Easter Desserts for the Whole Family: Cookie-and-Strawberry Rice Krispies Treats

The association of Easter with eggs is well documented. Look no further than your local market or grocery store around the beginning of spring to see evidence of this connection. From a religious perspective, eggs stand for rebirth and new life, representing Jesus' resurrection. As far back as the 13th century, Christians gave up eggs for Lent, during which they decorated and preserved them, and then consumed them upon the conclusion of the 40-day period.

But Easter eggs also have meaning outside of monotheistic origins. In modern slang, they represent a surprise, something that's hidden or deliberately planted. These Easter eggs range from clues to inside jokes to extra features, and you can find them in everything from video games to films and even electric cars. Tesla co-founder Elon Musk is known for planting Easter eggs in his company's automobiles that show up after overnight software updates. For instance, during the Christmas season, drivers may hear the sound of sleigh bells when they put on their turn signal.

For this spring-like, strawberry-flavored Rice Krispies treat recipe, I used jumbo-size, 3-inch hinged plastic Easter eggs as molds. When you open the egg mold, you find an actual Easter egg cereal treat. But inside the treat is another “Easter egg": a filling of Cheryl's colorful White Chocolate Easter Bark and pastel Buttercream Frosted Premier Easter Cut-Out Cookies. To make them extra pretty, I finished the eggs by rolling them in tiny pieces of bark and cookies.

The strawberry flavor of the "eggs" comes from strawberry Marshmallow Fluff, which turns into a glaze when you microwave it. This is less sticky and easier to work with than traditional marshmallow-based recipes, but you can also use strawberry-flavored Rice Krispies and regular or pastel-hued marshmallows. You can also switch out the cereal for another one you prefer. Let your imagination run wild.

Finally, you can adapt the shape of this recipe by using candy, ice pop, or ice cube molds — whatever you have on hand — in place of Easter egg molds. After I filled nine Easter eggs with the cereal mixture, I pressed the rest into a small casserole dish, which I then sprinkled with bark and cookie crumbs to give it a festive appearance. You can choose any shape you want as long as the “Easter egg" stuffing and/or topping is still a delightful, white-chocolate-and-cookie crunch surprise.

This is one family-fun recipe where the rules, like eggs, are made to be deliciously broken.

Cookie-and-Strawberry Rice Krispies Treats

SERVINGS

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Ingredients

• Neutral cooking oil spray
• 4 tablespoons margarine
• 1 7.5-ounce jar Strawberry Marshmallow Fluff
• 6 cups Rice Krispies
• 2 Pastel Buttercream Frosted Premier Easter Cut-Out Cookies, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• Half sheet White Chocolate Easter Bark, crumbled (about 1/3 cup)

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Instructions

1
Open plastic Easter eggs on a baking sheet or work surface and mist the insides with oil.
2
In a microwave-safe container, microwave the margarine and Fluff for 1 minute. Stir. Repeat for another minute. Stir. Repeat for a third minute. Stir. Pour the glaze over the Rice Krispies and mix until combined.
3
Pack each side of the eggs with the cereal mixture, leaving a hollow in each. In each hollow, add a pinch of cookie and chocolate bark. Cover up the filling with more cereal mixture until you reach the rim. Snap each egg closed and let them set, undisturbed, for at least an hour or as long as overnight.
4
Reserve any remaining crushed bark and cookie crumbs.
5
Unhinge the plastic eggs and remove the treats. Roll the finished eggs in the remaining crumbles of bark and cookies before serving.