Twisted Peep Rice Krispies
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A riff on the classic rice krispies bars using colorful peeps and a pinch of sea salt for a new punch. Uses regular cereal but swapped marshmallows for a fun, chewy candy alternative. Butter plus coconut oil blend for a silkier melt. Parchment lined pan vital to avoid stick drama. Watch marshmallows closely; timing the melt is key, don’t scorch or underdo. Peep-guided cuts keep shapes respectable. Chocolate drizzle mingles with sprinkles just at tacky stage. Peep on top adds whimsical finish, elevating simple sweet cereal bars into a seasonal showstopper.
Prep:
6 min
Cook:
6 min
Total:
26 min
Servings:
16 servings
#snacks
#candy bars
#seasonal treats
#marshmallows
#rice krispies
#holiday recipes
Dived into rice krispies bars countless times. Always ends up either rock solid or gluey mess. Finally cracked the code by controlling heat and timing marshmallow melts. Butter alone felt heavy; coconut oil addition gave shine and flexibility. Peeps on top? Fun, sure, but cut bars first or those marshmallow bunnies turn into flattened blobs. Marshmallows are fussy, melt too quick and burn, too slow and you get little crispy lumps. Low heat and swirl method saves sanity. Pressing bars with buttered fingers ensures cereal stays intact but compresses enough to hold together. Peep shapes dictate bar sizes, so cut accordingly. Chocolate drizzle at tacky stage changes texture from grabby to smooth and sprinkles stick perfect. A real grab-n-go hit, playful but with serious crunch integrity.
Ingredients
- 6 cups rice krispie cereal
- 4 cups mini marshmallows
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
- 8 marshmallow Peeps (bunny shapes recommended)
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Colored sprinkles
About the ingredients
Butter sub with coconut oil helps reach ideal glossy marshmallow sheen and stops bars from drying too fast. Use unsalted butter; salt added separately controls flavor without overwhelming. Peeps are sticky beasts; removing before cutting stops smushing but adds prep step. Rice krispies never stir directly while melting—temperatures too hot cause weird crunch loss. Mini marshmallows melt faster than large ones—adjust heat accordingly. Sprinkles: get ones that won’t bleed color or melt too fast under chocolate drizzle—otherwise muddy appearance. Pantry backups? White chocolate chips can swap half marshmallows for retained chew but adjust coconut oil down slightly to keep from sliding. Parchment liner mandatory; no shortcuts or sticky pan ruins patience. Rolling bars out? Forget it, maintenance nightmare. Pressing by hand is best.
Method
- Line a 9x13 pan tightly with parchment; set aside. Proper lining saves a scraping nightmare later.
- Grease a large bowl and spatula with butter; this stops cereal from sticking when folding. Coat at least 3 inches of the spatula handle. Toss in cereal, set bowl nearby.
- Melt butter and coconut oil together over LOW heat in big nonstick pot. Too hot will ruin texture and taste. Watch closely.
- Dump half marshmallows in, stirring gently to coat in butter-oil mix. Once marshmallows puff and soften like clouds melting, add remaining marshmallows to batch. No rush here but steady heat is crucial.
- Keep stirring softly, rhythm is key. Marshmallow mass should turn glossy and flowy but still hold subtle chunkiness. Total melt about 5–6 minutes on low is typical. Avoid white clumps.
- Off-heat, pour marshmallow syrup over cereal. Immediately fold with buttered spatula, using gentle sweeping motions. Overmix and bites go gummy, no crunch. Aim just for coverage.
- Transfer mix into prepared pan, using buttered fingertips or parchment to press firmly all the way to corners. Don’t mash flat. Pressing distributes marshmallow without crushing cereal structure.
- Leave bars untouched at room temp for minimum 30 minutes until set but still pliable. This phase crucial for clean cuts later without crumble.
- Use parchment sling to lift set bars from pan. Place on cutting surface. Use marshmallow Peep as rough measure for squares. Remove Peeps before chopping, they’ll smoosh.
- Line pieces spaced on parchment or rack. Melt chocolate chips slowly in microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between, to avoid seizing. Drizzle chocolate just as bars turn tacky. Add sprinkles right away.
- Top each bar with a Peep, gently pressing to anchor but not squish. Let sit until chocolate firms, 15–20 minutes should do. Store airtight once set to keep Peeps from drying.
- If mixing candy alternatives, swap marshmallows for 1 cup white chocolate chips plus 3 cups mini marshmallows. Coconut oil key for fluidity here.
