Celebrate the holiday season with some festive Red and Green Rice Krispies® Treat Christmas Pinwheels. Layers of colorful marshmallow cereal treats are rolled up and cut to reveal pretty swirls of holiday color.
Don't you just love freshly made Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® Treats? I can't resist them.
They are so quick and easy to make and you can add so many flavors and colors to them that they are perfect for any holiday or special occasion.
For Christmas, I decided it would be fun to swirl layers of red and green marshmallow cereal treats together to create these festive pinwheels.
To get the layers vibrantly colored I added red and green candy melts and some food coloring to the traditional Rice Krispies® Treat recipe.
The candy melts add a wonderful vanilla flavor and they also add a bit of structure so that the treats hold their shape once rolled and cut into slices.
Video
Be sure to watch the video to see the step-by-step process of making these Christmas rice krispie treats.
- Before you begin making your cereal treats, you’ll need to prepare a pan.
- Line a 9 inch by 13-inch pan with parchment paper, then brush the parchment paper liberally with softened butter.
- Pour the cereal mixture out onto your pan and press it into a thin even layer.
- Make sure you fill the bottom of the pan completely.
- Next, make the green marshmallow mixture adding green food coloring.
- Stir in the cereal and pour it out on top of the red layer in the pan.
- Press down to compact the layers.
- Turn the pan upside down and allow the Rice Krispies® Treat to fall out onto either a silicone mat or another butter coated piece of parchment paper.
- Peel off the paper and carefully flip the treat upside down.
- Roll over the treat with a rolling pin, flattening it and spreading it out about an inch both ways.
- Begin rolling at the short end, pinching together any spots of cereal that pull apart until the entire treat it rolled up.
- Cut into 12 thick slices or 18 thinner slices and they are ready to serve.
- Store your cereal treat pinwheels in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
You can find lots more delicious cereal treat recipes at my new website, HowToMakeCerealTreats.com.
Printable Recipe
- 1 tablespoon softened butter
- 5 ounces marshmallows
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup (3 ounces) red candy melts wafers
- red food coloring
- 3 cups Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® cereal
- 5 ounces marshmallows
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup (3 ounces) green candy melts wafers
- 3 cups Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® cereal
- green food coloring
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Brush a thin layer of the softened butter over a parchment-paper-lined 9-inch by 13-inch pan.
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Pour marshmallows, butter, and red candy melts into a microwave-safe bowl.
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Heat on high power for three 30 second bursts of power, stirring after each until melted.
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Stir in some red food coloring so that the marshmallow mixture becomes vibrantly red.
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Stir in the cereal.
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Pour out onto the prepared pan.
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Grease your hands with butter then press the cereal mixture into an even layer in the pan.
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Pour marshmallows, butter, and green candy melts into a microwave-safe bowl.
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Heat on high power for three 30 second bursts of power, stirring after each until melted.
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Stir in some green food coloring so that the marshmallows mixture becomes vibrantly green.
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Stir in the cereal.
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Use greased hands to press the green cereal into an even layer over top of the red cereal layer.
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Turn the pan upside down and allow the cereal treat to fall out onto a silicone mat or a buttered piece of parchment paper.
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Starting at one of the shorter ends, roll the cereal treat up into a log, pinching together any gaps in the cereal treat.
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Freeze for 5-10 minutes just until the cereal treat has cooled.
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Cut into 12-18 slices.
Store in an airtight container set at room temperature for up to 10 days.
This recipe was originally published on December 13, 2016.
If you have now been inspired to make your own holiday Rice Krispies® Treats, be sure to check out all these other fun recipe ideas.
You might also like these other Rice Krispie Treat Pinwheel recipes...
Rainbow Rice Krispie Treat Pinwheels
Red, White, and Blue Rice Krispie Treat Pinwheels
Peanut Butter Fudge Filled Cocoa Crispy Pinwheels
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Donna
Thanks for sharing your brilliant ideas.
Beth
You are so sweet! Thanks. 🙂
Debbie
Where can you buy candy melts?
Beth
You can find Candy Melts at Walmart, JoAnn Fabrics, Michaels, and sometimes even at grocery stores. You can find other confectionery coating (other brands) at cake and candy supply stores.
Debbie
What are candy melts?
Beth
Candy Melts are a brand of confectionery coating which is a type of candy like chocolate but it is made with a vegetable oil instead of cocoa butter. I have a wonderful explanation and tutorial you can read which will explain it in more detail - https://hungryhappenings.com/chocolate-making-tips/
Kristy
Hi!
I love this idea? So neat! So I plan on making them for a cookie exchange. I need to make 8 dozen. Do you have any recommendations? How do I store them after? It's a completion 🙂
Thanks for your feedback and great recipes!
Kristy
Beth
I stored them in an airtight container (Rubbermaid or Tupperware) and they stayed fresh for over a week. They were all gone by that time, but I assume they will stay fresh even longer. Have fun making and sharing your Rice Krispie Treat Pinwheels.
Karen @ Sugartown Sweets
I have been making a lot of RKTs here lately for my grandkiddos, but none quite so festive as yours. I'm sure your friend loved these! 🙂
Beth
She thought they were amazing. It was fun to see the look on her face when she opened them. She was fascinated by the swirl and had to know how I made them. I'm sure your grandkiddos love their treats because they come from grandma!