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 » holiday treats

Santa Claus Rice Krispie Treats

Modified: Feb 7, '24 · Published: Nov 19, '20 · By: Beth Klosterboer · Commission earned on paid or sponsored links.

Jump to Recipe

Celebrate Christmas by making and decorating these cute Santa Claus Rice Krispie Treats for your family. Everyone will love these delicious star-shaped marshmallow cereal treats topped with frosting. 

star-shaped Santa Claus Rice Krispie Treats decorated with red frosting hats and white frosting beards

If your family loves our very best Rice Krispie Treats and you are looking for a fun dessert to make for Christmas, you have found it! 

Each of these star-shaped rice krispie treats is decorated with frosting and sugar pearls to look like Santa. 

The design is so simple yet so cute. 

Rice Krispie treat Santa Claus star-shaped cereal treats decorated with frosting and sugar pearls

Each star-shaped Santa has a red hat, a white beard, and a small little face with two candy eyes and a red candy nose. 

If you can pipe frosting stars, you can quickly decorate these treats. Watch the video to see how it's done. 

If you don't have any experience piping icing, no worries. You can simply spread the icing onto the cereal treat stars. You don't even have to be neat about it.

Let's make some Santa treats. 

to decorate the Santa treats you will need skin-toned, white, and red frosting along with black and red sugar pearls, a rice krispie treat star, tweezers, and a spatula

You'll need:

  • 1 batch of our very best Rice Krispie Treats made in a 9x13-inch pan
  • 3.5-inch star-shaped cookie cutter
  • 7 teaspoons fleshtone frosting
  • ⅓ cup red frosting
  • 1 cup white frosting
  • 14 (4mm) black sugar pearls or mini chocolate chips*
  • 7 large (8mm) red sugar pearls or mini M&M candies or red hots candies*

*The quantities listed above make 7 Santa cereal treats. See the comments below regarding the number of star-shaped treats you will get out of one recipe.  

cut the pan of rice krispie treats using a star-shaped cookie cutter

Cut star-shaped treats.

  • Cut a 9X13 pan of cereal treats using a well-greased 3.5-inch star cookie cutter.
  • If you space it correctly, you can get 7 stars out of your pan of treats. 
  • There will be a lot of scraps leftover.
    • You may just want to snack on those scraps, but you can also reheat the scraps in the microwave for 30-45 seconds then press the scraps into the cookie-cutter, filling it to the top.
    • Then press the cereal treats out of the cutter. 
    • You will get 5 more star-shaped treats if you do this, however, those re-heated treats may be a bit harder than the original because you are re-heating the marshmallows. 
    • If you make 12 treats instead of 7, you will need additional frosting and sugar pearls. 

An optional method for making the star-shaped treats. 

  • If you prefer, you can make a bowl of marshmallow rice Krispie treats then allow your mixture to cool for 30 minutes before filling a well-greased star-shaped cookie cutter as mentioned above.
  • I actually prefer this method, but when I used this technique to make my Red, White, and Blue Rice Krispie Treat Stars, I had a few people comment that it was too much work, so in the video for this recipe, I chose to cut the pan of treats using the cookie cutter. 
  • You can choose which method you like best. 

7 Santa Rice Krispie Treats with red hats and white beards arranged on a white table

Decorate the treats.

  • Spread about a teaspoon of fleshtoned frosting in between two of the points on a star-shaped cereal treat.
  • Spread it into a thin layer so that the frosting creates about a 1 ½ inch circle or oval. 
  • Press two black sugar pearls into the frosting to create Santa's eyes.
  • Then press a red sugar pearl below the eyes to create Santa's nose. 
  • Spoon your red frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a small (Wilton #16) star tip.
  • Pipe tiny red frosting stars over the top tip of the treat to create Santa's hat. 
  • Spoon the white frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a (Wilton #18 tip) star tip.
  • Pipe white frosting stars over most of the Rice Krispie treat star, leaving a small opening around Santa's face and leaving the red hat uncovered. 
  • Then pipe 4 larger stars just under the red hat to create the fur rim. 
  • Pipe a star on the tip of the hat to create the hat's pom-pom. 

Alternative decorating methods:

  • You can alternatively just spread the red frosting over the top point of the star using an offset spatula or spoon. 
  • Then spread the white frosting around the star, leaving an opening for the face. 
  • You could also cover and decorate the treat using modeling chocolate (candy clay) or fondant. 

star-shaped Santa Claus Rice Krispie Treats decorated with frosting and sugar pearls

Ingredients and Supplies

You can find items needed to make these no-bake Christmas desserts from Amazon. I earn a small commission for sales at no extra cost to you when you use the links below. 

