Table of contents

• Why We Love This Recipe
• Equipment You’ll Need
• Ingredients for Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats
• How to Make Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats
• Pro Tips for Perfect Rice Krispie Trees
• How to Cut Rice Krispie Treats Neatly
• How to Decorate Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats
• Storage and Freshness
• Variations for Your Holiday Treats

Step 5 – Press into Pan & Decorate: Using your greased spatula (or a piece of wax paper sprayed with non-stick cooking spray), spread the Rice Krispie mixture evenly into your prepared pan. Gently press it down into an even layer. Immediately add your chosen Christmas sprinkles to the top, pressing them down lightly so they adhere to the warm mixture.

Step 6 – Cool, Cut & Add Trunks: Allow the mixture to cool completely at room temperature in the baking dish for at least 1-2 hours. Once set, carefully remove the entire slab of Rice Krispies onto a cutting board. Cut the mixture into approximately 40 even triangles. Finally, gently press a small pretzel stick into the bottom of each triangle to form the tree trunk. Now they’re ready to serve and enjoy!

Pro Tips for Perfect Rice Krispie Trees

Achieving perfectly soft, chewy, and beautifully shaped Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats is easy with a few simple tricks. Keep these pro tips in mind for the best results:

• Use Fresh Marshmallows: This is perhaps the most important tip! Fresh marshmallows are soft and pliable, melting smoothly to create a wonderfully gooey treat. Older, hardened marshmallows will result in stiff, difficult-to-mix, and less enjoyable treats.
• Don’t Overheat Marshmallows: When melting your butter and marshmallows, use low heat or short microwave intervals. Overheating can cause the marshmallows to become tough and rubbery once cooled. Melt until just smooth, stirring frequently.
• Cutting Bars – Timing is Key: Allow your holiday treats to set for at least an hour (or up to two hours) before cutting. This crucial cooling time allows the Rice Krispie mixture to firm up, making it much easier to achieve clean, defined triangle shapes without crumbling or sticking to your knife.
• Baking Pan Size – Aim for Thinness: We recommend using a large baking sheet or a 9×13 inch pan. The thinner your Rice Krispie treat layer, the easier it will be to cut into trees. A thicker layer might be harder to manage for precise cuts.
• Combine Ingredients – Gently Does It: When adding the Rice Krispies cereal to the marshmallow mixture, combine the ingredients until *just* coated. Overmixing is a common culprit for hard Rice Krispie treats. Stir just enough to evenly distribute the cereal.
• Pressing Mixture into Pan – Be Gentle: When spreading the mixture into the prepared pan, do not pack it down too firmly. Firmly compacting the ingredients will squeeze out the air, resulting in dense, hard bars that lose their delightful softness. Use a light hand and an even pressure to create a uniform layer. A piece of wax paper or parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray on top of the mixture can help you press it down gently without sticking to your hands.
• Grease Your Tools (and Hands!): Always spray your spatula, knife, and even your hands with non-stick cooking spray before working with the sticky marshmallow mixture. This prevents frustration and ensures a smoother process.

How to Cut Rice Krispie Treats Neatly

Cutting Rice Krispie treats into neat shapes, especially triangles for our Christmas trees, can be a bit tricky if not done correctly. Here’s how to ensure your trees look picture-perfect:

1. Cool Completely: As mentioned in our pro tips, patience is a virtue! Ensure your Rice Krispie treat slab is fully cooled and set at room temperature. This is vital for clean cuts.
2. Remove from Pan: The treats are easiest to cut when taken entirely out of the pan. If you lined your pan with parchment paper, simply lift the entire sheet of treats out and place it on a large cutting board. If you didn’t use parchment paper, carefully loosen the edges with a greased spatula and flip the slab out onto the cutting board.
3. Use a Sharp, Greased Knife: A really sharp knife is your best friend here. Spray the blade generously with non-stick cooking spray before you start cutting. This prevents the sticky marshmallow from adhering to the knife and tearing your treats. After every few cuts, wipe the knife clean to ensure there isn’t any sticky buildup that could ruin subsequent cuts.
4. Achieve Triangle Shapes: To cut into triangles, first slice the large rectangle into even strips. Then, take each strip and cut it diagonally from corner to corner to form triangles. For approximately 40 trees, aim for strips about 1 to 1.5 inches wide, then cut each strip into multiple triangles.
5. Pizza Cutter Alternative: Another fantastic option for cutting Rice Krispie treats is a pizza cutter. Just like with a knife, spray the pizza cutter with non-stick cooking spray before use. This can make the process faster and often results in very clean, straight lines (though you’ll still need a knife for the diagonal cuts of the triangles).

