Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats Recipe (2024)

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by Alea Milham 36 Comments

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Everyone remembers the old story about Santa leaving a lump of coal in your stocking if you are on the naughty list. This year, you can leave these Lump Of Coal Rice Krispie Treats instead! Your kids will love finding a delicious snack in their stocking and you get to have fun with the story of telling them they are on the naughty list.

Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats Recipe (1)

Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats Recipe (2)

This recipe for Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats is super easy to make. It’s a basic rice cereal and marshmallow treat recipe with the addition of my favorite cookie, Oreo’s. With crushed Oreo cookies and some black food coloring, you can turn a plain rice Krispie treats into a little lump of coal. This recipe is perfect for sharing around the holiday season.

If you want to use less food coloring and you have Cocoa Krispies and Chocolate Oreos available, then try our Double Chocolate Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats Recipe.

Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 3cups miniature marshmallows or 30 large marshmallows
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
  • 4cups ricecereal (reduce to 3 cups if you want softer coal)
  • 1 1/2 cups crushed Oreo cookies, loosely packed (best to leave the filling in the cookies)
  • 4 – 10 dropsblack gel food coloring(enough to turn the melted marshmallows black. The amount required will dependon the brand you use). We have found this super black gel food coloris able to darken the marshmallow with the fewest drops.

Directions:

1. In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, heat your marshmallows and butter for 60-90 seconds. Until the butter and marshmallow are melted.
2. Stir your marshmallows and mix in your food coloring until you achieve the desired color.

Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats Recipe (3)
3. Now mix in your rice cereal and the crushed Oreo cookies. Use a heavy metal spoon as it is quite hard to stir all of the Rice Krispies.

Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats Recipe (4)
Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats Recipe (5)
4. Let sit for about 5 minutes until your marshmallows cool down
6. Use a tablespoon to scoop out your treats onto a piece of parchment paper.

Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats Recipe (6)
Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats Recipe (7)
7. Let cool for 20 – 30 minutes.
8. Pack your treats a little more tightly by using your hands.

The final product will be harder, denser, and drier than your traditional Rice Krispies treats,but the Oreos will make it more flavorful.

Note about color: Some people have found that their food dye did not do an adequate job of coloring the Rice Krispies treats. One of my friends had this happen to her and she used Wilton Black Color Mist to give them an extra coat of black color of her lumps of coal.

Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats Recipe (8)
Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats Recipe (9)

This is such a fun idea for Christmas! Make these lump of coal Rice Krispie treats and store in paper bags marked with “coal” on the outside. Slip them inside your kids’ stockings or gift them to your friends and family as a fun anddelicious holiday treat.

Printable Recipe for Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats

Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats Recipe (10)

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5 from 8 votes

Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats Recipe

This fun Christmas dessert is made by shaping chocolate Rice Krispie Treats into the shape of lumps of coal.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats

Servings 24

Author Alea Milham

Ingredients

  • 3 cups miniature marshmallows
  • Tablespoons butter
  • 3 - 4 cups rice cereal use 3 cups for softer "coal"
  • cups crushed Oreo cookies loosely packed (best to leave the filling in)
  • 4 - 10 drops black gel food coloring

Instructions

  • In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, heat your marshmallows and butter for 60-90 seconds.

  • Stir your marshmallows and mix in your food coloring until you achieve the desired color.

  • Mix in your rice cereal and crushed Oreo cookies.

  • Let sit for about 5 minutes until your marshmallows cool down.

  • Use a tablespoon to scoop out your treats onto a piece of parchment paper.

  • Cool for 20 - 30 minutes.

  • Pack your treats a little more tightly by using your hands.

More Christmas Cookies and Desserts:

Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats Recipe (11)

Christmas Tree Chocolate Bark

Peppermint Chocolate Drizzled Popcorn

Christmas Sugar Cookie Recipe

Tips For Creating The Perfect Gingerbread House

Christmas Chocolate Drop Cookies

Mocha Fudge made with Espresso Crystals

Peppermint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Postcard Gingerbread Cookies

About Alea Milham

Alea Milham is the owner of Premeditated Leftovers and the author of Prep-Ahead Meals from Scatch. She shares her tips for saving money and time while reducing waste in her home. Her favorite hobby, gardening, is a frugal source of organic produce for her recipes. She believes it is possible to live fully and eat well while spending less.

Comments

  1. Donna @ Modern on Monticello says

    Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats Recipe (12)
    Such a fun new way to make these! Kids and adults will love them. This post will be a feature this week. Thanks for sharing it. #HomeMattersParty

    Reply

  2. Sarah Hill says

    How long do they last for?

    Reply

  3. Sophia says

    Can you freeze these?

    Reply

  4. Jess says

    Is it really just 1 & 1/2 tablespoons of butter? Why so little butter? (lol). I know these are not your “normal” rice krispy treats, and although Im used to making regular rice krispy treats, this doesn’t seem like its enough butter?

    Reply

    • Alea Milham says

      Since we leave the filling in the Oreos, you don’t need as much butter.

      Reply

  5. Lauren says

    Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats Recipe (14)
    Thank you! I came here specifically looking for a tip on the oreo creme center and i liked that you mentioned to keep it in there. The food coloring tip was a life saver. I had 2 separate brands that didnt work at all. One turned it blue and the other light grey.

    Reply

  6. Emily says

    Does it matter if you use salted or unsalted butter?

    Reply

    • Alea Milham says

      No, it doesn’t.

      Reply

  7. Julie C says

    These turned out great! Very easy and they look like perfect lumps of coal! I used Wilton Color Right base black – part of their performance color system (which I don’t have). It took A LOT of the food coloring but it turned out!

