Gather Your Ingredients

How To Make Chex Scotcheroos, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

Start By Making The Scotcheroo Base

1. Prep Your Station. Before you dive into the actual preparation, make sure you have everything measured, prepped & available close by since the recipe moves quickly once you’ve begun. Measure the cereal & set aside. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper if making bars, or a cookie sheet if making clusters.
2. Melt Sugar & Honey. In a large saucepan, combine granulated sugar and honey. Stir over low heat or medium low heat until the sugar is almost entirely dissolved. Do NOT bring the mixture to a boil here, or the scotcheroos will be dry.
3. Stir In Peanut Butter, Vanilla & Salt and stir until everything is smooth and evenly blended.
4. Mix In Cereal. Remove the pan from the heat and add the Chex cereal to the peanut butter mixture. Stir to coat the cereal evenly.

To Make Chex Scotcheroos Bars

5. Pat Out Bars. Transfer the cereal mixture to your prepared pan and gently pat it into an even layer with a flexible spatula or your fingers. (Try not to overly compact this mixture since you want it to have soft scotcheroos!
6. Make The Topping. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and butter. Melt in the microwave on low power in 10-15 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until the mixture is smooth and even. It will be thick! (Alternatively, you can melt this mixture in a small saucepan on the stovetop over low heat.)
7. Layer. Spread the melted chocolate mixture over the cereal layer and use an offset spatula to smooth the chocolate into an even layer. 
8. Set, Serve & Store. Let the chocolate layer set 1-2 hours before cutting into bars, for best results. (You can speed this process up by covering the pan and refrigerating for 45-60 minutes.) Garnish with flaky sea salt, if desired, and cut into squares or bars. These scotcheroos are rich, so I prefer cutting them into 12-18 smaller bars. Transfer leftover scotcheroos to an airtight container and store at room temperature 1-3 days.

To Make Chex Scotcheroos Clusters

9. Scoop Clusters & Let Set. Use a large cookie scoop to measure heaping 3-4 Tablespoon mounds onto your parchment lined baking sheet. (Almost like no-bake cookies!) Let the clusters set for 20-30 minutes at least before topping.
10. Make The Topping. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and butter. Melt in the microwave on low power in 10-15 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until the mixture is smooth and even. It will be thick! (Alternatively, you can melt this mixture in a small saucepan on the stovetop over low heat, or in a double boiler for even gentler heat.)
11. Add Chocolate Topping to each cluster, using a spoon or spatula. (The chocolate mixture will be thick, so be gentle! I find a small, flexible spatula is my favorite tool for the job.)
12. Set, Serve & Store. Let the chocolate set 30-60 minutes, for best results, then enjoy! Store leftover scotcheroos in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

Gather Your Ingredients

This simple recipe only calls for a few ingredients, and most are pantry staples! Let’s take a look:

How To Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with full ingredient measurements, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Prep. Line a metal 8×8 or 9×9 square pan with parchment paper or lightly grease and set aside. Measure and gather all your ingredients and have them close by, since you’ll need to work quickly once you get started.
2. Melt. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add mini marshmallows and cocoa powder to the melted butter, and stir constantly until the marshmallows are melted and the melted marshmallow mixture is evenly blended.
3. Combine. Add chocolate chips, vanilla, and salt, and stir over low heat until the chocolate chips are just melted and the chocolate mixture is smooth.
4. Add Crisp Rice Cereal and stir until the cereal is evenly coated.
5. Gently Pat & Garnish. Transfer the cereal mixture to your prepared pan and use gentle pressure to lightly pat down the cereal into an even layer. You want it to stick together, but don’t want to overly compact the cereal or the bars won’t have that soft, gooey texture we’re looking for. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, if using and gently pat down on them to lightly press them into the cereal layer.
6. Cool & Slice. Let the chocolate rice krispie treats cool to room temperature before slicing cereal bars into 9 large squares, 12 medium rectangles, or 16 small squares.
7. Serve & Store. Enjoy right away or store chocolate rice krispie squares in an airtight container up to 2-3 days at room temperature. (These treats are best enjoyed within 24 hours, but will still be good on day 2 & 3!)

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

More Decorating Ideas To Try. If you prefer, you can skip the mini chocolate chips and melt another 1/2 cup chocolate chips to make a chocolate drizzle you and add to the top of the bars. Or, add the chocolate topping from our Scotcheroos recipe and finish with some flaky sea salt or sprinkles!

Can I Use Chocolate Cereal? Yes, if you want to! While Cocoa Krispies brand isn’t gluten-free (it also contains barley malt extract), Cocoa Pebbles and Mom’s Best Crispy Cocoa Rice cereals are gluten-free and should work here! Chocolate cereal will definitely take the sweetness to the next level, but could totally work if you’ve got a serious chocolate craving. 

Option: Add More Marshmallows! Another option you have is to stir in an additional cup of mini marshmallows along with the crisp rice cereal. It adds a cute effect! 

Dairy-Free? No Problem! We”ll just use a few simple swaps! Just use vegan butter (like Earth balance) in place of regular butter, and dairy-free chocolate chips (like Guittard, or Enjoy Life). Everything else is naturally dairy-free! Vegan? You can use fresh vegan marshmallows, like Dandie’s! 

More Gluten-Free Rice Krispie Treats Recipes To Try

Gluten-Free Scotcheroos

Gluten-Free Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Easy Homemade Lemon Curd

Recipe Card

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Gluten-Free Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

Gooey, crispy, crunchy AND chocolatey? YES PLEASE. These easy gluten-free Chocolate Rice Krispie treats have it all!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword cereal treats, chocolate, no-bake, rice krispie treats

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Total Time 28 minutes minutes

Servings 12 Servings

Author Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You

Ingredients

• 5 Tablespoons Butter (or vegan butter!)
• 1 (10 oz) Package Mini Marshmallows (Make sure they're super fresh!)
• ¼ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (30 grams) – Regular Cocoa, Not Dutch-Processed!
• ½ cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt (or a pinch of fine salt)
• 5 cups Gluten-Free Crisp Rice Cereal (NOT Rice Krispies Brand–See Notes!)*
• 2 Tablespoons Mini Chocolate Chips (Optional, for decoration)

Instructions

• Prep. Line a metal 8×8 or 9×9 square pan with parchment paper or lightly grease and set aside. Measure and gather all your ingredients and have them close by, since you'll need to work quickly once you get started.
• Melt. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add mini marshmallows and cocoa powder to the melted butter, and stir constantly until the marshmallows are melted and the melted marshmallow mixture is evenly blended.
• Combine. Add chocolate chips, vanilla, and salt, and stir over low heat until the chocolate chips are just melted and the chocolate mixture is smooth.
• Add Crisp Rice Cereal and stir until the cereal is evenly coated.
• Gently Pat & Garnish. Transfer the cereal mixture to your prepared pan and use gentle pressure to lightly pat down the cereal into an even layer. You want it to stick together, but don't want to overly compact the cereal or the bars won't have that soft, gooey texture we're looking for. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, if using and gently pat down on them to lightly press them into the cereal layer.
• Cool & Slice. Let the chocolate rice krispie treats cool to room temperature before slicing cereal bars into 9 large squares, 12 medium rectangles, or 16 small squares.
• Serve & Store. Enjoy right away or store chocolate rice krispie squares in an airtight container up to 2-3 days at room temperature. (These treats are best enjoyed within 24 hours, but will still be good on day 2 & 3!)

