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    Home » Dessert » Bars

    Valentine Pinwheels Pink Rice Krispie Treats

    Modified: Jan 8, 2024 · Published: Jan 24, 2020 by Tonia Larson

    This post may contain affiliate links.

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    These Valentine Pinwheels are gooey, chewy, pink rice krispie treats rolled up with buttercream frosting. It’s a fun twist on the classic.

    valentine pinwheels in three rows

    Who can resist rice krispies treats? They have remained popular over the years because they are so delicious!

    A couple of years ago I made scotcharoos pinwheels and decided to do the same with rice krispies treats. These Valentine Pinwheels take rice krispies treats to the next level with the layer of buttercream frosting.

    Table of contents

    • How To Make Valentine Pinwheels
    • Can I use large marshmallows instead of mini to make rice krispies treats?
    • Liquid Food Coloring vs Gel Food Coloring
    • Other Kinds Of Cereal
    • Other Filling Ideas
    • Pink Rice Krispie Bars
    • More Valentine’s Day Recipes

    How To Make Valentine Pinwheels

    mini marshmallows in a bowl with melted butter

    Put the mini marshmallows into a large bowl and pour the melted butter over them. Microwave on high for 1 minute and 30 seconds, stirring at 45 seconds, until the mixture is smooth.

    Can I use large marshmallows instead of mini to make rice krispies treats?

    Yes! You can substitute 40 large marshmallows for the 5 1/2 cups of mini ones called for in this recipe.

    pink marshmallow cream

    Stir in red gel food coloring to make the marshmallow cream pink.

    Liquid Food Coloring vs Gel Food Coloring

    I prefer using gel food coloring when baking because you only need a little bit to get intense colors. This is especially important when coloring things that are a darker color. The one downside of gel food coloring is its availability. You’ll have to plan ahead to purchase it from a store such as Michaels or buy it online. I buy it in a multi-pack to have most of the colors I need.

    On the other hand, the nice thing about liquid food coloring is that it is readily available at your local grocery store. It will definitely work in this recipe, but you might need to use more of it to get a deep pink color.

    pink rice krispies treats mixture

    Add the rice krispies and stir until evenly coated with the marshmallow mixture.

    Other Kinds Of Cereal

    Other kinds of cereal can be stirred into the melted marshmallows instead of the rice krispies. If you want to be able to make pinwheels, I would suggest sticking to one of the crispy rice cereals such as Fruity Pebbles or Cocoa Krispies.

    pink rice kripsies treats in a pan

    Spread the mixture out on a large, rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan. Cover the bottom of the pan with parchment paper to make it easier to remove. Or use butter to grease the pan well.

    My favorite trick for spreading out rice krispies treats in the pan is to put my hand in a plastic baggie, grease the baggie with butter, and then use my covered hand to flatten the treats. Other options would be to use a greased silicone spatula or even the flat bottom of a greased measuring cup.

    buttercream frosting on rice krispies treats

    Next, flip the pan of rice krispies treats over onto a large sheet of parchment paper. Smack the pan several times to loosen the treats. You may need to use a spatula to gently peel the treats from the pan if you didn’t use parchment paper to line the pan.

    Then, top the rice krispies treats with buttercream frosting. You can find my recipe for buttercream frosting here.

    Other Filling Ideas

    I used homemade buttercream to make this recipe, but you could also use store-bought frosting or buttercream from a bakery. Another option would be to use marshmallow cream.

    You could flavor the buttercream with strawberry or raspberry extract to make it more unique. Or add food coloring to make it really pop.

    heart shaped sprinkles on top of buttercream frosting

    Top the buttercream frosting with some adorable Valentine’s Day sprinkles.

    Pink Rice Krispie Bars

    You can stop at this point and enjoy the frosted pink rice krispie treats. Cut the treats into bars, or chill them and then use a cookie cutter to make heart-shaped treats.

    rolling up the rice krispies treats

    Starting at the short side of the bars, slowly roll the bars up, gently pressing closed any cracks or holes that may form.

    valentine pinwheels roll

    Chill until firm, and then use a serrated knife to cut the roll of rice krispies treats into Valentine pinwheels.

    valentine pinwheels with sprinkles

    Top the treats with additional sprinkles, if desired.

    valentines pinwheels with sprinkles

    Store the Valentine pinwheels in the fridge. To hand them out as little gifts, put the pinwheels in cellophane bags and tie them closed with ribbons.

    stack of pinwheels

    More Valentine’s Day Recipes

    • Red Velvet Ooey Gooey Bars have three delicious layers.
    • This Sweetheart Cake has a fluffy, whipped frosting.
    • Red Velvet Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups are simply adorable.
    • Use these 25+ Valentine’s Day Ideas to make gift bags and test tube treats.
    valentines rice krispies treats.

    Valentine Pinwheels

    These Valentine Pinwheels are gooey, chewy, pink rice krispies treats rolled-up with buttercream frosting. It's a fun twist on the classic.
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    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 11 pinwheels
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    Equipment

    • Pampered Chef Spatula Set
    • Soft Gel Paste
    • Glass Mixing Bowl Set

    Ingredients

    • 5 ½ cups mini marshmallows
    • 3 tablespoon butter melted
    • ⅛ teaspoon red gel food coloring
    • 6 cups rice krispies
    • 2 cups buttercream frosting
    • 1 tablespoon sprinkles optional

    Instructions

    • Put the mini marshmallows in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Pour the melted butter over the mini marshmallows and stir to coat.
    • Microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds, stirring after 45 seconds, until smooth.
    • Stir in the red gel food coloring.
    • Add the rice krispies and stir until coated.
    • Press into a parchment-lined (or well-greased) rimmed baking sheet (about 16x12x1).
    • Turn out onto a large piece of parchment paper.
    • Spread buttercream frosting over rice krispies treats and top with sprinkles if desired.
    • Starting at the short side of the bars, slowly roll the bars up, gently pressing closed any cracks or holes that may form.
    • Chill until firm and use a serrated knife to cut into 1-inch segments.
    • Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

    Video

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    Nutrition

    Serving: 1pinwheel | Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 201mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 1111IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 5mg
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Author: Tonia Larson

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      S’more Rice Krispie Treats
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      Rainbow Rice Krispies Treats

    About Tonia Larson

    Hi! I’m Tonia, the owner and recipe creator at The Gunny Sack, where I’ve shared easy recipes for busy people for 14+ years! My family-friendly meals, easy side dishes, and delicious desserts include mouthwatering photos, dynamic videos, and step-by-step instructions to help you cook at home.

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    Tonia Larson from The Gunny Sack.

    Hi, I'm Tonia! Welcome to The Gunny Sack, where I’ve shared easy recipes for busy people for 14+ years! Meet Tonia Larson →

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