Description
These festive Holiday Rice Krispie Treats are a delightful twist on the classic recipe, featuring colorful holiday M&M's, sprinkles, and a drizzle of melted white chocolate. Perfect for seasonal celebrations, these treats combine crispy cereal, gooey marshmallows, and fun decorations to make a sweet and enjoyable dessert for all ages.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 16 ounces mini marshmallows, divided
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 cups rice krispies cereal
- 1 ¼ cup holiday M&M's, divided
- ¼ cup holiday sprinkles
- 5 ounces Ghirardelli white chocolate melting wafers, melted (1/2 bag)
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Dish: Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper and set aside to ensure easy removal of the treats later.
- Melt Butter and Marshmallows: In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the salted butter. Once melted, add all but 1 cup of the mini marshmallows. Reduce the heat to low and stir continuously until the marshmallows have completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Add Vanilla Extract: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the pure vanilla extract to add flavor to the marshmallow mixture.
- Combine Cereal and Remaining Marshmallows: Add the rice krispies cereal and the remaining 1 cup of mini marshmallows to the melted mixture. Gently stir until everything is well combined, being careful not to crush the cereal pieces.
- Fold in M&M's and Sprinkles: Fold in 1 cup of the holiday M&M’s along with all of the holiday sprinkles to distribute the festive colors and flavors evenly throughout the mixture.
- Press into Baking Dish: Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Using your fingertips, gently press the mixture down just until it is completely spread out and evenly packed, taking care not to press too hard to maintain the treats' light texture.
- Decorate and Set: Drizzle the melted white chocolate over the top of the treats and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of holiday M&M's and an optional pinch of additional sprinkles for extra holiday cheer. Allow the treats to set for one hour at room temperature before cutting into squares and serving.
Notes
- You can use any variety of holiday M&M’s you prefer, such as milk chocolate or peanut butter. Peanut M&M’s may add a crunchier texture.
- Use fresh marshmallows and cereal for the best texture and flavor; stale ingredients can result in less desirable treats.
- For sprinkles, jimmies (little log-shaped) are recommended for softness and appearance, but quins (flat or shaped sprinkles) may also be used. Avoid nonpareils as they don’t work well in this recipe.
- Feel free to swap out the holiday candies and sprinkles for options that suit different holiday themes.
- Store the treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- You can freeze the rice krispie treats for up to 3 months to keep them fresh longer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1.5 x 1.5 inch square)
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