Video

Notes

• Crisp Rice Cereal. Rice Krispies brand is NOT gluten-free, since it contains malt syrup, which is derived from barley and has gluten. Instead, use certified gluten-free options like Aldi’s Millville brand, One Degree, or Nature’s Path. 
• Cocoa Powder. We recommend natural cocoa powder (like Hershey’s or Ghirardelli), NOT dutch-processed cocoa for these treats, but you can use dutch-processed if you want a darker flavor. 
• Option: Add More Marshmallows! Another option you have is to stir in an additional cup of mini marshmallows along with the crisp rice cereal. It adds a cute effect! 

Gather Your Ingredients

• Gluten-Free Crisp Rice Cereal. In the United States, Rice Krispies Brand cereal is NOT gluten-free, so it’s important to use gluten-free crispy rice cereal brands instead. Today we’re using Aldi’s brand.
• Freeze Dried Strawberries. The star ingredient in this strawberry rice krispies treats recipe! Using crisp freeze-dried strawberries keeps the color vibrant and prevents the cereal bars from getting soggy. I usually find these near raisins, dried fruits, or snacks at the grocery store.
• FRESH Mini Marshmallows. I recommend mini marshmallows here! The fresher your marshmallows are, the better they’ll melt, so now’s not the time to use that old bag of stale marshmallows in your pantry.
• Butter. A must-have for soft strawberry rice krispie treats! (Vegan butter also works, if you want to keep them dairy-free!)
• Vanilla Extract. This little trick adds that extra little something that keeps people coming back for more. It’s a way to add that delicious strawberries and cream rice krispies treats flavor we’re going for.
• A Pinch of Salt. To help balance the flavor. It’ll elevate the notes of marshmallow, strawberry, and vanilla without making these crispy treats taste salty.

How To Make Gluten-Free Strawberry Rice Krispies Treats, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Prep Your Station. Before starting, make sure you have everything ready to go, since things will move quickly. Line an 8×8 or 9×9 metal pan with parchment paper or lightly grease. Add crisp rice cereal to a large bowl with plenty of room to mix.
2. Grind Strawberries. Add 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries to a food processor or blender and pulse or puree until you have a fine powder.
3. Set Aside Some Marshmallows. Place 1 cup of marshmallows off to the side (we’ll add these later!).
4. Melt Butter & Remaining Marshmallows. In a large saucepan, melt butter then add the remaining mini marshmallows and stir over medium-low heat until the marshmallows are smooth and melted. The mixture will be gooey!

5. Add Strawberry Powder, Vanilla & Salt to the marshmallow mixture and stir to combine.
6. Combine Marshmallow Mixture With Cereal. Working quickly, pour the strawberry marshmallow mixture over the cereal and stir in the reserved 1 cup of marshmallows and 1 cup chopped freeze-dried strawberries. Stir to evenly combine.
7. Pat the mixture out into your prepared pan using gentle pressure so you don’t overly compact the rice krispie treats. Top with a few more pieces of freeze-dried strawberry and marshmallow for garnish.
8. Cool, Slice & Store. Let the cereal bars cool at least 30-60 minutes to set. Use a sharp knife to cut them into bars and store leftovers in an airtight container or bag at room temperature 2-3 days.

Simple Ingredients To Get Started

If you’ve made some of our other Chex Mix recipes, like our gluten-free Bunny Bait or Christmas Chex Mix, you will notice some familiar ingredients here, with just a few St. Patrick’s Day swaps. Let’s take a look:

• Corn Chex. This crispy cereal provides a great neutral backdrop for this St. Patrick’s Day snack mix. You can use rice Chex, if you prefer, but I like the flavor of corn chex cereal here.
• Lucky Charms. Our first fun flourish! Swapping out Cheerios or rice chex for Lucky Charms instantly gives this gluten-free Leprechaun Bait a fun St. Patrick’s Day twist. (Regular Lucky Charms cereal is now gluten-free in the U.S.!)
• Gluten-Free Pretzels. Regular pretzels are NOT gluten-free, so be sure to buy gluten-free pretzels to keep this snack mix safe for Celiac disease. We recommend Snyders gluten-free pretzels for taste and texture, though you can use gluten-free pretzel sticks, if you like.
• Extra Lucky Charms Marshmallows. Adding a few extra Lucky Charm marshmallows at the end adds a fun pop of color to this fun snack.
• Vanilla Candy Melts or White Chocolate Melts. I find candy melts like white almond bark or these White Chocolate melts from Ghirardelli super easy to work with. They add sweetness and bind the snack mix together into little delicious clusters.
• Green M&Ms. Another fun addition! I use gloves or a spoon to separate just the green M&Ms from a bag of milk chocolate M&Ms or dark chocolate M&Ms. We’re not using mint M&Ms or other seasonal packages. See which kinds of M&Ms are gluten-free here.
• Sprinkles. Finishing this yummy treat with some rainbow sprinkles is so fun! I like nonpareils or jimmies sprinkles, but you can try other types of sprinkles, if you like.
• Flaky Sea Salt. Leprechaun Bait runs fairly sweet, so I love adding a little sprinkle of salt at the end for a sweet & salty flavor. It really won’t make this salty. Just balance the flavors a bit better.

How To Make Gluten-Free Leprechaun Bait, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Prep. Before you start, have all ingredients measured and ready to go. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set close by. The melted chocolate sets up quickly, so you’ll need to be ready to move quickly once its melted. 
2. Combine. Set aside half of the M&M candy for the end. In a large bowl, combine corn Chex, Lucky Charms cereal, gluten-free pretzels and 1/3 cup of green M&M candy. 
3. Melt the candy melts in a microwave safe bowl in 15-20 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the white chocolate mixture is smooth and glossy. Keep in mind the chocolate will continue to melt after you remove it from the microwave. 
4. Pour white chocolate over the cereal mixture and stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle in the 1/2 cup Lucky Charms marshmallows and stir to combine. 
5. Spread the coated cereal mixture out into a single layer on your prepared pan and quickly sprinkle with reserved 1/3 cup M&Ms, the sprinkles, and the flaky sea salt. Let the chocolate set completely. 
6. Serve & Store. When the chocolate is set, gently break the mixture into small clusters. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. 

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Leprechaun Bait Snack Mix

Make It Pretty! Dip some pretzels first. If you really want to go all out, you can lightly dip 1/2 cup of the pretzels into the melted almond bark, sprinkle them with sprinkles, and set them aside on a piece of parchment paper to dry before pouring the rest of the melted almond bark over the cereal/pretzel/candy mixture. This will give you a few really pretty pretzels that stand out! (But this is 100% cosmetic!)

Can I Use White Chocolate Chips Instead? I like using Ghirardelli White Chocolate Vanilla flavored candy melts or vanilla almond bark, since they’re so easy to work with and aren’t as likely to burn, separate, or seize. If you prefer to use white chocolate chips, you’ll want to melt them with 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil to help them melt smoothly enough to stir into the chocolate.

Our Favorite Way To Package Chex Mix For Gifting. If you want to package this Leprechaun bait snack mix up for a St. Patrick’s Day party or for gifting, I like to scoop it into these large cellophane bags and tie it with a cute ribbon. Green ribbon looks extra cute!

