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    Home » Recipes » Cookies and Squares

    Christmas Rice Krispie Squares

    Published: Dec 13, 2022 Modified: September 22, 2021 by Nina

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    These Christmas Rice Krispie squares are festive and would look great on a holiday baking tray! Extra marshmallows and brown butter take these squares to another level! Just like ones you would find in a bakery!

    Three Rice Krispie squares sitting on top of each other on a white plate.  Two green marshmallows sit in front of them.
    Jump straight to the recipe!
    • 🎄A fun, easy holiday treat
    • 🥘Ingredients
    • 🔪Instructions
    • ✔️Expert tips
    • 💭FAQs
    • 🔖Related recipes
    • 📋 Recipe

    🎄A fun, easy holiday treat

    Everyone loves Rice Krispie squares! They are super easy to make, and taste awesome! I set out to make festive ones for the holidays, and wanted them to taste and look like they came from a bakery.

    I am so happy how these turned out. Browning the butter really gives the Rice Krispie squares an extra flavour. Brown butter is really easy to make. When melting the butter, just leave it to cook a few minutes longer. The butter will turn an amber colour, and you will start seeing some sediment in the bottom of the pan.

    Another addition I made, is adding in extra marshmallows at the end. This makes the Rice Krispie squares super gooey and the pop of the only slightly melted marshmallows make these squares look amazing!

    I guarantee these Christmas Rice Krispie squares will make a perfect, easy, and fun addition to your holiday baking!

    🥘Ingredients

    Ingredients needed to make Christmas Rice Krispie Squares.

    Ingredient notes

    • Mini marshmallows - You can use coloured marshmallows instead of white ones.
    • Unsalted butter - Salted butter can be used as well. Omit the extra salt in the recipe.
    • Rice Krispie cereal - Make sure that you use fresh cereal for best possible taste. Stale cereal will make stale tasting Rice Krispie squares.

    🔪Instructions

    Line an 8 inch or 9 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, and grease it with butter. Set that aside and put the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the butter until it melted, and starts forming brown solids and smells nutty. This is brown butter and I love it in Rice Krispie squares. I think it takes them to the next level! Take the pan off the heat and add in marshmallows, reserving 1.5 cups for later.

    Instructions for making Christmas Rice Krispie Squares.

    Stir until the marshmallows are melted, and then stir in the vanilla and salt. Add the cereal and combine, and then mix in the reserved marshmallows. Allow the marshmallows to soften just a bit. We want the marshmallows to be only slightly melted, so they can be seen. This extra marshmallow at the end really makes these Christmas Rice Krispie squares super gooey!

    Scoop the mixture into the prepared baking dish, patting it down into an even layer. Use a piece of parchment paper to pat it down. It makes it way easier!

    Let the Rice Krispie squares sit for a few hours at room temperature, until they have hardened. Slice into 9 squares and store in an air tight container.

    For more step-by-step pictures and instructions, see the web story for Christmas Rice Krispie Squares!

    Four Rice Krispie squares laid out on a white plate.  Green marshmallows are scattered amongst them.

    ✔️Expert tips

    • The squares are tall, like the ones you would get at a bakery. If you would like less thick squares, press into a 9x13 inch baking pan.
    • You don't have to brown the butter if you don't want to, and the Rice Krispie squares will still taste awesome!
    • Definitely reserve some marshmallows for the end. The not quite melted marshmallows in the squares make them extra good!
    • Use fresh cereal for best tasting squares.

    💭FAQs

    What is brown butter?

    Brown butter is just butter that has been cooked a little bit longer until the solids turn a nutty brown colour. Brown butter gives a richness to these Rice Krispie squares that really takes them to another level!

    Why are my Rice Krispie squares so hard?

    Melt the butter and marshmallows on medium heat. If you rush it and melt them at a higher heat, the squares will be hard. Also, don't pat them down too hard. We don't want to squish everything too close together, which will result in hard squares too.

    Should Rice Krispie squares be regrigerated?

    There's no need to refrigerate these. Let them cool at room temperature, and then store them in an air tight container at room temperature.

    Four Rice Krispie squares laid out on a white plate. Green marshmallows are scattered amongst them.

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    Let's Bake Together!

    Step-by-step instructions are all written in my recipe below. If you liked it, please rate me 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!

    If you tried this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram. You can also find me on Facebook and Pinterest.

    📋 Recipe

    Three Rice Krispie squares sitting on top of each other on a white plate. Two green marshmallows sit in front of them.

    Christmas Rice Krispie Squares

    Nina
    These Christmas Rice Krispie squares are festive and would look great on a holiday baking tray! Extra marshmallows and brown butter take these squares to another level! Just like ones you would find in a bakery!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine North American
    Servings 9 squares
    Calories 318 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 8 or 9 inch square baking pan
    • 1 large saucepan

    Ingredients
     
     

    • ¾ cup unsalted butter cold
    • 6 cups mini marshmallows divided
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 6 cups Rice Krispie cereal

    Instructions
     

    • Line an 8x8" baking dish with aluminum foil and grease with butter.
    • Place butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the butter until it has melted and starts turning brown and smells nutty, a few minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
    • Reserve 1.5 cups of mini marshmallows, and pour the remainder into the saucepan. Stir until the marshmallows have melted and then stir in the vanilla and salt.
    • Add in cereal and stir until it is all mixed into the marshmallows.
    • Mix the reserved mini marshmallows in next. I like to put the saucepan back over low heat and stir until the mini marshmallows have softened slightly. Do no let them melt completely.
    • Spoon the mixture into the reserved baking dish and press it down evenly with a piece of parchment paper. Allow it to sit until hardened, about 1 hour.
    • Remove the Rice Krispie square out of the baking dish and cut into 9 squares. Store the squares in an airtight container at room temperature.

    Notes

    • The squares are tall, like the ones you would get at a bakery. If you would like less thick squares, press into a 9x13 inch baking pan.
    • You don't have to brown the butter if you don't want to, and the Rice Krispie squares will still taste awesome!
    • Definitely reserve some marshmallows for the end. The not quite melted marshmallows in the squares make them extra good!
    • Use fresh cereal for best tasting squares.

    YOUR OWN NOTES

    Click here to add your own private notes

    Nutrition

    Calories: 318kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 2gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 194mgPotassium: 30mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 1739IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 6mg
    Tried this recipe? Follow me on Instagram!Mention @ninakneadstobake or tag #ninakneadstobake!

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    Hi, I'm Nina! I am a self-taught baker and have a love for baking and trying new techniques. Here you will find easy step-by-step sweet and savoury recipes, with lots of tips.

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