We did a thing this weekend. A thing that most of you will not approve of.
We decorated for Christmas.
Look. I know that Thanksgiving is still coming. I’m well aware. I love Thanksgiving! It’s delicious and warm and fuzzy and I celebrate it every year, just like most of you.
I just don’t decorate for it. By the time November rolls around, I’m over the pumpkins. I’m ready for the brightly colored trees and the magic of Christmas lights.
Don’t hate me, okay?
Anyway, this year I decided to get my boys in on the decorating fun for two reasons – 1.) I needed someone to carry all the heavy boxes for me and 2.) I’ve accumulated an entire storage room full of Christmas decor and putting it all up takes for. ev. er.
So, I needed reinforcements.
I plied my boys with Christmas goodies and they were happy to help! This is such a fun way to start the magic of the season together as a family!
I whipped up my cookie dough fudge, Oreo fudge, and candy buttons for the occasion, along with these Christmas cereal bars.
What a delicious way to start the season!
These cereal bars are pretty similar to rice krispies treats, but I swapped in Chex cereal here. You can use corn or rice Chex.
You’ll melt your butter and marshmallows, pour in the cereal, and then add some red and green sprinkles and m&m candies. So easy and super festive!
My kids liked these even better than a traditional rice krispies treat and that’s saying a lot. We’re RKT fanatics around this house. I mean, have you tried my browned butter rice krispies treats?
They are my most popular recipe with friends and family. I bake cookies and brownies for a living and people are always requesting I bring rice krispies treats to get-togethers. Ha.
Anyway! I hope you guys enjoy these easy treats this year! Fa la la la la!
Should I come back in February with a Valentine’s version??
Christmas Crunch Cereal Bars
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 10 ounces marshmallows
- 6 cups Chex cereal rice or corn variety
- 3/4 cup red and green m&m candies divided
- 2 tablespoons red and green nonpareils divided
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, heat the butter and marshmallows until melted together, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
- Stir in the Chex cereal, 1 tablespoon of sprinkles, and half of the m&m candies, being careful not to break the cereal too much.
- Press the mixture into a parchment lined 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining sprinkles and candy over the top.
- Use a piece of wax paper sprayed with non-stick spray to press the cereal bars tightly into the pan.
- Let set for 30 minutes before cutting and serving.
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
I’m so jealous Karly! You and my neighbor are way ahead of the game for sure. Decorating late seems so much more stressful – good for you! And love these easy festive bars. Hope you and yours have a fantastic Thanksgiving 🙂
Blair says
These are so perfect! My boys will love them — now if only they were big and strong enough to help me decorate! I’ve got a few more years to wait for that. 🙂
I’m totally with you on the holiday decor. As soon as November rolls around I’m ready for the red and green! My husband, on the other hand, won’t tolerate it until AFTER Thanksgiving. Scrooge!
Vickie says
I understand where you are coming from, but the seasons all seem to be rushed earlier and earlier each year. Maybe you wouldn’t be so “over” fall and Thanksgiving if everyone didn’t start celebrating it in late summer-August. I love to see decorated houses and trees on Thanksgiving evening but am still enjoying fall. But then I didn’t start decorating for it until after Labor Day. Several days after Labor Day. I know as a blogger you need to be ahead of the season. Your recipe looks festive and sounds delicious. My concern or wonder is, will you be “worn out” with Christmas before it actually gets here? I’m 61 and am learning to slow down things in my life. Maybe that is why I am concerned with how your family will perceive the holiday season. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas season, none the less. Thanks for sharing your recipes with all of us.
Karly says
Hi Vickie!
I don’t mind the seasons being early – it gives us more time to celebrate them! We personally don’t decorate for Fall at all – just Halloween. That goes up mid-September and comes down Nov. 1. Christmas usually goes up mid-November and comes down Dec. 26. It’s so much work dragging everything out and setting it up, so we like plenty of time to enjoy it. 🙂
Kell says
I’m totally ready to decorate for Christmas! Now I feel like I have permission to, since I won’t be the only one! Love these treats too! Yum!!
