Fourth of July just got even more fun! This Red, White and Blue Rice Krispie Treats recipe adds patriotic flair to soft, chewy treats. With colorful M&Ms and sprinkles, they’re the perfect addition to a fireworks show or holiday picnic.
Every holiday is an opportunity to make more variations on my favorite dessert of all time: Rice Krispie Treats! If you love krispy treats as much as I do, be sure to try these delicious Avalanche Krispie Treats. Packed with flavor, they’re even better than the local candy shop.
Why this Recipe Works
Red, White and Blue Krispie Treats are based on my tried and true Rice Krispies Treats Recipe.
It’s one of the most popular recipes on the site for a good reason! My rice krispie treats come out super chewy with the perfect ratio of gooey marshmallow and crispy cereal.
For today’s 4th of July dessert, we folded in some red, white and blue M&Ms. The M&M candies give the treats a star-spangled flair!
A drizzle of melted candy wafers and a dusting of sprinkles make them look even more festive. This is such an easy way to make simple krispy treats stand out.
You’ll love the fun presentation, and you’ll love the amazing taste even more.
Ingredient Notes
Holiday M&Ms. You can find packs of mixed red, white and blue M&Ms at most grocery stores and superstores as summer approaches.
Candy Melts. These are optional for drizzling over the Rice Krispie Treats to create flag-like stripes. I used a combination of Wilton red, blue and white melting wafers.
Vanilla Extract. My Homemade Vanilla Extract or another PURE vanilla extract is key for best flavor in your Rice Krispie Treats!
Tips and Tricks
- I’ll say it again: use real vanilla extract in this recipe. The pure flavor mimics the taste of homemade marshmallows, without the fuss of actually making marshmallows from scratch!
- Speaking of marshmallows, make sure they’re fresh! Stale marshmallows = stale tasting krispie treats.
- Do not press the treats into the pan too hard. You should use a very gentle touch when transferring the batter to the pan to set. Don’t push them down or flatten them or the Rice Krispie Treats will turn out hard.
Recipe FAQs
Rice Krispie treats should be stored in an air tight container at room temperature. They’ll keep well for about 2 days, but chances are good they’ll disappear LONG before then!
You will need one 16 ounce bag of miniature marshmallows, which is about 8 – 9 cups. All but one cup is melted with the butter at the beginning of the recipe. The remaining cup gets folded in with the cereal.
Yes, you can use 6 tablespoons of salted butter instead of 6 tablespoons of unsalted. Just leave the added kosher salt out of the recipe.
Dampen your fingertips with water before pressing the treat batter into your hand. The water will prevent the sticky batter from getting all over your hands. Easy!
More Holiday Recipes
- Red White and Blue Pretzels
- Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
- Flag Cake
- Pumpkin Pie Rice Krispie Treats
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Red White and Blue Meringue Cookies
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Red White and Blue Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 16 ounce bag mini marshmallows divided
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 cups rice krispies cereal
- ¾ cup holiday M&M’s divided
- 1 Tablespoon holiday sprinkles
- ¼ cup red candy melts optional
- ¼ cup white candy melts optional
- ¼ cup blue candy melts optional
Instructions
- Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, add in all but 1 cup of the marshmallows. Reduce heat to low and continue stirring until completely melted.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Add the cereal and the remaining 1 cup of marshmallows.
- Gently fold in 1/2 cup of the M&M’s and pour mixture into prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle the remaining M&M’s over the top, and add the sprinkles too, pressing gently.
- Allow to set 30 minutes, remove from pan, and cut into squares.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt red candy melts in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval or until fully melted. Drizzle over the top of the cut krispie treats. Repeat for remaining colors.
- Allow candy melts to set, then enjoy!
Notes
- How many marshmallows do I need? One 16oz bag of marshmallows is about 8-9 cups. You’ll melt all but one cup of the marshmallows in the butter, reserving the last cup for adding with the cereal.
- Use fresh marshmallows. They make a difference.
- Add my secret ingredient. VANILLA EXTRACT. Not imitation vanilla, but PURE VANILLA extract. It makes a difference in creating the illusion that you’re using homemade marshmallows.
- DO NOT (I repeat) DO NOT press these bars into your pan firmly. Using your fingertips, GENTLY press them in just until they are spread out. The harder you pack them in, the harder they are when it’s time to eat them!
- The trick to pressing them in your pan without sticking to your hands is to run your fingers in water, shake off the excess, and press. Voila. No sticking!
- Store in an airtight container for two days. If they last that long, I’d be shocked!
- Salted butter may be used. Replace the unsalted butter and kosher salt with 6 Tablespoons salted butter.
Nutrition
Whose ready for Fourth of July? These Red White and Blue Rice Krispie Treats are so easy to make and impossible to resist!
These Rice Krispies are delicious! My FIL thinks he’s the Rice Krispie king but this recipe knocks him out of the park. They are extra gooey and soft, the flavor has layers of sweet and a little salty and vanilla to it, and the sprinkles add another layer of crunch. SO so good!
This rice krispie treat was perfect for our Fourth of July weekend! Everyone loved how festive and fun these were! My daughter loved helping and we can’t wait to make this again!
These are the best rice krispie treats I’ve ever tried. My party guests loved them too.
We made these for the 4th and they were such a hit! everyone loved them, especially this kids. They were super easy to make too!
I make these a lot and especially for family gatherings.