You won’t believe what we put inside these Strawberry Shortcake Rice Krispie Treats! Get this, each square is stuffed with rice cereal, gooey marshmallows, freeze-dried strawberries, and pound cake. Yep, real pieces of pound cake.
But wait, we even topped them with homemade marshmallow fluff because apparently we don’t know when to stop 😂. This one is more bakery-style dessert than lunch box snack.
Naturally, you’ll be making these treats during those summer days when you want something sweet and homemade but not enough to bake and make the whole dang house hot. But I could see packing them up and giving them away. They’re totally giftable.
Looking for other jaw-dropping, “I have to make this now” Rice Krispie treats, don’t miss our key lime pie Rice Krispie treats and our birthday cake rice crispy treats.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe…
- There’s real, actual pound cake in every bite. Between the pieces of pound cake, freeze-dried strawberries, and marshmallow fluff on top, they actually taste like strawberry shortcake.
- There’s no baking required. Perfect for those summer months when you’re feeling creative, want something homemade, and don’t want to spend all day cooking and heating up the kitchen.
- Perfect for gifting and parties. They present so beautifully, you’ll want to package them up and give them to everyone you know. People will be genuinely surprised when you show up with strawberry shortcake Rice Krispie treats.
Ingredients
- Rice Cereal – Fresh cereal is always the way to go, especially when making fancy treats like these.
- Marshmallows – I recommend that you always use fresh marshmallows. Also, we like mini marshmallows because they melt faster.
- Butter – Go with unsalted butter to control the amount salt in the recipe.
- Vanilla Extract – This is one of those ingredients we tested, and while it may seem subtle it makes a difference. The vanilla extract brings all of the flavors together.
- Condensed Milk – Gives the treats that gooey, bakery-style finish. Makes them creamy and dreamy!
- Pound Cake – Use your favorite recipe or buy one from the store. Perfect to use up leftover pound cake.
- Freeze-dried Strawberries – They add a strong strawberry flavor. Perfect for this and other recipes like our strawberry frosting when you want that strawberry flavor without the moisture.
- Salt – It might sound weird, but a pinch of salt actually makes them a little sweeter.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake Rice Krispie Treats
Prepare a 9×13-inch pan by spraying it with butter-flavored cooking spray. Set aside.
Cut the pound cake into small, bite-sized cubes. Spread them onto a baking sheet and let them dry out slightly for about 20 to 30 minutes while you prepare the treats. This helps prevent the cake from becoming too soft in the mixture.
In a large pot over low heat, melt the butter. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk until smooth and warmed through.
Add 14 ounces of the mini marshmallows and stir until mostly melted and creamy.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and crushed freeze-dried strawberries.
Fold in the Rice Krispies cereal until evenly coated.
Let the mixture cool for about 1 minute, then gently fold in the remaining 2 ounces of mini marshmallows along with the pound cake cubes. Try not to overmix so the cake pieces stay intact.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and gently press into an even layer. Do not pack the treats down firmly.
Let cool completely before slicing into squares.
Top Tip
Gently fold in the pound cake. If you overmix the treats you’ll turn those beautiful chunks of cake into crumbs. The treat will still taste amazing, life changing even 😆, but they won’t look as good. And presentation is important here.
Storage
Store your new favorite rice crispy treats in an airtight container or food storage bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. If stacking them, use parchment paper between each layer.
Freezing them is a great option. We do this all the time. Wrap each bar individually, then place them in a freezer bag or container for up to 2 months. Before serving thaw on the counter; this usually takes 10 to 15 minutes.
Other No Bake Desserts You’ll Love
- No Bake Mixed Berry Cheesecake
- Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats
- Lemon Mousse Recipe
- Strawberry Cheesecake Dip
- Easy Oreo Delight
FAQ
No. Fresh berries will add a lot more moisture to the treats and make them soggy. Freeze-dried strawberries are kind of like magic, adding intense strawberry flavor without adding wetness to the mixture.
100%. We made a quick pound cake because we couldn’t find any at the store when we went. But you can absolutely use store-bought cake instead.
Oh yeah, I’ve been to that store before. You overmixed the treats. You were over there really taking out your frustrations on them 😆. Instead, you want to GENTLY fold in those beautiful pound cake chunks.
Strawberry Shortcake Rice Krispie Treats Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 16 Oz Mini Marshmallows Divided
- ½ Cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Oz Freeze-Dried Strawberries
- 8 Cups Rice Krispie Cereal
- 3 Cups Pound Cake Cubed
- Pinch of Salt
Instructions
- Prepare a 9×13-inch pan by spraying it with butter-flavored cooking spray. Set aside.
- Cut the pound cake into small, bite-sized cubes. Spread them onto a baking sheet and let them dry out slightly for about 20 to 30 minutes while you prepare the treats. This helps prevent the cake from becoming too soft in the mixture.
- In a large pot over low heat, melt the butter. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk until smooth and warmed through.
- Add 14 ounces of the mini marshmallows and stir until mostly melted and creamy.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and crushed freeze-dried strawberries.
- Fold in the Rice Krispies cereal until evenly coated.
- Let the mixture cool for about 1 minute, then gently fold in the remaining 2 ounces of mini marshmallows along with the pound cake cubes. Try not to overmix so the cake pieces stay intact.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and gently press into an even layer. Do not pack the treats down firmly.
- Let cool completely before slicing into squares.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Make sure you spray the utensils with cooking spray; this recipe is sticky.
Nutrition
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