Extras. Feel free to add 1/2 cup salted peanuts for extra crunch, or use peanut butter M&Ms for a yummy twist! Or, add some gluten-free peanut butter pretzel nuggets at the end for an extra layer of salty crunch.

More Gluten-Free Snack Mix Recipes To Try

Gluten-Free Chex Party Mix

Gluten-Free Cookies & Cream Muddy Buddies

Gluten-Free Sweet Chex Mix (Coconut + Almond)

Recipe Card

Gluten-Free Leprechaun Bait

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 17 minutes
• Yield: 9 cups 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

This easy St. Patrick’s Day snack mix is full of sweet, salty, crispy, crunchy mix-ins in every bite! 

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Ingredients

• 2 cups corn Chex cereal
• 2 cups Lucky Charms cereal
• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free pretzels
• 12 ounces white candy melts or almond bark*
• 1/2 cup additional Lucky Charms marshmallows
• 2/3 cup green M&Ms candy*
• 1 teaspoon rainbow sprinkles (nonpareils or jimmies)
• pinch flaky sea salt

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Instructions

1. Prep. Before you start, have all ingredients measured and ready to go. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set close by. The white chocolate sets up quickly, so you’ll need to be ready to move quickly once its melted.
2. Combine. Set aside 1/3 cup M&Ms candy for the end. In a large bowl, combine corn Chex, Lucky Charms cereal, gluten-free pretzels and 1/3 cup of green M&M candy.
3. Melt the candy melts in a microwave safe bowl in 15-20 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the white chocolate mixture is smooth and glossy. Keep in mind the chocolate will continue to melt after you remove it from the microwave.
4. Pour white chocolate over the cereal mixture and stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle in the 1/2 cup Lucky Charms marshmallows and stir to combine.
5. Spread the coated cereal mixture out into a single layer on your prepared pan and quickly sprinkle with reserved 1/3 cup M&Ms, the sprinkles, and the flaky sea salt. Let the chocolate set completely.
6. Serve & Store. When the chocolate is set, gently break the mixture into small clusters. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

Notes

• Pretzels. Regular pretzels are NOT gluten-free, so be sure to buy gluten-free pretzels. We recommend Snyders gluten-free pretzels for taste and texture.
• White Chocolate. I like using Ghirardelli White Chocolate Vanilla flavored candy melts or vanilla almond bark, since they’re so easy to work with and aren’t as likely to burn, separate, or seize. If you prefer to use white chocolate chips, you’ll want to melt them with 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil to help them melt smoothly enough to stir into the chocolate.
• M&Ms. Use gloves or a spoon to sort the green M&Ms out of a regular package of milk chocolate M&Ms or dark chocolate M&Ms. We’re not using mint M&Ms or other seasonal packages.
• Extras. Feel free to add 1/2 cup salted peanuts for extra crunch, or use peanut butter M&Ms for a yummy twist!

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Microwave
• Cuisine: American

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Simple Ingredients To Get Started

• Gluten-Free Crisp Rice Cereal. In the United States, Rice Krispies Brand cereal is NOT gluten-free, so it’s important to use gluten-free crispy rice cereal brands instead. Today we’re using Aldi’s brand.
• FRESH Marshmallows. I recommend mini marshmallows here! The fresher your marshmallows are, the better they’ll melt, so now’s not the time to use that old bag of stale marshmallows in your pantry.
• Butter. A must for soft rice krispie treats! (Vegan butter also works, if you want to keep them dairy-free!)
• Creamy Peanut Butter. My magic ingredient. Taking a note from our Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats, we add peanut butter. It keeps these easy treats soft for DAYS and complements the flavor of the m&m candies beautifully. I recommend traditional peanut butter rather than drippy natural peanut butter for the best texture. (Sometimes natural peanut butter gets greasy in a recipe like this.)
• Vanilla. This little trick adds that extra little something that keeps people coming back for more.
• Mini M&Ms. I prefer using Mini M&Ms to regular size M&M candy since they distribute more evenly and blend in better texturally.
• Salt. A tiny pinch of salt is the perfect finish. It keeps this fun dessert from being too sweet without making them taste salty.

How To Make M&M Rice Krispie Treats, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the printable recipe card below.

1. Prepare. First, add crisp rice cereal to a large mixing bowl and set aside. Line an 8×8 metal pan with parchment paper. Make sure you have everything ready to go, since the recipe moves quickly once you start.
2. Set Aside 1 Cup Mini Marshmallows to stir in at the end.
3. Melt Butter & Marshmallows. Add butter and the remaining marshmallows to a large saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the marshmallows are melted and gooey. (Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to avoid any scorching or sticking!)
4. Add Peanut Butter & Vanilla. Turn off the heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla extract. Stir quickly until smooth.

5. Pour melted marshmallow mixture over the crisp rice cereal and add reserved cup of mini marshmallows. Stir to coat the cereal evenly. (This works best with a flexible silicone or rubber spatula.) Then, add 1/2 cup mini M&Ms and gently stir to distribute. (Be gentle and add them here at the end, so you don’t melt them!)
6. Transfer the cereal mixture to the prepared pan and gently pat out into an even layer. (You don’t want to compact it too much, so it keeps a nice airy texture.) Garnish with a few flakes of flaky sea salt and a few more mini m&ms on top of the rice krispie treats, if desired. Let the rice crispy treats cool completely before you cut them into squares. Store in a bag or airtight container at room temperature 3-4 days.

FAQ + Tricks For The Best M&M Rice Krispie Treats

A Trick For Perfect Texture. My ideal M&M rice crispy treats have some softness and gooey-ness from the marshmallow mixture, but still have a light, crispy texture. My biggest tip? Don’t pack them down too tightly! Use gentle pressure to spread them into an even layer, then just leave them to cool.

Can I Make These Without Peanut Butter? Yes. If you have a peanut allergy or don’t like peanut butter, you can add m&ms to our Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats recipe instead. Keep in mind, the M&Ms will be more likely to melt in that recipe, since they don’t have the peanut butter to act as a buffer.

Extras To Try. We almost always make this colorful m&m rice krispies treats recipe exactly as written, but when you want a change of pace, you can…

• Use Sprinkles! WHY NOT? Right after you pat the cereal mixture into the pan, sprinkle the cereal treats with some colorful sprinkles for a fun touch. I like nonpareils for this job, but check out our Sprinkles 101 post to learn more about different types of sprinkles & how to use them.
• Add Peanut Butter Chips. For an even more decadent treat, you can mix in a few peanut butter chips or even butterscotch chips along with the marshmallows.

More Fun Cereal Treats To Try

Gluten-Free Scotcheroos

Gluten-Free Lucky Charms Treats

Gluten-Free Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Recipe Card

Gluten-Free M&M Rice Krispie Treats

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 9–16 Squares 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Ingredients

• 4 cups gluten-free crisp rice cereal (NOT Rice Krispies brand!)*
• 1 (10-ounce) bag mini marshmallows
• 4 Tablespoons butter (1/2 stick/57 grams)
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup mini M&Ms
• pinch flaky salt (1/8 teaspoon)

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Instructions

1. Prepare. First, add crisp rice cereal to a large mixing bowl and set aside. Line an 8×8 metal pan with parchment paper. Make sure you have everything ready to go, since the recipe moves quickly once you start.
2. Set Aside 1 Cup Mini Marshmallows to stir in at the end.
3. Melt Marshmallows & Butter. Add butter and the rest of the mini marshmallows to a large saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the marshmallows are melted and gooey.
4. Add Peanut Butter & Vanilla. Turn off the heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla extract. Stir quickly until smooth.
5. Pour melted marshmallow mixture over the crisp rice cereal and add reserved cup of mini marshmallows. Stir to coat the cereal evenly. (This works best with a flexible silicone or rubber spatula.) Then, add 1/2 cup mini M&Ms and gently stir to distribute. (Be gentle and add them here at the end, so you don’t melt them!)
6. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and gently pat out into an even layer. (You don’t want to compact it too much, so it keeps a nice airy texture.) Garnish with a few flakes of flaky sea salt and a few more mini m&ms, if desired. Let the rice krispie treats cool completely before you cut them into squares. Store in an airtight bag or container at room temperature 3-4 days.