Either of these options, combined with proper cooling and greasing, should ensure your Christmas Tree Rice Krispie treats look great and are perfectly formed.

How to Decorate Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats

This is where the real fun begins! Decorating your Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats allows for endless creativity and personalization. Think of each green triangle as a mini canvas ready for holiday cheer!

• Sprinkles Galore: We already added some Christmas sprinkles when the mixture was warm, but don’t stop there! Once the treats are completely cool and cut, you can add more. Use any type of sprinkles to decorate your Christmas Tree. Red and green are classic, but gold, silver, white, or even themed sprinkles (like tiny stars or snowflakes) would be wonderful. You can apply them with a little bit of melted white chocolate or gel icing as a “glue.”
• Gel Icing Garland: These Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats are perfect for adding thin lines of gel icing to mimic garlands. Opt for white, silver, or even contrasting red gel icing to swirl around your trees. This simple detail adds a lot of visual appeal and makes them look even more like miniature decorated Christmas trees.
• Candy Ornaments: Turn small candies into edible ornaments! Mini M&M’s, small round candies, edible glitter, or even tiny silver dragees can be pressed onto the trees (again, a dab of melted chocolate or icing helps them stick).
• Powdered Sugar “Snow”: For a magical, snowy effect, lightly dust the finished trees with powdered sugar just before serving. This adds a delicate sweetness and a beautiful wintery touch.
• Edible Gold/Silver Dust: For a touch of elegance, lightly brush edible gold or silver dust onto the trees, especially if you’re making them for an adult gathering.
• Different Shapes for Variety: While triangles are traditional for trees, don’t limit yourself! You can easily use different shapes of cookie cutters (like stars, bells, or gingerbread men) to create a variety of festive treats. Just ensure your cookie cutters are greased to prevent sticking.

Let your imagination run wild! The more creative you get with decorations, the more unique and memorable your Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats will be. It’s an excellent activity for kids to customize their own trees.

Storage and Freshness

To keep your delicious Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats soft, gooey, and fresh for as long as possible, proper storage is essential. They are a delightful snack, and with the right care, you can enjoy them for up to a week.

• Room Temperature is Best: Always store any leftover Rice Krispie treats in an airtight container at room temperature. A countertop pantry or cupboard is ideal. They will remain wonderfully soft and chewy for up to 1 week.
• Avoid the Refrigerator: Do not store these treats in the refrigerator. While it might seem like a good idea for freshness, the cold temperature will actually cause the marshmallows to harden and become stiff. This makes the treats less enjoyable and loses that signature gooey texture we all love.
• Freezing Not Recommended: We also do not recommend freezing these crispy treats. Freezing them will significantly change the texture of the treat. Upon thawing, they often become soggy, lose their crispness, and can develop a chewy, rubbery consistency that is far from their original deliciousness.

For the absolute best results and optimal texture, it’s always recommended to consume Rice Krispie treats within the first 2-3 days of making them, though they will certainly last longer when stored correctly at room temperature.

Variations for Your Holiday Treats

One of the many joys of Rice Krispie treats is how adaptable they are. While these Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats are festive on their own, you can easily customize them further to suit different tastes or occasions:

• Different Flavors: Try adding a touch of peppermint extract for a minty twist, or a dash of almond extract for a subtle, nutty flavor. You could even swirl in some melted chocolate into a portion of the mixture for chocolate trees!
• White Chocolate Drizzle: Instead of just sprinkles, melt some white chocolate and drizzle it over the cooled trees for an elegant “snowy” effect, or use it to create zig-zag patterns.
• Candy Cane Crush: For a vibrant red and white pop, crush some candy canes and sprinkle them over the warm mixture along with or instead of traditional sprinkles.
• Nutty Treats: If allergies aren’t a concern, mix in some finely chopped nuts (like pecans or walnuts) for added texture and a rich flavor profile.
• Chocolate Chips: Mini chocolate chips can be folded into the mixture or pressed onto the trees as “ornaments.” White chocolate chips would look especially festive on the green background.
• Different Colored Trees: While green is classic, imagine a forest of colorful trees! You could make some with red food coloring for Santa hats, or white with blue sprinkles for a winter wonderland theme.

These variations offer fantastic ways to keep the recipe fresh and exciting, allowing you to tailor your holiday treats to any preference or party theme!

Making these easy and adorable Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats is truly one of the most enjoyable holiday traditions. They are perfect for sharing, gifting, or simply enjoying with your loved ones during the festive season. Their simplicity means more time for making memories and less time stressing in the kitchen. So, gather your ingredients, call the kids, and get ready to create some delicious, edible Christmas magic!

We hope you enjoy making these delightful Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats. Please leave a comment below letting us know what you think and share your favorite decorating ideas. We love to hear from you!