These Christmas Rice Krispie Treats make the perfect festive treat, and they are so much fun to make with kids. Crispy rice cereal mixed with chocolatey goodness, cranberries, ground ginger and cinnamon - these just scream Christmas and will have you Ho-Ho-Ho-ing all the way through December.
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About this Christmas Rice Krispie Treat Recipe
Who doesn't have fond memories of making Rice Krispie treats when they were a kid? They are the ideal kitchen task for a kid as there is no cutting involved and once an adult does the heating and adds it to the bowl, the kids get to do all the stirring, and of course licking the bowl.
Just 10 minutes prep time goes into making these Christmas rice krispie treats and no baking needed.
These are the nostalgic Rice Krispie treats we know and love, but with a Christmas twist on them. They have ginger and cinnamon in them, and dried cranberries too. Plus chocolate of course. Christmas is all about chocolate!
Looking for some more chocolate recipes to try? Why not try our cute Chocolate Button Reindeer, fun Christmas Chocolate Bark, creamy Avocado Chocolate Pudding, delicious Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate or comforting Chocolate Bread Pudding?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Coconut oil - We used this instead of butter, however you could swap it for butter. Don't worry, there isn't an overwhelming coconut flavour when using coconut oil, but it does add a lovely richness.
- Cocoa powder - Try to use the best quality unsweetened cocoa powder you can, as you will be able to taste the difference.
- Maple syrup - This is how we have sweetened the Christmas Rice Krispie treats. You could swap them for honey, but they would no longer be vegan.
- Vanilla - Use vanilla extract rather than essence, for a natural flavour.
- Rice cereal - You can use real Rice Krispies, or the cheap supermarket own brand. Once you have everything else mixed into it, you won't be able to taste the difference.
- Cranberries - It's not Christmas without cranberries, right? Dried cranberries add sweetness and festive flavour.
- Ginger and cinnamon - Use ground ginger and cinnamon to give these Rice Krispie treats a festive twist.
Variations
Rice Krispie treats for Christmas are really easy to adapt. You could add chunks of white chocolate or some dried cherries or raisins. Let kids throw in their favourite ingredients and you can customise it every time.
Every Christmas in the baking section of the supermarket, there are favourite festive sprinkles on sale. Grab some of those and let the kids go wild. What would make these really special is a spray of edible glitter.
If you want to make these into a different shape, then you can form them into circles and then top them with some melted white chocolate the make Christmas puddings. Use marzipan to make leaves and berries to make them look really authentic.
Mini marshmallows are also a great addition and a favourite with our kids.
How to Make Christmas Rice Krispie Treats
- Step 1: Put the coconut oil, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and maple syrup in a pan and gently heat until melted.
- Step 2: In a large bowl add the rice cereal and then stir in the dried cranberries, ginger and cinnamon. Add the melted mixture.
- Step 3: Mix well
- Step 4: Layer some baking paper in a dish and pour in the mixture, pressing it down so it goes all the way to the sides.
- Step 5: Put it in the fridge for at least an hour before cutting.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Keep these in the freezer and cut off a slice as and when you want some. This is great for portion control.
- Not a fan of cranberries? You can use dried cherries instead.
- Kids love making these, so get them involved and let them stir everything together.
- Add a little extra flavour to these by stirring in some orange or peppermint extract.
Frequently Asked Qusetions
Thy are best stored in an air-tight container at room temperature, and they will last for 5 days. You can keep them in the fridge, but let them come up to room temperature before eating.
Yes, and that's one of the best things about them. We don't often make chocolate treats in our house, as we eat them too quickly. But these can be kept in the freezer, so they aren't staring at your from the kitchen counter. They would keep in the freezer for a couple of weeks.
This recipe makes 24 slices. You could have bigger slices, and less portions, but we think that portion control is key with these, as they are quite indulgent.
Yes, they make the perfect Christmas gift. Stack them up (with a square of baking paper between each one) and then wrap them in a clear present wrap with some ribbon.
More Christmas Dessert Recipes
If you've tried these Christmas Bars, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Christmas Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- 200 g (1 cups) of Coconut oil
- 110 g (1.25 cups) of Cocoa powder
- 8 tablespoon of Maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon of Vanilla extract
- 90 g (1 cups) of Rice cereal
- 50 g (0.5 cups) of Dried cranberries
- 0.5 teaspoon of Ground ginger
- 0.5 teaspoon of Ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Put 200 g of Coconut oil, 110 g of Cocoa powder, 2 tbsp of Vanilla extract and 8 tbsp of Maple syrup into a pan and gently heated until melted.
- Add to a large bowl with 90 g of Rice cereal and add 50 g of Dried cranberries, 0.5 tsp of Ground ginger and 0.5 tsp of Ground cinnamon and stir well.
- Layer some baking paper in a dish and pour in the mixture, pressing down so it goes to the sides. Put in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before cutting.
Recipe Tips
- Keep these in the freezer and cut off a slice as and when you want some. This is great for portion control.
- Not a fan of cranberries? You can use dried cherries instead.
- Kids love making these, so get them involved and let them stir everything together.
- Add a little extra flavour to these by stirring in some orange or peppermint extract.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Caroline says
Oh yes, definitely have memories of making rice krispie treats. Like the idea of both the chocolate and spices in there instead of the more traditional sticky version.
Edyta at Eating European says
This reminds me of a treat that I used to make with my mom when I was a kid. We used rice crispy too with some caramel sauce and it was super delicious. I need to try your version this season :)
Marisa says
I have been craving rice krispie treats since Halloween. Your recipe may finally get me to make a batch!
Chrissy says
Rice krispie treats are delish, but chocolate rice krispie treats with cranberries?! A whole other level of deliciousness!
Annie B says
Theses look so delicious - so much so I am making some myself for Christmas day treats!
Sarah says
I bet the cranberry-ginger-cocoa combo is amazing! Can't wait to give these a try!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
My children would love these, they are a real treat! Love the inclusion of cranberries, they're one of my favourite ingredients especially at this time of year!
Emily says
These look so yummy, they'd make a great foodie gift for family and friends too!
Annie B says
Can't beat a bit of chocolate Christmas can you?! These would be ideal for my sugar snack attacks!
Sues says
These are so gorgeous and I bet they're super tasty, too!! Also, I love your nutcracker :)
Julie says
Such a lovely idea for a gift for teachers and friends. Everyone will love it!
Helene says
I didn't realize it was that easy to make these crunch bars. They do look super tempting too! I like the crunch in chocolate.
Jazmin Williams says
Ah these look delicious, I'd love to make these over Christmas!
Tanya Brannan says
You can't beat a rice Krispy bar but these sound even better with the vanilla, cranberries and maple syrup! Super easy to make too
Anna @Annatheapple says
Omg these would be like crack around me. Love rice crispy bites!! Nice healthy makeover :)