Notes

• Keep The Candy Coating From Melting. This no-bake recipe isn’t fussy at all, but you do need to follow the directions to keep the M&M candy coating from melting. First, adding the M&Ms candies LAST allows the marshmallow mixture to cool slightly. Then, stirring gently prevents you from rubbing the candy coating off onto the cereal.
• A Trick For Perfect Texture. My ideal M&M rice crispy treats have some softness and gooey-ness from the marshmallow mixture, but still have a light, crispy texture. The secret? Don’t pack them down too tightly! Use gentle pressure to spread them into an even layer, then just leave them to cool.
• Gluten-Free Crisp Rice Cereal. In the United States, Rice Krispies Brand cereal is NOT gluten-free, so it’s important to use gluten-free crispy rice cereal brands instead, like Aldi’s brand or One Degree.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 Minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

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Simple Ingredients To Get Started

• Crispy Rice Cereal. To start, you’ll need certified gluten-free crisp rice cereal. Do NOT use Rice Krispies brand, since it’s not gluten-free!
• Honey. We make these scotcheroos with NO corn syrup! Instead, we’re using honey. It adds plenty of sweetness, but skips the corn syrup!
• Sugar. Granulated sugar (white sugar) also helps these bars stick together. I don’t recommend omitting it or swapping for more honey. The combination works here!
• Creamy Peanut Butter. You *can* use either natural peanut butter or traditional peanut butter for these bars, but keep in mind that they have a harder time holding together and will dry out more with natural peanut butter than with traditional peanut butter (like JIF or Skippy)
• Vanilla & Salt. These two add the perfect balance of flavors. Just like in our No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars & Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats!
• Chocolate Chips. While you absolutely can use milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips for scotcheroos, I much prefer using dark chocolate chips. These are VERY sweet as it is, and the dark chocolate is a nice balance for the sweet butterscotch chips. But, you do you!
• Butterscotch Chips. These butterscotch morsels give Scotcheroos their name! They’re super sweet, but add a delicious, candy-like touch to the topping.
• Butter. To help the chocolate chips melt & keep the topping soft enough to slice.
• Maybe Some Flaky Sea Salt. To balance all that sweetness. Highly recommend!

How To Make Gluten-Free Scotcheroos, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below!

1. Prep. Line an 8×8 or 9×9 square pan with parchment paper. Measure 3 cups of cereal and set aside. 
2. Melt. In a large saucepan, combine sugar and honey. Stir over medium low heat until the sugar dissolves, 5-7 minutes. Try not to let the mixture boil, since this can harden/dry out the honey mixture. 
3. Combine. Stir in the peanut butter and stir over low heat until well blended. Turn off the heat and stir in vanilla and salt. Add cereal and stir to combine until the cereal is evenly coated. 
4. Pat It Out. Transfer the cereal mixture to your prepared pan and gently pat it into an even layer with a flexible spatula or your fingers. (Try not to overly compact this mixture since you want it to have soft scotcheroos!) 

5. Make The Topping. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and butter. Melt in the microwave on low power in 10-15 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until the mixture is smooth and even. It will be thick! (Alternatively, you can melt this mixture in a small saucepan on the stovetop over low heat.)
6. Layer. Spread the melted chocolate mixture over the cereal layer and use an offset spatula to smooth the chocolate into an even layer. 
7. Set & Serve. Let the chocolate layer set 2-3 hours before cutting into bars. (You can speed this process up by covering the pan and refrigerating for 45-60 minutes.) Garnish with flaky sea salt and cut into squares or bars. These scotcheroos are rich, so I prefer cutting them into 12-18 smaller bars.   
8. Store. Transfer leftover scotcheroos to an airtight container and store at room temperature 1-3 days. 

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free Scotcheroos

Are Scotcheroos Gluten-Free? ONLY if you use certified gluten-free crisp rice cereal! Rice Krispies brand is NOT gluten-free, so stick with a gluten-free option, like Barbara’s, or Millville (Aldi) brand that doesn’t contain malt syrup.

Use A Big Enough Saucepan! It might seem silly to use a large saucepan for the honey/sugar/peanut butter mixture, but we’ve found it’s easier to add the cereal to the peanut butter mixture than it is to add the peanut butter mixture to the cereal. So, you’ll need a pan big enough to stir everything together! This 3-quart saucepan gives us plenty of room!

Slice Small! Scotcheroos are RICH! This no-bake dessert is more like a candy than a cookie bar, so small servings are a good place to start. You can slice them into 12 rectangles, or 16 small squares, but our go-to is to cut the scotcheroo bars into 9 big squares, then cut each one in half, for 18 small rectangles. This is perfect for a party, cookie plate, or lil’ treat!

How To Make Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Prepare. First, add crispy rice cereal to a large mixing bowl and set aside. Line a metal 8×8 square pan with parchment paper. Make sure you have everything ready to go, since the recipe moves quickly once you start. 
2. Set Aside 1 Cup Mini Marshmallows to stir in at the end. 
3. Melt Butter & Marshmallows. Add butter and the rest of the mini marshmallows to a large saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the marshmallows are melted and gooey.
4. Add Peanut Butter & Vanilla. Turn off the heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla extract. Stir quickly until smooth. 
5. Pour melted marshmallow mixture over the crisp rice cereal and add reserved cup of mini marshmallows. Stir to coat the cereal evenly. (This works best with a flexible silicone or rubber spatula.)
6. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and gently pat out into an even layer. (You don’t want to compact it too much, so it keeps a nice airy texture.) Garnish with a few flakes of flaky sea salt. Let the rice krispy treats cool completely before you cut them into squares.

More Gluten-Free Cereal Treats To Try

Gluten-Free Lucky Charms Treats

Gluten-Free Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Gluten-Free Fruity Pebbles Treats

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Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 9–12 servings 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Calling all peanut butter lovers! This easy no-bake recipe is the perfect treat when you want a simple, crowd-pleasing dessert. 

