Rice Krispie Christmas Trees only take a few extra ingredients to turn regular marshmallow squares into gooey marshmallowy holiday crispy treats, and are so much fun! These little trees are full of holiday cheer.
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Table of Contents
Why We Love Rice Krispie Christmas Trees
- Easy To Make – Only a few simple ingredients are needed for this easy Christmas recipe, and they don’t take a lot of time to prep.
- Adorable For Christmas– Perfect for parties, potlucks, bake sales and cookie trays, school events, school lunches or any other event during the holiday season. These Christmas tree rice krispie treats look adorable with other Christmas desserts on a platter.
- Fun For Kids And Adults – This is a great recipe to make with the kids, they love decorating these Christmas tree Rice Krispies treats.
Ingredients For Rice Krispie Christmas Trees
- 3 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 16 ounces marshmallows about 64 regular marshmallows or 8 cups of miniature marshmallows.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 cups Rice Krispie cereal
- green gel food coloring
- 12 pieces pretzel sticks mini
- Christmas sprinkles – You could also use candy cane bits for these cute trees
- 4 oz white candy melts or white chocolate chips about 2/3 cup, see notes in recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Reindeer Chow is puppy chow with a Christmas twist. This recipe makes a deliciously sweet Christmas party mix, and another great easy holiday recipe!
How To Make Rice Krispie Christmas Trees
- Line a 9×13” baking dish with parchment paper and set aside. See notes in the recipe card at the bottom of the page if you don’t have parchment paper.
- In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter and marshmallows. Stir continuously with a silicone spatula. Add the vanilla and stir again quickly.
- Turn the heat off. Work fast while the marshmallow is hot and stir in the food coloring until the desired tree color is reached. Immediately stir in the rice krispie cereal until well combined into the marshmallow mixture to make the cereal treats base.
- Transfer the rice krispie mixture to the 9×13 baking dish. Place an extra piece of parchment paper over the top of the cereal and gently but firmly push it into the pan. Let the cereal mixture cool for at least an hour until completely cooled.
- Remove the green marshmallow treats from the pan by lifting the parchment paper. On a cutting board cut the rice krispie rectangle in half the long way. Cut each long piece into 6 triangles to make tree shapes.
- Carefully insert a pretzel stick into the base of each triangle.
- Place white chocolate melting wafers in a small heatproof bowl. Melt according to the package directions at half power until a smooth sauce forms. Place the melted white chocolate in a freezer zip-top bag or frosting piping bag, then snip the corner of the bag. Drizzle the melted white chocolate onto each tree and immediately top with sprinkles. You can put a star sprinkle on top. Let the chocolate cool and set, then enjoy this fun treat!
Can I Use Mini Marshmallows?
Yes, to use mini marshmallows instead of standard-size marshmallows you’ll need about 8 cups of mini marshmallows. Mini marshmallows are about 2 ounces per cup. You can also use this handy marshmallow conversion chart.
How Long Do These Christmas Rice Krispie Treats Last?
Store these Rice Krispie treats in a covered airtight container on the counter. The rice krispie treats will taste their best if eaten within three days.
These can totally be made ahead the night before they are gifted, or are the perfect treat to make ahead for a party. They look adorable wrapped in clear plastic cellophane bags and tied with a holiday ribbon.
Other Recipes You Will Love
Peppermint Candy Cane Sugar Cookies– Red and white dough twisted into ropes to make the most adorable candy cane cookies!
Candy Cane Oreo Balls– A chocolate mint center is wrapped in white chocolate and peppermint for a yummy no bake treat everyone will want!
Reindeer Chow– The classic no bake treat puppy chow gets a holiday makeover in this sweet variation perfect for parties and holiday events!
Rice Krispie Christmas Trees
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 16 ounces marshmallows about 63 marshmallows
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 cups Rice Krispie cereal
- green gel food coloring
- 12 pieces pretzel sticks mini
- Christmas sprinkles
- 4 oz white candy melts or white chocolate chips, see notes
Instructions
- Line a 9×13” baking dish with parchment paper and set aside. See notes if you don't have parchment paper.
- In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter and marshmallows. Stir continuously with a silicone spatula. Add the vanilla and stir again quickly.
- Turn the heat off. Work fast while the marshmallow is hot and stir in the food coloring until the desired tree color is reached. Immediately stir in the rice krispie cereal until well combined.
- Transfer the rice krispie mixture to the 9×13 baking dish. Place an extra piece of parchment paper over the top of the cereal and gently but firmly push it into the pan. Let the cereal mixture cool for at least an hour until completely cooled.
- Remove the green marshmallow treats from the pan by lifting the parchment paper. On a cutting board cut the rice krispie rectangle in half the long way. Cut each long piece into 6 triangles to make tree shapes. Carefully insert a pretzel stick into the base of each triangle.
- Place white chocolate melting wafers in a small heatproof bowl. Melt according to the package directions at half power until a smooth sauce forms. Place the melted white chocolate in a freezer zip-top bag, then snip the corner of the bag. Drizzle the melted white chocolate onto each tree and immediately top with sprinkles. Let the chocolate cool and set, then enjoy!
Notes
Keeping the Treats From Sticking To The Pan
Parchment paper is the easiest way to make sure the krispie treats don’t stick to the pan. You can also line the pan with aluminum foil, but you must grease the foil with butter or the treats will stick. You can also use butter-greased foil to press the treats in the pan, or you can also use clean handsUsing White Chocolate
If you are using white chocolate I recommend adding about a teaspoon of oil to the white chocolate before melting. You can use coconut oil, shortening, or even canola or vegetable oil. This will help to keep your white chocolate smooth. Almond bark can also be used for the drizzle without the extra oil. I’ve used a freezer zip-top bag in this recipe, but if you have a frosting pipping bag that can be used also.Nutrition
Did You Make This?
I would love to see it! Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!
Comments & Reviews
Emily says
These look delicious, and I’m currently making them! I don’t see where to add the vanilla in the recipe. Did I miss something? Thanks!
Kristy Richardson says
Whoops, I will edit that sorry! Add vanilla right after the marshmallows and butter melt, before adding the green coloring. Hope you enjoy!