Don't celebrate St. Patrick's Day without making these treats that are a twist on classic rice krispie bars made with lucky charms cereal! This recipe is a fun and easy treat that both kids and adults will love.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Classic twist - Rice krispy treats are a classic bar recipe that almost everyone has probably made or at least enjoyed. This recipe shows how versatile the concept is by just switching out the cereal!
- No bake recipe - These bars are easy to make and don't require any baking.
- Kid-friendly - Kids will love making and eating these sweet treats!
- Festive treat - You don't have to be Irish to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with these themed bars that make a fun dessert or after-school snack!
Ingredient Notes
- Cereal - Most commonly known as "Lucky Charms", this toasted oat and marshmallow cereal has been a hit with kids for years. We've all sat and picked all the marshmallows out of a bowl, right? Other brands will also work just fine, I just think the original ones have the best marshmallows.
- Mini marshmallows - I prefer using mini marshmallows for rice krispy bars as they melt faster than the regular-sized. Regular or large sized can be used, just be sure to use the same ounce amount. It's hard to measure cups of marshmallows accurately.
- Butter - Using salted butter instead of unsalted helps cut just a little of the sweetness and enhances the flavor of the bars.
- Vanilla extract - You don't often see vanilla added to basic rice krispy bars, but it adds some extra flavor to send these bars over the top!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here's how to make these 4 ingredient bars:
Step 1: Line a 9x9 square baking pan with parchment paper so it hangs over the sides for easy removal.
You can use binder clips to hold the parchment paper in place so it doesn't move all over the place when you add the sticky cereal mixture. Spray with non-stick spray. These bars are loaded with marshmallow, so I like to be extra careful that they won't stick!
Step 2: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
Add marshmallows and stir continuously until completely melted. Turn off the heat and add vanilla.
Step 3: Pour cereal into marshmallow mixture and quickly mix with a rubber spatula until fully coated.
Lightly press mixture evenly into pan using a rubber spatula or dampen your fingers and press mixture into the pan. Having just a little moisture on your hands will help them not stick: an easy hack!
Step 4: Allow bars to cool for 30 minutes before cutting into 9 squares.
Expert Tips
- Fresh ingredients are a must! It might seem like rice krispie bars would be a good way to use up stale marshmallows, but the opposite is true! Stale or dry marshmallows will result in a dry, hard bar.
- Don't press too hard. If you press the cereal mixture into the pan too firmly, the result will be hard bars that are tough to eat. Using your fingertips to lightly pat the mixture into the pan is the way to go.
- Work quickly! The marshmallow mixture gets hard to work with once it starts to cool, so have your pan prepped and ready to go before making the bars.
- Pick out a handful of the marshmallows from the cereal before adding to the marshmallow mixture too add to the top of the bars for some built-in decoration!
Variations
- Switch up the recipe using a different kind of cereal.
- Use gluten-free cereal to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Add green food coloring to the melted marshmallow mixture before mixing with the cereal for a colorful twist!
- Drizzle the tops of the bars with melted white chocolate.
- Sprinkle rainbow sprinkles or gold non-pareils on the top of the bars before cooling for an extra festive touch.
Storage Tips
Store these Lucky Charms Rice Krispie Treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. To extend their shelf life, keep them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days although I can't imagine them lasting that long before being gobbled up!
If refrigerated, take the bars out at least 30 minutes before enjoying to avoid a sore jaw! They will also taste best at room temperature, so store them this way when possible. It shouldn't be an issue having to keep them longer!
FAQ
Yes! Bars should be individually wrapped in plastic wrap and put in an airtight container or freezer bag. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw before enjoying.
You can! Add butter and marshmallows to a large heat-proof bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until everything is melted. Proceed with the rest of the recipe as written.
Using stale cereal and/or old marshmallows can result in dry, hard to eat bars. Pressing the bars into the pan too firmly compacts the cereal down and once it cools, the result is a hard bar instead of a nice, soft one.
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Lucky Charms Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp. salted butter
- 16 oz. mini marshmallows
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 8 cups (10.5 oz. box) Lucky Charms cereal or any toasted oat & marshmallow cereal
Instructions
- Line a 9x9 square baking dish with parchment paper. Spray with non-stick spray.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.6 tbsp. salted butter
- Add marshmallows and stir continuously until completely melted. Turn off the heat and add vanilla.16 oz. mini marshmallows, 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Pour cereal into marshmallow mixture and quickly mix with a rubber spatula until fully coated.8 cups (10.5 oz. box) Lucky Charms cereal
- Lightly press mixture evenly into pan using rubber spatula or butter your fingers to press into the pan.
- Allow bars to cool for 30 minutes before cutting into squares.
Notes
- Don't pack the bars too firmly in the pan. This creates a hard bar that will be difficult to eat.
- Fresh marshmallows are key for perfect bars!
- Work quickly. The marshmallow mixture becomes very stiff once it starts to cool off, so get everything mixed and into the bar in a timely manner!
Christine says
Such a fun idea! Would love to try with different cereals too. My kids loved them.