These Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats are just what you need to get into the holiday spirit. These treats are a fun spin on the classic rice krispie treats that everyone loves.
These holiday treats are perfect for individually wrapping to use as stocking stuffers, give as party treats or even add a festive look to any holiday party table. Get ready for the holidays by making a batch of these Christmas rice krispie treats.
Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats
These rice krispie treats are made in the same way as you would make traditional krispie treat bars. They are dressed up a bit with green food coloring, holiday colored sprinkles and a drizzle of white chocolate. Here’s what you’ll need:
Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treat Ingredients:
Rice Krispie cereal – I used a generic brand from Walmart. Just about any type of krispie type cereal can be used with this recipe. I’ve made them lots of times using different brands.
Mini Marshmallows – I like using mini marshmallows because they are easy to measure out. Don’t have mini marshmallows or can’t find them? Check out the information in the FAQ section for other sizes that can be used in this recipe.
Butter – I used salted butter for this recipe. The small amount of salt in the butter seems to balance the sweetness from the marshmallows.
Vanilla extract – Adds a delicious vanilla flavor to these treats.
Green food coloring – I used liquid McCormick brand of food coloring for this recipe.
Pretzel sticks – these come in a variety of thicknesses. Choose thicker sticks over thinner ones if possible as it makes it easier to push them into the treats. The pictures show thinner pretzel sticks as this is what I found in my local store. See the FAQ section for some tips on using thinner pretzels.
White chocolate melts – I used Sweet Tooth Fairy Melts found at Michael’s craft stores. If your local store sells white chocolate bark you can use that. White chocolate chips also work though you may have to add a 1/2 teaspoon of oil to them if the melted chocolate is not thin enough to drizzle it.
Nonpareil sprinkles – I used holiday-colored sprinkles (green, red and white).
You’ll also need the following equipment:
9×13 baking dish
Plastic sandwich size bag
Non stick cooking spray
How to make Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats:
Start by making the rice krispies treats. Once they are firm they will be cut into tree shapes.
Prepare a 9×13 baking dish by spraying with nonstick spray
In a large pot melt butter over low heat. Stir in the vanilla extract. Add in the marshmallows and stir continuously until they have melted.
Add several drops (4-5) of green food coloring and stir in well so the color is evenly blended. Stir in the rice krispie cereal until coated with the marshmallow cream.
Spoon the coated rice krispies into the prepared baking dish and gently press down to spread the mixture. Don’t press so hard that the rice krispies end up being crushed. This makes the finished treats extra firm and it becomes more difficult to put the pretzel sticks into the bottoms.
Sprinkle the nonpareils evenly over the top and press down gently so they will stick to the mixture.
Allow the rice krispie mixture to cool for 30 minutes.
Cut the rice krispie treats into tree shapes:
Using a spatula gently loosen the edges of the treats. Turn the dish over onto a clean cutting board. Use a large knife to trim the edges so they are straight. Set aside the trimmed pieces.
Cut the block of treats down the middle the long way. This will split the treats into two pieces.
Cut each section on an angle to form triangle shaped pieces.
Place the white chocolate melts into a microwave safe container. Follow the directions for your brand of white chocolate melts. If they do not have directions, then microwave for 1 minute at 50% power or on the defrost setting. Stir well. If not melted place in microwave for 30 seconds and stir again.
Dip the end of the pretzel stick , about ½ to ¾ of an inch, into the white chocolate and gently insert into the flat bottom section of each triangle shaped krispie treat.
To make white chocolate drizzle:
Begin by creating a piping bag. Place a sandwich bag, corner first, into a mug or cup. Fold the edges over the mug or cup. Open the bag as much as possible to make spooning in the melted chocolate easier.
Spoon the melted white chocolate into the bag. Remove the bag from the cup and squeeze all the chocolate into one corner of the bag. Squeeze out the excess air and twist the bag.
Cut the tip of the bag off. You will want to cut a small amount, about 1/8 to ¼ of an inch off. This is to allow a thin drizzle of chocolate to come out to give the appearance of garland on the tree.
Slowly squeeze the bag to allow the melted chocolate to come out. Drizzle the melted chocolate back and forth over the tree to resemble garland that has been placed around the tree.
Place the pan in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes to help the chocolate quickly set up.
Serve and enjoy!
How do I keep the mixture from sticking to my hands?
