If you’ve got a few packs of Peeps and 15 minutes, you’ve got one of the most fun Easter treats on the table. I’ve made these every Easter. Melt each color separately, press them side by side, and you get gorgeous pastel stripes that look like they took way more effort than they actually did. My kids couldn’t stop picking at the pan before I even cut them (me too).
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Keeping the colors separate is the whole secret to those clean pastel stripes. Mix the Peeps together and you get muddy gray fast. Want them even more vivid? One drop of gel coloring per bowl takes them up a notch.
If you’re building an Easter dessert spread, my frosted sugar cookie bars bring the same pastel energy with a chewy bakery-style cookie base, and my brown butter mini egg blondies are the fudgy, chocolatey option for the Cadbury fans.
Why You’ll Love These Peeps Rice Krispie Treats
- No-bake and done in 15 minutes. Melt, stir, press. This is the recipe you make at 8 PM the night before the Easter party when you remember you signed up to bring dessert.
- The Peeps are the marshmallow AND the color. The Peeps give you pastel color on their own. Want brighter? A drop of gel food coloring per bowl takes them up a notch.
- It’s the best use of Peeps. Most Peeps end up in the back of the pantry by May. Melting them into treats is the move, and I will stand by that.
Peeps Rice Krispie Treats Ingredients
- Peeps (24 total — three 8-count packages, one of each color): Any color works — yellow, pink, purple, blue. The shape doesn’t matter; bunnies and chicks both melt down the same way. Pick three distinct colors for the best visual payoff. Avoid chocolate-dipped or flavored Peeps — the coating doesn’t melt cleanly and the flavor gets muddy.
- Butter, unsalted (4 tablespoons / 57g, divided): Unsalted so you control the flavor. Salted works in a pinch — just skip the added salt. Divide evenly between your three bowls, about 1⅓ tablespoons per color.
- Rice Krispies cereal (4.5 cups / 135g, divided): The classic. Store brand is fine. Make sure you’re grabbing plain Rice Krispies, not cocoa or frosted. You’ll use 1.5 cups per color.
- Salt (pinch per bowl): A tiny pinch per bowl before microwaving. It cuts the sweetness and makes the flavor pop.
Substitutions and Variations
- Sprinkles on top: Press pastel sprinkles or Easter jimmies into the top while the treats are still warm. Easiest upgrade.
- White chocolate drizzle: Melt a handful of white chocolate chips and drizzle over the top with a fork. Adds sweetness and makes them look bakery-level.
- Cookie cutter shapes: Spray a bunny or egg cookie cutter with cooking spray and press out shapes once the treats have cooled about 10 minutes — slightly warm so they cut cleanly without crumbling.
- Mini Peeps on top: Save a few Peeps and press them into the top before the treats set. Cute factor through the roof.
- Marbled swirl instead of stripes: Drop spoonfuls of each color randomly into the pan and gently press together without over-mixing. You get a fun tie-dye look.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations.
How to Make Peeps Rice Krispie Treats
Place one portion of butter and one color of Peeps in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the top.
Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until melted and smooth, usually 60 to 90 seconds total.
Add 1.5 cups of Rice Krispies to the melted Peeps and fold until every piece is coated.
Using a separate bowl for each, repeat Steps 2 and 3 with your second and third colors. You can rinse and reuse one bowl if you wipe it clean between colors.
Add 1.5 cups of Rice Krispies to the melted Peeps and fold until every piece is coated.
Press each color into the prepared pan side by side, one at a time. Use a greased spatula to gently press each section into an even layer. You’ll get distinct color stripes right next to each other.
Sarah’s Tips
- Stir between every burst. Marshmallows burn faster than you’d think. Pull the bowl out of the microwave after every 30 seconds and give it a good stir. This keeps the heat even and stops the bottom from scorching before the top has melted. Here’s the science behind why marshmallows burn so fast.
- Spray everything. Your spatula, your hands, your pan. Marshmallow mixture sticks to everything.
- Don’t crush the cereal. Fold gently. Aggressive stirring breaks down the cereal and kills the crispy texture.
- Use fresh Peeps. Old Peeps get stale and won’t melt smoothly. If you squeeze a Peep and it bounces back, you’re good.
- Pick colors with contrast. Pink, yellow, and purple is my favorite combo. Two similar colors side by side can lose definition.
FAQs
How to Store Peeps Rice Krispie Treats
Room temperature: Airtight container or tightly covered pan. Soft and chewy for 2–3 days.
Refrigerator: Not recommended. They firm up too much. If you must, let them come to room temperature 15–20 minutes before serving.
Make-ahead: Great made 1 day ahead. Make, cool, cover tightly, leave at room temperature.
Freezing: You can freeze these for up to 2 months. Layer them between sheets of parchment or wax paper in a freezer-safe container. Just know the texture may not be exactly the same after thawing. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Thank you!
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See you next time! ♡ Sarah
Recipe
Peeps Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- 24 Peeps three 8-count packages, one of each color
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 4½ cups Rice Krispies cereal, divided
- 3 pinches salt one per bowl
Instructions
- Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Sort the Peeps by color, 8 per color. Divide the butter evenly (about 1⅓ tablespoons per color) and measure out 1½ cups of Rice Krispies for each color.
- Place one portion of butter and one color of Peeps in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Add a pinch of salt. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until melted and smooth, usually 60 to 90 seconds total.
- Add 1½ cups of Rice Krispies and fold until every piece is coated.
- Repeat Steps 3 and 4 with the remaining two colors, using a separate bowl for each.
- Press each color into the prepared pan side by side, one at a time, using a greased spatula.
- Once cooled, lift out using the parchment and cut into bars with a greased knife.
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