Brown Butter Rice Krispy Treat Gingerbread Houses
🏠 Rice Krispy Treat Gingerbread Houses
A Baking With My Kids – Ruby Byrds Edition
If traditional gingerbread houses feel a little… ambitious (or stressful 😅), this one’s for you. In episode 3 of Baking With My Kids, my son and I made Rice Krispy Treat Gingerbread Houses—and honestly, they might be our new favorite holiday tradition.
These houses are made with brown butter rice krispy treats, cut into simple house shapes, and decorated with melted dye-free red and green chocolate and dye-free candy. No hard cookies, no broken walls, and no pressure—just fun, creativity, and sweet memories in the kitchen.
Why Rice Krispy Gingerbread Houses Are a Win
🧈 Brown butter = next-level flavor
🏠 Softer than gingerbread (easier for little hands)
🎨 Decorating > perfection
🚫 Dye-free ingredients
👩🍳 Perfect for baking with kids
They’re festive, forgiving, and actually delicious.
Ingredients
4 Tablespoons Butter
5-6 Cups Marshmallows
6 Cups Rice Krispies cereal
Decorating
Dye-free red chocolate melts
Dye-free green chocolate melts
Dye-free candy (gummies, chocolate chips, sprinkles, marshmallows)
How We Made Them
1. Brown the Butter
Melt butter over medium heat until golden brown and nutty-smelling. This step adds so much flavor—don’t skip it.
2. Make the Rice Krispy Treats
Add marshmallows to the browned butter and stir until melted. Fold in cereal and press the mixture into a parchment-lined pan.
3. Cut House Shapes
Once cooled (but not rock hard), cut into simple house shapes:
Squares or rectangles for the base
Triangles or peaked tops for the roof
No rulers required—rustic is part of the charm.
4. Melt the Chocolate
Gently melt dye-free red and green chocolate in separate bowls.
5. Decorate Together
This is the best part. Let kids:
Pipe windows and doors
Add candy “lights” and rooftops
Create patterns, paths, and designs
There’s no wrong way to do it.
Baking With My Kids 💛
This episode wasn’t about perfect houses—it was about time together. Sticky fingers, laughs, taste tests, and letting my son lead the decorating made it extra special. These are the moments that matter most during the holidays.
Tip ✨
If your kids want to snack while decorating, set aside a few extra plain rice krispy shapes. It keeps little hands out of the main project
A New Holiday Tradition
These Rice Krispy Treat Gingerbread Houses are:
Easier than classic gingerbread
More kid-friendly
Just as festive
Way more fun
If you’re looking for a stress-free, memory-making holiday activity, this is it.
