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Orange and Chocolate Rice Krispies Treats

By Vallery Lomas

Published on October 2, 2025

Time

35 minutes, plus 30 minutes setting

Yield

Makes 18 treats

Orange and Chocolate Rice Krispies Treats

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter 12 ounces (340 grams) large marshmallows 2 tablespoons grated orange zest, plus extra for garnishing½ teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch ground cloves ¼ teaspoon table salt 6 cups (6 ounces/170 grams) Rice Krispies cereal 2 cups (12 ounces/340 grams) bittersweet chocolate chips

Before You Begin

For an extra boost of orange flavor and a pretty look, use a channel zester to add strips of orange zest to the top of each treat. This recipe is written to create 18 squares, but you can also use a 2½-inch cutter to create 12 rounds; note that you will have scraps if you cut them into rounds. This recipe was created as part of ATK’s Rice Krispies Treats Week, which is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Kellogg’s.

Instructions

  1. Make parchment sling for 13 by 9-inch baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of parchment paper; first sheet should be 13 inches wide and second sheet should be 9 inches wide. Lay sheets of parchment in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra parchment hanging over edges of pan. Push parchment into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing parchment flush to pan. Grease parchment.
  2. Melt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 12 ounces large marshmallows, 2 tablespoons grated orange zest, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, pinch ground cloves, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until marshmallows are just melted, 2 to 4 minutes (some marshmallows may not be fully melted; this is OK). Off heat, stir in cereal until fully combined.
  3. Transfer cereal mixture to prepared pan. Using greased spatula, press cereal mixture into even layer. Let sit for 30 minutes until set.
  4. Use parchment sling to lift bars out of pan; discard parchment. Cut into 18 squares. Microwave 2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips in 2-cup liquid measuring cup at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Working with 1 square at a time, dip half of square into chocolate to coat; transfer to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining squares. Top with extra orange zest, if using. Refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes. Serve. (Bars can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)
Orange and Chocolate Rice Krispies Treats
Photography by Kritsada Panichgul. Styling by Ashley Moore.

Orange and Chocolate Rice Krispies Treats

Headshot of Vallery Lomas
By Vallery Lomas

Published on October 2, 2025

Save

Time

35 minutes, plus 30 minutes setting

Yield

Makes 18 treats

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces (340 grams) large marshmallows
2 tablespoons grated orange zest, plus extra for garnishing
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch ground cloves
¼ teaspoon table salt
6 cups (6 ounces/170 grams) Rice Krispies cereal
2 cups (12 ounces/340 grams) bittersweet chocolate chips

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces (340 grams) large marshmallows
2 tablespoons grated orange zest, plus extra for garnishing
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch ground cloves
¼ teaspoon table salt
6 cups (6 ounces/170 grams) Rice Krispies cereal
2 cups (12 ounces/340 grams) bittersweet chocolate chips

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces (340 grams) large marshmallows
2 tablespoons grated orange zest, plus extra for garnishing
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch ground cloves
¼ teaspoon table salt
6 cups (6 ounces/170 grams) Rice Krispies cereal
2 cups (12 ounces/340 grams) bittersweet chocolate chips

Why This Recipe Works

For this year-round Rice Krispies Treat, we took inspiration from Terry’s Chocolate Orange Balls, the British candy that’s popular around Christmastime. Rice Krispies Treats should be as fun and simple to make as they are delicious, so we didn’t want to add to the prep time or make them any more challenging. To seamlessly recreate the familiar holiday flavor profile of these orange chocolate balls, we added a hefty amount of orange zest and a dash of seasonal spices—ground cloves and cinnamon—to the buttery marshmallow mixture. Finally, once the treats were cooled, set, and cut, we dipped them in melted chocolate.

Before You Begin

For an extra boost of orange flavor and a pretty look, use a channel zester to add strips of orange zest to the top of each treat. This recipe is written to create 18 squares, but you can also use a 2½-inch cutter to create 12 rounds; note that you will have scraps if you cut them into rounds. This recipe was created as part of ATK’s Rice Krispies Treats Week, which is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Kellogg’s.

Instructions

  1. Make parchment sling for 13 by 9-inch baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of parchment paper; first sheet should be 13 inches wide and second sheet should be 9 inches wide. Lay sheets of parchment in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra parchment hanging over edges of pan. Push parchment into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing parchment flush to pan. Grease parchment.
  2. Melt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 12 ounces large marshmallows, 2 tablespoons grated orange zest, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, pinch ground cloves, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until marshmallows are just melted, 2 to 4 minutes (some marshmallows may not be fully melted; this is OK). Off heat, stir in cereal until fully combined.
  3. Transfer cereal mixture to prepared pan. Using greased spatula, press cereal mixture into even layer. Let sit for 30 minutes until set.
  4. Use parchment sling to lift bars out of pan; discard parchment. Cut into 18 squares. Microwave 2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips in 2-cup liquid measuring cup at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Working with 1 square at a time, dip half of square into chocolate to coat; transfer to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining squares. Top with extra orange zest, if using. Refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes. Serve. (Bars can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

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