Strawberry Crunch Rice Krispie Treats (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Rice Krispie Mix Base

01 - 6 cups of crispy rice cereal
02 - 5 cups small marshmallows, plus an extra cup for mixing in later
03 - 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, unsalted
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
05 - Half a cup of marshmallow cream for decorative topping

→ Crunchy Strawberry Layer

06 - One packet (3 oz) strawberry-flavored gelatin, dry mix only
07 - One packet (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix, unprepared
08 - 1 stick (8 tablespoons) of butter, divided into two parts
09 - Half a cup of plain flour, split into two portions

# Instructions:

01 - Mix the strawberry gelatin powder, 4 tablespoons butter (softened), and 1/4 cup flour inside a small bowl. Mash with a fork or squish using your fingers until it clumps together into crumbles - you need even bits with all butter worked in.
02 - Take a different small mixing bowl and combine the dry pudding mix, the rest of the softened butter, and the final 1/4 cup flour. Work it like you did earlier until you get vanilla-flavored crumbs. These two mixtures form the sweet crunch magic everyone craves.
03 - Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a parchment-lined baking tray. Spread both prepped crumbly mixtures side by side but it's fine if they overlap a bit. Press the crumbs gently before baking for around 7-8 minutes, or until the bubbles peek around the edges. Don’t worry if it looks soft after baking, that’s perfect.
04 - Cool the tray on the countertop for about 10 minutes. After that, move the parchment paper with everything on it directly into the fridge. Chill for at least 2 hours—you want it to be fully set and crisp.
05 - Break the cold mixture into chunks and toss them into a food processor or blender. Give it a few pulses to grind to a crumbly texture similar to a crunchy cake topping. Don’t overdo it—leave some pieces for extra crunch. Freeze the crumbles until you're ready to use them.
06 - In a big pot over low-medium heat, melt the butter until it’s completely liquid. Throw in 5 cups of marshmallows and stir nonstop. Slowly, the whole mixture will turn velvety and smooth—this takes just a few minutes so hang tight.
07 - Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence right into your buttery marshmallow goo. Mix it all in right then and there. Once combined, immediately take the pot off the stove—leaving it on heat could make the mix tough later.
08 - Quickly pour all 6 cups of cereal into the mix, along with the reserved 1 cup of extra small marshmallows. Mix gently until the cereal’s evenly coated and extra marshmallow bits stick throughout. The marshmallows you just added should hold some of their shape, giving soft, gooey spots.
09 - Add 1 cup of the strawberry crumb into your warm cereal and marshmallow mixture. Stir it carefully to make sure the pink crunch blends in evenly. Be swift—the mixture gets harder to combine as it cools.
10 - Lay a sheet of parchment in a 9x13 pan with enough hanging over the edges to grab later. Scoop out the Rice Krispie combo and spread it across the dish. Gently (not forcefully) press the whole thing down into one even layer—use buttered hands or take a sheet of parchment to smooth it nicely.
11 - Microwave some marshmallow fluff in short 5-second bursts, stirring to melt until it’s pourable. Drizzle it all over the dish. Immediately sprinkle the rest of the strawberry crumbs so they stick before the fluff starts firming up.
12 - Leave the treats out at room temperature for half an hour so they can firm up. When ready, use the parchment edges to lift everything out as one block. Slice into portions with a sharp buttered knife for clean lines. Serve and enjoy a blast of nostalgic flavor!

# Notes:

01 - These crispy squares have a flavor inspired by strawberry shortcake ice cream bars, but with a gooey twist from marshmallows.
02 - Adding the homemade strawberry crunch gives it that signature sweet crunch people love.
03 - For fluffier bites, press lightly into the pan, so you don’t lose the treats' soft and airy vibe.

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