Healthy Rice Krispie Treats Kids Actually Like

Here’s the Proof That Your Kids Will Love These

Rice Krispie treats are a classic kid snack/dessert. But, honestly, I do not understand why they are sometimes given out as a snack at group events. Rice Krispie treats have no nutrition! If you are nodding along in agreement at this point, here is why you are going to be excited about these healthy rice Krispie treats kids love:

They taste amazing and they have nutrition and they contain zero processed sugar! 

These homemade healthy rice Krispie treats can actually qualify as a legitimate snack compared to the store-bought version because they have more protein, significantly less carbs, less sugar (with raw honey as the sweetener instead of corn syrup), and 5-10% of a child’s necessary daily fiber.

But don’t be fooled into thinking that healthy means your kids won’t like them. 

If you are doubting how well these will be received by your child, let me tell you a candid story about my own daughter that is proof these things are pretty amazing.

She came home from church camp one day saying she had gotten a rice krispie treat as her snack that day. I bravely asked her if it was better then the ones I make. 

She was honest. She said yes. 

BUT, do you know what she did next? She proceeded to ask me for one of my rice krispie treats for her afternoon snack. 

As I put a homemade rice krispie treat on a plate for her, I figured she would taste it, mentally compare it to the junky rice krispie treat she had eaten earlier and set it down in disappointment.

But she didn’t.

She literally devoured it with a satisfied smile saying it was “so good.” 

I know my daughter. She’s not capable of convincingly pretending to love something I make just to make me feel good. She was LOVING it just as much as always, even after she had recently tasted a forbidden, processed, sugary packaged rice Krispie treat.

So yeah, these might not be quite as good as the real thing. But they are pretty close, judging from my very picky daughter’s taste buds. 

What These Homemade Rice Krispie Treats are Great for

Rice Krispie treats are great for so many things: breakfast, snacks, desserts, and even occasional fillers after a slim meal. 

I love these for breakfast because all I have to do is pull them out of the freezer and set them on a plate. And just like that, I magically have happy kids eating their breakfast.

I also give these to my kids as snacks. As I mentioned earlier, I would not give my kids the traditional rice Krispie treat to my kids for a snack. But since these have some protein and fiber and no processed sugar, I don’t mind my kids snacking on them. 

And of course, any sweet treat can become a dessert. If your kids are like mine and become a little spoiled by having these for breakfast, add a little excitement to them by putting honey-sweetened chocolate tahini frosting on top to serve as a dessert.

These can even be a good way to fill up bellies a little bit more when your child doesn’t eat as much lunch as you would like and you know they need more sustenance. 

Of course, I’m not suggesting you replace a meal with rice Krispie treats (as much as your kids would love it if you did 🙂 ). But every now and then, when you just can’t talk a two-year-old into eating more chicken and you know she’ll be hungry and cranky all afternoon, a healthy little treat can help fill in the cracks.

Now, these do need to be kept cold in order for them to hold together. I prefer to freeze them because 1) we like them crunchy straight from the freezer and 2) they thaw pretty quickly. Once they are room temperature, they won’t hold together in a uniform shape, although they will still be sticky and taste delicious!

Speaking of keeping these in the freezer, they also make excellent make-ahead treats for holidays and special celebrations, such as Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween and birthday parties. And if you want to add a little color to your holiday-themed rice Krispie treats, there’s a healthier way to do it than adding sprinkles – which are full of unhealthy dyes, additives and even corn syrup. 

Instead, whip up a batch of my vanilla buttercream frosting recipe and divide it into three or four bowls. Then, add some all-natural, plant-based India Tree food coloring to each bowl to make different colors of buttercream. 

When you are ready to pour your rice Krispie mixture onto your baking sheet, only pour half of the mixture. Then, using a cake decorating bag or a sealable sandwich bag with a corner cut off, squirt little dots of each color all over the rice Krispies. 

Pour the rest of the rice Krispies on top and then repeat the same process with the colored buttercream dots. 

Then, after your rice Krispies are frozen and you serve them, your kids will be delighted to see speckles of colors in their rice Krispie treats!

Ingredients

• Butter: Butter is what gives these rice Krispie treats their rich flavor. It is also an essential part of holding these rice Krispie treats together because it solidifies when cold. Use grass-fed or organic butter for optimal health benefits.

