Watermelon Rice Krispie Treats take a classic Rice Krispies recipe and turns it into a cute summer snack. This no-bake dessert is dressed up as watermelon wedges and dotted with mini chocolate chips.
Watermelon Rice Krispies Treats
Our Watermelon Rice Krispie Treats recipe is a fun summer take on the classic cereal treats, where you can eat the rind, fruit, and seeds in every slice!
Watermelon treats take 10 minutes to make using only melted marshmallows, butter, a bit of vanilla and salt, mini chocolate chips, gel food color, and cereal.
Kids love helping to make Rice Krispie treats at home, and this recipe is so simple: melt the marshmallows, tint the mixture, stir in the cereal, and press it into a cake pan.
Add mini chocolate chip seeds to the top of your watermelon-shaped cereal treats, and you’ve elevated a basic bar into a fun “fruit” slice for any day snacking.
Why We Love Watermelon Rice Krispies Treats
- Quick and easy to make.
- Uses a handful of simple ingredients.
- Fun summertime twist on a classic childhood treat.
- Delicious dessert travels well and can handle the outdoor heat.
- Perfect for Memorial Day Picnics, backyard BBQs, pool parties, and potlucks.
Watermelon Rice Krispie Treats Ingredients
- Marshmallows: You can use either regular marshmallows or mini marshmallows.
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Rice Krispies cereal
- Green food coloring
- Pink or red food coloring
- Mini chocolate chips
Substitutions and Additions
- Serve Your Slice On A Stick: You can serve your Rice Krispie treats on a stick for a fun, mess-free way to hold your snack. Insert a wooden skewer, popsicle stick, or sturdy straw into the rind and eat it like a cake pop.
- Swap The Seeds: Feel free to use chocolate-covered sunflower seeds or raisins instead of the mini chocolate chips.
Recommended Tools
- 9-inch cake pan
- Non-stick cooking spray
- Large saucepan
- Spoon
How to Make Watermelon Rice Krispie Treats
- Make The Green Mixture: Heat the marshmallows and butter until melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla, salt, and pink or red food color. Add the cereal and stir until coated.
- Form A Round Rind: Shape the green treats into a ring around the outside of the baking pan. Set the pan aside while you make the center of the watermelon.
- Make The Red Mixture: Heat the marshmallows and butter until melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla, salt, and green food color. Add the cereal and stir until coated.
- Form The Fruit Center: Press the pink/red treats into the center of the cake pan. Cool for 5 minutes, then press the mini chocolate chips into the red treats to create the watermelon seeds.
- Set, Slice, And Serve: Allow the treats to set at room temperature for at least 1 hour before cutting into 6-8 wedges. Serve and enjoy!
Tips For Making Watermelon Rice Krispie Treats
- I highly recommend using Gel food color because it creates more vibrant colors. You may need more than 4-5 drops of food color to achieve your desired result. Remember that the color will dull a little once you add the Rice Krispies to the marshmallow mixture.
- For the best results, use a fresh, unopened bag of marshmallows.
- Be mindful not to press the rice krispies treats too firmly into the pan. This can lead to a tough texture rather than a soft and chewy one.
How to Store Watermelon Rice Krispie Treats
- To Store: Store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days.
More Easy Watermelon Recipes
Other Easy Rice Krispie Recipes
- Rainbow Rice Krispie Treats
- S’mores Rice Krispie Treats
- 4th of July Rice Krispie Treats
- Best Rice Krispie Treats
- Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats
- Chocolate Dipped Rice Krispie Treats
Watermelon Rice Krispies Treats
Serves — 8
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Cool Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 10 ounces marshmallows divided (40 regular marshmallows or 6 cups of mini marshmallows)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided (½ stick)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract divided
- Pinch of salt
- 4½ cups rice krispies cereal
- Green food color
- Pink or red food color
- 1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Spray a 9-inch cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Combine 4 ounces of marshmallows (16 regular marshmallows or 2 ½ cups minis) and 1 ½ tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir continuously until the marshmallows and butter have melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Remove from the heat and stir in ¼ teaspoon of vanilla, a pinch of salt, and 4-5 drops of green food color.
- Add 1 ¾ cups of rice krispies cereal and stir until evenly coated in the green marshmallow mixture.
- Turn the mixture out into the prepared cake pan. Lightly spray your fingertips with cooking spray and shape the treats into a ¾-1 inch ring around the outside of the pan. Set the pan aside while you make the center of the watermelon.
- Add the remaining 6 ounces (24 regular marshmallows or 3 ½ cups minis) and 2 ½ tablespoons of butter to a clean medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the mixture is melted and smooth.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining ¾ teaspoon of vanilla, a pinch of salt, and 4-5 drops of pink or red food color.
- Add the remaining 2 ¾ cups of rice krispies and stir until evenly coated with the pink/red marshmallow mixture.
- Turn the pink/red treats into the center of the prepared cake pan and press down to create the center of the watermelon.
- Allow the rice krispies treats to cool for about 5 minutes, then press the mini chocolate chips 1 at a time into the red treats to create the watermelon seeds.
- Allow the treats to set at room temperature for at least 1 hour before cutting into 6-8 wedges and serving.
Jenn’s Notes
Storage:
- To Store: Store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days.
- I highly recommend using Gel food color because it creates more vibrant colors. You may need to use more than 4-5 drops of food color to achieve your desired result. Keep in mind, the color will dull a little once you add the Rice Krispies to the marshmallow mixture.
- For the best results, use a fresh, unopened bag of marshmallows.
- Be mindful not to press the rice krispies treats too firmly into the pan. This can lead to a tough texture rather than a soft and chewy one.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 1227IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 5mg
This is SO cute. I made this last night to take to a family BBQ today. Such a fun idea, the kids are going to love it. Thank you for sharing this recipe.