    Reply

  8. Cathy says

    How crushed should the oreos be? Should they be small crumbs like when put into a food processor? Or just crushed by hand with larger pieces of crumbs?
    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Alea Milham says

      I crushed them by hand.

      Reply

  9. Lauren says

    Can I use regular black food coloring instead of gel? I understand the results will vary but I plan on buying the black food mist as well, just wanted to know if the regular food coloring will work at all.

    Every year we do a Christmas treat exchange with my husbands family- these are gonna be a hit!?

    Reply

    • Alea Milham says

      Yes, you can.

      Reply

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Lump of Coal Rice Krispie Treats Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you put too much butter in Rice Krispie Treats? ›

What happens if you put too much butter in Rice Krispies Treats? If you put too much butter in rice krispies treats they will become oily, the cereal will soak up the butter and the treats will become soggy, rather than crispy.

Why are my homemade rice crispy treats so hard? ›

If you melt the marshmallows too fast, it might result in a Rice Kripsy treat that is harder and crunchy than chewy. Take your time and let the butter and marshmallows melt slowly. Use an 8×8 or slightly smaller pan. Use a small and deep pan if you want thick and chewy rice Krispy treats.

How do you keep homemade rice krispies from getting hard? ›

Don't crank the heat on the stovetop too high.

High heat is the prime culprit for rock hard rice krispie treats. → Follow this tip: It will take a few more minutes of cook time, but melt the butter and marshmallows over low heat. You'll be rewarded with delicious, soft and chewy treats!

Why are my Rice Krispie Treats falling apart? ›

An important factor in a rice krispie treat recipe is the ratio of marshmallow to cereal. Too much cereal and the squares will taste dry, crunchy, and bland. Too much marshmallow and the squares will be too sticky and fall apart.

Can you use hard marshmallows for rice crispy treats? ›

Recipe Notes

* Make sure your marshmallows are fresh. Stale, hard marshmallows won't result in nice, chewy bars. ** Any brand is fine, but be sure the cereal you use is fresh. Stale cereal will make for stale-tasting Rice Crispy Treats.

What happens if you add too much butter? ›

Too much butter in your baked goods would give them different texture (flat, greasy..).

Why won t my Rice Krispies harden? ›

There are a couple of reasons your treats might have come out soggy or too soft. First, your cereal might be too old. Check the expiration and make sure the crispy rice cereal is nice and fresh for the best texture! Second, you may have used too much butter.

How do you fix dry rice crispy treats? ›

Another addition that can bring Rice Krispie treats to a whole other level, and make them softer and more moist, is sweetened condensed milk. In fact, it can keep these sweets from being too dry and chewy from the moment that you bite into them.

How far in advance can you make rice crispy treats? ›

Allow to thaw at room temperature before serving. Make-ahead- I truly believe the best rice krispies are the ones fresh from the pan but if you want to make them in advance remember to make them no more than 3 days before you plan to serve them or freeze them right away.

Can you cut Rice Krispie treats with a cookie cutter? ›

Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 15 x 10 x 1-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool slightly. Using cookie cutters coated with cooking spray cut into desired shapes. Decorate with frosting and/or candies.

Should I keep Rice Krispie treats in the fridge? ›

Puffed Rice treats can be stored at room temperature in air tight containment (zip-top bag with no air in it), for 1 to 2 days without any ill effect. They keep longer than they last, if you get my drift. You can refrigerate them.

Can I freeze Rice Krispie treats? ›

Storage and Freezing Instructions:

If you want to store them for longer than two days, try freezing them. To Freeze: Allow these gooey Rice Krispie Treats to cool completely and cut them into squares. Freeze in an airtight container, or wrap each square in a piece of plastic wrap and place them in a gallon freezer bag.

How do you cleanly cut Rice Krispie Treats? ›

Use a very sharp knife that cuts smoothly through the treats. You can also set the knife in the fridge (along with the treats) or even the freezer (so it's extra cold). But best of all: butter or grease your knife to keep it from sticking to the bars. You'll have less mess!

Is it bad to eat a lot of rice crispy treats? ›

Besides the fortified cereal's iron, folate, and B vitamins, the packaged version of Rice Krispie Treats has virtually no nutritional value. It also has too much added sugar which can affect blood sugar. The homemade version is significantly less unhealthy.

How do you keep rice crispy treats from sticking to the pan? ›

Grease a 9×13 pan with non-stick spray, pour the Rice Krispie Treat mixture into the pan.

Why are my Rice Krispie treats not crispy? ›

There are a couple of reasons your treats might have come out soggy or too soft. First, your cereal might be too old. Check the expiration and make sure the crispy rice cereal is nice and fresh for the best texture! Second, you may have used too much butter.

Why are my chocolate rice krispie Cakes soggy? ›

Stale cereal can lead to a less-than-crispy result, so always ensure your cereal is fresh and at its best. 3. Gentle Mixing: When stirring the melted marshmallows or chocolate into the cereal, be gentle and avoid overmixing. This will help keep the airiness and crunch intact.

Are Rice Krispie treats a bad snack? ›

They are mostly high-glycemic carbs (meaning the type that spike energy quickly), Collingwood says. Other than some iron and B vitamins (thanks to the fortified cereal they're made with), they have little nutritional value. You'll still need to focus on a healthy diet throughout the rest of your day, Collingwood says.

Why do Rice Krispies snap? ›

Once the Rice Krispies hit the cereal bowl and absorb liquid (milk), the moisture content increases and the kernel goes from glassy to rubbery. The pockets of trapped air release as the walls of the kernel are weakened, which in turn break the parts of the structure that are still glassy, forcing the Snap! Crackle!

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