Thursday, December 08, 2011

Gingerbread Chocolate Rice Crispy Treats—12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies (Attune Foods Product Review, too)

Gingerbread Cocoa Brown Rice Crispies 12-5-11

It’s no secret that I really like Rice Krispies Treats.  When I saw in the store recently a new flavor of marshmallows, I had to get them.  Besides the flavor gingerbread sounded great in marshmallows, aren’t they also just so cute!

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A flavor combo that I really like is ginger and chocolate.  So I knew in my playing around that these would ultimately have chocolate.

I was lucky enough recently to be given a bunch of coupons for Attune Foods.  Have you heard of them or seen these?  (Thanks to Anne-Marie from This Mama Cooks for the coupons for Attune Foods!)

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There are some other products, too.  But these are the ones I got when I redeemed my coupons (plus a second box of Cocoa Crispy Brown Rice not pictured).  I actually have been buying the Uncle Sam Toasted Whole Wheat Berry Flakes for a while now.  I spotted them in the store (Walmart) in the cereal aisle a few months ago and have been putting them in my homemade granola since.  I love the little flakes and they also have added flaxseed with them. 

Granola w/Uncle Sam Wheat Flakes 12-5-11I eat granola everyday for breakfast and nonfat Greek yogurt and some fresh fruit.

I can’t wait to try the New Morning Graham Crackers!  But I must tell you—I made these fabulous Gingerbread Chocolate Rice Crispy Treats and used the Cocoa Crispy Brown Rice and they taste great!  I’m always happy to make a treat just a little bit more healthy with certain ingredients and I would totally make rice crispy treats again and use this cereal from Attune Foods.  So lets get back to those Gingerbread Chocolate Treats!

Great mallows, great Cocoa Crispy Brown Rice Cereal, all set.  I did want to bump up the chocolate and ginger flavor so I added lots of chocolate melted in with the marshmallow and with mini chocolate chips throughout and on top as well.  I added more ginger and a couple other spices as well.  Then while I was at Whole Foods (where I found the Attune Foods products), I also found a bunch of different flavored candy canes all with natural coloring and flavorings and lo and behold one was gingerbread flavored.  HAD to get one!

DSCF8731The candy cane tastes great.  I like that it has a little kick from using tumeric and paprika for the coloring.  Check out all the flavors of candy canes at Hammond's Candies, like cranberry, pear, sugar plum and much more!  Each one is 2 ounces! 

I crushed the gingerbread candy cane and sprinkled it over the top of the rice crispy treats.  It adds some great flavor and crunch—but don’t think that is necessary to make these treats.  I’m sure they are still great without the crushed candy cane, so don’t let that stop you. ;)

Gingerbread Cocoa Brown Rice Crispies 12-5-11Gingerbread Chocolate Rice Crispy Treats, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

10 ounces Gingerbread Mallows (you could probably use regular marshmallows and up the ginger and spices if you can’t find these)

6 cups Erehon Cocoa Crispy Brown Rice Cereal (Kelloggs’s Cocoa Krispies would work, too)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 ounces good quality dark chocolate, chopped

1  1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

2/3 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips

2 ounces gingerbread flavored candy cane, crushed

In a large, microwave safe bowl, combine the marshmallows and butter and microwave in 30 second intervals until melted.  Add the chopped chocolate and spices to the hot melted marshmallow and stir until all the chocolate is pretty much melted. 

Stir in the Cocoa Crispy Brown Rice Cereal until all combined.  Spread into a 9 inch square pan that is lined with nonstick foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.  Push it all down evenly with a potato masher.  Sprinkle the top with the crushed candy cane and the mini chocolate chips.  Let set for an hour or so.  Remove from pan holding the foil edges and cut into bars.

Gingerbread Chocolate Rice Crispies     These are perfect for the holidays, so they are my choice for the 11th week of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies.

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Hop around the blog hop and check out all the other treats for the second to last week of all this cookie and candy madness!

7 comments:

Katherine Martinelli said...

Wow, gingerbread marshmallows?! Such fun! I'm imagining some killer s'mores with those... I absolutely love rice krispie treats and haven't had them in ages - this looks amazing!

Lisa Ernst said...

Your Rice Crispy treats look so creative! Love the interesting combination of flavors. I'm familiar with the products you showed too -- the brown rice cereal is a staple around here and I used to buy those graham crackers all the time -- they're good.

Barbara Bakes said...

What a fabulous way to change up Crispy Treats for the holidays.

Lisa said...

You have the best ideas. I saw a bagful of cinnamon bun marshmallows the other day and now I've got Rice Krispie treat idea wheel spinning in my brain.

sue @ Cakeballs, cookies and more said...

those look so good, we don't have fun marshmallows here:( but I did get one of those candy canes, sugar plum I think. I just liked the colour.

Ashley @ Kitchen Meets Girl said...

What a fun twist on rice krispie treats! I'm going to have to find some of those gingerbread candy canes!

marla said...

Those gingerbread marshmallow are the coolest! Fun treat recipe :)