Christmas Rice Krispie Treats

Easy and festive Christmas rice krispie treats, decorated with frosting and sprinkles to make the perfect dessert for kids and adults alike! This is a fun dessert to get kids involved in making, too, and you just need a double batch of 4 ingredient rice krispie treats, some frosting, and a few extra sprinkles and toppings.

Make a holiday dessert board with these holiday rice krispie treats, a batch of snowflake sugar cookies, some cute Grinch cupcakes, and easy 3-ingredient puff pastry cinnamon twists!

Ingredients

Everything used here can be bought at a standard grocery store, and the decorative items will also be sold at most bulk food and craft shops.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Rice krispie treats: you'll need a double batch of this recipe – it's a little higher on the marshmallows, so it makes a slightly softer, chewier treat.
• Frosting: use a simple American buttercream. Cream cheese frosting shouldn't be stored at room temperature, even for a day, so it doesn't work. Buttercream can be kept out for a day or two, especially if you don't thin it with milk.
• Candy: red M&Ms are perfect to make little red noses, but any small red candy will work, even a softer one like gumdrops.
• Pretzels: any small hard pretzels can be used, but the round ones look so much nicer than pretzel sticks!
• Sanding sugar: this is a specific decorating sugar, particularly sparkly, that comes in many different colours. You can use another sugar and mix in a few drops of food colouring if you can't get sanding sugar.
• Make it plant-based: use vegan marshmallows for the treats, and top with vegan buttercream frosting.

Reindeer Treats

Step by Step

Step 1: use a dollop of buttercream to attach two mini pretzels at the top two corners.

Step 2: attach the eye candies and a red candy for a nose with more frosting.

Santa Treats

Step by Step

Step 1: spread some frosting on the top quarter of the treat.

Step 2: cover the frosting in red sanding sugar.

Step 3: use a piping bag fitted with a star tip to pipe Santa's hair and beard, leaving a square free for his face.

Step 4: use more frosting to attach the eyes and a red candy for the nose.

Wrapped Gift

Step by Step

Step 1: use a small round piping tip to pipe two lines, one vertical and one horizontal, and then a bow over the middle where the lines connect.

Step 2: add some holiday sprinkles over the bow or ribbon.

Top Tips

• Use icing: if you want to keep the treats for longer, use royal icing to decorate rather than buttercream. It doesn't taste quite as nice, but works well for the reindeer and gifts, and can be stored at room temperature for up to three days.
• Change up the toppings: for the wrapped gifts, try using different colours of frosting and using a variety of sprinkles.
• Cool fully: make sure the rice krispie treats are completely cooled and set before frosting. Just like with a cake, the frosting will melt if the treats are still warm.

Recipe Notes

This uses a double batch of rice krispie treats, and one batch is made with holiday rice krispies to make the wrapped gifts. This is optional, but a cute addition.

There are lots of other Christmas rice krispie treat types you could make! Try cutting the treats into triangles and decorating as trees (with green buttercream, a star piping tip, and candy decorations) or Santa hats, make little green wreaths, use cookie cutters to make shapes like stockings or snowmen, or whatever you can dream up. If you're feeling very ambitious, you can even make sculptures like 3D Christmas trees.

How to Store

Keep the treats in a sealed container at room temperature for a day or two. The frosting shouldn't be kept in a warm place, but the rice krispie treats will harden and dry out if stored in the fridge.

FAQ

More Holiday Treats