These Fruity Pebbles Bars put a rainbow-colored spin on classic Rice Krispie treats! Featuring homemade marshmallow fluff and a drizzle of white chocolate, they’re a kid and adult-friendly treat that are packed with sweetness.
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Small batch Fruity Pebbles treats
When the best of two nostalgic treats collide, food magic happens. These Fruity Pebbles Bars are proof! A mixture of Fruity Pebbles cereal and homemade marshmallow fluff transforms into a sweet, gooey, and crispy pan of rainbow cereal treats - a colorful no-bake dessert perfect for school snacks!
Making Fruity Pebbles treats from scratch is easier than you think. Homemade marshmallow fluff only takes a few minutes of your time, while the rest of the process is mainly hands-off. The hardest part is waiting for the bars to firm up before it’s time to eat!
Anyone, from kids to adults, will love these fruity and sweet dessert bars. If you’re looking for even more kid-approved snacks, why not give these Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches and Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles a try as well? Yum!
What are Fruity Pebbles?
Just think of Fruity Pebbles as rainbow-colored Rice Krispie cereal. They’re made from crisped and sweetened rice, with a great fruity flavor.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Box of Fruity Pebbles cereal - Look for the red Flintstones cereal box when you’re out shopping! If you can’t find Fruity Pebbles, you can use Cocoa Pebbles, Marshmallow Fruity Pebbles, or plain Rice Krispies cereal instead.
- Gelatin - Gelatin is a necessary ingredient in homemade marshmallows because it’s responsible for their light, bouncy, and slightly chewy texture. The gelatin is first bloomed with vanilla extract and water to help dissolve the powder and help smooth out the marshmallow fluff.
- Sugar syrup - Corn syrup, granulated sugar, water, and salt are heated to a precise temperature and whipped into marshmallow fluff.
- White chocolate - A drizzle of white chocolate over each cereal bar elevates both the presentation and sweetness. This is optional but recommended!
Equipment
- 9x5 loaf pan - No loaf pan at home? Scroll down to the tips below to find more options.
- Candy thermometer - An instant read thermometer should work instead.
- Spatula
- Stand mixer - Or use a handheld mixer. A whisk also works, but requires more elbow grease!
- Oven-safe Large bowl - To hold all your fruity pebbles cereal while it warms in the oven.
How to make fruity pebbles cereal bars
Step 1: Warm the cereal. Pour the cereal into a greased oven-safe bowl. Place the bowl of fruity pebbles in the oven on low heat while you start on the homemade marshmallow fluff.
Step 2: Bloom the gelatin. Mix the gelatin powder, water, and vanilla together in a small bowl.
Step 3: Make the candy syrup. Meanwhile, combine the sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat (without stirring) over medium heat until the mixture reaches 250°F. Expect it to bubble!
Step 4: Whisk into marshmallow fluff. Pour the sugar syrup into the bowl of a stand mixer and let it cool to 212°F. Add the bloomed gelatin and whisk on low speed until homogenous. Increase the speed and continue whisking until it turns into marshmallow fluff.
Step 5: Combine cereal and gooey marshmallow mixture. Take the warm cereal out of the oven and use a greased or buttered spatula to fold it into the glossy marshmallow fluff.
Step 6: Set, slice, and serve! Press mixture into a greased loaf pan. Cover with plastic and let them sit until the bars are cool and firm. Take them out of the pan, cut into rectangles, and drizzle the fruity pebble treats with melted white chocolate. Serve and enjoy!
Tips and tricks
- Temperature is really important when making homemade marshmallow fluff. Pay close attention to your candy thermometer and take the fluff off the heat as soon as it reaches 250°F.
- Warm cereal is always easier to work with than room temperature! Otherwise, the fruity pebble rice krispie treats will seize up too quickly before you have a chance to shape them.
- The Rice Krispie treats will need to sit undisturbed for about 1 hour before cutting.
- If you don’t have a 9x5 loaf pan, make the bars in an 8x8 square pan or 9x13 rectangular pan instead. This will create quite a thin bar but just as tasty.
Storing and freezing
To store: After slicing, wrap the sweet treats individually in plastic wrap, and store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 5 days.
To freeze: Wrap each bar in wax paper, place them in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Looking for more marshmallow treats?
- Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats
- Coconut and Browned Butter Rice Krispie Treats
- Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats
- Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats with Caramel
As always, I love seeing your creations and hearing from you! If you try these Fruity Pebbles bars, please leave a review or share your creation with me on social media! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest - for more delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!
Fruity Pebbles Bars
Equipment
- Bowls
- Spatula
- Saucepan
- Fork
- Hand or Stand Mixer with Whisk attachment
- 8x8 Pan or Frame
- Knife (serrated)
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 90 g (2 ½ Cups) Fruity Pebbles Cereal
- 1 teaspoon Unflavored Gelatin Powder
- 1 tablespoon Cool Water, for blooming gelatin
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 30 g (2 Tablespoons) Water, for sugar syrup
- 85 g (¼ Cup) Light Corn Syrup
- 100 g (½ Cup) Granulated Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 27 g (2 Tablespoons) Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 3 Tbsp. White Chocolate, melted and fruity pebbles for garnish
Instructions
- Set oven to warm, or to 150°F. After greasing a large bowl with a touch of oil or melted butter, pour in the fruity pebbles cereal and place in the oven. The cereal will begin to warm while you start on the marshmallow fluff making it easier to mix later in this process!90 g Fruity Pebbles Cereal
- In a small bowl, mix gelatin, water, and vanilla with a fork.1 teaspoon Unflavored Gelatin Powder, 1 tablespoon Cool Water, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Combine the sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt in a pot. Turn on the stove to medium-high and heat until bubbling. Continue to cook without stirring until the mixture reaches 250°F.30 g Water, 85 g Light Corn Syrup, 100 g Granulated Sugar, ¼ teaspoon Salt
- Pour the hot syrup into the bowl of your stand mixer and cool until your thermometer reads 212 degrees. Add the gelatin mixture into the sugar syrup and mix with the whisk attachment on low speed to combine. Once homogenous, increase the speed to medium-high and continue whisking until the syrup is thick and glossy. This should take 5-8 minutes.
- Grease your 8x8 pan while you wait for the marshmallow fluff to finish mixing. Add butter and whisk together until the butter has incorporated into the fluff!27 g Unsalted Butter
- Grab the warmed cereal from the oven and pour your marshmallow fluff into the bowl with the cereal. Using a spatula sprayed with oil, fold the cereal into the marshmallow fluff gently until combined.
- Transfer the mixture into your prepared pan, gently pressing to the top of the fruity pebbles treats. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest and ingredients to cool/firm for 1-2 hours.
- Remove from the loaf pan, cut into rectangles and drizzle with white chocolate before enjoying!3 Tbsp. White Chocolate
Notes
- Temperature is really important when making homemade marshmallow fluff. Pay close attention to your candy thermometer and take the fluff off the heat as soon as it reaches 250°F.
- Warm cereal is always easier to work with than room temperature.
- The cereal treats will need to sit undisturbed for about 1 hour before cutting.
- If you don’t have a 9x5 loaf pan, make the bars in an 8x8 square pan or 9x13 rectangular pan instead. They’ll be quite thin but just as tasty.
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