These Crispy Chocolate Cherry Treats are like the grown-up version of Rice Krispies treats and are packed with white chocolate, marshmallows, and dried cherries with a chocolate topping.

(This recipe for Crispy Chocolate Cherry Treats was originally published in January 2012, but was updated with new photos in 2020).
When I received a package from America's Test Kitchen a few weeks back containing their holiday cookie magazine I first drooled and then I started bookmarking recipes I wanted to try.
The first was their Crispy Chocolate Cherry Treats. Basically an adult/fancy version of the basic Rice Krispies treats. Cereal, white chocolate, marshmallows, and dried cherries. I mean, you can't go wrong with that combination. I think it covers every food group, yeah?
If you've ever made Rice Krispies treats, these are a very similar process and should be quite easy for you. The key (as it usually is when baking with marshmallow) is to work quickly.
Crispy Chocolate Cherry Treats Recipe
To start, line an 8×8 baking pan with foil, making sure there’s a few inches of foil hanging over each side of the pan. Press the foil down tightly into the corners of the pan and grease the foil with cooking spray.
Melt your butter in a large saucepan over low heat.
Add marshmallows, white chocolate chips, and salt and cook making sure to consistently stir until everything is melted.
Literally, until it's JUST melted because if you let it cook too long, there's a chance it could start to harden.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and incorporate the cereal and cherries.
Things will start getting very stickyyy.
Once the cherries and cereal are incorporated, pour/scrape them into your prepared pan.
And press the mixture into the sides of the pan using a greased spatula. Let this cool for about 1 hour.
Next, you're going to melt the chocolate chips. I used a ramekin and melted in the microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between.
Drizzle the melted chocolate over the treats. OK fine, I started by drizzling it, but then I decided to just spread it over the entire top of the cherry treats.
Because why not??
Let the chocolate cool for about 30 minutes then lift the foil sling out of the pan and place it on a cutting board. Using a greased knife, cut the treats into about 16 squares.
Ooh hello there, pretty things! These bars are incredibly dense, but in a really good way. They pull apart beautifully as you bite into them and practically melt in your mouth.
You'll probably never be satisfied by a plain old Rice Krispie treat again.You'll be all like, "where are the cherries?? the white chocolate?? the chocolate topping??" And whoever gave you the Rice Krispie treat will be all, "sorry?" and will probably never make you another baked good again.
But that's OK because clearly you can do it yourself. These chocolate cherry treats are proof.
Like most bar desserts, these cherry treats can fit pretty much any occasion. They're just as perfect for selling to bake sales as they are for bringing to a holiday "cookie" swap or as a host/hostess gift to a party.
I've honestly never been a big Rice Krispies treats person, but now that I've had crispy chocolate cherry treats, I totally understand the appeal of them. Now I can't stop thinking about other mix-ins I want to try!
What would your dream Rice Krispie treat add-in be??
If you're looking for more delicious bar desserts, check out my Lucky Charms Cookie Dough Bars and my Pumpkin Cheerios Marshmallow Treats. I also really want to make these Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars from Averie Cooks!
📖 Recipe
Crispy Chocolate Cherry Treats
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 (10 oz.) bag marshmallows
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 1 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
Instructions
- Line an 8x8 baking pan with foil, making sure there’s a few inches of foil hanging over each side of the pan. Press the foil down tightly into the corners of the pan and grease the foil with cooking spray.
- Place butter in a large saucepan over low heat and let it melt. Add marshmallows, white chocolate chips, and salt and cook making sure to consistently stir until everything is melted together.
- Remove saucepan from the heat and add Rice Krispies and dried cherries, gently stirring to incorporate. Pour the mixture into prepared pan.
- Press the mixture into the sides of the pan using a greased spatula. Let cool for about 1 hour.
- Place chocolate chips in a small bowl and melt at 50% power in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until chocolate chips are completely melted.
- Either drizzle chocolate over the top or spread to completely cover treats. Let cool for 30 minutes.
- Lift foil sling out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Using a greased knife, cut the treats into 16 squares and serve.
Notes
- Recipe adapted from Cook's Country
Bee (Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine) says
Ohhh these look deliiiiiicious! Like rice crispy treats all grown up!
Michelle says
I made the SAME dessert for New Year's Eve...it will be up on the blog soon. Great minds think alike!
Megan says
Cherries and chocolate are one of my favorite combos... these sound great! Maybe the Flour Rice Krispies treats recipe with the cherries and chocolate would yield softer treats.
lynn @ the actor's diet says
i love anything with rice krispie treats. i think i was a brainwashed by their commercials as a kid.
Michelle Collins says
I'm with you on the "saying no" resolution - after you say it once, you realize just how liberating it is!