Your favorite, classic Rice Krispie Treats turned patriotic for the summer holidays! These easy no-bake 4th of July Rice Krispies Treats have layers of red, white and blue to make them fun and festive. They are quick, simple and always a hit.

4th of July Rice Krispies cut out into stars

Table of Contents

Ingredients Needed for Patriotic Rice Krispie Treats!

Butter – We used salted butter for this recipe.
Mini Marshmallows – Grab a fresh bag you’ll get better results!
Crispy Rice Cereal
Clear Vanilla Extract – Using clear extract prevents the “white” layer from taking on a darker color from using regular vanilla extract.
Food Coloring – Red and White, we like the gel food coloring for a more vibrant color.

Helpful Tools

4th of July Rice Krispie Treats Ingredients

How to Make 4th of July Rice Krispie Treats!

Prep – Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.

Make the Red Layer

In a large pot, start to melt ¼ cup butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, add 5 cups of the mini marshmallows to the butter, stirring often.
Once the marshmallows are almost melted, turn the heat to low. Add ½ teaspoon of vanilla and the red food coloring, a few drops at a time, and mix well. If needed, continue to add food coloring until desired color. Remove from heat.
Immediately mix in 4 cups of the cereal. Stir until the cereal is well coated. Pour into the parchment lined pan. Spread evenly while pressing down firmly, and smooth the top using the back of a buttered spoon.

Make White Layer

In a large pot, start to melt ¼ cup butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, add 5 cups of the mini marshmallows to the butter, stirring often.
Once the marshmallows are almost melted, turn the heat to low. Add ½ teaspoon of vanilla and mix well.
Immediately mix in 4 cups of the cereal. Stir until the cereal is well coated.
Pour the white batch on top of the red layer. Press down and smooth evenly.

Bowl with rice krispies and blue melted marshmallows

Make Blue Layer

In a large pot, start to melt ¼ cup butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, add 5 cups of the mini marshmallows to the butter, stirring often.
Once the marshmallows are almost melted, turn the heat to low. Add ½ teaspoon of vanilla and the blue food coloring, a few drops at a time, and mix well. If needed, continue to add food coloring until desired color. Remove from heat.
Immediately mix in 4 cups of the cereal. Stir until the cereal is well coated. Pour into the parchment lined pan. Spread evenly while pressing down firmly, and smooth the top using the back of a buttered spoon.
Place on top of the white layer. Press firmly and smooth out the top layer.

Red White and Blue Rice Krispie Treats on cutting board

Hand cutting out rice krispie treats with star cookie cutter

Cool & Cut Stars

Remove the treats from the pan (use a knife to cut around the edges if needed). Peel off the parchment paper and place on a cutting board.
Cut the treats into star shapes using a cookie cutter. If the cutter isn’t deep enough to completely reach the bottom of the pan, create an indentation with the cutter to use as a stencil, and then cut it out completely using a knife.

How Should I store Rice Krispie Treats?

Place in an airtight container with lid for 2-3 days. They are best enjoyed on the day they are prepared, but will last a few days.

What if I don’t have a star cookie cutter?

There are a few different options if you don’t have a star cookie cutter. The first option is just to skip the cookie cutter and cut the red, white and blue Rice Krispie treats into square. They are fun, festive and cut with their layers!

The other option is to print a star off on a piece of paper, cut it out and then place it on the Rice Krispie Treats. Use a sharp knife to cut around the star outline and you’ll have a star!

Can I make these Rice Krispie Treats for other holidays and events?

Of course! You can change these treats up for many different holidays and event pretty easily.

Christmas – Red & Green Layers and cut out Christmas Trees!
St. Patrick’s day – Green Rice Krispie Treats cut out into shamrocks.
Valentine’s Day – Red and Pink cut out into hearts
Halloween – Orange and black cut out into pumpkin, witches hats, etc.

Pro Tips!

The marshmallow cools down quickly, so be prepared to mix in the cereal immediately after removing from the heat, then quickly add them to the pan before cooling down too much and getting very sticky.
If the stars stick or the cookie cutter doesn’t cut all the way through them, use a knife coated in butter or cooking spray to finish cutting them out. This prevents the marshmallows from sticking to the knife.
If you like your treats stickier, add an additional cup of marshmallows to each batch.
Use fresh marshmallows. Stale or store brand marshmallows usually don’t work as well.

Fourth of July Rice Krispie Treats stacked

More 4th of July Fun!

Make a Red, White and Blue Tie Dye Shirt for the summer! This is a fun activity for the kids to help with.
Red White and Blue Strawberries are so easy to make. Dip your fresh strawberries in white chocolate and then blue sprinkles!
Grab these fun, themed 4th of July Activities. These free printables includes coloring pages, word scramble, word search and word challenge.
Need a festive and easy sweet treat for summer? Make Patriotic Brownies!

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