Description
Add some Valentine’s flair to the classic Rice Krispie treat with strawberry cereal and crème covered freeze dried strawberries. Cut the bars into little hearts for a celebratory look Cupid himself would approve.
Ingredients
Strawberry cereal treats
- Cooking spray for the pan
- 8 cups Strawberry cereal (288 g): Very Berry Cheerios or one of the other options below
- 10 ounce bag mini marshmallows (284 g)
- 1 stick butter (113 g)
- 2 Hershey’s Strawberry and Creme bars or 3 ounces white chocolate (85 g)
- 1 Tablespoon freeze dried strawberry powder (optional for extra strawberry flavor) (6 g)
- 1 bag Tru Frü creme strawberries (optional for a pop of color) (119 g)
Equipment needed
- Heart shaped cookie cutter–about 3″ across
- Sheet tray
- Parchment
- Plastic wrap
- Baking spatula
Instructions
Melt the marshmallow base
- Spritz a half sheet pan with a little cooking spray. Then line the bottom of the pan with a sheet of parchment . Spray the top of the parchment as well.
- Melt the butter, white chocolate, and marshmallows in a large pot over low heat, stirring occasionally. It’s important to keep the heat low so that the marshmallows don’t burn. Cover the pan with a lid or a sheet tray to help melt the marshmallows a little more efficiently.
- While the marshmallows are melting, chop the crème covered strawberries in half if using.
- Turn off the heat once the marshmallows are completely melted and smooth.
Make the bars
- Stir the cereal and freeze dried strawberry powder into the marshmallow goo, stirring well to coat the cereal.
- Quickly scrape the coated cereal into the prepared pan. Smooth the mixture into the pan as best you can, and then take a piece of oiled plastic wrap, placing it on top of the bars. Use the wrap to lightly press the mixture into the corners of the pan. Scatter the cut freeze dried strawberries over the top and press them into the top of the cereal.
- Freeze the pan for no more than 5 minutes. Use a heart cutter to cut out heart shapes from the cereal. Rotate the cutter 90 degrees with every cut to minimize the waste. It is possible to press the edges of scraps together to cut a few more hearts, but keep the scraps flat.
- Cool the bars completely before storing to prevent condensation that will stale the cereal.
Notes
Other strawberry cereal to use: Strawberry Rice Krispies, Special K Red Berries, Strawberry Vanilla Chex, Honey Bunches of Oats Strawberries
Storage:
1. Room temperature: Bars can be kept at room temperature for up to 5 days in an airtight container. For best results, wrap the bars individually in plastic wrap. Make sure the bars are cool before wrapping or storing them to keep out moisture.
2. Can I freeze them?: Yes, though I’d individually wrap them in plastic before placing them in a larger plastic bag to keep them from sticking together. Frozen bars are best eaten within 6 weeks.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Bar cookies
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