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Ingredients

• 4 cups gluten-free crisp rice cereal* (NOT Rice Krispies brand)
• 1/4 cup butter (4 Tablespoons/half stick)
• 1 (10-ounce) bag mini marshmallows
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon flaky sea salt (like Maldon)

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Instructions

1. Prepare. First, add crisp rice cereal to a large mixing bowl and set aside. Line an 8×8 metal pan with parchment paper. Make sure you have everything ready to go, since the recipe moves quickly once you start. 
2. Set Aside 1 Cup Mini Marshmallows to stir in at the end. 
3. Melt Marshmallows & Butter. Add butter and the rest of the mini marshmallows to a large saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the marshmallows are melted and gooey.
4. Add Peanut Butter & Vanilla. Turn off the heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla extract. Stir quickly until smooth. 
5. Pour melted marshmallow mixture over the crisp rice cereal and add reserved cup of mini marshmallows. Stir to coat the cereal evenly. (This works best with a flexible silicone or rubber spatula.)
6. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and gently pat out into an even layer. (You don’t want to compact it too much, so it keeps a nice airy texture.) Garnish with a few flakes of flaky sea salt. Let the rice krispy treats cool completely before you cut them into squares. Store in an airtight bag or container at room temperature 3-4 days. 

Notes

• Gluten-Free Cereal. Rice Krispies brand cereal is NOT gluten-free. (It contains malt, which is derived from barley and contains gluten.) To keep these gluten-free, you MUST use a gluten-free brand of crisp rice cereal. We love Barbara’s or Aldi brands, but you can check out more options in this post. 
• Creamy Peanut Butter. While you *can* get away with using natural peanut butter here (just peanuts or peanuts + salt), I usually use conventional peanut butter spreads (like JIF or Skippy) for this recipe because they are easier to work with and keep the rice krispie treats soft longer. 

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

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Start With Simple Ingredients

Snacky treats like Caramel Corn, Muddy Buddies, and Chex Mix are SO great this time of year because they’re easy to share and easy to make. Just take a look at these simple ingredients:

• Rice Chex & Corn Chex. Since we’re making a gluten-free Halloween snack mix, I use a mix of gluten-free cereals. I like mixing Rice Chex & Corn Chex for the combination of colors and flavors, though you can absolutely do all of one flavor or the other!
• Cheerios. Next up is plain Cheerios. They add a nice crunch and subtle shape. Sometimes choose the multigrain Cheerios for a bit more color. Use whichever you like!
• Gluten-Free Pretzels. Now for a little SALTY for this sweet & salty snack mix! I like the Snyder’s gluten-free pretzels for this, but Glutino gluten-free pretzels are another good choice. Some Halloween Chex Mix recipes use pretzel sticks, but I like regular pretzel twists so the shapes are a bit more uniform and easier to snack on.
• Salted Peanuts. Make sure you pick up salted peanuts made with just peanuts, oil and salt (or dry roasted peanuts with just peanuts & salt). Some salty peanuts also have other seasonings like garlic or onion that will MAJORLY throw off the flavor here. (Bleh!)
• Halloween M&Ms. Now for some cute holiday color! Halloween M&Ms in green, orange, and purple add a fun, festive touch to this Halloween snack mix and give it it’s signature spooky look! If you can’t find Halloween m&ms in grocery stores, you can just use the orange, green, and brown from a regular bag.
• White Chocolate Melts Or Vanilla Almond Bark. Lastly, to bind all the snack mix ingredients together, you’ll use a bit of vanilla almond bark (easiest to work with!), white chocolate candy melts (that come in wafers) or some white chocolate chips (like Ghirardelli or Guittard).
• Halloween Sprinkles. For a cute look at the end, you can use a few shakes of sprinkles. We love nonpareils or jimmies for this job, but check out our Sprinkles 101 post to find other shapes that can work! (Get 10% off your order at Sweetapolita with my link!) It’s also fun to add a few eyeball sprinkles if you can find them!
• A BIG Bowl! You’ll need your biggest mixing bowl to stir all this goodness together. The bigger the better!

WE

How To Make Halloween Chex Mix, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Prep Your Station. Spread out a sheet of parchment paper (I like to put mine on a cookie sheet for stability, but feel free to spread the parchment out on your counter).
2. Combine The Halloween Chex Mix Ingredients. Set aside half of the Halloween M&Ms candy to decorate with at the end. In a very large bowl (your largest large mixing bowl), combine rice Chex, corn Chex, Cheerios, gluten-free pretzels, half of the m&ms, and the peanuts (if using).
3. Melt The White Chocolate Coating. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt vanilla almond bark in 20-30 second intervals, stirring well after each interval until the white chocolate coating is smooth and has no lumps. (You can also do this on the stovetop in a double boiler, if you prefer)
4. Drizzle & Stir. Pour the melted white chocolate over the cereal mixture and quickly stir to combine. (You want to coat everything well with the white chocolate mixture, but work quickly since the candy melts will start to cool and harden.)
5. Spread Out, Sprinkle & Cool. Transfer the coated cereal mixture onto your prepared sheets of parchment in an even layer, and immediately sprinkle on the second half of the m&ms and the sprinkles (if using), and let it cool to set. It will form some clusters as it cools. I like to leave some larger sections and some smaller sections rather than breaking it all up.
6. Serve & Store. Once the chocolate is all set, enjoy it right away, or transfer to an airtight container and store Halloween Chex Mix at room temperature on the counter up to 1 week.

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Halloween Chex Mix

Our Favorite Way To Package Chex Mix For Gifting. Whenever we’re packaging up Halloween Snack Mix for giving to friends or neighbors, I like to scoop it into these large treat bags and tie it with a cute ribbon, like orange polka dot ribbon for a fun, spooky look.

What Can I Use Instead Of Peanuts? If you’ve got a peanut allergy, feel free to swap them for more cereal, pretzels, or other nuts instead. No problem!

Can I Make This Dairy-Free? If you use dairy-free white chocolate/candy coating & swap out the m&m’s for a dairy-free chocolate candy, like Unreal candies, ChocoNoNo’s or Little Secrets, this Halloween party snack mix recipe CAN be dairy-free!

More Gluten-Free Halloween Treats To Try

Gluten-Free Chex Party Mix

Gluten-Free Candy Cookie Bars

The BEST Caramel Popcorn

Recipe Card

Easy Halloween Chex Mix (Gluten-Free!)

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 18 minutes
• Yield: 10 cups 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

This easy Halloween Chex Mix recipe is the perfect snack for spooky season. (Don’t miss all the yummy mix-ins for this Halloween snack mix below.) Happy snacking! 

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Ingredients

• 2 cups Corn Chex cereal
• 2 cups Rice Chex cereal
• 2 1/2 cups gluten-free pretzels (we like Snyder’s)
• 1 1/2 cups Cheerios cereal
• 1 cup salted peanuts
• 1 cup Halloween M&Ms candies
• 16 oz. Vanilla Almond Bark, White Candy Melts, or White Chocolate Chips
• optional: 1 Tablespoon Halloween sprinkles

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Instructions

1. Prep Your Station. Spread out a sheet of parchment paper (I like to put mine on a large baking sheet for stability, but feel free to spread the parchment out on your counter).
2. Combine The Halloween Chex Mix Ingredients. Set aside half of the Halloween M&Ms candy to decorate with at the end. In a very large bowl (your largest large mixing bowl), combine rice Chex, corn Chex, Cheerios, gluten-free pretzels, half of the m&ms, and the peanuts (if using).
3. Melt The White Chocolate Coating. In a large microwavable bowl, melt vanilla almond bark in 20-30 second intervals, stirring well after each interval until the white chocolate coating is smooth and has no lumps. (You can also do this on the stovetop in a double boiler, if you prefer)
4. Drizzle & Stir. Pour the melted white chocolate over the cereal mixture and quickly stir to combine. (You want to coat everything well with the white chocolate mixture, but work quickly since the candy melts will start to cool and harden.)
5. Spread Out, Sprinkle & Cool. Transfer the coated cereal mixture onto your prepared sheets of parchment in a single layer, and immediately sprinkle on the second half of the m&ms and the sprinkles (if using), and let it cool to set. It will form some clusters as it cools. I like to leave some larger sections and some smaller sections rather than breaking it all up.
6. Serve & Store. Once the chocolate is all set, enjoy it right away, or transfer to an airtight container and store Halloween Chex Mix at room temperature on the counter up to 1 week.

