These Easter Nests with Rice Krispies are an easy, no-bake, fun, and festive Easter treat that kids love making and eating. They get a boost of flavor from browned butter and vanilla, and extra softness from more butter and less cereal than the traditional recipe. These make great gifts, school treats, after-school snacks, and are an Easter treat my kids always look forward to every year.
What we love about these Rice Krispie Nests
This is my favorite Rice Krispies recipe. I use less cereal and more butter than the original recipe for a more gooey treat. The real secret, though, is the browned butter and added vanilla. Browning the butter gives the treats more depth of flavor and a rich caramelized flavor. Browning the butter takes less than 5 minutes, and I highly recommend not skipping this step. These are so good!
They are so fun! You can put any little treat in these nests. We’ve used jelly beans, Cadbury Mini Eggs, Robin Eggs Minis, Jordan almonds, Easter colored M&Ms, or any treat you like. I have also colored coconut with green food dye and layered that underneath the candy, but not everyone loves the coconut, so I don’t often take the time.
Looking for some other Desserts for Easter? Try our Easter Egg Rice Krispies Treats, Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies, Lemon Curd Tassies, Homemade Strawberry Shortcakes, our Coconut Cream Pie, or our Cherry Cream Pie.
What you need to make these Rice Krispie Easter Nests
You will need the following ingredients:
- Butter
- Vanilla
- Mini-marshmallows
- Rice Krispies cereal
- Easter candy for filling (I used Cadbury Mini Eggs)
Rice Krispie Nest Substitutions
I know what it’s like when you don’t have everything on hand, and the last thing you want to do is run to the store and pick something up. Here are a few ideas to substitute items on the ingredients list if needed:
- I used Cadbury Mini Eggs here, but there are so many options for filling with candy. Some favorites we have used are: jelly beans, Robin Eggs Minis, Jordan almonds, and Easter colored M&Ms
- You could try using another type of cereal besides Rice Krispies (or another flavor). I’ve seen Fruity Pebbles, Chocolate Rice Krispies, or Lucky Charms.
- You could substitute the vanilla bean seeds for the vanilla or omit the vanilla altogether.
Step-by-step Instructions
Step 1. In a large Dutch oven pot or heavy-bottomed pan, melt butter over low heat. Once the butter melts, it will start to bubble and make a crackling sound. It will slowly start to brown, and within about 5 minutes, the bubbling will start to subside
Step 2. Immediately add the vanilla and marshmallows (otherwise the butter can start to burn) and stir consistently until the marshmallows are melted. Remove from the heat. Stir in the Rice Krispies and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula until the mixture is fully incorporated.
Step 3. Using a large (about 1/4 cup) cookie scoop, start portioning the treats into the prepared muffin tins. As soon as the treats are cool enough to handle, use your fingers to make a well in the center of the treats to shape them into nests.
Step 4. Let the Rice Krispies set for about an hour, fill with candy, and serve.
Tips
- Fresh Rice Krispies and fresh marshmallows make the best Rice Krispies treats if you can buy them new instead of using leftovers.
- Browned butter and vanilla give these treats a boost of flavor. Make sure to use salted butter (or add salt if using unsalted butter). The browned butter adds a nutty, caramelized flavor that adds more depth and richness.
- To make nests that are consistently the same size and to make the placing of the treats in the muffin tins easier, I love using a large cookie scoop. A large cookie scoop holds about 1/4 cup of the treats and is the perfect size also for muffins and cupcakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Can Easter Nests with Rice Krispies be made in advance? |
| a. The texture of Rice Krispies treats is best the day you make them, but they are still good for up to 3 days when stored in an air-tight container. I prefer to serve these the day they are made or to make them up to one day in advance. b. I would wait to add the candy in the nests until right before serving, as the candy can stick to the nests if sitting for too long. |
| How do I store Easter Nests with Rice Krispies? |
| a. Store the treats in an air-tight container at room temperature in a single layer for up to a week. I use a Tupperware container and use waxed paper to separate the layers if I need to stack them so they don’t stick together. You can also individually wrap them in plastic and store them in an air-tight container for maximum freshness. They do not need to be refrigerated, and doing so may dry them out. b. You can freeze them, wrapped individually in plastic wrap, and stored in an air-tight container for up to 2 months. |
Easter Nests with Rice Krispies
These Easter Egg Rice Krispies Treats are an easy, no-bake, fun, and festive Easter treat that kids love making and eating. They get a boost of flavor from browned butter and vanilla, and extra softness from more butter and less cereal than the traditional recipe. These make great gifts, school treats, after-school snacks, and are an Easter treat my kids always look forward to every year.
25
minutes1
hour17-18
nestsIngredients
1/2 cup butter (salted)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
10 -ounce bag mini marshmallows
5 cups Rice Krispies
1 bag Easter candy (I used a 16-oz bag of Cadbury Mini Eggs)
Directions
- Grease two 12-count muffin tins with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large Dutch oven pot or heavy-bottomed pan, melt butter over low heat. Once the butter melts, it will start to bubble and make a crackling sound. It will slowly start to brown, and within about 5 minutes, the bubbling will start to subside. Immediately add the vanilla and marshmallows (otherwise the butter can start to burn) and stir consistently until the marshmallows are melted.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in the Rice Krispies and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula until the mixture is fully incorporated.
- Using a large (about 1/4 cup) cookie scoop, start portioning the treats into the prepared muffin tins. As soon as the treats are cool enough to handle, use your fingers to make a well in the center of the treats to shape them into nests. You can use baking spray or butter on your fingers to prevent them from sticking to the treats if needed. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to shape them into nests.
- Let the Rice Krispies set for about an hour, fill with candy, and serve.
Notes
- Fresh Rice Krispies and fresh marshmallows make the best Rice Krispies treats if you can buy them new instead of using leftovers.
- Right after stirring in the Rice Krispies Treats, I take my 1/4 cup cookie scoop and start putting the treats in the muffin tins. As soon as the treats are cool enough, start making the wells in the center of the treats to shape them into nests. You can grease your fingers if needed with a little baking spray or butter. The longer the treats sit, the harder they can be to shape.
- I double this recipe when making classic Rice Krispies treats. You can double this recipe easily to make more treats for a larger group if needed.
- I use less cereal and more butter for gooier treats than the original Rice Krispies recipe, and the ratio helps keep them soft a little longer when stored. To increase softness, also make sure to melt the marshmallows on low heat.
