a dinner knife almost instantly, eyes dilating like a Hollywood vampire’s.

The craving, when it hits, must be addressed.

I don’t understand why the standard recipe for these bars uses only part of a bag of large marshmallows and a small part of the cereal. My marshmallows get stale and so does the cereal before this craving hits again. Bump up the amounts and enjoy a bigger, better treat with less waste! I did the math, so you don’t have to. You’ll have to do your own sticky stirring, however.

Bigger, Better Rice Krispies® Treats, adapted from recipes found on a box of cereal and a bag of marshmallows

4 1/2 tablespoons salted butter, plus more for coating the pan (If your butter is unsalted, add 1/8 teaspoon of salt to the melted butter.)

60 large marshmallows (15 ounces, or all of a 1-pound bag minus about 3 marshmallows)

9 cups puffed rice cereal

Lightly coat a 9×13-inch pan with butter.

Get out the biggest microwave-safe bowl in your kitchen. Into it, melt the 4 1/2 tablespoons of butter. (Stir in the extra salt here if needed.) Add all of the marshmallows, and toss to coat. Microwave for 45 seconds, then stir. Microwave again for 45 seconds, then stir. Add all of the cereal at once, stirring carefully with a spatula (silicone works best) to coat every particle with the melted butter and marshmallows. Once all is combined, scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Either coat your hands lightly with non-stick cooking spray or put on a pair of disposable latex gloves. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan. Let cool on a rack before cutting.

Variation: Swap out a portion of the Rice Krispies® for an equal amount of Froot Loops®, Cap’n Crunch®, and/or another crunchy kids’ cereal. This was an idea that Martha Stewart’s daughter Alexis came up with several years ago, which Martha featured on her television show as Confetti Squares. They’re good, too, and fun to look at, but so dense and tall made in the ingredient amounts listed (18 cups of cereal!) that they’re pretty challenging to get your mouth around.