Peppermint bark rice krispies treats are the perfect quick and impressive-looking treat for the holidays. Sweet peppermint rice krispies treats are topped with thin layers of chocolate and crushed candy canes.
Heather's recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Gooey peppermint rice krispies treats are topped with thin layers of dark chocolate, white chocolate, and a sprinkling of crushed candy canes.
Pan size: 9x13
Yield: 24 squares
Similar to: Peppermint Bark and Cereal Marshmallow Treats
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Marshmallows - I prefer using mini marshmallows in rice krispies treats because they melt easily, but large marshmallows will also work.
- Butter - Unsalted or salted butter works in this recipe. If using salted butter, cut the listed salt in half.
- Chocolate wafers - You'll need both white and dark chocolate melting wafers to create the classic two-tone peppermint bark look. Melting wafers solidify with a shiny finish, have a candy bar 'snap' when sliced, and don't melt easily when handled. I recommend using melting wafers instead of chocolate chips for these reasons.
How to make peppermint bark rice krispies treats
- Melt butter, add mini marshmallows, salt, and peppermint extract, and stir until mostly melted together. Remove from heat.
- Stir in cereal until evenly coated and press into a parchment lined 9x13 pan.
- Melt dark chocolate and pour evenly over cereal mixture. Refrigerate 10 minutes to set.
- Melt white chocolate and pour into an even second layer. Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top and refrigerate 10 minutes to set.
Tips and tricks
Crushing candy canes - Place your unwrapped candy canes in a plastic bag or between two paper towels and gently mash with a rolling pin or mallet.
Work quickly - The marshmallow mixture cools off and thickens quickly, so it's important to work fast. Mix your ingredients and press them into the pan quickly before the mixture cools and becomes difficult to stir.
How to make rice krispies treats less sticky - Your cereal mixture will be sticky once mixed. There are a few methods that can help to painlessly press your bars into the pan. Using either your hands or a large spatula, spray with cooking spray or dampen with water before pressing your bars down. Both methods help reduce stickiness.
Allow chocolate to dry completely - Once your dark chocolate layer has been spread on the rice krispies, refrigerate and allow the chocolate to dry completely. Otherwise, it can create streaks in the white chocolate layer.
Add candy canes to wet chocolate - Add your crushed candy canes immediately after spreading the white chocolate layer to ensure the pieces stick to the top.
Frequently asked questions
I don't recommend making rice krispies treats more than one day ahead of time for best results. If you plan to make your bars ahead, leave the slab whole instead of slicing into bars and storing individually. Storing as a whole slab helps retain moisture in your bars.
A bag of mini marshmallows could be substituted with a jar of marshmallow fluff if desired.
Yes, but I recommend melting wafers for a few reasons. Melting wafers are made to be melted, while chocolate chips are made to hold their shape when heated. This makes it more difficult to melt chocolate chips evenly. Melting wafers have a shiny finish and candy bar 'snap' when solidified and don't melt easily when handled with your hands. Chocolate chips retain a softer texter when solidified and have a dull finish. They also melt easily when handled. Yes, chocolate chips will technically work in this recipe, but they don't work as well as melting wafers.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Peppermint Bark Rice Krispies Treats
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter
- 10 ounces (284 g) mini marshmallows
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 6 cups (168 g) rice krispies cereal
- 6 ounces (170 g) dark chocolate melting wafers
- 6 ounces (170 g) white chocolate melting wafers
- 3 candy canes, crushed
Instructions
- Line 9x13 pan with parchment paper (or lightly grease) and set aside.
- In a stock pot over low heat, melt butter. Add mini marshmallows, salt, and peppermint extract, stirring until mostly melted. Remove from heat.
- Add cereal and stir until evenly coated. Using a spatula, press cereal mixture firmly into prepared 9x13 pan.
- In a microwave safe bowl, add dark chocolate melting wafers. Microwave in 30 second increments and stir until melted.
- Pour over treats and spread edge to edge in an even layer. Refrigerate for up to 10 minutes, or until set.
- In a microwave safe bowl, add white chocolate melting wafers. Microwave in 30 second increments and stir until melted.
- Pour over dark chocolate layer and spread edge to edge in an even layer. Top with crushed candy canes while chocolate is still wet. Refrigerate for up to 10 minutes, or until set.
- Slice into squares and serve.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Storage: Rice krispies treats will keep for about two days in a tightly sealed container at room temperature. Leftovers can be frozen for up to three months.
- Make ahead: If making ahead, store rice krispies treats slab whole and slice the day of serving. Slicing and storing separately will dry out treats faster than leaving whole.
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!