These Grinch Rice Krispie Treats are a fun and easy Christmas goodie. With just a few ingredients, these homemade rice krispie treats take little effort to make and are ready to enjoy in under an hour.
Also fun are these Lumps of Coal Rice Krispie Treats – the type of coal no child will mind getting!
Easy & Festive Rice Krispies Recipe
These Grinch Rice Krispie Treats are a delicious alternative to the typical holiday cookies, cakes, and truffles. They’re great for packing in kids lunches or sending for a classroom party, but also guaranteed to be enjoyed by the adults too.
This easy Christmas dessert takes your basic rice krispie treats recipe, adds a layer of chocolate, some food coloring and candy hearts, which turns them into festive Grinch-inspired treats. Perfect for getting the kids involved, especially if you’re watching or reading The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. They’re fun and easy to make and take less than an hour, including the time needed to chill. Just like the Grinch, your heart may grow bigger as you dig into these!
What You’ll Need
For this easy Grinch recipe, you’ll need just 8 ingredients.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Marshmallows – Mini marshmallows are recommended as they melt easiest.
- Butter – You’ll need butter for the mixture and also to grease the pan.
- Rice Krispie cereal – You can use the name brand cereal or an off-brand copycat.
- Candy melts – Green candy melts add a layer of chocolate to the top of the rice krispie bars.
- Coconut oil – this helps thin out the chocolate to help it spread evenly over the cereal treats. It also helps the chocolate harden once set.
- Vanilla extract – for flavor.
- Green food coloring – To give the rice krispies the festive green color.
- Heart sprinkles – A mixture of small and large heart sprinkles.
How to Make Rice Krispie Treats
If you’ve ever wondered how to make rice krispies treats, the process is incredibly easy. The most important part is just ensuring the marshmallows don’t burn.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for complete details.)
- Melt the marshmallows. Combine the marshmallows and butter in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until all of the marshmallows are melted, stirring occasionally. Stir in the vanilla extract and food coloring.
- Add the rice krispies. Stir in the rice krispies to the marshmallow mix until the cereal is completely coated.
- Transfer to pan. Add mixture to a greased pan; press in an even layer.
- Add the chocolate. Melt the candy melts according to package directions. Stir until completely smooth and lump free, then stir in the coconut oil. Pour over the rice krispie mixture in an even layer. Add the hearts on top.
- Chill. Refrigerate the pan for at least 20 minutes. Cut into squares and enjoy.
Tips & FAQs
If this is your first time making homemade rice krispie treats, here are a few things to keep in mind.
- Grease the pan well. Be sure to coat the pan with the butter, including the corners. This prevents the marshmallow from sticking to the pan and makes it much easier to cut and serve the bars.
- What’s the point of the coconut oil in the melted chocolate? It helps thin out the chocolate to help it spread evenly over the cereal treats. It also helps the chocolate harden once set.
- Where did you find the heart sprinkles? I found the small heart sprinkles at Walmart and the large heart sprinkles at Micheals’s craft store.
Rice Krispie Treats Variations
Want to get creative? Here are a few ideas for more rice krispie treats variations.
- Cut them into different shapes. If you want to get creative, you can cut your rice krispie treats into Christmas trees, hearts, circles (like Christmas tree bulbs) and more.
- Use different color food dye. While I stuck with a Grinch theme for these rice krispie treats, you can also add red food coloring or any color as desired. You can even do two separate mixtures so half is red and half is green for a festive touch.
- Adjust to any holiday. You can easily make homemade rice krispie treats to go with any holiday or occasion. Think Valentine’s Day, baby showers, and more. Simply switch up the colors used and the sprinkles.
How to Store & Freeze
- How to store rice krispie treats, and how long will they last? It’s best to store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will last for up to 3 days out on the counter before they start getting stale.
- Can I freeze home rice krispie treats? You can, but they are much better the day they are made. If you have to freeze them, you will need to place them in the freezer for one hour. Then remove them from the freezer and take the treats out of the pan, wrap with two layers of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil. They will last for up to 6 weeks in the freezer.
More Christmas Treats:
- Holiday Muddy Buddies
- Potato Candy
- See’s Polar Bear Paws
- Hot Cocoa Cookies
- Reindeer Chow
- Christmas Caramel Popcorn
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Grinch Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- 10 ounces mini marshmallows
- 4 tablespoons butter (plus more for pan)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 1/2 cups rice krispie cereal
- 14 drops green food coloring
- 12 ounces green candy melts
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons heart sprinkles
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with butter; set aside.
- In a large saucepan, combine the marshmallows and butter over medium heat. Cook until all the marshmallows are melted, making sure to stir frequently so they don't scorch.
- Stir the vanilla extract and food coloring into the marshmallows. Once all the marshmallows are green, add in the rice krispie cereal and stir until the cereal is completely coated.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, and coat either your hands or a spatula with nonstick spray; press the mixture into an even layer.
- Melt the candy melts according to package directions until it's completely smooth and lump free. Stir in the coconut oil until incorporated.
- Pour the chocolate over the Rice Krispies and spread it in an even layer.
- Sprinkle the hearts all over the top of the chocolate.
- Place the pan in the fridge and allow the chocolate to set up for at least 20 minutes. Cut into squares and enjoy.
