These Peppermint Bark Rice Krispie Treats turn a classic no-bake treat into an easy Christmas dessert packed with chocolate and peppermint flavor. Chocolate rice cereal, gooey marshmallows, peppermint extract, and chunks of peppermint bark create festive bars that are perfect for holiday parties, cookie trays, and homemade gifts.
Peppermint Bark Rice Krispie Treats Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Dessert, Snack
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: About 5 minutes, plus 1 hour cooling time
- 🍴 Servings: 12
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Chocolatey, minty, sweet, and buttery
- 🍚 Best Served With: Peppermint hot chocolate, coffee, or other Christmas treats
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, prepare them a day or two ahead and store covered at room temperature.
Summarize and Save This Content On
If you love peppermint bark during the holidays, adding it to chocolate cereal treats makes it even more fun. These peppermint bark Rice Krispies are chewy and gooey with plenty of crunch and little pieces of creamy peppermint chocolate in every bite.
These festive bars have an easy, help-yourself quality and look right at home on a holiday dessert tray with chocolate mint cupcakes and easy Oreo mint balls recipe.
Jump to:
- Peppermint Bark Rice Krispie Treats Recipe Essentials
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Why This Recipe Works
- Ingredients
- Variations
- How to Make Peppermint Bark Rice Krispie Treats
- Expert Tips
- Storage Directions
- Serving Suggestions
- peppermint bark rice krispie treats Recipe FAQs
- More Christmas Treat Recipes
- Peppermint Bark Rice Krispie Treats
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy holiday treat: Just five ingredients and a few minutes on the stovetop are all you need before letting the bars cool.
- Chocolate-peppermint flavor: Chocolate cereal, peppermint extract, and peppermint bark (store-bought or our homemade Costco peppermint bark) give every bite plenty of classic Christmas flavor.
- Perfect for sharing: Cut the pan into bars for parties, cookie exchanges, holiday dessert trays, classroom treats, or homemade gifts.
Why This Recipe Works
I wanted these peppermint bark Rice Krispie treats to taste like peppermint bark in every bite, not simply like regular cereal treats with candy sprinkled on top. Using chocolate rice cereal creates a chocolate base, while peppermint extract flavors the marshmallow mixture itself and chopped peppermint bark adds creamy chocolate and peppermint flavor on top.
The texture matters just as much as the flavor. Melting the marshmallows only until smooth and gently spreading the mixture into the pan keeps the bars soft and chewy instead of hard and compact. I also add the peppermint bark while the mixture is still warm so it sticks to the bars without needing another layer of frosting or melted chocolate.
Ingredients
You only need five simple ingredients to make these festive cereal treats.
- Butter and mini marshmallows: Melt together to create the rich, gooey mixture that holds the cereal bars together.
- Peppermint extract: Adds concentrated peppermint flavor throughout the treats without requiring additional candy.
- Chocolate rice cereal: Gives the bars their crisp texture and chocolate base. Chocolate Rice Krispies or Cocoa Pebbles both work.
- Peppermint bark: Adds creamy chocolate, white chocolate, peppermint flavor, and a festive finish to the top. Use store-bought or make our Costco peppermint bark.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Change the texture: Fold in an extra cup of mini marshmallows for gooier treats, or swap Chocolate Rice Krispies for Cocoa Pebbles for a smaller, crispier texture.
- Add more chocolate and peppermint: Mix extra chopped peppermint bark or mini chocolate chips into the cereal, or finish the cooled bars with a white, dark, or semisweet chocolate drizzle.
- Make them extra festive: Top with crushed candy canes, Christmas sprinkles, or both while the mixture is still sticky.
- Change the shape: Press the mixture into a mini muffin pan for bite-sized treats or cut the cooled bars with greased holiday cookie cutters to make trees, stars, and other Christmas shapes.
How to Make Peppermint Bark Rice Krispie Treats
These peppermint Rice Krispies come together in just two simple steps.
Step 1: Make the marshmallow mixture and add the cereal. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the peppermint extract and mini marshmallows. Stir slowly until the marshmallows are completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Fold in the chocolate rice cereal until evenly coated with the melted marshmallow mixture. Transfer it to a 9x13-inch baking dish and gently spread it into an even layer.
Step 2: Add the peppermint bark and cool. Sprinkle the chopped peppermint bark evenly over the top. Let the treats cool at room temperature for 1 hour before slicing and serving.
