howtomakecerealtreats.com

  • recipes
    • fun party treats
    • holiday treats
  • cookbooks
  • about
  • subscribe
  • marshmallow conversion
  • traditional flavors
  • seasonal flavors
  • kid's cereal treats
  • FAQ
menu icon
go to homepage
  • recipes
  • cookbooks
  • about
  • marshmallows
  • subscribe
  • tips for making treats
  • traditional flavors
  • fun party treats
  • holiday treats
  • kid's cereal treats
  • seasonal flavors
  • vegan and gluten-free
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • recipes
  • cookbooks
  • about
  • marshmallows
  • subscribe
  • tips for making treats
  • traditional flavors
  • fun party treats
  • holiday treats
  • kid's cereal treats
  • seasonal flavors
  • vegan and gluten-free
×
Home » Recipes » traditional flavors

Pink Rice Krispie Treats

Modified: Feb 12, '23 · Published: Feb 11, '23 · By: Beth Klosterboer · Commission earned on paid or sponsored links.

Jump to Recipe

Marshmallow cereal treats can be pretty in pink and they are super easy to make using just four ingredients.

Pink Rice Krispie Treats in three different shades of pink

Whether you want to make light pink Rice Krispie treats for a baby shower, medium pink treats for Valentine's Day, or bright pink treats for a birthday party, you can do so by simply adding pink food coloring to our Best Rice Krispie Treat recipe.

The trick is knowing when to add the coloring and how much coloring to use to get the desired shade of pink.

Keep reading and I'll tell you how.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Color the melted marshmallows.
  • Variations
  • Equipment
  • Storage
  • Recipe
  • Pink Rice Krispie Treats
  • Large Batch 
  • Microwave Melting Method:
  • Storage
  • Best ingredients to use:
  • Tips for making perfectly chewy treats:

Ingredients

pink rice krispie treat ingredients: butter, marshmallows, crisp rice cereal, and pink food coloring
  • butter - We suggest using European-style salted butter for the very best flavor. Check out our taste test results if you'd like to know more about this recommendation.
  • crisp rice cereal - Kellogg's Rice Krispies is our go-to cereal when making treats.
  • marshmallows - You can use mini or regular marshmallows just be sure to use a fresh package.
    • Old marshmallows will be too dry and will cause your treats to be dry.
    • We highly recommend using Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows. Store-bought marshmallows can be too chewy and sticky.
    • Read our Marshmallow Conversion post for more details.
  • pink food coloring

See the recipe card for quantities.

variety of pink food coloring bottles, jars, and pouches

Which pink food coloring to use:

There are so many varieties of food coloring on the market. When making marshmallow cereal treats, you can use gel, liquid, or powdered food coloring.

The more concentrated the food coloring, the less you will need to use. I chose to use Wilton's Pink Color Right Food Coloring. It's very concentrated and very bright.

But, any of the food coloring pictured above will work just fine.

Instructions

You will start by melting the butter and marshmallows. I like to use the stove, but you can use the microwave too. Check out our Microwave Rice Krispie Treat Recipe for detailed instructions if you choose to use the microwave.

melting butter in saucepan on low heat

Set a medium saucepan over LOW heat and add the butter to the pan.

Pouring mini marshmallows into the saucepan with the melting butter

Once the butter begins to melt, stir in the marshmallows.

marshmallows tossed with melted butter in a saucepan

Let the marshmallows begin to melt, stirring them often.

partially melted marshmallows in saucepan with silicone spatula

Mini marshmallows will melt more quickly than large ones.

partially melted marshmallows and butter in saucepan off the heat

Once 75% of the marshmallows have melted, remove the pan from the heat. This is important!!!

melted marshmallows falling off spatula into a saucepan

Off heat, stir the butter and marshmallows until completely melted and smooth.

Why don't you completely melt the marshmallows on the stove?

If you allow the marshmallows to completely melt while on the stove, you run the risk of getting the marshmallows too hot.

