Pastel Rice Krispie Treats

Sweet, chewy, and buttery Pastel Rice Krispie Treats are an easy variation of the all-time favorite original rice krispie treats.

These pretty rice krispie treats are as easy to make as the original and contain just 5 ingredients. Fruit-flavored mini marshmallows, butter, and adding vanilla make the best-tasting marshmallow treat you will ever have!

I just can’t seem to get enough marshmallows and this recipe has two kinds! Plain white marshmallows are melted until they are all ooey-gooey and miniature pastel marshmallows are added at just the right time to give soft pops of color and a subtle fruit flavor.

Jump to:

• What is the secret to making soft and chewy marshmallow treats?
• Ingredients
• How to Make Pastel Rice Krispie Treats
• My Top Tips
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Make-Ahead and Storage
• More Sweet Treat Recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

These are seriously the best marshmallow treats because they stay chewy for days, simply by increasing the amount of one ingredient found in most recipes for marshmallow treats.

What is the secret to making soft and chewy marshmallow treats?

The secret is in using the right amount of butter for a soft, chewy texture!

But wait! There is another bonus to adding the right amount of butter. Because these treats are soft and chewy, they are also very moldable.

You can butter the inside of plastic eggs and create adorable “egg treats” that can brighten your Easter table and be a treat for guests to take home. Or spread the treats into a well-buttered oblong pan and cut them into bars or squares to enjoy.

Either way, you will love the sweet, buttery flavor and chewy texture that is just like the Starbucks Marshmallow Dream Bar.

Ingredients

Here's what you need to make Pastel Rice Krispie Treats:

• Rice Krispies Cereal - Actually, a crisped rice cereal of any brand will work, but I usually buy Kellogg's when it is on sale.
• Marshmallows - Just regular-sized vanilla marshmallows of your favorite brand.
• Clear Vanilla Extract - I like adding clear vanilla so that the marshmallow stays as light as possible in color, but you can also use pure vanilla extract.
• Pastel Mini Marshmallows - Pastel mini marshmallows like Fun Mallows not only add soft pastel colors to these marshmallow treats, but they also add a delicate fruit flavor.
• Butter - I prefer to use salted butter. But you can use unsalted butter also.

Please see the recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Pastel Rice Krispie Treats

With 1 tablespoon of butter, grease a 13x9-inch pan and set it aside.

In a large Dutch oven, heat the 6 tablespoons of butter over very low heat until melted. Add the plain marshmallows. Stir over low heat until the marshmallows are melted completely. 

Stir in vanilla extract and gently fold in cereal. As the mixture comes together, stop stirring and allow the mixture to cool slightly for about 4 to 5 minutes. 

Gently fold in the pastel-colored mini marshmallows.

Spread and press the rice krispie treat mixture into the prepared pan.

My Top Tips

♡ Work quickly after adding the mini marshmallows and immediately spread the Rice Krispies treats in the prepared pan.

♡ You can press them down into the pan for a dense bar or lightly press them in for a less dense and taller bar.

Substitutions

Substitute Plain Mini Marshmallows. You won't have the pastel colors or fruit flavor from the Fun Mallows but you can substitute plain mini marshmallows and the treats will be only vanilla flavored

Substitute Regular Sized Marshmallows. You can use scissors to snip regular-sized marshmallows into small pieces instead of using mini marshmallows.

Variations

Easter Variation - Molded Eggs

Wash and thoroughly dry fillable plastic eggs and or pans of your choice. Very lightly grease the interior of each egg and/or pan using 1 tablespoon of softened butter. This recipe will fill 6 – 2 ¼” plastic eggs plus one 13 x 4 tart pan.

Press the marshmallow treats into the plastic eggs.

Coating your hands with a bit of soft butter or cooking spray will help keep the treats from sticking to your hands.

Fill the eggs well and snap them closed. Serve or gift the molded treats in the plastic egg.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Wrap these Rice Krispies marshmallow treats in plastic wrap and they will easily keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, which means they are a perfect make-ahead treat!

More Sweet Treat Recipes

📖 Recipe