I used to eat rice cereal treats as a kid all the time. Literally all the time. My mamma would make them for my sisters and I on occasion and whenever she did, it was basically the greatest day ever. She also would make flan all the time, but I’m not a fan of flan so she’d make these for me whenever she’d make flan for my sisters. On another note, I also really loved neapolitan ice cream. Mainly because I was able to get chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream all at once. I wasn’t forced to pick just one flavor, which I really liked, because I was able to eat all three in one scoop. That my friends is what you call a kid’s dream come true. I’m just going to go on record and say that this is probably the best food invention ever invented. So with that being said, I recently teamed up with Delish Dish, Better Homes and Gardens’ blog to take one of their recipes and make it my own. When I was looking through the BHG site, scanning through all of their delicious recipes, these multi-layered cereal treats kept calling out to me. “Make me, make me,” they kept saying. And make them I did, with a few changes here and there to make them my own. Make sure to read below so that you can see how I did it! They’re super easy to make, so don’t worry too much about all of the layers and steps.
The way I look at it, these are the best of both worlds. You get the awesome flavors from the classic neapolitan ice cream but without the fear of melting ice cream and creating a mess. They’re perfect for kid’s parties and adult gatherings or dinner parties (aka for EVERYTHING in your life) because they’re a great recipe to make ahead of time. Whip these up the next time you’re in need of a show-stopping dessert that will for sure make your friends and family happy as clams. The added chocolate chips to the middle chocolate layer takes these over the edge, along with the dried cherries or dried strawberries (if you can find them) in the strawberry layer. Let’s fight those mid-week blues and celebrate one more day closer to the weekend by eating our weight in marshmallow treats. I think that’s the way to do it.
Let’s start with the vanilla layer first because that’s the bottom layer of our three layer marshmallow treats. In a large pot, melt the butter, mini marshmallows, vanilla extract and marshmallow fluff (for that extra marshmallow fluffiness).
**Note: Keep the flame low to medium so that the marshmallows don’t burn. Also, make sure to continue stirring all the way through so that it melts evenly.**
Stir in the plain rice cereal and mix until evenly combined. Then pour into a 9 by 13-inch rectangular baking pan lined with parchment paper and lightly greased with cooking spray.
**Note: To help you press down the rice cereal mixture, make sure to wet your hands a bit so that it doesn’t stick to your hands and create a mess. Flatten it down into a single layer.**
Set the vanilla mixture off to the side to set for a bit. In the meantime, let’s work on the chocolate layer. In the same pot, melt the butter, mini marshmallows, and marshmallow fluff. Once smooth and melted through, stir in the chocolate rice cereal and dark chocolate chips until evenly combined. Pour the chocolate layer over the vanilla layer and then press down in an even layer.
**Note: This is one of the changes I made to the original recipe. I added 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips, that I roughly chopped because there can never too much chocolate. This will enhance the chocolate flavor.**
Clean out the pot and then melt the butter, strawberry marshmallows, and marshmallow fluff until smooth. Stir in the strawberry jam, and a few drops of red food coloring if you want that extra pink color, but definitely not necessary. Stir in the rice cereal and dried cherries or strawberries.
**Note: A couple notes for this step. If you can’t find strawberry marshmallows, you can sort out the strawberry marshmallows from 2 small bags of multi fruit flavored marshmallows. Also, if you feel weird about food coloring, it’s not necessary to add it. You can skip that step.**
Pour the strawberry mixture over the chocolate layer and press down until the top is completely covered. Place a sheet of wax paper over the rice cereal treats and then place a baking sheet on top of that. Set large cans or heavy skillets on top to weigh it down. This will ensure that the layers stick together.
Set off to the side and let sit for at least 1 hour. You can make these the night before and cut the next day. Once ready to cut, remove the slab from the pan and cut into large strips and then into squares. You can cut them as big or as little as you’d like.
**Tip: I love cutting them into small bite sized squares for parties. It makes them easier to grab and eat without making a mess!**
Eat the marshmallow treats right away or cover them tightly with plastic wrap. Any leftovers can be kept at room temperature for about 3 to 4 days. To be honest though, I really doubt that there will be any leftovers in your house. These are a definite crowd pleaser.
These are great for parties are for all of your coworkers at work. They are satisfying and super tasty. The best part about it is that you don’t have to worry about picking just one flavor. Chocolate, Vanilla and Strawberry are all there in one tasty bite. No more having to make a difficult decision.
When I was a kid I only ever had regular rice cereal treats. That was one of the few desserts my mamma would make us on a regular basis. Now I’m not complaining because I still got dessert after all, but I would’ve loved these neapolitan marshmallow treats. Just saying. Sorry mamma.
I love rice krispie treats because they’re always a super easy dessert to whip up and they’re the perfect dessert to satisfy that sweet tooth. They’re perfect for potlucks, or as a gift. I mean have you ever seen someone react to rice cereal treats? They’re like kids all over again. Bring these into the mix, and just watch out. Your friends and family will go crazy for them.
**Note: These are great for shipping out to long distance family or friends because they travel really well. I suggest wrapping each one individually with plastic wrap tightly. That will ensure that they each stay super fresh.**
If you can’t find strawberry marshmallows or don’t want to sort them out from the multi-fruit mini marshmallow pack, then just use regular plain mini marshmallows and stir in an extra 2 tablespoons of strawberry jam. You’ll still get that strawberry taste running through that layer.
I’m all for no bake desserts, especially rice cereal treats like these. Just in case you didn’t know, or haven’t seen it already, check out my Cookies and Cream Rice Cereal Treats from my monthly collaboration with Go Bold With Butter! They’re another fun twist to these delicious treats!
To find the recipe for these Neapolitan Marshmallow Treats, head on over to the Better Homes and Gardens blog where this post is featured. There I talk about the changes I made to their original recipe and talk about my love of rice krispies, just in case you didn’t get enough of me on here already!
*Thank you for your continued support of the occasional sponsored post on this site. They help keep the blog going, allowing me to continue to share my recipes with you on a weekly basis. I never want my sponsorships to feel forced, which is why I only partner with companies I feel very passionate about and actually use on a regular basis.**
Jonathan thee really look yummy. I just added the ingredients to my shopping mix.
What a cool twist on a traditional treat. Thanks for taking marshmallow treats from boring to cool!
As an Italian I heartily approve. I love the look — what great treats for the kiddos. Thank you for sharing.
These are so fun! And a great new way to eat one of my favorite treats :))
YUM! There is some definite kid appeal to having three flavors at once, I remember my mom buying me Neapolitan Ice Cream Sandwiches and thinking it was the best thing ever. 🙂
I’m in love! Must try this wkd!