Coconut Rice Krispie Treats are perfect for coconut-crazy confectionistas. Coconut is added THREE ways, guaranteeing every bite is crisp coconut perfection.
The best desserts have coconut in them!! For some, the best desserts have chocolate. For others, it’s salted caramel. But for me, it’s coconut all the way. Especially in these coconut Mexican wedding-style coconut cookies and coconut Rice Krispie cookies.
When I want a coconut-forward dessert - and quickly - Coconut Rice Krispie Treats are a solid (and satisfying!) choice. Achieving a coconutty outcome can be as simple as adding shredded coconut flakes to the OG recipe found on the back of a box of Rice Krispie cereal. But my version of these treats ensures the coconut is present in every bite!!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- No Baking Required. This dessert 100% fits my preferred baking style: avoiding it whenever possible.
- Packed with Coconut Flavor. Coconut oil and coconut extract infuse the melted marshmallows (aka the glue that holds the treats together) with coconut goodness. Then we add pulverized coconut flakes to disperse the coconut flavor throughout the cubed confections.
Love Rice Krispie treats? Add these churro Rice Krispie treats to your list to make next!
Ingredients
All you need are six ingredients to set yourself up for satisfying coconut cravings:
- Rice Krispie cereal - The base, the main attraction! Reach for the classic variety for this recipe.
- Marshmallows - You'll need exactly one 10-ounce bag for this recipe.
- Coconut extract - You can also use vanilla, but reach for coconut extract to hit the coconut flavor three ways.
- Coconut oil - Second way this addictive treat gets hit with coconut flavor!
- Shredded/flaked coconut - I highly recommend Bob's Red Mill Unsweetened Coconut Flakes, but feel free to use whatever flaked or shredded coconut you'd like. Shredded or flaked doesn't matter, as you'll be breaking it down further before using it here.
- Butter - If you have any dietary restrictions that make butter a no-go, leave it out! You can replace it with an equal amount of coconut oil. So go ahead. Get coconut crazy.
Be sure to check the recipe card for the full ingredient list and quantities of each one.
How to Make Coconut Rice Krispie Treats - Directions
- Heat butter and coconut oil in a large stovetop pot over medium-low heat. Add the coconut extract and the marshmallows to the melted butter mixture.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, to melt the marshmallows.
- Add the coconut flakes to a spice grinder and grind for 10-15 seconds, until the flakes reach a powder-like consistency.
- Add Rice Krispie cereal and the ground coconut flakes to the melted marshmallow mixture. Stir quickly and furiously until the Rice Krispie cereal is well coated.
- Place the mixture into a 9x9 pan lined with wax paper, pushing down with a rubber scraper until they are uniform in height across the pan. Set them aside to cool. Spritz the wax paper with a little cooking spray to ensure easy treat removal later.
- Remove the treats from the pan by lifting up on the edges of the wax paper. Place them on a cutting board and cut into squares.
Expert Tips & Variations
- Add some chocolate. Stir in some chocolate chips or drizzle the top of the treat squares with melted chocolate. Experiment with semi-sweet chocolate, white chocolate, or dark chocolate - or opt for a mixture.
- Use small marshmallows. These melt much easier than the jumbo ones. If you happen to only have them in the larger size they will take longer to melt or you can cut them into smaller pieces to speed things up.
- Store leftovers. These marshmallow treats are best stored in an airtight container for up 3-4 days. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months.
Recipe FAQs
It's best not to refrigerate. The refrigerator tends to dry the treat squares out over time. For best results, store covered at room temperature.
Air is the enemy when the desire is the maintenance of soft treats. Store in a lidded container or cover the entire tray with aluminum foil to reduce air exposure and keep the treats soft for as long as possible. For best results, consume within 4 days.
Yes, you can! I recommend using a mix of butter and coconut oil in this recipe, but you can absolutely forgo the butter and replace it with an equivalent amount of coconut oil.
More Easy Coconut Dessert Recipes
If you tried this Rice Krispie treats recipe with coconut (or any other recipe on Midwexican), please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the 📝 comments below!
Coconut Rice Krispie Treats
Equipment
- Large stovetop pot
- 9x9 pan
Ingredients
- 6 cups Rice Krispie cereal
- 10 ounces marshmallows
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 2 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- ½ cup unsweetened flaked coconut (Bob's Red Mill is awesome!)
Instructions
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of coconut oil to a large stovetop pot over medium-low heat.2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- Once melted, add 1 teaspoon coconut extract and the marshmallows. Stir.1 teaspoon coconut extract
- Melt marshmallows over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.10 ounces marshmallows
- Line a 9x9 pan with wax paper. You can also add a spritz of a nonstick cooking spray if you want to hedge your bets that the treats won’t fight you when you’re ready to devour them.
- Add coconut flakes to a spice grinder and grind for 10-15 seconds, until the flakes reach a powder-like consistency.½ cup unsweetened flaked coconut
- Once the marshmallows have melted, add 6 cups Rice Krispie cereal and the ground coconut flakes. Stir quickly and furiously until the Rice Krispie cereal is well coated.6 cups Rice Krispie cereal
- Pour the mixture into the pan, pushing down with a rubber scraper until they are uniform in height across the pan. Let cool.
- Once cooled off and set, remove the treats from the pan by pulling up on the sides of the wax paper.
- Set on a cutting board and cut into desired sizes.
Erika
Hi Hun…I what is wondering could I like pulverize the coconut flakes and then add them to the treats because I particularly don’t like the texture of coconut flakes??
Tino Marie
Absolutely! I don't see why not 🙂
Michelle
Can you use other oils besides coconut oil?
Thanks
Michelle
Tino Marie
Hi Michelle,
I would recommend replacing the coconut oil with butter if you prefer not to use it. Just use 4 tablespoons total of butter and leave out the coconut oil.
-Christina