Rice Krispie Christmas Puddings

When the cereal hits the chocolate-marshmallow mixture, it can look like the bowl has turned into one sticky, stubborn mass. A few steady folds bring everything together, and damp hands make shaping the mounds much less of a wrestling match. These Rice Krispie Christmas Puddings have the familiar crisp-chewy texture, with cocoa and semisweet chocolate giving the cereal a deeper flavor than the usual marshmallow-only treat.

I make the base in one saucepan, keeping the heat low so the butter and chocolate melt without scorching. Once the mini marshmallows are smooth, the cocoa, vanilla, and salt go in off the heat; that keeps the mixture easy to stir and helps the cocoa disappear evenly. Then it’s just a matter of coating the cereal, shaping 12 mounds, and adding the little red-and-green finish.

The white chocolate drizzle sets into a neat cap, while the red candies and green icing give each mound its Christmas-pudding look. They’re cheerful on a cookie plate, but the best part is still the crisp cereal inside a soft, chocolatey bite.

Why Cocoa Goes In After the Marshmallows, Not With the Chocolate

There are two different chocolate jobs in these puddings. The semisweet chips melt with the butter at the start, giving the marshmallow mixture a smooth, chocolatey base. Unsweetened cocoa powder goes in only after the pan comes off the heat. It deepens the chocolate flavor without adding extra sweetness, and stirring it in at that point keeps it from sitting in hot butter and clumping before the marshmallows are ready.

That order also makes the mixture easier to judge. The melted marshmallows should look smooth first; then you can stir in the cocoa, vanilla, and salt until no dry patches remain. If cocoa goes in unevenly, you’ll see pale streaks or little dry pockets once the cereal is folded through. Take a moment to smooth out the chocolate mixture before adding the cereal, because cereal is much harder to coat evenly once it’s in the pan.

The salt has a small but useful role here: it keeps the sweet marshmallow and chocolate from tasting flat. Vanilla rounds out the cocoa rather than competing with it. Together, those additions make the centers taste like chocolate treats, not just cereal held together with melted marshmallows.

The Crisp Cereal and Two Chocolates Each Have a Different Job

• Semisweet chocolate chips — They melt into the butter and give the base its chocolate flavor. Standard baking chips work well; you don’t need a premium brand. Keep them paired with the cocoa rather than swapping one for the other, since the chips provide melted chocolate while cocoa contributes concentrated flavor.
• Mini marshmallows — Their small size helps them melt into a smooth mixture over low heat. Stir often and wait until there are no visible marshmallow pieces before taking the pan off the burner. The smooth base is what coats the cereal instead of leaving sticky clumps.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder — This adds chocolate intensity without bringing more sugar. Use unsweetened cocoa, not sweetened hot cocoa mix; the mix has added sugar and other ingredients, so it won’t behave or taste the same here. Stir it in after removing the pan from the heat.
• Crisp rice cereal — Fresh, crisp cereal gives the mounds their light crunch. If the cereal has been open long enough to taste stale, the finished centers won’t have the same snap. For a gluten-free adaptation, use crisp rice cereal labeled gluten-free in its place; choose gluten-free versions of the other packaged ingredients as well.
• White chocolate chips and vegetable oil — The oil loosens the melted white chocolate so it drizzles rather than falling in thick globs. Regular white chocolate chips are fine, and stirring between short microwave bursts helps them melt smoothly. The red candies and green decorating icing provide the familiar color contrast, so there’s no need to add extra decoration.

The Low-Heat Path From Glossy Marshmallow to Set Puddings

Start with a gentle chocolate melt

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper before you begin; the shaped puddings can go straight onto it. Set a large saucepan over low heat and melt the butter with the semisweet chocolate chips for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. The mixture should look glossy and fluid, without scorched bits on the bottom of the pan. Keep the heat low rather than trying to hurry the chocolate along.

Get the marshmallows completely smooth

Add the mini marshmallows and keep stirring over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes. At first they’ll look like separate soft pieces, then they’ll collapse into the chocolate and butter; wait until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Remove the saucepan from the heat before stirring in the cocoa powder, vanilla, and kosher salt. Scrape and stir until the cocoa is evenly blended, with no dry streaks clinging to the sides.

Coat the cereal and shape 12 mounds

Add the crisp rice cereal and fold until the pieces are evenly coated in the chocolate-marshmallow mixture. Work around the bottom and sides of the saucepan so dry cereal doesn’t get left behind. Use damp hands to shape the mixture into 12 mounds, then set them on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Keep the shapes loose enough that the centers stay light and crisp rather than compressed.

Drizzle, decorate, and let the tops set

Put the white chocolate chips and vegetable oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 20-second bursts, stirring between bursts, until smooth; the total microwave time is about 40 to 60 seconds. Drizzle the white chocolate over the puddings, add 3 red candies to each, and pipe small green leaves with the decorating icing. Let the finished puddings stand for 20 minutes so the decoration sets before you move them.

Small Changes That Keep These Christmas Puddings Recognizable

Questions That Come Up While Making Rice Krispie Christmas Puddings

Rice Krispie Christmas Puddings

Rice Krispie Christmas puddings are no-bake chocolate marshmallow treats shaped into festive mounds and topped with white chocolate, red candies, and green icing. Damp hands make the cereal mixture easier to shape, and a short rest lets the decorations set.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

setting time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 43 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 280

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the puddings

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 bag (10 oz) mini marshmallows
• 0.25 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 0.25 tsp kosher salt
• 6 cup crisp rice cereal

For the decorations

• 0.5 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 36 red candy-coated chocolates mini
• 2 tbsp decorating icing green

Equipment

• 1 baking sheet
• 1 microwave

Method

 

Make the puddings

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and semisweet chocolate chips, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the marshmallows and stir over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until completely melted and smooth.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt.
5. Stir in the cereal until evenly coated.
6. Use damp hands to shape the mixture into 12 mounds and place them on the baking sheet.

Decorate

1. Microwave the white chocolate chips and vegetable oil in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second bursts, stirring between bursts, until smooth, about 40 to 60 seconds total.
2. Drizzle the melted white chocolate over the puddings.
3. Add 3 red candies to each pudding.
4. Pipe small green leaves with the icing.
5. Let stand for 20 minutes to set.

Notes

Use damp hands to shape the mixture before it cools and firms. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freezing is not recommended. For a gluten-free option, use certified gluten-free crisp rice cereal.