White Chocolate Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats are a no-bake holiday treat topped with white chocolate and candy cane. Christmas rice krispie treats make festive snacks or edible gifts.
Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats turn original rice krispie treats into holiday decadence with a white chocolate peppermint topping. This no-bake recipe requires melting marshmallows, melting chocolate, and crushing up candy cane. Christmas rice krispie treats are family-friendly, festive, and make great edible gifts, just like my Peppermint Bark Pretzel Sticks and Chocolate Covered Nuts.
Key ingredients
- peppermint candy canes - Use any size you have on hand.
- butter - You can use salted or unsalted butter.
- vanilla extract - This is optional, but recommended.
- marshmallows - Use any size marshmallows.
- rice krispies cereal - Get the plain rice krispies, not frosted for this recipe.
- white chocolate chips - Candy melts can be substituted, if desired.
- peppermint extract - This is optional but adds so much minty flavor. Also this is not the same as mint/spearmint extract.
How to make holiday rice krispie treats
Crush the candy canes and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Melt butter and marshmallows via microwave or stove.
Add rice crispies cereal and stir to coat.
Press mixture into the baking sheet, allow to set up, and spread melted white chocolate over it.
Sprinkle crushed peppermint over the white chocolate and allow it to set.
Once the chocolate sets, cut into bars and enjoy.
Store rice crispy treats in an airtight container at room temperature up to one week. I'm almost certain they won't last more than a day.
How to melt marshmallows
Microwave - (quickest method) Put marshmallows in a mixing bowl (with melted butter) and heat on med-high power in 15 second intervals, stirring between cycles until creamy.
Stove - To melt marshmallows on the stove, first melt the butter in a large enough sauce pot over low heat, then add marshmallows. Heat and stir until creamy.
How long does it take for Rice Crispy Treats to harden?
Rice Krispie treats begin to harden as soon as the rice crispies cereal and melted marshmallow is combined. This is why we immediately press them into the pan before they become too hard. Once in the pan, they’ll take 15-30 minutes to fully set up.
How to cut Rice Krispie treats
These bars are a little harder to cut than original rice crispie treats because they're coated with white chocolate and peppermint. To cut, use a sharp knife or a bench scraper and cut them into 3” x 1” rectangles, or any shape you prefer.
Recommended holiday and Christmas recipes
- Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Holiday Roast Turkey Breast
- Cranberry Brie Crostini
- Pear Cranberry Apple Crisp
- Vegan Green Bean Casserole
White Chocolate Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats
Equipment
- meat tenderizer to crush peppermint
- large heat-safe mixing bowl for microwave method
- 4 quart soup pot for stove method
- 13 x 9 baking sheet
- wax paper optional
- pancake turner optional
INGREDIENTS
- 4 Peppermint Candy Canes, crushed (about 1 cup)
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon Sea Salt
- 10 ounces Mini Marshmallows, same as 6 ½ cups
- 6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
- 1 cup White Chocolate Chips
- ½ teaspoon Peppermint Extract, (optional)
Instructions
- Lightly coat baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Microwave BUTTER in a large heat-safe bowl until melted.
- Add VANILLA, SALT, and MARSHMALLOWS to the same bowl.
- Microwave this mixture on medium heat in 15 second intervals until marshmallows are melted, stirring as needed.
- Add RICE KRISPIES CEREAL to melted marshmallows and stir until coated.
- Press the rice krispies mixture into the baking sheet. To flatten the surface, lay waxed paper over it and press flat with a spatula or your hands. Set aside to rest and allow to set up.
For the white chocolate peppermint topping
- Place WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIPS and (optional) PEPPERMINT EXTRACT in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on medium-high microwave power in 30-second intervals until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring between heat cycles.
- Spread melted chocolate evenly over the surface of the Rice Krispie treats. Sprinkle peppermint over the chocolate.
- Rest at room temperature or refrigerate until the chocolate sets up.
Serving and storage
- Gently remove hardened sheet of bars from the baking sheet. Cut into bars and enjoy.
- Store rice krispie treats at room temperature in an airtight container layered with waxed paper up to 1 week.
RECIPE VIDEO
Traci's Recipe Notes
- Melt BUTTER in a 4 quart sauce pan over low heat.
- Add MARSHMALLOWS and stir until melted and creamy.
- Remove from heat and proceed with the recipe steps.
NUTRITION
Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.
J Allen says
These. are. addictive! Rice krispie treats are always good, but the white chocolate and candy cane make it next level. Another winner, Kitchen Girl!
The Kitchen Girl says
Thanks! I happen to 100% agree with you J 😉 These are probably my fav Christmas candy lol.
katie says
Made this for the family and it was a hit!
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome, Katie! So glad to hear it! These are family-friendly indeed ... thanks!!!
Dannii says
We love rice krispie treats at this time of the year. These are so festive.
The Kitchen Girl says
Thanks, Dannii! So glad you like these 🙂 Cheers!
Alisa Infanti says
I love the added crunch from the candy canes. So good!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay, Alisa! I'm right there with you on that 🙂 Thanks so much!
Nathan says
WOW, these look delicious and so festive! I bet they would be delicious with some dark chocolate drizzled over top as well, can't wait to keep them a try!
The Kitchen Girl says
Thanks, Nathan! Glad you can enjoy these 🙂 And yes, dark chocolate always welcome
Cathy says
Hi, it’s my experience that microwaving marshmallows to melt them will leave you with concrete treats. Microwaves are fine to melt butter, but not marshmallows. I will make your recipe, but I’ll continue use to melt the marshmallows on the stove likely using a double boiler.
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi Cathy, thanks for the feedback but I've never had that experience from microwave melted marshmallows. They always turn out great, so much that I swore I'd never do stove again LOL. I wonder what's giving us different experiences.
Suzy says
Super fun and tasty treats! Love the peppermint in them!
The Kitchen Girl says
Thanks, Suzy! Love hearing that ... glad you enjoyed 🙂