Take a break from standard rice krispie treats and whip up these whimsical Lucky Charms treats instead. You need just 4 ingredients for this fun and easy treat that’s perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. A dip in white chocolate makes these gooey cereal bars extra magically delicious!
I originally published this recipe in 2013.
Think of these treats as rice krispie treats with a colorful makeover. I also used the MAX amount of marshmallow that I could, because isn’t that the best part of these cereal bars? Extra marshmallow on top of the actual Lucky Charms marshmallows. Double the marshmallow fun!
Q: Which marshmallow shape is your favorite? Hearts, stars, and horseshoes. Clovers and blue moons. Unicorns and rainbows, and tasty red balloons!
Why You’ll Love These Lucky Charms Treats
I can’t promise these treats will bring you luck, but it certainly couldn’t hurt to make them and cross your fingers.
You Need Just 4 Ingredients
Butter: Like many tasty desserts, these treats start with melted butter.
Marshmallows: These treats are extra gooey and marshmallow-y. For the best results, make sure your marshmallows are fresh.
Lucky Charms: Obviously! You need 6 cups of cereal, which will leave you with some leftover in a standard 14-ounce box.
White Chocolate: Dipping the bottoms of these bars in melted white chocolate takes these treats to another level—over the rainbow, you might say! 😉
A pinch of salt is optional, but it does balance out some of the sweet.
St. Patrick’s Day Treats
How to Make Lucky Charms Treats + a Few Success Tips
When I’m making any kind of cereal treat bars, I always use more butter (and less cereal) than your typical recipe. The marshmallows are what harden and turn your treats to rocks the next day, so you want to butter them up as much as you can. Melt the two together on the stove over low heat and constantly stir. You want the mixture to be very buttery. It will make your bars so gooey and full of those glorious stretchy marshmallow strings.
Once the marshmallows are melted with the butter, remove from heat, pour the Lucky Charms in and stir it all together, making sure to do so gently—you don’t want to break the cereal.
After the cereal is completely coated, transfer the sticky mixture to a lined 9-inch square pan.
To prevent sticking, line your pan with greased parchment paper. I line the pan first, then lightly spray the parchment paper with a little nonstick spray.
Don’t press the treats into the pan with force. That’s what creates a hard cereal treat! Instead, you want to mold them into the pan’s shape by very, very gently pressing down with a spatula. I spray the backside of my spatula with nonstick spray for ease.
Allow the treats to set for about 2 hours at room temperature before cutting. (Refrigerating them would make them rock hard.) Once they’ve set, lift the bars out of the pan using the edges of the parchment paper. Cut into bars, then dip into a pot of gold—er, I mean, melted white chocolate.
The cereal bars aren’t as soft as my rice krispie treats, because Lucky Charms is a much crunchier cereal.
The Best White Chocolate for Melting
The best white chocolate for melting are the bars of “baking chocolate” found in the baking aisle near the chocolate chips. I like Baker’s and Ghirardelli brands, which come in 4-ounce bars. You need 8 ounces of white chocolate for this recipe, so you’ll use 2 bars. You could also use almond bark, which isn’t chocolate, but an easy-to-melt sweet candy coating.
Do not use white chocolate morsels or candy melts here—get the real-deal bars of white chocolate.
Melting white chocolate is simple: Start by chopping up the white chocolate and placing it in a microwave-safe bowl. (I usually use a glass liquid measuring cup.) Microwave it in 20-second increments, stopping and stirring after each increment. You could also use a double boiler if you have one.
After cutting the bars into squares, dip the bottoms in white chocolate and place the Lucky Charms treats upside down on a lined baking sheet (so you don’t mess up the wet chocolate). Let them set at room temperature or in the refrigerator, then you’re done!
These are so easy to make, and they’re a completely no-bake dessert recipe. Perfect for any last-minute get-togethers or parties you may have for St. Patrick’s Day, or any day of the year. And aren’t they pretty? And, may I add… magically delicious, too!!!
Take a break from traditional rice krispie treats and make these magical Lucky Charms treats instead. And, for a little added pizzazz, dip them in white chocolate!
Instructions
Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough parchment overhang to lift the bars out of the pan. Lightly grease the parchment. I always use a very light mist of nonstick spray. Set aside.
Melt the butter over medium heat in a very large pot. Once melted, add the marshmallows and salt (if using). Stir the mixture until the marshmallows are completely melted. Remove from heat, and then fold in the cereal. Make sure each piece of cereal is coated with the marshmallow mixture.
Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Lightly grease the back of a flat spatula and very gently press the mixture down into the pan. Do not pack it down with force, just lightly press down until it is secure and even in the pan.
Allow treats to set for at least 2 hours at room temperature, and up to 1 day. Cover tightly if leaving out for more than a few hours.
Lift the cereal treats out of the pan using the edges of the parchment paper. Cut into squares. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
Dip in white chocolate: Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler on the stove, or simply use the microwave: Place chopped white chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after every 20 seconds until completely smooth. Hold the treat and dip the bottom into white chocolate, making sure to coat it generously. Place treats, white chocolate side up, on prepared baking sheet. Allow chocolate to set at room temperature for about 1 hour, or in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Cover and store leftover treats at room temperature for up to 3 days. To store, place in an airtight container, with sheets of parchment or wax paper between layers.
Best White Chocolate to Use: The best white chocolate for melting are the bars of “baking chocolate” found in the baking aisle near the chocolate chips. I like Baker’s and Ghirardelli brands, which come in 4-ounce bars. You need 8 ounces of white chocolate for this recipe, so you’ll use 2 bars. You could also use almond bark, which isn’t chocolate, but an easy-to-melt sweet candy coating. Do not use white chocolate morsels or candy melts here—get the real-deal bars of white chocolate.
Skip the white chocolate dip: If you don’t want to dip them into white chocolate, you could add 1 cup of white chocolate chips to the cereal before coating with the melted butter/marshmallow.