Notes

More Mix-Ins To Try:

• Candy Corn – Brach’s & YumEarth are gluten-free!
• Candy Pumpkins – Brach’s Mallocreme pumpkins (candy corn pumpkins) are gluten-free
• Bone Sprinkles or Candy Eyes
• Peanut Butter M&Ms – try these peanut butter candies instead of regular M&Ms!
• Reese’s Pieces. Try swapping m&ms for Reeses Pieces! They’re delicious (and gluten-free!)
• Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Stuffed Pretzels (like Quinn Snacks)
• Popped Popcorn – Try swapping 2 cups of the cereal for 2 cups of popped salty popcorn
• Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups – These are TINY. Little unwrapped bite-sized baking bits.

A Trick For Pretty Chex Mix:

• Dip some pretzels first. If you really want to go all out, you can lightly dip 1/2-3/4 cup of the pretzels into the melted almond bark, sprinkle them with sprinkles, and set them aside on a piece of parchment paper to dry before pouring the rest of the melted almond bark over the cereal/pretzel/candy mixture. This will give you a few really pretty pretzels that stand out! (But this is 100% cosmetic!) You could even get purple, green, black, or orange candy melts for the pretzels!

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 3 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

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Ingredients You Need To Make Muddy Buddies

• Chex Cereal. You can make gluten-free muddy buddies with either Rice Chex or Corn Chex (or a mix!). I usually go for Corn Chex or a 50/50 mix of corn and rice Chex, but this part is personal preference.
• Chocolate Chips. Most Muddy Buddy recipes recommend semi-sweet chocolate chips, but I really love dark chocolate chips here since there’s the powdered sugar adds plenty of sweetness. Use your favorite! (Milk chocolate chips will be too sweet!)
• Peanut Butter. You can use either classic peanut butter (like Jif, Skippy, etc.) or natural peanut butter (with just peanuts + salt) to make muddy buddies. We’ve used both with great results. I do prefer creamy peanut butter/smooth peanut butter over crunchy peanut butter/chunky peanut butter.
• Butter. This helps the chocolate peanut butter mixture blend extra glossy and smooth.
• Vanilla. The subtle notes that vanilla extract adds are LOVELY!
• Salt. This is one of THE BEST things you can add to puppy chow to make it taste amazing! A little salt makes the chocolate and peanut butter flavors taste more vibrant, AND it helps balance all the sweetness from the powdered sugar! Speaking of which…
• Powdered Sugar. Last, but not least, you’ll need some powdered sugar. After coating the cereal in a melty chocolate peanut butter mixture, you’ll toss it in powdered sugar to coat it. This powdered sugar coating gives muddy buddies their signature look!

How To Make Gluten-Free Muddy Buddies, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Measure Cereal. Add the cereal to a very large bowl, (your largest mixing bowl!) and set aside. 
2. Melt. In a medium or small microwavable bowl, combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter. Melt in the microwave in 15-20 second increments, stirring between each interval, until the chocolate mixture is smooth and no lumps remain. Add in the vanilla and salt and stir to combine. (If you prefer, you can melt these ingredients together in a small saucepan on the stove over low heat))
3. Coat. Pour the melted chocolate over the cereal and gently stir with a spatula to coat the cereal evenly with the chocolate peanut butter mixture. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so the chocolate mixture ends up on the cereal, not the bowl! (You want all the cereal pieces coated with chocolate peanut butter goodness!)
4. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and stir to coat the cereal evenly in the powdered sugar. 
5. Optional: Chill. If you’d like to form clusters, chill the muddy buddies in the refrigerator or freezer for about 30 minutes. (This goes faster if you spread the coated cereal mixture out in a single layer on a large baking sheet or pan lined with parchment paper.) 
6. Serve & Store. Enjoy right away, or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days. 

OR, USE A BAG. Alternatively, you can add the cereal and other ingredients to a large ziploc bag/plastic bag to combine them, but I find you lose a lot of the chocolate mixture to the sides of the bag and it’s harder to see if the cereal has been evenly coated. If you’re using this method, add cereal to the large bag. Pour chocolate mixture over the cereal in the bag. Seal the bag and shake to coat the cereal. Add powdered sugar, close bag, and shake to coat with powdered sugar. 

3 Secrets For The Best Gluten-Free Puppy Chow

1. Switch Up Your Ratios

Our gluten-free muddy buddy recipe uses a slightly different recipe than the original Chex Muddy Buddies recipe. We use a little less cereal, a little more peanut butter, and we add salt to balance the flavors. This helps each piece of cereal get more fully coated in the chocolate peanut butter mixture and makes the flavor even better!

2. Use A Bowl

If you really want to coat the cereal evenly, the best way is to use a large mixing bowl instead of a large ziplock bag for mixing. When you use a bag, some of the chocolate mixture ends up sticking to the sides of the bag instead of the cereal. When you use a bowl, you can scrape up every last bit of the chocolate peanut butter mixture and get it on the cereal! It’s also easier to see when everything’s been coated evenly.

3. Try Chilling Them!

My family often popped our puppy chow in the fridge or freezer to help it set up faster. This also helps you get delicious muddy buddy clusters since some pieces will set together as they chill. YUM. These are THE BEST!

Simple Ingredients

• Rice Chex & Corn Chex. Since we’re making a gluten-free chex mix recipe, I use a mix of gluten-free cereals. I like mixing Rice Chex & Corn Chex for the combination of colors and flavors, though you can absolutely do all of one flavor or the other!
• Cheerios. Next up is plain Cheerios. They add a nice crunch and subtle shape. Sometimes choose the multigrain Cheerios for a bit more color. Use whichever you like!
• Gluten-Free Pretzels. Now for a little SALTY! I like the Snyder’s gluten-free pretzels for this, but Glutino gluten-free pretzels are another good choice. Some 4th of July Chex Mix recipes use pretzel sticks, but I like regular pretzel twists so the shapes are a bit more uniform and easier to snack on.
• Salted Peanuts. I love sweet and salty snacks! Make sure you pick up salted peanuts that are made with just peanuts, oil and salt (or dry roasted peanuts with just peanuts & salt). Some salty peanuts also have other seasonings like garlic or onion that will MAJORLY throw off the flavor. (Bleh!)
• Red, White & Blue M&Ms. Now for some cute holiday color! Red, White and Blue M&Ms add a fun touch of patriotic colors to this festive 4th of July snack mix and give it it’s signature Independence day look! If you can’t find red, white, and blue m&ms, you can just use the red and blue m&ms from a regular bag.
• White Chocolate Melts Or Vanilla Almond Bark. Lastly, to bind all the snack mix ingredients together, you’ll use a bit of vanilla almond bark (easiest to work with!), white chocolate candy melts (that come in wafers) or some white chocolate chips (like Ghirardelli or Guittard).
• Red, White, and Blue Sprinkles. For a cute look at the end, you can use a few shakes of sprinkles. We love nonpareils or jimmies for this job, but check out our Sprinkles 101 post to find other shapes that can work! (Get 10% off your order at Sweetapolita with my link!)
• A BIG Bowl! You’ll need your biggest mixing bowl to stir all this goodness together. The bigger the better!

