Erin’s Recipe Rundown
I set out to turn gluten-free crispy treat recipe into a festive holiday dessert everyone will love.
With an extra layer of flavor from the browned butter and shaped into the cutest little trees, these Christmas tree crispy treats are just as fun to make as they are to eat!
Why You’ll Love It: It’s so fun to press these crispy treats into a round cake pan, then slice them into little trees. You can decorate them however you like—I love adding a drizzle of white chocolate and a handful of sprinkles.
Top Tip: Look for crispy rice cereal that is gluten-free and doesn’t contain barley malt. Unfortunately, Kellogg’s Rice Krispies are not gluten-free. I also use the large Snyder’s gluten-free pretzel rods for the trunks.
For more gluten-free crispy rice treats, try these white chocolate peppermint rice krispies treats, peanut butter balls, Scotcheroos, or Oreo rice krispies treats.
xoxo erin
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make these Christmas tree crispy treats. Jump to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
Gluten-free crispy rice cereal: It’s a bummer, but Kellogg’s doesn’t offer gluten-free Rice Krispies. Luckily, other brands do! Some of my favorite gluten-free options are from Malt-O-Meal, Wegmans, and Aldi (Millville).
Gluten-free pretzels: Be sure to use certified gluten-free pretzel sticks for the tree trunks! For more information, check out this article on are pretzels gluten-free.
Marshmallows: I find mini marshmallows melt more easily, just make sure they’re fresh! Stale marshmallows don’t melt well and can mess with the texture. They’re typically gluten-free, but this article on are marshmallows gluten-free may help!
How to Make Christmas Tree Crispy Treats
Here’s an overview of how to make this recipe. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
I love brown butter: It adds a warm, nutty flavor that takes these treats to a whole new level. As soon as the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty, quickly remove it from the heat so it doesn’t burn.
Make and cool: Stir in the marshmallows until melted, then add the vanilla, salt, and food coloring. Once the mixture is smooth, mix in the cereal until it’s evenly coated. Press the coated cereal into a 9″ round pan and let it cool until set.
Cut and add trunks: After 20 minutes, the treats should be set enough to remove from the pan and cut into 8 wedges. Press a gluten-free pretzel stick into the bottom of each wedge to create the tree trunks.
Decorate: I melt the white chocolate in the microwave, stirring incrementally, until fully melted. Pour the chocolate into a zipped-top bag, snip the corner, and drizzle the it over the trees. Add some fun sprinkles as ornaments. These crispy treats are the cutest!
MORE CHRISTMAS TREATS
Christmas Tree Crispy Treats
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons (85g) butter
- 1 10-ounce bag (283g) mini marshmallows
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 drop green food coloring
- 6 cups (150g) gluten-free crispy rice cereal
- 8 gluten-free pretzel sticks
- ½ cup (85g) white chocolate chips
- sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Spray a 9-inch round pan with cooking spray.
- Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Once the butter is melted and begins to foam, stir continuously to prevent the milk solids from sticking to the skillet. When the butter changes from yellow to golden brown and has a nutty aroma (this happens quickly), remove from the heat.
- Add the marshmallows and stir until almost completely melted. Add the vanilla, salt and food coloring and stir until smooth. Add the cereal and mix until evenly incorporated.
- Press the cereal into an even layer in the prepared pan. Cool for 20 minutes.
- Once the treats have set, use a sharp knife to cut the circle into 8 equal wedges. Press a gluten-free pretzel stick “trunk” into the bottom of each tree.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate for 20-second increments at 50% power, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth. Transfer the melted chocolate to a zipped-top bag and snip the corner. Drizzle the white chocolate over each tree and top with sprinkles.
