These Vegan Peppermint Bark Rice Krispie Treats are the ultimate quick and easy treat for the holiday season! Rice Krispie Treats are the ultimate treat that is always guaranteed to be a hit. These have all the gooey marshmallow goodness of traditional rice krispie treats with an added peppermint flavor!
Peppermint Bark is a classic treat for this time of year. However, all the chocolate can be a bit overwhelming. These cereal treats are the perfect way to enjoy all the peppermint flavor and chocolate goodness in an easy and delicious treat.
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Ingredients For These Peppermint Bark Rice Krispie Treats:
These Christmas rice krispie treats are the perfect quick and easy holiday treat because they're made with 7 simple ingredients that you can pick up at your local grocery store.
Rice Krispie Treat Ingredients:
- Rice Crisps - It's super important to choose the right type of rice crisps for this recipe. Traditional rice crisps are highly processed and full of added sugars and artificial flavors. It's also a bit of a grey area if they're actually vegan or not. However, healthy crispy rice does exist! I am a huge fan of this brand and I use their products all the time! They're refined sugar-free, and made with simple whole foods plant-based ingredients.
- Vegan Mini Marshmallows - There are quite a few brands of vegan mini marshmallows out there, and they truly are all wonderful. I've served vegan marshmallow treats to many nonvegans and the consensus is that vegan marshmallows taste better than regular marshmallows. If you're looking for the best tasting and the exact ones I used for this recipe, get these ones. If you're looking for the healthiest, get these ones. They're definitely pricier and will result in a different texture, but they will work.
- Plant-Based Butter - Choosing the right butter for this recipe is extremely important. Many vegan butters are full of canola oil and flavorings. I rarely use vegan butter in my recipes, but when I do it is always Miyoko's Creamery.
- Vanilla Extract - Helps tie all the flavors together.
- Pure Peppermint Extract (optional) - If you're a big fan of peppermint flavor you can add peppermint extract for a stronger flavor.
Toppings:
- Plant-Based Dark Chocolate - Any plant-based chocolate will work perfectly for this recipe. I recommend using chocolate chips because they don't get as hard when dry. It's important to look for a chocolate that is made with whole foods plant-based ingredients. I linked my go-to!
- Vegan White Chocolate Chips - You can use any vegan white chocolate chips or white chocolate bars. As always, try to look for one that is refined sugar-free!
- Plant-Based Candy Canes - Make sure to use candy canes that are naturally colored. Red food dye is one of the worst artificial food dyes you can eat. Luckily there are plenty of options for healthy alternatives!
See the recipe card for quantities.
How To Make These Peppermint Bark Rice Krispie Treats:
These peppermint rice crispy treats are the perfect quick and easy vegan Christmas treat to make and add to your holiday cookie platters.
1. Begin by measuring out the crispy rice and adding it to the large bowl. This recipe will move quickly so it's best to have everything prepped and ready to go.
2. Begin to melt butter in a large pot (preferably nonstick) set to medium heat. Once the butter has melted completely, add the mini marshmallows stirring often until the marshmallows have all melted and you have one solid gooey marshmallow mixture. Add the vanilla extract and continue stirring until combined.
3. Add the marshmallow mixture to the crispy rice and mix quickly. Continue mixing until all of the crispy rice is coated and forms one solid gooey cereal mixture.
4. Press the rice krispie mixture into the 9x13 (it helps to grease the pan with a little oil to prevent any sticking) with a greased spatula to prevent it from sticking. Covered and set aside to chill on the counter for about 3 hours.
5. Once the mixture has hardened, begin to melt the chocolates in separate bowls. You can either do this in the microwave or with a double boiler.
6. While the chocolate is melting crush the candy canes in a plastic bag.
7. Add the melted white chocolate and melted chocolate to separate piping bags (you can also use a ziplock) and cut tiny holes in the corners. Drizzle the chocolate over the rice krispie treats and quickly top them with the crushed candy canes. Set the treats in the fridge to chill for about 5-10 minutes until the chocolate has hardened. Cut into squares with a sharp knife and serve and enjoy!
Hint: You can also cut the rice krispie treats into squares and then top them with the melted chocolate and candy canes.
Substitutions:
There are a couple of easy substitutions that can be made to these peppermint rice krispie treats if needed.
- Cereal - The crispy rice can be replaced with a variety of breakfast cereals. Some common delicious options are Cheerios and cornflakes.
- Peppermint Candies - There are a crazy amount of peppermint candies out there and they will all work perfectly.
- Marshmallows - Mini marshmallows can be replaced with regular marshmallows if you are not vegan. The same goes for butter.
Peppermint Rice Krispie Treat Variations:
If you're looking for fun and delicious ways to mix up these delicious treats there are a couple of easy variations you can try.
- Extra Flavors - If you're looking for a way to incorporate more peppermint flavor, you can use Dandies mini peppermint marshmallows.
- Chocolate Chip - You can mix in a handful of mini chocolate chips into these bad boys for a delicious peppermint bark crunch throughout the chewy treats.
