If you want to share a cute treat with your kids this St. Patrick's Day, make these Shamrock Rice Krispie Treat Pops! Each shamrock-shaped marshmallow cereal treat is dipped in green candy melts and is decorated with a cute smiley face.
It's been quite a while since I've decorated rice krispie treats for a holiday, and I thought St. Patrick's Day would be the perfect time to break out the marshmallows and crisp rice cereal and whip up a batch of shamrock-shaped cereal treats.
Each of these shamrock-shaped rice krispie treats is made by dipping a homemade marshmallow cereal treat into green candy melts. Then, the green-colored white chocolate-coated shamrock treats are decorated with cute smiley faces.
I just can't resist adding faces to my treats even when making something like a shamrock. A cute smiley face just makes everything cuter.
Isn't that just adorable?
I love how every shamrock has a different expression on its face.
It's easy to decorate these cute treats using ½-inch candy eyes, green M&M noses, and a black food coloring marker.
Let's make some smiley-face shamrock treats!
Ingredients
butter - After creating the very best Rice Krispie Treats recipe (based on taste-testing 20 different recipes), I have determined that salted European-style butter will give your treats the very best flavor.
marshmallows - Always use fresh, soft, marshmallows when making homemade Rice Krispie treats. You'll get nice and chewy treats. If your marshmallows are too firm, your treats may be hard too.
Rice Krispies Cereal - Any crispy rice cereal will work but I recommend using Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal. It has the best flavor and texture.
green candy melts - Use Wilton Green Candy Melts or any other green compound chocolate (confectionery coating) like Merkens.
½-inch candy eyes - These eyes are larger than the traditional candy eyes that you find at craft stores. The larger eyes really make these treats look super cute.
green M&Ms Candies
NOTE:
*If you don't have experience melting or working with confectionery coating/candy melts, read my Chocolate Making Tips page before you begin this project.
Supplies
shamrock cookie cutter (2 ¼" x 2 ¾")
lollipop sticks (I recommend using 11 ¾ inch sticks)
non-stick tin foil or use buttered tin foil or wax paper
parchment paper-lined baking sheet (that fits in your freezer)
Instructions
step 1 - make the rice crispy treats
- Melt the butter and marshmallows in the microwave or a pot on the stove and mix in the Rice Krispies.
- Butter your hands and the shamrock cookie cutter.
- Press some of the cereal treat mixture into the shamrock-shaped cookie cutter.
- Press down on the cereal to compact, filling the cutter about ¾ full. Once you have a nice flat surface, continue to press down on the shamrock cereal treat, and pull up on the cookie cutter, removing it completely.
- Repeat, re-buttering the cutter as needed.
Notes:
- If you use this method, you will not have any waste. If you cut a pan of treats instead, you will have a lot of scraps.
- You only need one shamrock cookie cutter. I had three and used them all in the photo above to show how to fill them.
step 2 - insert sticks into the shamrock treats
- Allow the Rice Krispies Treats to sit for at least 30 minutes in order to firm up a bit.
- Dip the tip of a lollipop stick in the melted green candy melts. See my chocolate-making page for melting instructions.
- Insert the dipped end of the stick into the stem end of a cereal treat shamrock.
- Allow the shamrock treats to sit for a few minutes so the candy melts can harden.
step 3 - dip the shamrock treats into candy melts
- Dip the shamrock-shaped cereal treat into the melted green candy coating covering the entire treat.
- Remove the treat from the chocolate and gently shake to remove any excess coating.
- Set on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Freeze for about 5 minutes until the green candy melts harden on the treats.
Pro Tips
Only dip two or three shamrocks, place them on the baking sheet, and set them in the freezer. Then repeat.
If you dip all of your shamrocks, then set them on the baking sheet, then freeze them, the treats that were dipped first will harden at room temperature and will most likely end up looking spotty or have streaks of white on them.
step 4 - decorate the shamrock lollipops
- Once your shamrock pops have hardened, allow them to sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before decorating.
- Add a drop of green candy melts to the backside of each candy eye and press them onto the shamrock.
- Do the same with the green M&M nose.
- Draw a smile and some eyebrows, dimples, etc. using a black food coloring marker.
- If you have trouble with your marker, read my tips on re-filling and drawing with a food coloring marker.
Storage
Store your Shamrock Rice Krispies Treat Pops in an airtight container for up to a few weeks. If you'd like, you can wrap them in clear cellophane bags and tie them with a ribbon to use for party favors or gifts.
Related posts
Recipe
Shamrock-shaped Rice Krispie Treats dipped in green candy melts are decorated with a cute smiley face using candy eyes, M&M noses, and black food coloring marker smiles. These cute treats are perfect for St. Patrick's Day.
