Strawberries and Cream Rice Krispie Bars

Strawberries and cream rice krispie bars are the ultimate no-bake dessert for Valentine's Day. Not only are there only 5 ingredients, but these can be made in less than 15 minutes. They contain no artificial colors or flavors, making these treats fun and kid-friendly! Freeze-dried strawberries give these treats their pink color and an intense strawberry flavor.

 

Sweet, delicious and naturally red and white, strawberries and cream is the perfect pairing for Valentine's Day. The combination of freeze-dried strawberries and white chocolate chips are added to the classic recipe of rice krispie treats to create this festive dessert. To make it super-special and a little extra decadent, drizzle some chocolate over the top. You could stop there, but I tossed on a dash of colorful sprinkles to add to the Valentine's theme! Of course, if you are trying to avoid artificial colors, avoid the sprinkles.

These rice krispie bars are easily adaptable to be gluten-free, just make sure to choose a gluten-free rice cereal. Most standard crisp rice cereals are sweetened with barley malt, which adds gluten. Kellogg's, along with other brands do make gluten-free crisp rice cereal for those looking to avoid gluten.

Kids will love helping you make these bars, let them crush the strawberries and mix all the ingredients together. Little fingers are perfect for pressing the sticky bars into the pan (spray their fingers with a touch of non-stick spray to facilitate the process). And of course, they will gladly help you eat these yummy treats!

Strawberries and Cream Rice Krispie Bars

makes 12 -15 bars (printer friendly version)

 

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp butter
• 4 cups (or 1 10-oz bag) miniature marshmallows
• 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 6 cups crisp rice cereal (To make these gluten-free, make sure that your cereal is specifically gluten-free and does not include barley malt.)

  

Directions

1. Crush freeze-dried strawberries in a bag with a rolling pin. Combine strawberries, white chocolate chips and cereal in a large bowl.
2. Melt butter and marshmallows on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Alternatively, melt butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Add marshmallows and toss to coat, then microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring halfway through.
3. Pour melted marshmallows over cereal mix, and combine well.
4. Press into a greased 9” square (or 9x13”) pan. Let cool completely, then cut into bars.
5. For an extra-special treat, drizzle melted chocolate over the top, then top with sprinkles.

 

 



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