The chewy rice krispie treats we’ve always known and loved as children have been given a delicious face lift. Tasty dried cranberries are stirred right in along with a hint of sweet orange, making these Cranberry Orange Rice Krispie Treats a sweet treat for any season. They’re a hit with kids & adults alike, and make a perfect snack or dessert.

Cranberry and orange is such a dynamic flavor duo, and it seems to pop up a lot during Fall.

We also think it’s perfect for The Winter Holidays.

And Rice Krispie treats have and will always one of the kids’ favorite things to make and to eat.

So combining the two was a win for everyone.

They still got to make, play in, and eat sugary, sticky crunchy melted marshmallow goodness.

And we got to experiment with adding in some gourmet (that’s a stretch, isn’t it?) grownup mix-ins.

If you haven’t experimented with going beyond the basic Krispie treat, this recipe is a perfect starting point.

The tartness of the dried cranberries is balanced out by the sweet orange and packed into every chewy bite.

Ingredients Needed

butter
mini marshmallows
orange zest
orange juice
rice krispies cereal
dried cranberries

That’s it.

A short order ingredient list that will give your traditional rice krispie treats a surprisingly sweet holiday makeover.

How To Make

This recipe starts out like pretty much every other rice krispie recipe on the planet. It’s that simple.

Begin by melting the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Once the butter’s completely melted, stir in the marshmallows.

Continue stirring the marshmallows until they’re completely melted.

They have a tendency to stick to the spoon/spatula.

To avoid this, I use a plastic spoon or silicone spatula and lightly spray it before hand with non stick cooking spray.

Once the marshmallows are melted completely, stir in the orange zest and juice to combine.

Remove the marshmallow mixture from the heat, and set it aside.

Here’s where things get sticky, pun intended.

You need to combine the flavored marshmallow mixture (while still hot and melty) with the rice krispies.

Depending on how large your skillet is, you can add the rice krispies to it and gently stir until evenly combined.

If your skillet’s on the smaller side, and to prevent a mess, then add the rice krispies to a large mixing bowl.

Using a prepared spatula, scrape the marshmallow mixture from the skillet into the mixing bowl, and then stir until evenly combined.

Liberally coat a 9×13″ baking dish with non stick cooking spray, and then turn the marshmallow coated rice krispie mixture out into it.

Press the mixture evenly out into the pan.

Let the dish set, away from any heat source, until it’s cooled completely.

Using a sharp knife, cut the cranberry orange rice krispie treats into squares and serve.

Tips & Tricks

Can’t find mini marshmallows? You can use the regular larger marshmallows, just make sure the measurement is equivalent
While I recommend using non stick cooking spray, butter will work as a substitute in every instance
Store bought orange juice, and dried zest will work, but for the best results use a single, fresh orange for both

Making It Festive – Use Cookie Cutters

Remember when we were little and making rice krispie treats was similar to making sugar cookies?

Mom or Grandma would have all the cookie cutters spread out, and they just let you go wild?

Even though these have been given a festive upgrade, at the heart of the recipe- they’re still the same rice cereal treats we’ve known and loved since childhood.

Once they’re completely cooled and set, run a butter knife around the edges of the dish to release the cake.

Turn it out onto a clean cutting board, and then cut the treats into your desired shapes with your available cookie cutters

Should I Frost These?

I wouldn’t recommend frosting these rice krispie treats out right.

They’re already sweetened from the orange juice/zest and the dried cranberries.

If you really want to take them over the top, I’d suggest a glaze.

A simple powdered sugar one, with no additional flavorings and a small drizzle over each square.

Other Holiday Flavored Rice Krispie Treats To Try:

If you’ve tried these CRANBERRY ORANGE RICE KRISPIE TREATS, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!