Kellogg's Rice Krispies Col...Shop on Amazon Jet-Puffed Mini Marshmallow...Shop on Amazon Anolon Eminence Nonstick Ba...Shop on Amazon Star Cookie Cutter 3.5" Mad...Shop on Amazon Wilton Ready-To-Use Decorat...Shop on Amazon AmeriColor Super Red Soft G...Shop on Amazon Sugar Pearls - Pearlized Me...Shop on Amazon Sugar Pearls - Pearlized Re...Shop on Amazon RedHots Original Cinnamon H...Shop on Amazon Wilton 12-Inch Disposable C...Shop on Amazon Wilton Decorating Tip, STDShop on Amazon Wilton Decorating Piping Ti...Shop on Amazon Wilton Round Star Icing Tip...Shop on Amazon

 

Video

Be sure to watch the video to see the step-by-step process for decorating these cute Christmas Rice Krispie treats. 

 

 

Printable Recipe

Rice Krispie treat Santa Claus star-shaped cereal treats decorated with frosting and sugar pearls

Santa Claus Rice Krispie Treats

Beth Klosterboer
Decorate star-shaped rice krispie treats using frosting and sugar pearls to create these cute Santa Claus treats.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 7
Calories 379 kcal

Equipment

  • 3 ½-inch star cookie cutter (sprayed with baking spray)
  • 9x13-inch baking pan
  • pastry bags
  • #16 and #18 star tips

Ingredients
  

  • 6 tablespoons salted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 16 ounces Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows
  • 7 cups Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal
  • 7 teaspoons flesh tone frosting
  • ⅓ cup red frosting
  • 1 cup white frosting
  • 14 (5mm) black sugar pearls
  • 7 (8mm) red sugar pearls

Instructions
 

  • Grease a 9 inch by 13-inch pan with butter or spray with baking spray.

Microwave Instructions

  • Combine the butter and marshmallows in a large microwave-safe mixing bowl.
  • Heat in the microwave for 1 minute then remove and stir vigorously until melted.
  • If needed, heat for additional 15-second increments stirring after each until melted.
  • Stir in the Rice Krispie Cereal and press gently into an even layer in the buttered pan.

Stove Top Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a medium-large saucepan set over low heat.
  • Stir in the marshmallows.
  • Continue to heat over low heat, stirring often, until about 75% of the marshmallows are melted. Then remove and stir vigorously until melted.
  • Pour over the rice Krispies cereal then spread into the buttered pan.

Cut and Decorate Treats

  • Let the cereal treats cool for at least 1 hour.
  • Remove the treats from the pan and set on a cutting board.
  • Cut out 7 stars using the star-shaped cutter. See the blog post for instructions to use the scraps to make 5 more treats if desired.
  • Spread one teaspoon of flesh tone frosting in between two of the points on a star-shaped treat.
  • Spread the frosting into a thin layer so that the frosting creates about a 1 ½ inch circle or oval.
  • Press two black sugar pearls into the frosting to create Santa's eyes.
  • Then, press a red sugar pearl below the eyes to create Santa's nose.
  • Spoon your red frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a small (Wilton #16) star tip.
  • Pipe tiny red frosting stars over the top tip of the treat to create Santa's hat.
  • Spoon the white frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a (Wilton #18 tip) star tip.
  • Pipe white frosting stars over the lower portion of the Rice Krispie treat star, leaving a small round or oval opening around Santa's face.
  • Then pipe 4 larger stars just under the red hat to create the fur rim.
  • Pipe a star on the tip of the hat to create the hat's pom-pom.

Notes

  • Store your treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. 
Keyword Christmas Rice Krispie Treats, rice krispie treats, Santa Claus

If you love these sweet Rice Krispie Treat Santas you might also like these fun Christmas cereal treat recipes...

rice krispie treat snowmen featured image

Rice Krispie Treat Snowmen

 

Chocolate REINDEER RICE KRISPIE TREATS are a cute, easy Christmas fun food idea. Kids can help decorate this no-bake dessert.

Reindeer Rice Krispie Treats

 

 

More holiday treats

  • Snowflake Rice Krispie Treats decorated with blue and white chocolate.
    Snowflake Rice Krispie Treats
  • Christmas Rice Krispie Treats for the holiday.
    Christmas Rice Krispie Treats
  • Christmas ornament Rice Krispie Treats
    ornament Rice Krispie Treats
  • eggnog Rice Krispie Treats recipe image.
    Eggnog 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