The marshmallow coated rice krispies are very sticky. To help keep them from sticking to your hands when pressing them into the baking dish coat your fingers with a small amount of oil, butter or even nonstick spray.
How to store these Christmas tree rice krispie treats:
Store these treats in a covered container at room temperature for 5 to 7 days. I don’t recommend that you store these treats in the refrigerator as it will make them very hard.
Can I freeze these rice krispie treats?
Yes you can easily freeze these rice krispie treats!
If you freeze these treats when they are finished then there’s a good chance that the pretzel sticks will snap off while they are being stored in the freezer. I would suggest making these treats to the point that you have cut them into a tree shape.
Wrap the tree shapes individually in plastic wrap then place them in a freezer bag. You can also stack the tree shapes (I would put a square of waxed paper between them) and place them in a freezer bag. Don’t forget to mark your bag with the date.
When you want to make these Christmas Tree rice krispie treats take them out of the freezer. Allow them to come back to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Then follow the remaining instructions for inserting the pretzel sticks and drizzling them with melted chocolate.
I’m having a hard time inserting the pretzel sticks. Is there a way to keep them from breaking?
Yes! I’ve tried this recipe with a variety of sizes of pretzel sticks. If your pretzel sticks are on the thinner side they make break when inserting them into the treat. You can use a toothpick or even a thin wood skewer to poke a hole into the treat.
I inserted a toothpick about 1 inch into the treat to prep a hole for the pretzel stick. Don’t worry about the hole being too wide. The melted chocolate will help hold the pretzel stick in place once it firms up again.
What do I do with the left over pieces after I trimmed the treats?
Not to be one to waste anything, I took the left over bits and pieces (such as the corner pieces that were left after trimming the treats into triangles), drizzled any remaining white chocolate over them and sprinkled a bit of the leftover nonpareils over the chocolate. Put them into the refrigerator a few minutes to harden and then serve the decorated pieces.
They taste just as delicious as the decorated tree shaped treats and nothing will go to waste.
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Christmas Tree Rice Kripsie Treats
Equipment
- baking sheet
- Plastic sandwich bag
- Large pot
- Nonstick spray
Ingredients
- 6 cups Rice Krispie Cereal
- 6 cups mini marshmallows
- 4 tablespoons butter salted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Green Food Coloring
- 12 Pretzel Sticks
- 3/4 cup white chocolate melts
- 2 tablespoons Non Pareils
Instructions
Start by making the treats
- Prepare a 9×13 baking dish by spraying with nonstick spray.
- In a large pot melt the butter over low heat.
- Stir in the vanilla extract. Add in the marshmallows and stir continuously until they have melted.
- Add several drops (4-5) of green food coloring and stir in well. Stir in the rice krispie cereal until coated with the marshmallow cream.
- Spoon the coated rice krispies into the prepared baking dish and gently press down to spread the mixture. Sprinkle the nonpareils evenly over the top and press down gently so they will stick to the mixture. Allow the rice krispie mixture to cool for 30 minutes.
Cut the treats into tree shapes
- Using a spatula gently loosen the edges of the treats. Turn the dish over onto a clean cutting board. Use a large knife to trim the edges so they are straight. Set aside the trimmed pieces.
- Cut the block of treats down the middle the long way. This will split the treats into two pieces. Cut each section on an angle to form triangle shaped pieces.
Drizzle with chocolate
- Place the white chocolate melts into a microwave safe container. Follow the directions for your brand of white chocolate melts. If they do not have directions, then microwave for 1 minute at50% power or on the defrost setting. Stir well. If not melted place in microwave for 30 seconds and stir again.
- Dip the end of the pretzel stick ,about ½ to ¾ of an inch) into the white chocolate and gently insert into the flat bottom section of each triangle shaped krispie treat.
- To make white chocolate drizzle: Begin by creating a piping bag. Place a sandwich bag, corner first, into a mug or cup. Fold the edges over the mug or cup. Open the bag as much as possible to make spooning in the melted chocolate easier.
- Spoon the melted white chocolate into the bag. Remove the bag from the cup and squeeze all the chocolate into one corner of the bag. Squeeze out the excess air and twist the bag. Cut the tip of the bag off.
- Drizzle the melted chocolate back and forth over the tree to resemble garland that has been placed around the tree. Place the pan in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes to help the chocolate quickly set up.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
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