Description
Festive Rice Krispie Christmas Trees made with classic marshmallow cereal treats, colored green and decorated with white chocolate drizzle, sprinkles, and pretzel stick trunks. Perfect for holiday parties and easy to make in under 2 hours.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 16 ounces marshmallows (about 64 regular marshmallows or 8 cups miniature marshmallows)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 cups Rice Krispie cereal
- Green gel food coloring (to desired shade)
Decoration
- 12 mini pretzel sticks
- Christmas sprinkles
- 4 ounces white candy melts or white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Dish: Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper and set it aside to prevent sticking.
- Melt Butter and Marshmallows: In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter and marshmallows together, stirring continuously with a silicone spatula to prevent burning. Once fully melted, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Add Food Coloring and Cereal: While the mixture is still hot, stir in green gel food coloring until the desired tree green color is achieved. Immediately fold in the Rice Krispie cereal until the mixture is thoroughly combined.
- Shape the Mixture: Transfer the cereal mixture to the prepared baking dish. Cover with an additional piece of parchment paper and gently but firmly press it down evenly into the pan. Let it cool at room temperature for at least one hour until completely set and firm.
- Cut Tree Shapes: Once cooled, lift the Rice Krispie block out using the parchment paper. On a cutting board, slice the rectangle in half lengthwise, then cut each strip into six triangles to form tree shapes. Carefully insert a mini pretzel stick into the base of each triangle to serve as the tree trunk.
- Melt White Chocolate: Place white candy melts or chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and melt according to package instructions at half power in the microwave, stirring until smooth.
- Decorate Trees: Transfer melted white chocolate to a freezer-safe zip-top bag, snip a corner, and drizzle over each Rice Krispie tree. Immediately sprinkle festive Christmas sprinkles over the drizzle before the chocolate sets. Allow the chocolate to cool and harden before serving.
Notes
- If parchment paper is unavailable, butter and flour the baking dish lightly or use a silicone baking mat for easy removal.
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant color without affecting the texture.
- White candy melts can be substituted with white chocolate chips for drizzle decoration.
- The candy melts should be melted gently to avoid burning and achieve a smooth drizzle.
- Store leftover treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