When the sugar in the marshmallows gets too hot, it crystallizes. This will cause your treats to be hard.

Your treats will be gooey and perfectly chewy if you allow the residual heat in the pan to completely melt the marshmallows.

Color the melted marshmallows.

adding drops of pink food coloring to melted butter and marshmallows

Start by adding a few drops of pink food coloring.

melted marshmallows and butter colored pink

Stir until the food coloring is well blended into the marshmallows.

pouring light pink-colored melted marshmallows over a bowl of Rice Krispies

If you are happy with the color, then pour the melted marshmallows over your cereal. If not, add more coloring (see below).

Rice Krispies cereal mixed with pink-colored melted marshmallows and butter

Stir the marshmallows into your cereal. You will notice that the color will become lighter when the cereal is mixed in.

adding more pink food coloring to pink-colored melted marshmallows

For brighter treats, add more food coloring stirring after each addition until you are happy with the color. It should be brighter than you want it!

pouring bright pink melted marshmallows over a bowl of crisp rice cereal

Pour the bright pink melted marshmallows over the crisp rice cereal then stir until it's well blended.

neon pink colored rice krispie treat mixture in a bowl

Be sure to mix the marshmallows and cereal until the color has evenly coated all of the cereal pieces.

bright pink rice crispy treats in a pan

Then spread it into a well-buttered square baking pan. I recommend using an 8 or 9-inch non-stick pan.

Hint: Gently press the marshmallow Rice Krispie mixture into your pan. If you press down too much, your treats will get too compacted and will be hard to chew.

Be sure to check out our How To Make Rice Krispie Treats FAQ for more tips and tricks.

a variety of pink rice krispie treats including light pink, bright pink, and neon pink

I made three different pink crispy treats using varying amounts of pink food coloring. I used the same bottle of coloring to make all three of these treats.

Tip: Start out using 1-2 drops of coloring if you want a lighter color. Add more as needed until you get a shade brighter or darker than you want your treats to be.

Why don't we mix the cereal into the marshmallows?

If you pour the cereal into a hot pan filled with hot melted marshmallows, you will heat up the cereal. The cereal will soften and become soggy making your finished treats taste stale.

no-bake holiday treat: PEPPERMINT RICE KRISPIE TREATS with white chocolate and crushed candies
Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats
freeze-dried strawberry filled rice krispie treats
Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats

Variations

If you don't want to use food coloring, you can make pink treats using mix-ins instead.

  • Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats get their pink color from starlight mints or crushed candy canes.
  • Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats have a wonderfully natural reddish-pink color created by freeze-dried strawberries.
  • For a more vibrantly colored fruit-flavored treat, use freeze-dried raspberries.
overhead view of scattered heart rice krispie treats
Pink and Red Rice Krispie Treat Hearts
pink Rice Krispie Treats topped with Valentine's Day sprinkles
Valentine's Day Rice Krispie Treats

You can also turn pink Rice Krispie treats into fun desserts for Valentine's Day by adding sprinkles or cutting them into shapes. These pretty Rice Krispie Treat Hearts are easy to make using a cookie cutter.

Be sure to check out all of our Valentine's Day Rice Krispie Treat recipes.

More colored Rice Krispie Treats

  • rainbow rice krispie treats
    rainbow rice krispie treats
  • Red Rice krispie treats with food coloring
    red Rice Krispie Treats
  • Green Rice Krispie Treats Recipe Image
    Green Rice Krispie Treats
  • Peeps Rice Krispie Treats Recipe Image.
    Peeps Rice Krispie Treats

Equipment

  • medium saucepan
  • silicone spatula (butter it before mixing the marshmallows and they won't stick!)
  • extra-large mixing bowl (butter it before adding the cereal)
  • 8-inch or 9-inch square pan
Can I make these treats in a 9x13-inch pan?

Yes, but you'll need to adjust the quantities. See the notes in the recipe card.

