Gluten-Free Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats
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Our gluten-free Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats are a delicious twist on a classic! Made with REAL strawberry flavor, this no-bake treat is the perfect dessert for warmer weather!
If you’ve been here a minute, you know I LOVE a twist on classic Rice Krispies treats, whether it’s Peanut Butter, M&Ms, or Brown Butter. I’m always on the lookout for new variations to try, and, after a few tests, I can say these strawberry crispy treats are another fun twist!
Instead of strawberry extract, strawberry cake mix, or strawberry Jell-o, our Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats recipe gets real strawberry flavor from freeze-dried strawberries!
The end result is a fun no-bake treat with a cheerful pink and red hue that’s perfect whether you’re serving them for Valentine’s Day, a 4th of July BBQ, or a birthday party.
Even better? You only need 6 simple ingredients to get started…
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.
Ingredient Check: Is It Gluten-Free?
Rice Krispies cereal is NOT gluten-free (it’s made with malt syrup, which is made from barley and contains gluten), so to keep these Celiac safe, you MUST use a gluten-free crispy rice cereal. We have good luck with Aldi & One Degree brands.
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.
- 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.
- Grind Strawberries. Add 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries to a food processor or blender and pulse or puree until you have a fine powder.
- Set Aside Some Marshmallows. Place 1 cup of marshmallows off to the side (we’ll add these later!).
- 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!
- Add Strawberry Powder, Vanilla & Salt to the marshmallow mixture and stir to combine.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
FAQ + Tricks For The Best Strawberry Rice KRispie Treats
Can I Use Fresh Strawberries Instead? No. Fresh strawberries or frozen strawberries are too wet and pulpy to work in this recipe. They’ll make the cereal soggy. Instead, you’ll need to use freeze-dried strawberries (which are NOT the same as dehydrated or dried strawberries). They should be bright red and crisp in texture.
A Trick For Great Texture. My ideal strawberry rice crispy treats have some softness and gooeyness from the marshmallow mixture, but still have a light crispy texture that’s not too dense. My secret? Don’t pack them down too tightly! Use gentle pressure to spread them into an even layer and GENTLY pat them down, then let them cool.
How Long Do These Last? The freeze dried strawberries will start to soften with time, so for best results, I recommend eating these on day 1. That said, they will keep 2-3 days in an airtight bag at room temperature, with the strawberries softening over time.
Try Some White Chocolate! If you’re making these for a special occasion, you can drizzle or dip them in some melted white chocolate (or white chocolate/vanilla candy melts!)
🌟 Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Gluten-Free Strawberry Rice Krispies Treats recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Gluten-Free Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- 2 cups freeze-dried strawberries separated*
- 5 cups gluten-free crisp rice cereal*
- 6 Tablespoons butter
- 10 oz. mini marshmallows
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- 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.
- Grind Strawberries. Add 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries to a food processor or blender and pulse or puree until you have a fine powder.
- Set Aside Some Marshmallows. Place 1 cup of marshmallows off to the side (we’ll add these later!).
- 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!
- Add Strawberry Powder, Vanilla & Salt to the marshmallow mixture and stir to combine.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Notes
- Strawberries. Make sure you’re using FREEZE-DRIED strawberries, not dried strawberries, candied strawberries, frozen strawberries, or fresh strawberries. You’ll need just under a 1 ounce bag for this recipe.
- Crisp Rice Cereal. Rice Krispies brand cereal is NOT gluten-free (it contains malt syrup, which contains gluten). Be sure to buy a certified gluten-free brand of crisp rice cereal for this recipe. We have good luck with Aldi’s brand or Nature’s Path. (You want CRISP rice cereal, not puffed rice cereal!)
- Marshmallows. Use FRESH marshmallows here, or they won’t melt properly!
Video
Find the recipe:
sweetsandthankyou.com/strawberry-rice-krispie-treats/
These are so fun and delicious. I think the strawberry is a great spin on a classic. Turned out so well
As always, her recipes worked perfectly. This was perfect for my girls night! Very aesthetic but also delicious.
YAY! I’m so glad, Magnolia! You made my day with this review. Thank you so much for taking the time to share!