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Delicious, simple and quick 4th of July Rice Krispie Treats are always a hit, and are festive for any patriotic occasion.
Red white and blue Fourth of July rice krispie treats are a classic no-bake dessert that are so fun to eat! When I need to keep my kitchen cool I also love whipping up Butterscotch cornflake cookies or No bake strawberry shortcake.
Red White and Blue Rice Krispie treats
Whenever I need to make a last-minute treat, I always opt for Rice Krispie Treats, because A) I always have the ingredients on hand and B) They are SO easy and yummy!!
With summer months and patriotic holidays upon us, I wanted to give you a quick, easy, and festive treat to take to all the BBQ’s, parties, and get togethers!
I used some red and blue food coloring to create these patriotic layers, and I love how these Fourth of July rice krispie treats turned out! It was only a tiny bit of additional effort, but it was so worth the extra few minutes. For how simple they are to make, they look pretty impressive! And you really can’t go wrong with rice krispies.
Making 4th of July Rice Krispies
PREP. Separating your cereal and marshmallows into three (2 cups of rice krispies, and about 2 cups of marshmallows). You’re going to make one layer at a time.
MARSHMALLOWS. Put the marshmallows in microwave safe bowls, and add 1 Tbsp margarine to each. Microwave one at a time for a few minutes until the marshmallows start to expand. Make sure they don’t overflow!
DYE. In one bowl, mix in blue food coloring, and mix red in another (food coloring gel will be more vibrant). Add 2 cups of rice krispies to each bowl and stir with a rubber spatula until all the cereal is well coated.
ASSEMBLE. Layer the cereal in a glass baking dish in whatever order you like (we started with blue, white, then red). To press the layers in evenly, you can use a sheet of wax paper on top of the marshmallow covered cereal, and then press with your hands. That way your hands don’t get so messy and the rice krispies won’t stick to you.
COOL. Let all the layers cool before cutting into squares. Enjoy!
Variations
- Mini Marshmallows: Use normal sized or mini marshmallows as long as you have the amount the recipe calls for in each separate bowl.
- Coconut Oil: Replace the butter with an equal amount of coconut oil but it will add a little coconut flavor to your rice krispies.
- Pan Size: I use an 8×8 or a 9×9 glass pan. You can use 9×13, but the treats will be thinner. You can also double the recipe and use a 9×13 pan for more thick rice krispie treats.
- Shapes: Once the layers are cooled, use cookie cutters once the layers are cooled to cut out different shapes. I think stars would be fun for the 4th of July!
Tips + SToring Info
To cook the marshmallows, I prefer the ease of microwaving the marshmallows, but if you would rather use the stove, by all means, you can! I would still recommend doing the three layers separately, that way you ensure each layer has the same amount of marshmallow coating.
Don’t cut the rice krispie treats warm. It is much easier to cut them once they have cooled completely. This will help you get the perfect squares or shapes you’re wanting without them pulling apart.
Don’t use old marshmallows. Old marshmallows start to dry out and get hard on the outside and they do not melt well. Fresh marshmallows become soft and gooey when they melt, these will turn into a big blob but even if they do appear to be fine, once the treats have cooled, they will be really hard.
To keep your treats from getting too hard:
- Use only fresh marshmallows.
- Don’t pack them down too hard. You should not be able to hear the cereal crunching. This won’t just make them rock solid but it will also be difficult to get them out of the pan.
- Don’t cook the marshmallows for too long. If you see that the butter or marshmallows are starting to toast or turn brown then you have cooked them too long.
If by chance your treats do get hard you can try sticking them in the microwave for a few seconds to soften them up. They’ll be a little more chewy than freshly made ones, but still delicious. I do have to add a word of warning: eat them before they harden up again or you may break a tooth!
Suggestions so they don’t stick:
- One of the best ways to not have them stick to your hands is to tear off a small piece of wax paper to put under your fingers while pressing them into the pan. If wax paper isn’t an option then you can either run your hands under cold water right before or rub a little bit of butter onto your fingertips.
- Greasing the pan with butter or non-stick spray first will help them from sticking. The same thing can be done to the mixing spoon and cutting knife.
STORE in an airtight container, but only for about 2-3 days. Try and keep them in a container that will fit all of them just right, without much excess air. The more open space, the more likely they are to dry out. Store them at room temperature and not in the fridge. Sticking a piece of sandwich bread into the container will help keep the rice krispie treats soft.
I hope you love this easy Fourth of July dessert as much as my family does!
For more patriotic treats, check out:
- Patriotic Trail Mix
- Red White and Blueberry Cupcakes
- Patriotic Pudding Cups
- Red White and Blue Trifle
- 4th of July Cookies
4th of July Rice Krispies Treat Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal (divided)
- 16 oz marshmallows (divided)
- 3 tbsp margarine or butter (divided)
- Food Coloring (red and blue/turquoise - I like Betty Crocker Gel Food Colors because the colors are brighter)
Instructions
- Gather your supplies and divide the Rice Krispies and marshmallows in three for the three layers (2 cups Rice Krispies and about 2 cups marshmallows).
- Add marshmallows to a microwave safe bowl along with the margarine (1 TB) for a few minutes or until they start to get big and almost touch the top of the microwave. Take them out, stir well and add the food coloring. (We started with the blue, then no food coloring and then the red).
- Then add 2 cups of Rice Krispies and stir well. Press into well greased 9x9 pan (a 9x13 works but makes thinner treats).
- Repeat with no food coloring and then the red food coloring layer. Let set and ENJOY!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m not sure what I did wrong but do not use a 9×13! You almost need a very small cake pan that’s more deep. My first set was so thin, they almost weren’t edible. When I was heating up the second round of mallows and butter, the butter completely burned. Or the marshmallows. I’m not sure which one but nonetheless, they burnt! Save yourself time and just buy the red and blue Rice Krispies and do it the normal way.
Thanks for the feedback and for giving the recipe a try!