Storage

Store your treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

To keep them longer, you can place the treats in a zip-top bag, remove all the air, and freeze them for up to 3 months.

Recipe

a variety of pink rice krispie treats including light pink, bright pink, and neon pink

Pink Rice Krispie Treats

Beth Klosterboer
Color marshmallow cereal treats using pink food coloring. Create light pink, medium pink, or bright pink Rice Krispie Treats to use for baby showers, birthdays, or Valentine's Day.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 5 minutes mins
Resting Time 30 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16
Calories 115 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 extra-large mixing bowl
  • 1 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan
  • 1 medium saucepan

Ingredients
  

  • 4 ⅔ cups Rice Krispies cereal
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter
  • 10 ounces marshmallows
  • 3-15 drops pink food coloring

Instructions
 

  • Grease an extra-large mixing bowl and an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with butter.
  • Pour the cereal into the mixing bowl.
  • Cut the butter into 4 pieces and place in a medium saucepan.
  • Set the saucepan on LOW heat on the stove.
  • Allow the butter to begin melting, then add the marshmallows.
  • Let the marshmallows begin to melt, stirring often.
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat as soon as about 75% of the marshmallows have melted. It will take about 5 minutes to reach this point.
  • Off heat, stir the marshmallows until they are completely melted.
  • Do not melt the marshmallows completely on the heat or overheat them as this will cause the sugar to crystalize causing your treats to be hard instead of nicely chewy.
  • Add a few drops of pink food coloring (for light pink treats) and stir until well blended. If you want brighter pink, add more drops of food coloring. Add more coloring as needed.
  • Be sure your marshmallows are brighter than you want your treats to be. Once they are mixed with the cereal, the color will be muted.
  • Pour the pink-colored melted marshmallows over the cereal and stir until well blended.
  • Spoon the marshmallow cereal mixture into the well-greased baking pan.
  • Gently press the cereal into an even layer in the pan. Do not compact the cereal or your treats will be too hard.
  • Allow the treats to cool down at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cutting them into squares.

Notes

Large Batch 

To make your treats in a 9x13-inch pan, use these quantities:
  • 7 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 16 ounces marshmallows

Microwave Melting Method:

If you prefer to use the microwave, combine the butter and marshmallows in a mixing bowl (preferably one with a spout and handle). Heat on high power for 1 minute. Then, let the bowl rest in the microwave for 3 minutes to allow the residual heat to continue to warm the marshmallows.
Remove the bowl and stir until melted.
Only if needed, you can reheat for 10-15 seconds. Remove and stir.  
Do not overheat!!!
Pour over the cereal, mix, then spread into the pan. 

Storage

Store your pink rice crispy treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or freeze them in an airtight container or large zip-top bag for up to 3 months. 

Best ingredients to use:

Marshmallows

Use fresh marshmallows. Old marshmallows will cause your treats to be tough. 
Store-brand marshmallows tend to be overly sticky and are hard to blend with the cereal. We recommend using Jet-Puffed or Stay-Puff Marshmallows for the best results. 
Be sure to check out our Marshmallow Conversion chart to find out how many marshmallows are in 10 ounces (or 16 ounces) for this recipe. 

Butter

Our taste testers preferred Rice Krispie Treats made using European-style salted butter. We recommend using something like Kerry Gold or President butter. 

Natural Food Coloring

You may opt to use a store-bought natural pink food coloring or you can use crushed freeze-dried strawberries or raspberries or crushed candy canes to add a pink hue to your treats. 

Tips for making perfectly chewy treats:

Do not smash the cereal mixture into the pan, overheat the marshmallows, or use old marshmallows.
Do not pour your cereal into a hot saucepan or the cereal may get soggy making your treats taste stale. 
 