• Tahini: Tahini is the most important part of the base for these rice Krispie treats because it provides protein and nutrition while balancing out the richness of the butter to create the perfect flavor. Alternatively, Almond butter can be used which is also a source of protein and butter-balancing flavor.

• Raw Honey: Raw, unfiltered honey is another very important ingredient for both taste and nutrition. Honey is the only component of these healthy rice Krispie treats that is sweet, making them a completely naturally sweetened treat.

It is important to use raw and unfiltered honey because it also solidifies when cold and is thicker than processed honey even at room temperature. This prevents the rice Krispie treats from becoming runny, even when left out of the fridge.

• Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract adds that extra little bit of flavor. Make sure you have pure vanilla extract and not one of the fake imitations.

• Collagen Powder: Collagen adds a little more protein to these rice Krispie treats. I also love using moderate amounts of collagen in my treat-making because of its gut-health benefits. I love the Mama Natural collagen powder because it features six different types of collagen. That is more than most other collagen brands can boast.

• Puffed Rice: It is important to note that the puffed rice used in this recipe is different from the boxed cereal you find in the breakfast aisle. The typical rice cereal has additives, including sugar. I prefer to get something more pure, so I buy puffed rice in a bag. This can be found in the ethnic aisle at Wal-Mart or on Amazon, but it is significantly cheaper at Indian grocery markets.

Instructions

Step 1

Line a medium-size baking sheet with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment paper is large enough to reach past the edges of the pan.

Step 2

In a small pot on the stove, melt the butter, tahini, honey and vanilla extract on low heat, stirring constantly until all ingredients are liquified and combined. Turn off heat.

*See note in recipe card.

Step 3

If using collagen, mix into liquified ingredients.

Step 4

To an extra large, heat-safe bowl, add the puffed rice.

Step 5

Pour liquid ingredients over puffed rice and mix thoroughly until all puffed rice is evenly coated.

Step 6

Pour puffed rice mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread evenly on the sheet and press down with a spatula to pack the puffed rice together, creating an even surface (see note on recipe card if you want to add chocolate buttercream frosting or colored specks to your rice Krispie treats).

Step 7

Place baking sheet in the freezer for at least one hour to set and harden the liquid ingredients.

Step 8

Remove rice Krispie treats from freezer, lift the parchment paper off of the baking sheet and set it on a flat, solid, cut-safe surface. Using a large, sharp knife, cute treats into 16 rectangles (see note on recipe card for adding chocolate tahini buttercream frosting).

Step 9

Rice Krispie treats are best served straight from the freezer if your child likes them crunchy. For a softer, chewier texture, serve from the fridge or, if stored in the freezer, let sit on the counter for 10 minutes.

Step 10

Store in an airtight container in fridge for up to one week or in the freezer for up to one month.

Substitutions & Tips

• The puffed rice in this recipe is different than the Kellogg’s Rice Krispie’s cereal. This puffed rice does not have any added ingredients other than sometimes salt. It is considered an ethnic food item (usually Indian). You can sometimes find it in Wal-Mart’s ethnic aisle or on Amazon, but the best and cheapest place to find it is at Indian grocery stores.

• Aside from butter, the creaminess of this recipe comes from tahini. Make sure you buy plain tahini from an Indian or Middle Eastern grocery store. Or, order tahini from Amazon. Do not confuse plain tahini (ground sesame seeds with no other ingredients) with the dessert tahini that comes in a block and contains sugar and flavorings.

• You can make these with almond butter instead of tahini if you prefer. My kids are not the biggest fans of almond butter, so we do tahini. Plus, I feel the tahini does not have as much of it’s own flavor to disrupt the creaminess of the mixture while almond butter is clearly distinguishable. But if your kids do like almond butter, I have made them with almond butter before with success.

• If you want to add some color to your rice Krispie treats with colored buttercream frosting dots, I recommend using a natural, plant-based food coloring such as this primary colors set from India Tree. It is free from dyes and sugars.

• Make sure to store these in the fridge or freezer. If you wish to take them as an on-the-go snack or treat, just make sure they are frozen first or transport them in a chilled, insulated lunch box.