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter
- 20 large marshmallows or 2 ¾ cups mini marshmallows
- 3 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
- 16 ounces melted green candy melts
- 20 ½-inch candy eyes
- 10 green M&M candies
- black food coloring marker
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Melt the butter and marshmallows either in the microwave or in a pot on the stove and mix in the Rice Krispies.
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Butter your hands and the shamrock cookie cutter.
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Press some of the cereal treat mixture into the shamrock-shaped cookie cutter, filling it completely, then push the shamrock-shaped treat out of the cookie cutter.
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Set the treats on a non-stick tin foil-lined baking tray.
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Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
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Dip the tip of a lollipop stick in the melted green candy melts, then insert it into the stem of a shamrock rice crispy treat.
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Repeat.
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Allow the candy melts to harden.
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Dip the shamrock-shaped treats into green candy melts, allowing the excess to drip off, then set them on a lined baking sheet.
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Freeze for 5-10 minutes just until the candy melts harden.
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Remove from the freezer and set aside for at least 15 minutes before decorating.
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Attach two candy eyes and one green M&M nose to each shamrock lollipop.
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Then, draw a smile and other facial features on the shamrock using a black food coloring marker.
- You will have leftover green candy melts, but you need to melt 16 ounces in order to have enough to dip all of your treats.
- Dip a few treats at a time, then freeze them. Do not allow them to airdry or your treats will get spotty or streaky.
- Store the shamrock treats at room temperature for up to 1 month.
- Do not store in the refrigerator.
This recipe was originally published on Hungry Happenings on February 18, 2013.
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Jeanne says
They're really cute and I spent two hours doing this and they didn't come out. once they were dipped in the chocolate, they were too heavy and the shamrock broke in two and the stick came out. What did I do wrong? The shamrocks were pretty thick, so that wasn't it. Disappointed; first of your ideas that didn't work. Thanks!
Beth says
Hi Jeanne,
I am sorry to hear you had trouble. It will be difficult for me to know exactly what went wrong, but my guess is that the green candy melts might have been too thick. So, when you dipped the treats in the candy melts, they would have had a really thick layer of candy coating on them. Did you have trouble dipping the treats into the candy melts? Was it hard to shake off the excess? If so, this was probably the problem. You can thin out thick candy melts using Paramount Crystals or Wilton EZ Thin. Both are solid flakes of palm kernel oil which is the fat that is used to make Candy Melts. You stir a little bit of the flakes into the chocolate and it will thin it out. Add more until the candy melts become fluid. You want the candy coating thin enough that you can dip a treat into it, lift it out, and have the excess candy coating drip off.
Also, if you dipped the stick into the candy melts and inserted them into the treat, and allowed it to harden, it should have stayed in place. If the sticks all fell out, it's possible you did not use enough of the candy melts or that the Rice Krispie Treats were too loose. They might have needed to be compacted into the cookie cutter a bit more.
I hope these tips help.
Jeanne says
Thank you for responding, Beth. I just used the candy melts--maybe the chocolate WAS too thick because I did dip the stick and let it harden before dipping the shamrock. Thank you for the tip!
Beth (www.livinglifeintentionally.blogspot.com) says
These are so cute! What a fun snack =-) I am sharing with my Facebook readers!
thanks for linking up to TGIF! Hope to see you again tomorrow,
Beth =-)
Lady Behind The Curtain says
Love your cute Shamrock Pops! Thanks for sharing them at Cast Party Wednesday! I hope you are having a GREAT week! ~Sheryl @ Lady Behind The Curtain~
Michelle | Creative Food says
These are seriously so cute! 🙂
Lindsay @Artsy-Fartsy Mama says
Love the way these turned out!! Such a cute idea. I also wanted you to know that I featured this today at http://www.artsyfartsymama.com/2013/02/pinteresting-features-n-shtuff-70.html
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
Thanks so much Lindsay! I appreciate the feature.
Nicole Walter says
These are so cute!! I am pinning to my St. Patrick's Dat Pinterest board and will have to try them with my kiddos! Thanks so much for sharing, stopping over from TGIF. Also I have a St. Patrick's Day Linky party if you get a chance I would love for you to add your idea. Have a wonderful weekend!
Sue says
I love silly! They are so cute, especially their noses!
Brenda says
Those are the happiest shamrocks that I've ever seen 😉 I like the way you filled the cookie cutters instead of cutting out shapes ... I have broken a few cookie cutters!
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
I love how by pressing the cereal treat mixture into the cutter, I don't have a lot of waste (or a lot of waist - when I eat all the scraps!)
The Partiologist says
These are so stinkin cute - and you know how I LOVE rice krispie bars!!
Anonymous says
These Look great, Beth. I am going to add 2 T of Lime Jell-o from the package to the krispy mix. I did this for Valentines Day with Cherry Jell-o mix and people who don't like krispy treats, loved them, including my Bob. Again thanks for coming up with another winner. Trish Butler (Motheroverkill)