Karly says
You totally have permission! 🙂
The Novice says
I love these! They’re so festive ?
averie @ averie cooks says
I have NO self control around chex mix-ey type recipes! And with marshmallows. I pretty much couldn’t make this because I would eat it all! This over pie, cookies, cake…any day!
Jessica says
These look amazing!!! How far in advance Can I make them? Also how and where do you stores them? I’ve recently started baking a lot and I’m unsure of storage for some of the things. I think I’ll make these as gifts for Xmas. Can’t wait to try it. ??
Karly says
I wouldn’t make them more than a few days in advance. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. 🙂
Sandye says
Where do I find the Christmas Crunch Bar recipe on your Pinterest page? I can’t seem to find it and you don’t have a Pin Button on this page. Please help!! I really, really want this recipe for our family Christmas Eve party. Thank you so much!!
Sandye says
Emergency over!! LOL I just found the pinterest button at the bottom of the page.
Marsha | Marsha's Baking Addiction says
These bars look so festive, and SO delicious! My daughter would love making these with me!
Liz says
LOL, you sound like my husband. He calls me a scrooge since he brings up every decoration he can find and I have to take about half back to the basement when he goes to work! But I’d be happy to start my Christmas baking right now! Your crunch bars look fabulous!!!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
I’m ready for Christmas too! I have a few decorations out, but I need to make some of these bars to give me the energy to finish 🙂
Hunter StClaire says
I’ve made this exactly as the recipe states and then again with a few modifications. I replaced several cups of the Chex cereal with crunched pretzel sticks and regular M&M’s with mini. The mini M&M’s melted, so it was kinda chocolatey, but still good. The mini’s I dropped on top didn’t melt. Both versions were good, but I think I liked the version with the pretzels better. It was more of a sweet/salty bar and I liked that.
Karly says
Pretzels sound like a great addition! 🙂
Keri says
What’s better? Rice or corn Chex? Is there a difference? Thanks!
Karly says
I don’t notice much difference, honestly. 🙂
Lisa says
I was just wondering. After you cut them. Do you wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then store them in an airtight container? ?
kathy says
Okay, so, this is a silly question, you posted how many calories in a serving, so how big is your serving? If I cut this delicious looking treat, I’d cut in either 24 slices to a pan or 12!
Karly says
The nutrition info is based on this being cut into 16 bars. 🙂
Amy C. says
Can you substitute marshmallow creme for the marshmallows? I have. Vegetarian daughter that doesn’t do gelatin. If so, any ideas on the measurement?
Karly says
I haven’t tried this with marshmallow creme before, but these work just like rice krispies treats, so if you’ve ever made those it should work the same.
BRENDA TIBBITTS says
So happy to know I’m not the only Christmas “nut” out there. I try to wait till Dec 1st, but this year It will happen next week. I have recently moved to a new place and since I’m getting the tree and trimmings out of my grandson’s storage space (finally”) I’m not going to put it into my storage, It’s just going to all put up. the longer to enjoy it. Besides I am far from a spring chicken so it will probably take me all week to get it all done. Love, Love, Love the recipes , thanks for having this site, you are wonderful. I AM A FAN
Tee says
Is that salted or unsalted butter in the recipe?
Karly says
I use salted butter.
Maria Torres says
How hot does the oven need to be and for how long does it go in for ?(:
Karly says
This doesn’t go in the oven.
Dominique says
Having trouble with keeping it all together. Cutting it into bars…it just falls apart..I need help. Taste great by the way.
Karly says
Hmm, not sure why they’d fall apart. Did you follow the recipe exactly and use the correct amount of cereal and marshmallows? The marshmallow goo should hold it all together well if you used the same amounts I did.
Brandi says
I had this problem too, mine completely crumbled when I tried to cut them.
Karly says
Sorry you had trouble with this one, Brandi! It’s basically just Rice Krispies treats with a different cereal, so I’m not sure what the problem woubd be if you’ve followed the directions as written. You do have to press the cereal mix firmly into the baking dish.