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The holidays are officially here and almost everywhere we go there’s bound to be some sort of treat on display that my children want. There isn’t a trip to Target that doesn’t end in someone asking for something sweet and me sounding like Willie Wonka’s Dad. When it comes to special occasions and holidays though, I’m game! Especially when it comes to something that we can make at home.
One of the best treats to make with my children I have found to be are Rice Krispies Treats. I love how quick and simple they are to make. I don’t even use the stove-top to make them! They offer so much versatility in creativity. You can mold them into anything!
Pretty soon the kids will be on their fall school break and we’ll be looking for something fun to do.
Last month we had a sugar skull decorating party that ended up being a huge success. Not only did it provide us with an activity that everyone enjoyed, but it gave us something to do for days. It was the perfect project to do with the kids because it literally was fun for both the adults and children.
Since it was such a success, I decided to make Rice Krispies Ornament Treats with my kiddos so that we can give some away to their friends before their break.
All I had to do was head to Target, which for me is like three times a week because I’m always forgetting something. You know how sometimes you make a list of all the things you need, but the second you get home and start putting your stuff away, you realize you forgot something? Yeah, that’s me. All. The. Time.
But I don’t mind it. I love to browse through their clearance sections, then onto the seasonal merchandise, and of course through the grocery aisles to finish my trip. At least once a week I’m in the cereal aisle contemplating which cereal to get for that week. 
One of my favorites is the original Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal. I like to have it with fresh banana slices most of the time. Other times it’s a tie between that and Cocoa Krispies because I also can’t resist the temptation of chocolate flavored milk.
To make 16 ornaments, I used Cocoa Krispies, Rice Krispies with holiday colors, two bags of Jet-Puffed Mini Marshmallows, two 12oz bags of white chocolate morsels, and one bag of Pull’n’Peel Twizzlers.
If you are going to make your own icing for decorating the ornaments, it can be made a day in advance and should be kept at room temperature.
When you’re ready, start by making the Rice Krispies Ornament Treats first. Save the chocolate melting for the last step.
Follow the recipe on the box if you want to make them over the stove. If you prefer the microwave method, follow the recipe on the marshmallow bag.
As soon as the marshmallow mix is ready, add the cereal and mix it well. Let it cool a little before you begin to roll them.
Use an ice cream scooper to keep them the same size, then cut a mini marshmallow in half and added one of the halves to the top of the Rice Krispies ball.
Once they’re all rolled up and ready to be dipped into the white chocolate, combine 1/2 Teaspoon of vegetable oil with the chocolate morsels in a medium-size bowl. This step helps give the white chocolate a bit of a smoother consistency to help it slide down easier.
There are two methods of melting chocolate that I should mention before continuing.
- The first is in a double boiler, which is basically a glass bowl over a fitted saucepan with simmering water. If you’re using a chocolate bar, break it up into pieces, put the chocolate pieces into a large glass bowl that will fit over the pot (but won’t touch the water) and stir the chocolate as it melts. Don’t let the water boil too hard because it can still cause the chocolate to burn.
- The second (my preferred method) is in the microwave. Again, if you are using a chocolate bar instead of morsels, break it up into smaller pieces first. Melt the chocolate in 15-second intervals, stirring the chocolate well after each interval. The object is to warm it up slowly and not let it get too hot in the center. Slow is the name of the game here.
After it has reached the right temperature and consistency, you can add flavoring if you like. Sometimes I’ll add a few drops of vanilla or lemon extract to the melted chocolate, but it isn’t necessary.
The two toothpicks help keep that marshmallow piece in place as well as to create a hole for the ribbon that will be added later.
When you’ve finished assembling them, it’s time to cover them in chocolate.
Hold it by the tip of the toothpicks and pour a spoonful of melted chocolate directly over the marshmallow. Give it a few taps on a cookie drying rack to make the chocolate slide down more evenly. You might still have to add more chocolate to the bottom of the ball though.