How To Make Red, White & Blue Snack Mix, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Prep Your Station. Spread out a few sheets of parchment paper (I like to put mine on a cookie sheet for stability, but feel free to spread the parchment out on your counter).
2. Combine The Red, White & Blue Chex Mix Ingredients. Set aside half of the red white and blue M&M candy to decorate with at the end. In a very large bowl (your largest large mixing bowl), combine rice Chex, corn Chex, Cheerios, gluten-free pretzels, half of the m&ms, and the peanuts (if using).
3. Melt The White Chocolate Coating. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt vanilla almond bark in 20-30 second increments, stirring well after each interval until the white chocolate coating is smooth and has no lumps. (You can also do this on the stovetop in a double boiler, if you prefer)
4. Drizzle & Stir. Pour the melted chocolate over the cereal mixture and quickly stir to combine. (You want to coat everything well with the white chocolate mixture, but work quickly since the candy melts will start to cool and harden.)
5. Spread Out, Sprinkle & Cool. Transfer the coated cereal into a single layer on your prepared sheets of parchment, and immediately sprinkle on the second half of the m&ms and the sprinkles (if using), and let it cool to set. It will form some clusters as it cools. I like to leave some larger sections and some smaller sections rather than breaking it all up.
6. Serve & Store. Once the chocolate is all set, enjoy it right away, or transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature on the counter up to 1 week.

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best 4th of July Chex mix

What Can I Use Instead Of Peanuts? If you’ve got a peanut allergy, feel free to swap them for more cereal, pretzels, or other nuts instead.

Our Favorite Way To Package Chex Mix For Gifting. Whenever we’re packaging up Patriotic Chex Mix for giving to friends or neighbors, I like to scoop it into these large treat bags and tie it with a cute ribbon, like red and white striped ribbon, red polka dot ribbon, or red velvet ribbon for a fun, patriotic look.

Can I Make This Dairy-Free? If you use dairy-free white chocolate/candy coating & swap out the m&m’s for a dairy-free chocolate candy, like Unreal candies, ChocoNoNo’s or Little Secrets, this 4th of July snack mix recipe CAN be dairy-free!

Variations & Substitutions: Feel free to add other mix-ins! Sometimes I’ll swap the milk chocolate m&ms for peanut butter m&ms (so good!) or add a handful or two of gluten-free peanut butter stuffed pretzel nuggets at the end. Some people even like mini marshmallows, or red white & blue candy corn, though that tends to run a bit sweet for my taste. You can also substitute 2 cups of the Chex for plain popped popcorn!

More 4th Of July Recipes To Try

Gluten-Free Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Gluten-Free Strawberry Crisp

Gluten-Free S’mores Bars

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4th of July Chex Mix (Red White & Blue!)

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

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• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 15
• Yield: 9–10 cups 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Our crispy, crunchy Gluten-Free Patriotic Chex Mix recipe is an easy summer treat to share with friends. Don’t miss our tips for making it extra pretty below!

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Ingredients

• 2 cups Rice Chex Cereal
• 2 cups Corn Chex Cereal
• 1 1/2 cups Cheerios Cereal
• 2 1/2 cups Gluten-Free Pretzels, like Snyder’s Gluten-Free* (I prefer twists over sticks)
• 1 cup Salted Peanuts (just salted, not seasoned peanuts)
• 1 cup red, white & blue M&Ms candies* (I use milk chocolate, or peanut butter m&ms)
• 16 ounces Vanilla Almond Bark, White Candy Melts, or White Chocolate Chips**

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Instructions

1. Prep Your Station. Spread out a few sheets of parchment paper (I like to put mine on a baking sheet for stability, but feel free to spread the parchment out on your counter).
2. Combine The Red, White & Blue Chex Mix Ingredients. Set aside half of the M&Ms to decorate with at the end. In your largest large bowl, combine rice Chex, corn Chex, Cheerios, gluten-free pretzels, half of the m&ms, and the peanuts (if using).
3. Melt The White Chocolate Coating. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt vanilla almond bark in 20-30 second intervals, stirring well after each interval until the white chocolate coating is smooth and has no lumps. (You can also do this on the stovetop in a double boiler, if you prefer)
4. Drizzle & Stir. Pour the melted vanilla bark/candy melts over the cereal mixture and quickly stir to combine. (You want to coat everything well with the white chocolate mixture, but work quickly since the candy melts will start to cool and harden.)
5. Spread Out, Sprinkle & Cool. Transfer the coated cereal onto your prepared sheets of parchment, and immediately sprinkle on the second half of the red, white & blue m&ms and the sprinkles (if using), and let it cool to set. It will form some clusters as it cools. I like to leave some larger sections and some smaller sections rather than breaking it all up.
6. Serve & Store. Once the chocolate is all set, enjoy it right away, or transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature on the counter up to 1 week.

Notes

*3 Tricks For Prettier Presentation:

1. First, consider holding back a handful or two of the m&m candies and adding those after you spread the Chex Mix out to dry. Then some of the m&ms will be coated in the white chocolate and some will be easily visible. Since we want people to know we’re making this Chex mix with m&ms, it makes the red, pink, and white pop more!
2. Second, add a few sprinkles. Just a little sprinkle of some nonpareil sprinkles or jimmies sprinkles adds a fun, festive touch! 100% unnecessary flavor-wise, but 100% cute looks-wise!
3. Dip some pretzels first. If you really want to go all out, you can lightly dip 1/2-3/4 cup of the pretzels into the melted almond bark, sprinkle them with sprinkles, and set them aside on a piece of parchment paper to dry before pouring the rest of the melted almond bark over the cereal/pretzel/candy mixture. This will give you a few really pretty pretzels that stand out! (But this is 100% cosmetic!)

**If you use chocolate chips instead of candy melts/almond bark, you may want to add 1 Tablespoon of oil or coconut oil to help it melt more smoothly.

• Prep Time: 15
• Cook Time: 2
• Category: Dessert
• Method: No-Bake
• Cuisine: American

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PS – LOVE a seasonal snack mix? Try our Bunny Bait for Easter, this Valentine’s Chex Mix, or our classic Christmas Chex!

Here’s What You Need To Make These Epic Brownies

• Chocolate Chips. I use semisweet chocolate chips for both the brownie base and the crunch topping. It’s the perfect sweet spot between milk chocolate (too sweet for these!) and dark chocolate (too bitter for these).
• Butter. Next up is some butter. These brownies should work with dairy-free butter/vegan butter sticks if you want to keep them dairy-free, but I love the flavor of classic butter.
• Vanilla. Some vanilla extract plays up the notes in the chocolate. Lovely.
• Sugar. Dissolving the sugar properly in the eggs is the secret for glossy-top brownies. Don’t rush this step later!
• Eggs. Two large eggs give these brownies the perfect puff and chewiness.
• Gluten-Free Flour. I’m keeping things simple with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Our go-to is this measure-for-measure gluten-free flour from King Arthur. We use it for all our cookies, brownies, and more.
• Cocoa Powder. Unsweetened cocoa powder (natural cocoa not Dutch-processed) is my go-to for these brownies. I use Hershey’s brand most of the time since it’s easy to find, affordable, and consistent in quality and texture.
• Kosher Salt. Then, some salt balances the flavors. I’m using kosher salt, but if you use fine table salt, be sure to use a little less than I do!
• Our Easy Crunch Topping. Made from melted chocolate, butter, and gluten-free crisp rice cereal, this crunch topping tastes and feels like a classic Crunch bar! It’s what puts these brownies over the top. Just make sure you use gluten-free crisp rice cereal to make them. (Rice Krispies brand is NOT gluten-free!)

