Simple ingredients come together for a fun, kid-friendly treat.
Servings: 15-25, depending on the size of your cutter
Author: Rachel Lacy
Ingredients
3tablespoonsof butter
1 10-ouncebag of mini-marshmallows
1/2teaspoonof vanilla extractoptional
6cupsof puffed rice"Rice Krispies" cereal
Strawberriesone per sparkler
Blueberries3-4 per sparkler
Star shaped cookie cutter
Food skewers or lollipop sticks
Ribbonoptional
Instructions
In a heavy duty saucepan (I use a large stockpot to give myself plenty of room for stirring in the cereal), melt the butter over low heat.
When completely melted, add the marshmallows and stir continuously until melted.
Stir in the vanilla.
Remove from heat and add in the cereal, stirring until completely coated and mixed in.
Pour coated cereal onto wax paper or buttered foil and spread out to the thickness of your cookie cutter. As you spread it out, keep the mixture compact -- don't allow any "holes" to form as the cereal moves under the pressure of your spatula (or wax paper if using that to shape the cereal mixture).
Once completely flat and thin enough for your cookie cutter to go through, allow the cereal mixture to cool and firm up. (Note: if you live in a high-humidity area like I do, this may take as much as 30 minutes)
Once cooled, press your cookie cutter into the hardened mixture, remove the cut out treat from the cutter and set aside. Repeat.
Starting with the strawberries, skewer the washed and trimmed fruit onto the wooden food skewers or lollipop sticks.
Carefully add one Rice Krispies treat on to the top of each skewer.
You can tie a ribbon to the stick/skewer, just below the strawberry for more festive color (and it helps support the heavy strawberry).
Serve and enjoy!
Notes
If you want a "stars and stripes" motif, cut half of the Rice Krispies treats into bars. The vanilla is completely optional but I love the added depth it gives to this classic childhood treat.