Keyword pink rice krispie treats, rice krispie treats

More traditional flavors

  • chocolate caramel coconut Samoa Girl Scout cookies rice krispie treats
    Samoa Rice Krispie Treats
  • potato chip rice krispie treats stacked next to rippled potato chips.
    Potato Chip Rice Krispie Treats
  • Rice Krispie Treat chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk
    Rice Krispie Treat Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Snowflake Rice Krispie Treats decorated with blue and white chocolate.
    Snowflake Rice Krispie Treats

About Beth Klosterboer

Beth Klosterboer is a professional chocolatier, recipe developer, cookbook author, photographer, videographer, and event planner. She has owned and operated two retail confectionery stores from 1989 until 2001 and has been blogging since 2010. Beth creates fun food and delicious desserts for multiple websites and teaches chocolate-making courses for The Sugar Academy.
.
BUY ME A COFFEE - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hungryhappenings

Please leave a comment. Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Beth and Meaghan from How To Make Cereal Treats

Meet Beth and Meaghan. We are recipe developers, food photographers, and cookbook authors who love sharing creative cereal treat recipes with you.
Read more about us →

popular recipes

  • BEST Rice Krispie Treats Recipe You'll Ever Try!
  • marshmallow fluff rice kripsie treats with marshmallow cream showing inside the treats
    marshmallow fluff rice krispie treats
  • Fruity Pebbles Rice Crispy Treats
  • chocolate Rice Krispie Treats
    chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

Upcoming Holiday Recipes

  • New Year's Eve Rice Krispie Treats
    New Year's Eve Rice Krispie Treats
  • football Rice Krispie Treats on green napkin
    football Rice Krispie Treats
  • pink and red Rice Krispie Treat hearts for Valentine's day
    heart Rice Krispie Treats
  • shamrock Rice Krispie Treats for St. Patrick's Day
    shamrock Rice Krispie Treats

How To Make Rice Krispie Treats

  • collage of Rice KrispieTreats
    How to make Rice Krispie Treats FAQ
  • Bags of assorted Rice Krispie Treats and cereal treats stacked on a freezer shelf.
    How to Freeze Rice Krispie Treats
  • Marshmallows drawing with cute smiley faces.
    Marshmallows
  • cut Rice Krispie Treats using cookie cutters to make shapes
    Rice Krispie Treat shapes

Buy our cookbook

How To Make Cereal Treats cookbook image
Beth and Meaghan from How To Make Cereal Treats

Meet Beth and Meaghan. We are recipe developers, food photographers, and cookbook authors who love sharing creative cereal treat recipes with you.
Read more about us →

popular recipes

  • BEST Rice Krispie Treats Recipe You'll Ever Try!
  • marshmallow fluff rice kripsie treats with marshmallow cream showing inside the treats
    marshmallow fluff rice krispie treats
  • Fruity Pebbles Rice Crispy Treats
  • chocolate Rice Krispie Treats
    chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

Upcoming Holiday Recipes

  • New Year's Eve Rice Krispie Treats
    New Year's Eve Rice Krispie Treats
  • football Rice Krispie Treats on green napkin
    football Rice Krispie Treats
  • pink and red Rice Krispie Treat hearts for Valentine's day
    heart Rice Krispie Treats
  • shamrock Rice Krispie Treats for St. Patrick's Day
    shamrock Rice Krispie Treats

How To Make Rice Krispie Treats

  • collage of Rice KrispieTreats
    How to make Rice Krispie Treats FAQ
  • Bags of assorted Rice Krispie Treats and cereal treats stacked on a freezer shelf.
    How to Freeze Rice Krispie Treats
  • Marshmallows drawing with cute smiley faces.
    Marshmallows
  • cut Rice Krispie Treats using cookie cutters to make shapes
    Rice Krispie Treat shapes

Buy our cookbook

How To Make Cereal Treats cookbook image

Footer

↑ back to top

use policies

  • privacy policy
  • photo-use policy
  • terms of service

join us

  • Subscribe (newsletter)
  • our online courses

contact

  • contact
  • about us
  • FAQ

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 How To Make Cereal Treats