Isn’t Easter candy delightful? The bright colors, playful shapes and a mix of chocolate and fruity flavors make it a seasonal favorite—especially the sugar.
Peeps are the ultimate sugar rush for kids: soft marshmallow coated in colored sugar, shaped into bunnies or chicks. They’re practically made for holiday fun.
I decided to turn Peeps into Rice Krispie treats by using Peeps for the marshmallow portion. The result keeps the playful colors and adds extra sweetness. Using three different colors creates a pretty marbled effect—almost like unicorn Rice Krispie treats.
This is one of my favorite ways to use extra Easter candy.
Why I love this recipe
Like classic Rice Krispie treats, these are quick and simple. The only extra step is handling multiple colors. You can use two colors or one if you prefer, but three gives a pleasing balance and a cheerful marbled look.
Peeps also give you decorating options. I used whole chicks for decoration and cut off a few heads to place on top. The remaining headless pieces were chopped and stirred into the mix to add extra pockets of marshmallow.
The combination of whole Peeps and smaller pieces made for an adorable presentation—those little bits look like baby chicks beside the whole candies.
Ingredients
The basic Rice Krispie treat ingredients remain the same: cereal, butter and marshmallow. For this version, replace standard marshmallows with Peeps in three colors. My favorite combination so far is bright pink, blue and either yellow or lavender as the third color.
How to make Peeps Rice Krispie treats
Preparation
This guide is for a three-color batch with some chopped Peeps added for texture. You can scale back to one or two colors and omit the chopped pieces if you like.
I use an 11×7-inch baking dish, but any similar-sized pan will work. Grease the pan lightly with butter or cooking spray before you begin.
If you plan to decorate with Peeps heads, remove them first and set them aside. Cut up the remaining Peeps to stir into the mixture if desired.
Making the treats
Start with 5 cups of Rice Krispies cereal. This recipe divides the cereal and Peeps into three color batches like this:
4.5 ounces yellow Peeps + 2 tablespoons butter + 2 cups cereal
3 ounces pink Peeps + 1.5 tablespoons butter + 1.5 cups cereal
3 ounces blue Peeps + 1.5 tablespoons butter + 1.5 cups cereal
Place each color of Peeps in its own microwave-safe bowl. Add the specified amount of butter and microwave each bowl about 60 seconds, or until the Peeps and butter are melted. You can also warm them in a saucepan over low heat, but microwaving three separate colors is quicker for this method.
Stir each bowl until the marshmallow and butter form a smooth mixture, then mix in the allotted amount of cereal until evenly coated.
If you are adding chopped Peeps pieces, fold them into one of the color batches now. I usually add the chopped pieces to just one bowl for variety and to avoid overloading the mixture.
Transfer large spoonfuls of each color into the greased pan, alternating colors to create a marbled pattern. Grease your hands lightly with butter or use a greased sandwich bag as a glove, then press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan. A spatula works, but pressing by hand gives better control.
Decorate
Place whole Peeps or the reserved Peeps heads on top while the mixture is still warm so they stick. You can also add decorations after the treats cool, but warm marshmallow helps them adhere better.
Allow the treats to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before cutting.
Expert Tips
While one bowl is microwaving, start the next so none of the mixtures cools too much before you combine them. Working quickly keeps the marshmallow sticky and easy to spread.
Kitchen shears are great for cutting Peeps—much easier than a knife.
If your Peeps packages are smaller than the proportions above, you can estimate the butter amounts. I’ve successfully used slightly more butter than specified when I was eyeballing measurements.
For a larger 13×9-inch pan, use 6 cups of cereal and 4.5 ounces of each color of Peeps, increasing butter proportionally.
Optional add-ins—such as jelly beans, sprinkles, or small chocolate eggs—make the treats even more festive. Because they’re sticky, I recommend serving them separately from Easter baskets.
A few more no-bake treats to try
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
- Coconut Date Balls
- Dunkaroo Dip
- Smoothie Popsicles
- Oreo Krispies
📖 Recipe
Peeps Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- 10–12 ounces marshmallow Peeps
- 5 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 5 tablespoons butter
- Optional: extra Peeps for decorating
Instructions
For one color:
- Microwave about 10 ounces of Peeps with the butter for 60–90 seconds. Stir until smooth, then add the cereal and combine.
- Press the mixture into a greased 11×7-inch baking pan. Cool 30 minutes before cutting.
For multi-color:
- I used 4.5 ounces yellow Peeps and 3 ounces each of blue and pink. Mix each color in separate bowls using the proportions below.
- For 4.5 ounces Peeps: add 2 tablespoons butter, microwave 60 seconds, stir smooth, then add 2 cups cereal.
- For 3 ounces Peeps: add 1.5 tablespoons butter, microwave 60 seconds, stir smooth, then add 1.5 cups cereal.
- Transfer spoonfuls of each color into the greased pan to create a marbled effect, then press firmly. Cool 30 minutes before cutting.
Optional decorations:
- Place additional Peeps on top, or cut off Peeps heads with kitchen shears to decorate. Chop the bodies and stir into the mixture for extra pockets of marshmallow.
Notes
To make a 13×9-inch pan, use 4.5 ounces of each color Peeps, plus 2 tablespoons butter and 2 cups cereal per color.
Nutrition
Calories: 165 kcal | Carbohydrates: 30 g | Protein: 1 g | Fat: 5 g | Sugar: 20 g
Nutrition values are estimates only.
These treats are now available as a web story.