Expert Tips
- Don't overwork the mixture: I've found that the best texture comes from folding the cereal just until coated and gently spreading it into the pan. Packing it down firmly makes the finished bars noticeably harder and denser.
- Use two layers of peppermint flavor: Peppermint extract flavors the marshmallow mixture from the inside, while peppermint bark adds chocolate, peppermint, and texture on top. This gives the bars a more balanced peppermint flavor than relying on the topping alone.
- Use chocolate cereal: I prefer chocolate rice cereal here because it carries the chocolate flavor throughout every bite rather than leaving all of the chocolate on top.
- Add the bark while warm: Don't wait until the bars have cooled. Adding the chopped peppermint bark while the marshmallow mixture is still warm and sticky helps the pieces stay attached when you cut and serve the bars.
- Let them cool naturally: Give the treats the full hour at room temperature. This allows them to set enough for clean slices without refrigerating them, which can make cereal treats unnecessarily firm.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy our homemade peppermint Oreos and Thin Mints pretzels.
Storage Directions
Room Temperature: Store the treats in an airtight container or tightly cover the baking dish with plastic wrap. They will stay fresh for up to 5 days.
Refrigerator: Refrigeration isn't necessary and can make cereal treats firmer. If your kitchen is particularly warm and the peppermint bark begins to soften, refrigerate them in an airtight container and allow them to come to room temperature before serving.
Freezer: For longer storage, wrap individual bars tightly and place them in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks and thaw at room temperature before serving.
Make Ahead: Make the bars 1 to 2 days before serving and keep them tightly covered at room temperature. Wait until they are completely cool before covering them to prevent condensation.
Serving Suggestions
- Holiday gatherings: Add them to Christmas dessert trays, cookie exchanges, dessert boards, or party platters alongside Andes mint cupcakes, cookies, easy mint chocolate fudge, layered mint chocolate fudge, and other bite-sized treats.
- Family fun: Serve them with white chocolate cake popcorn for Christmas movie night or add festive sprinkles and cut them into smaller squares for kids' parties.
- Homemade gifts: Package individual bars in cellophane bags, treat boxes, or holiday tins for an easy edible Christmas gift.
- Festive drinks: Pair them with hot chocolate, coffee, tea, lattes, chocolate mojito with mint, peppermint white Russian, or peppermint mochas for an easy holiday dessert.
peppermint bark rice krispie treats Recipe FAQs
Yes. Regular crispy rice cereal will work, although the finished bars won't have as much chocolate flavor. You can compensate by adding a chocolate drizzle or using extra chocolate peppermint bark.
Hard cereal treats are often caused by overheating the marshmallows or pressing the mixture too firmly into the pan. Melt the marshmallows only until smooth and gently spread the mixture into the baking dish.
More Christmas Treat Recipes
Love easy chocolate and peppermint desserts? Try more Christmas treats, cereal bars, no-bake desserts, and festive recipes for holiday parties, cookie trays, and homemade gifts.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Peppermint Bark Rice Krispie Treats
Equipment
- 9 x 13 inch baking pan
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 3 cups mini marshmallows
- 5 cups Cocoa Krispies cereal
- 1 ½ cups Costco peppermint bark or store-bought holiday peppermint bark
Instructions
- Prepare our homemade Costco peppermint bark, if using.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add the peppermint extract and mini marshmallows. Stir slowly until the marshmallows are completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Fold in the chocolate rice cereal until evenly coated with the melted marshmallow mixture. Transfer it to a 9x13-inch baking dish and gently spread it into an even layer.
- Sprinkle the chopped peppermint bark evenly over the top. Let the treats cool at room temperature for 1 hour before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Don't overwork the mixture: I've found that the best texture comes from folding the cereal just until coated and gently spreading it into the pan. Packing it down firmly makes the finished bars noticeably harder and denser.
- Use two layers of peppermint flavor: Peppermint extract flavors the marshmallow mixture from the inside, while peppermint bark adds chocolate, peppermint, and texture on top. This gives the bars a more balanced peppermint flavor than relying on the topping alone.
- Use chocolate cereal: I prefer chocolate rice cereal here because it carries the chocolate flavor throughout every bite rather than leaving all of the chocolate on top.
- Add the bark while warm: Don't wait until the bars have cooled. Adding the chopped peppermint bark while the marshmallow mixture is still warm and sticky helps the pieces stay attached when you cut and serve the bars
- Let them cool naturally: Give the treats the full hour at room temperature. This allows them to set enough for clean slices without refrigerating them, which can make cereal treats unnecessarily firm.
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