I love a no-bake dessert (who doesn’t?) and marshmallow crispy treats are one of the easiest out there. This version takes the classic and bumps up the flavor with tart freeze-dried berries and a little drizzle of white chocolate for good measure. When I was a kid my favorite variation had m&m’s in them and my mom always put them into dixie cups with a popsicle stick. I still love those, but now that I am a sophisticated adult (LOL, NOPE) I like this version even more–the berries add such a nice bright contrast to the marshmallowy treat–but are totally kid approved. My 7-year-old niece likes to give me notes on my baked goods and she said that you “get the sourness from the berries, the sweetness from the glaze (drizzle), and the crunch from the cereal. It has it all!” Which just about killed me because, I mean, adorable right? I totally agree with her, though, these treats are totally balanced with sweet + bright and make it dangerously easy to have more than one.
Some notes:
I always make my marshmallow crispy treats in an 8×8 square pan so they have some depth. I love a chunky square treat!
I really like to compact the treats into the pan so they are a bit dense and don’t fall apart. First I use a spatula to pack it down, then I use slightly wet hands to really press it in without the marshmallow goo sticking to me forever.
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3oz/85g)
- 1 bag marshmallows (10oz/283.5g)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5½ cups crispy rice cereal (6oz/170g)
- 1 cup each freeze-dried raspberries and strawberries (a total of 2 cups) (.5oz/14g)
- 3 ounces white chocolate chips (85g)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- additional freeze-dried berries for topping
- Butter or spray an 8×8 baking pan, line with parchment leaving a 1-inch overhang on two sides to create a sling, and butter/spray the parchment.
- In a large pot combine the unsalted butter and marshmallows, stirring until melted over medium heat. Stir in the salt and vanilla. Turn off the heat and quickly stir in the cereal, followed by the freeze-dried berries, until completely coated in the marshmallow mixture. Press the mixture into the prepared pan with a silicone spatula. Once it has cooled slightly, use your hands to firmly press the treats into the pan so they are compacted in an even layer (I like to wet my hands a little with water to prevent sticking).
- Melt the white chocolate and coconut oil in a small dish in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Drizzle the white chocolate over the top of the treats and sprinkle with additional freeze-dried berries. Let the treats cool completely at room temperature to set (at least 1 hour) before cutting into squares.
They become foodies at shuch a young age, don’t they? I think I must agree with her!