Or, just pour a bigger spoonful of melted white chocolate on the next one if the first try wasn’t enough to cover the whole ball. That happened to me the first few tries.
While the ornaments are drying, make another batch using the Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal with Red and Green Krispies. Cover them in chocolate, or not. Up to you. Personally, I feel they are already colorful and festive enough, so I just used small cookie cutters to cut them.
Another idea you can do during the break, or before the fall school break starts, is to make a snack mix that can be used as a gift or a snack during the day. We made a snack trail mix using Kellogg’s Crispix cereal and some other items we already had in our pantry to snack on while we decorated our Rice Krispies Ornament Treats.
For this mix I used five cups of Kellogg’s Crispix cereal, one and a half cups raisins, one cup sliced almonds, one cup marshmallows, and one cup dark chocolate M&M’s. I think I ‘ll be making it again to pass out as a treat at their holiday school party.
Now for the fun part!
First things first, wash your hands really good!
Gently remove the toothpicks and start decorating.
It’s helpful to place them on a napkin so that you can turn them as you go.
Let them dry completely before adding the ribbon to the top.
Pull apart a few ropes of Twizzlers and cut them into thirds. Bring the ends together to form a teardrop. Squeeze a little bit of icing into the holes and insert them into the ornaments. If they start to fall off, prop them up with a toothpick until the icing dries.
When you’re done, snap a shot of your marvelous creation and share it on any of your social media channels, because now through January 1st, Rice Krispies will donate a toy to Toys for Tots for every treat shared. Use #Treats4Toys when you share it!
If you’re looking for more inspiration, check out this link, or visit the Rice Krispies Pinterest page for other great ideas to make and share.
Have fun!
Rice Krispies Ornament Treats
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 1 10oz bag Jet-Puffed Mini Marshmallows
- 8 cups Kellogg's Cocoa Krispies cereal
- 2 12oz bags white chocolate morsels
- 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 3-4 Pull'n'Peel Twizzlers pieces
Instructions
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Follow instructions on Marshmallow bag for Rice Krispies Treats. Reserve 10 mini marshmallows for later. Mold the Rice Krispies into balls. Cut the reserved marshmallows in half; add one half to the top of each ball. Secure the marshmallow with two toothpicks.
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Stir oil into white chocolate morsels in a glass bowl. Melt chocolate in the microwave on high in 15 second intervals, stirring well after each interval. Continue until chocolate is warm, and completely melted.
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; place cookie drying rack over cookie sheet. Pour melted chocolate over the top of the Rice Krispies Ornament Treat. Pinch the toothpick ends to lift it up; gently tap-drop the ball a few times over the rack to spread the chocolate. Use a spoon to add more to the base if it isn't completely covered.
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Allow to dry completely before removing the toothpicks. Decorate with royal icing if desired.
Recipe Notes
Prep and cooking times will vary depending on how many you make.
Another option is to use colored chocolate candy melts or adding food coloring once the white chocolate is melted.
Wow Steph!!! Love all ur creations!!! Bravo ????????
Thanks, Mel!! 🙂
These are THE CUTEST! I’d be so torn on whether to keep it as is or eat them! [client]
Lol, we felt the same after we made them. Thank you, Denise! 🙂
Hey, I have a quick question. I know from previous experiences with red food coloring (liquid, gel, paste) that to get a bright red you end up being able to delicious the food dye. Can you taste this type of red?
You are correct. Some red dyes have a bad taste, but there are a few that I have found to be better than others. Wilton makes a Red (no-taste) that works well, but you do have to use more than you normally would with other colors when it comes to red. I think that might be why red tastes so bad – because in order to get that bright red color, you have to use a lot of it. However, I have learned that red takes time to develop, so you have to be patient with it too. I would recommend making red a day or two before you are going to use it. That will give you a better idea as to how the color will turn out. If it’s not quite where you want it, then you can add a little more the next day. It’s better than rushing and adding too much to get that red to pop right away. Know what I mean? I hope that helps and answers your question.:)