- Got sticky spatulas? Refrigerate for 5 minutes then scrape again; butter sets fast and reduces mess. Warmer bowls break cereal clumps better but chill slightly before pressing to pan.
- Salty hit balances out sugary marshmallow overload. Feel free to add toasted coconut flakes or chopped nuts folded in before pressing for crunch surprise.
Cooking tips
Low and slow heat crucial during marshmallow melt. Too fast, marshmallows seize or burn; too slow and you waste time with sticky clumps in bowl. Stirring technique matters: fold gently—no vigorous mixing or cereal breaks. Buttered spatulas prevent sticking and hassle cleanup. Press bars evenly in pan; corners often most neglected causing uneven baking. Use buttered fingertips instead of a spatula for best tactile control and avoid crushing cereal pieces. Let bars set fully at room temperature before cutting—warm bars pulse between gooey and crumbly. Cut in sizes matching Peeps for aesthetics. Melt chocolate in short bursts, stirring frequently to avoid seizing—microwave bombs happen fast here. Drizzle chocolate just as bars start to feel tacky so sprinkles stay put. Chill bars post drizzle if warm kitchen. Leftovers wrapped airtight or freeze. Always test melt marshmallow before adding rest, saves dumping scorched batches.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Heat on low only Melt butter and coconut oil slow. Too hot scorches marshmallow mix. Watch bubble sound; quiet simmer, no steam bursts. Clouds puff but no white clumps popping. Timing is everything; five minutes plus minus. Stir gently, not break cereal. Marshmallow sheen changes texture—elastic but not runny. Lower heat better than rushing. Adds silkiness with coconut oil blend. Butter alone feels heavy without shine.
- 💡 Parchment lining is mandatory. Use tight fit in 9x13 pan to avoid sticky disaster later. Grease spatula with butter to stop mix from clinging when folding. Butter fingertips before pressing mix helps keep cereal intact. Crushing kills crunch. Press evenly but not flat. Corners prone to uneven firmness. Leave bars room temp at least thirty minutes. Warm bars cut messy. Chill makes bars brittle; room temp hits balance between gooey and crumbly.
- 💡 Cut sizes by Peep shape to hold bar integrity. Peeps must come off before slicing. Too sticky, bars deform and 'blob'. Removes smush but adds prep step. Use Peep as visual measure. Chocolate chips melt best in short 20-second microwave bursts. Stir each time or risk seizing. Drizzle at tacky surface; too early chocolate slides off, too late bars dry out. Add sprinkles immediately while drizzle remains sticky. Bars can go in fridge to firm chocolate quickly but watch condensation.
- 💡 Substitute half marshmallows with white chocolate chips for chew difference. Drop coconut oil slightly to balance fluidity. Mix gently or risk clumps. Sprinkles need to not bleed color or absorb moisture. Toasted coconut flakes or nuts fold in before pressing to add crunch surprise. Butter and oil combo critical to avoid drying too fast but also controls sugar overload. Salt measured separately; unsalted butter always. Salt cuts sweetness bite but never overpower.
- 💡 Sticky spatulas happen; refrigerate for five minutes then scrape again. Butter resets fast cold. Warm bowls break cereal clumps better but chill slightly before pressing. Mixing motion: fold gently patches of mix. No aggressive stirring or cereal breaks. Marshmallow texture your cue: glossy, elastic, slight lumps but flowing. Get melt wrong and bars turn dense glue or sandy dry. Color doesn’t change much, trust feel and subtle shine. Marshmallow mass needs movement without losing hold.
Common questions
How to prevent marshmallows burning?
Low heat only. High heat scorches fast. Watch marshmallow clouds puff, shiny surface. Stir slow. No rush or it seizes. White clumps signal overcook. Melt in steps; add rest after puff. Feel texture before full melt.
Can I use large marshmallows?
Mini melt faster, large risk uneven. If using big ones, chop smaller. Adjust heat lower longer melt time. Slow swirl helps avoid lumps. Coconut oil helps with flow but careful with ration. Marshmallow type changes texture—know your batch.
Why do bars get gummy?
Overmix or fold too hard. Scrape bowl gently, don’t stir aggressively. Marshmallow syrup coverage enough, excess makes gummy bites. Pressing flat crushes cereal; bars lose crunch. Let set fully room temp before cutting. Cold fridge hardens bars, breaks edges.
Best way to store bars?
Airtight container room temp keeps chewy. Fridge firms chocolate drizzle but may cause condensation—wrap bars first. Freeze wrapped bars for longer storage, thaw slow to keep texture. Avoid exposure to humidity; Peeps dry out fast if not sealed.