What You Will Need To Make These Christmas Rice Krispie Treats:
These are some of my favorite treats to make for a cookie exchange because they are so easy to make, you need barely any equipment, and they're guaranteed to be a hit! All you need to make this recipe is:
- Large Saucepan - You will need a large saucepan to melt the butter and mini marshmallows in. I recommend using a nontoxic nonstick because cleaning the marshmallows off anything else is a real pain.
- Large Bowl - You will need a large bowl to mix all the cereal mixture and marshmallow mixture together.
- 9x13 Baking Dish - Any 9x13 baking dish will work perfectly.
- Spatula - You will need a greased spatula to press the mixture into the baking dish.
As always you can find all my go-to equipment on my Amazon storefront or my affiliate page.
How To Store These Peppermint Rice Crispy Treats:
These are the perfect holiday treats to make at the beginning of your holiday baking because they store super easily and keep for a long time.
I recommend storing these treats in an airtight container at room temperature for the best results. You can also store them in a plastic bag or on a plate with plastic wrap if you don't plan on keeping them for long.
Top Tip:
If you love a little extra crunch you can add some candy cane pieces to the cereal mixture. It is just important to make sure that they are crushed into small pieces.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The first time I tested this recipe I tried making it with puffed rice. I did this, because puffed rice is a single ingredient food, and I thought it would be the best and healthiest way to create this recipe.
However, I quickly realized that puffed rice was not going to work for these peppermint bark rice krispie treats. Puffed rice does not have the same crispiness that crispy rice has (obviously), and the grains are way too thick. This makes it hard for them all to stick together and make a perfect chewy treat.
It is technically possible to use puffed rice, but I wouldn't recommend it. The crispy rice I have linked is a whole foods plant-based option that I absolutely love using.
Although this recipe may not be one of my healthiest recipes, I can guarantee that it is much healthier than other rice krispie treat recipes. First and foremost, this recipe is vegan. That means that there are no animal products (such as gelatin) used in this recipe. This helps to lower the saturated fat and calorie density of the treats.
This recipe is also higher in fiber thanks to vegan and plant-based ingredients. Having more fiber in desserts helps them to not spike your blood sugar as much, and keep you fuller longer. I always try to make sure that all the main ingredients contain fiber. This recipe also uses naturally dyed candy canes and naturally sweetened chocolate.
Related Vegan Peppermint Recipes:
Do you love all things peppermint? Make sure to check out the other minty recipes on my website!
If you try this Vegan Peppermint Bark Rice Krispie Treat recipe, I’d really love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. I’d also really appreciate a recipe card rating! Thank you for supporting The All Natural Vegan!
Peppermint Bark Rice Krispie Treats
Equipment
- 1 9x13
Ingredients
- 2 10 oz bags vegan marshmallows
- ¾ cup plant based butter I recommend Miyoko's Creamery
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon pure peppermint extract optional
- 7 ½ cups crispy rice about 2 boxes of the one I linked
- ½ cups plant based chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup vegan white chocolate bars
- ¼ cup crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Begin by measuring out the crispy rice and adding it to the large bowl. This recipe will move quickly so it's best to have everything prepped and ready to go.
- Begin to melt butter in a large pot (preferably nonstick) set to medium heat. Once the butter has melted completely, add the mini marshmallows stirring often until the marshmallows have all melted and you have one solid gooey marshmallow mixture. Add the vanilla extract and peppermint extract (if using) and continue stirring until combined.
- Add the marshmallow mixture to the crispy rice and mix quickly. Continue mixing until all of the crispy rice is coated and forms one solid gooey cereal mixture.
- Press the rice krispie mixture into the 9x13 (it helps to grease the pan with a little oil to prevent any sticking) with a greased spatula to prevent it from sticking. Covered and set aside to chill on the counter for about 3 hours.
- Once the mixture has hardened, begin to melt the chocolates in separate bowls. You can either do this in the microwave or with a double boiler.
- While the chocolate is melting crush the candy canes in a plastic bag.
- Add the melted white chocolate and melted chocolate to separate piping bags (you can also use a ziplock) and cut tiny holes in the corners. Drizzle the chocolate over the rice krispie treats and quickly top them with the crushed candy canes. Set the treats in the fridge to chill for about 5-10 minutes until the chocolate has hardened. Cut into squares with a sharp knife and serve and enjoy!
More Christmas Recipes:
Looking for more holiday recipe inspiration? Make sure to check out the other holiday recipes on my website!
Shelby
Ohh love the peppermint chocolate flavor twist on a classic, so tasty!
Jess
So tasty and perfect for the holidays
Jacqui
These are so fun and festive!
Elena
We had lots of fun making them and they turned out just delicious. Great recipe!
Sage
Since marshmallows are a no-go for alpha gals (darn gelatin), I'm excited to try the vegan marshmallows you recommend. I've been craving Rice Krispie treats, and these sound especially festive for this time of year! Can't wait to give them a try!
Melissa
Thank you, this will be a great holiday treat!
Andrea
such a fun treat!!!
Tianna
So great for Christmas trays thank you