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How To Make Crunch Bar Brownies, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

Start With The Brownie Base

1. Preheat The Oven & Prep The Pan. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 metal baking pan with parchment paper. (Use metal instead of glass or ceramic, or the brownies will climb the sides of the pan.)
2. Melt The Chocolate & Butter. In a small saucepan, gently melt the chocolate and butter together. on low heat, stirring until smooth. You can also do this in a microwave-safe bowl, melting in 20-30 second increments in the microwave, stirring after each interval.
3. Stir In The Vanilla, and mix until smooth and glossy.
4. Whip Sugar & Eggs. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and eggs. Whisk or beat until the sugar has dissolved and the egg mixture has lightened in color significantly. (When you rub the mixture between your fingers, there should be almost no grit at all.) This will take several minutes by hand, or 2-3 minutes with a hand mixer.
5. Combine Eggs. & Chocolate. Pour the partially cooled mixture into the egg mixture and stir to combine.
6. Mix In Dry Ingredients. Add gluten-free flour, cocoa powder and salt to the batter and stir until just combined and no dry patches remain.
7. Pour Into The Pan & Bake. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-23 minutes, or until the brownies are set on the top. (Try not to over-bake here or the brownies will go dry.)
8. Cool Completely Before Topping. Let the brownies cool to room temperature before adding the crunch topping. (You can speed this up by popping them into the fridge to cool down)

Then, Make The Chocolate Crunch Topping

1. Melt Chocolate & Butter. In a clean saucepan, gently melt the chocolate and butter together until smooth. This mixture will be thicker than what you used for the brownie batter. If it’s getting difficult to stir, you can add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to help, but this isn’t necessary. (Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate and butter in 20-30 second increments in a microwave safe bowl)
2. Mix In Cereal. Add the cereal to the chocolate and stir to coat well.
3. Top The Brownies. Pour the chocolate/cereal mixture onto the cooled brownies and gently smooth it out into an even layer. Chill the brownies in the fridge 30-60 minutes to allow the chocolate to set.
4. Serve & Store. Cut the brownies into squares or rectangles and enjoy! Keep leftover brownies in the fridge 2-3 days, or freeze up to 2 months in an airtight container or bag.

FAQ + Tips For The BEst Crunch Bar Brownies

Make Sure You Use Gluten-Free Cereal! Rice Krispies cereal brand is NOT gluten-free. It contains malt, which is not gluten-free. To make these brownies gluten-free, you must use one of these brands of certified gluten-free crisp rice cereal. We usually reach for Barbara’s or Aldi brands.

Our Favorite Brownie Pan. Time and time again, we reach for this metal square 8-inch pan for brownies and bars of all kinds. It’s durable, easy to clean, and uses a light metal so it bakes evenly. (Dark pans can scorch the outside of the bake before the centers are done.)

Do You Have To Refrigerate Crunch Brownies? Our gluten-free crunch bar brownies should do just fine at room temperature for 1-2 days, but we usually store them in the fridge so they last 3-4 days. I pull them out before serving them so they can come up to room temperature and that works well for me!

Cut Small Slices. These epic brownies are fairly rich, so smaller brownies are better. I usually cut them into 9 large squares then cut each square in half again for a total of 18 rectangles. This is great for a dessert bar, treat plate, or buffet. If these are the only dessert out there, you may prefer cutting them into 16 squares (4 rows & 4 columns).

Can I Use A Box Brownie Mix Instead? I really love our from-scratch brownies for this recipe, but box mix brownies work great, too! Our favorite gluten-free brownie mix is this one.

More Gluten-Free Oreo Treats To Try

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Gluten-Free Oreo Brownies

Gluten-Free Toffee Brownies

Recipe Card

Gluten-Free Crunch Bar Brownies

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5 from 1 review

• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 16–20 brownies 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Made with fudgy gluten-free brownies and a chocolate crisp topping, these gluten-free crunch brownies channel all the flavor and texture of the classic candy bar!

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Ingredients

For The Brownie Layer:

• 1 1/3 cups (8 ounces/226 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 5 Tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup (40 grams) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour
• 3 Tablespoons (24 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder*
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (use less if using fine table salt)

For The Crunch Topping:

• 2 cups (12 oz./340 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 4 Tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free crisp rice cereal**

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Instructions

First, Make The Brownie Base:

1. Preheat The Oven & Prep The Pan. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 metal baking pan with parchment paper. (Use metal instead of glass or ceramic, or the brownies will climb the sides of the pan.)
2. Melt The Chocolate & Butter. In a small saucepan, gently melt the chocolate and butter together. on low heat, stirring until smooth. You can also do this in a microwave-safe bowl, melting in 20-30 second increments in the microwave, stirring after each interval. Remove the pan from the heat.
3. Stir In The Vanilla, and mix until smooth and glossy.
4. Whip Sugar & Eggs. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and eggs. Whisk or beat until the sugar has dissolved and the egg mixture has lightened in color significantly. (When you rub the mixture between your fingers, there should be almost no grit at all.) This will take several minutes by hand, or 2-3 minutes with a hand mixer.
5. Combine Eggs. & Chocolate. Pour the partially cooled mixture into the egg mixture and stir to combine.
6. Mix In Dry Ingredients. Add gluten-free flour, cocoa powder and salt to the batter and stir until just combined and no dry patches remain.
7. Pour Into The Pan & Bake. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-23 minutes, or until the brownies are set on the top. (Try not to over-bake here or the brownies will go dry.)
8. Cool Completely Before Topping. Let the brownies cool to room temperature before adding the crunch topping. (You can speed this up by popping them into the fridge to cool down)

Then Make The Crunch Topping

1. Melt Chocolate & Butter. In a clean saucepan, gently melt the chocolate and butter together until smooth. This mixture will be thicker than what you used for the brownie batter. If it’s getting difficult to stir, you can add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to help, but this isn’t necessary. (Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate and butter in 20-30 second increments in a microwave safe bowl)
2. Mix In Cereal. Add the cereal to the chocolate and stir to coat well.
3. Top The Brownies. Pour the chocolate/cereal mixture onto the cooled brownies and gently smooth it out into an even layer. Chill the brownies in the fridge 30-60 minutes to allow the chocolate to set.
4. Serve & Store. Cut the brownies into squares or rectangles and enjoy! Keep leftover brownies in the fridge 2-3 days, or freeze up to 2 months in an airtight container or bag.

Notes

*I use regular unsweetened cocoa rather than dark cocoa/Dutch-processed cocoa. It’s personal preference, but I think the regular cocoa complements the crunch topping better!

**Be sure your crisp rice cereal is certified gluten-free. (Rice Krispies brand contains malt and is NOT gluten-free) We like Barbara’s or Aldi brands!

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

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