Save Pin
Bursting with cheerful color and sweet memories, these Circus Animal Cookie Rice Krispie bars are loaded with gooey marshmallow, crunchy cereal, pink cookie chunks, and a mountain of sprinkles. They’re a playful bite for birthday parties or anytime, and grownups secretly love them as much as the kids do.
After my kiddo's first piano recital, he brought friends over and I fixed these right away. Not a single piece was left for dinner—parents kept sneaking bites too!
Dreamy Ingredients
- Mini marshmallows: the secret to that sticky, stretchy texture. Go for fresh ones that melt nice and easy.
- Red food coloring: a tiny bit turns melted chocolate the happiest pink you’ve ever seen.
- Circus animal cookies: the main event for old-school flavor and cookie crunch. Hunt down the ones with lots of frosting and bold sprinkles for max color.
- White chocolate chips: grab real white chocolate for a silky, sweet drizzle on top.
- Rice Krispies cereal: what brings the crispy, light crunch. You want those crisp—not soggy—for the best bars.
- Colorful nonpareils and sprinkles: use a wild mix for over-the-top decoration. Pick different shapes for extra fun.
- Unsalted butter: brings it all together with rich flavor. Use good stuff if you want that creamy, buttery hit.
Simple Step-by-Step
- Let Treats Cool:
- Just let the whole thing sit out until firm before cutting for neat squares.
- Finish With Sprinkles:
- Scatter extra nonpareils and bright sprinkles all over to dress it up.
- Make Pink Drizzle:
- Drop a hint of red food coloring into the second bowl of melted chocolate and stir for a soft blush. If it gets thick, a dash of cream fixes it. Pour into a new bag, snip a corner, and streak over bars the opposite way.
- Drizzle on White Chocolate:
- Move melted white chocolate chips into a sandwich bag, cut off the corner, and zigzag those creamy lines over the treats.
- Melt and Tint Chocolate:
- Split white chocolate chips into two bowls, microwave one at a time for half a minute, stir till melted and smooth.
- Top With Cookie Chunks:
- Dust leftover cookie pieces over the pressed mix and gently push them on so they stick.
- Spread and Flatten:
- Slap the coated cereal mix into the prepped pan, then press gently with a spatula—don’t smash it down or they'll be too dense.
- Combine Cereal Base:
- Take the pot off heat. Dump in rice cereal, crushed cookies, and some of the sprinkles. Stir till it’s all covered, then tip in a little more for pops of color.
- Melt Butter and Marshmallows:
- Grab a chunky pot, toss in butter and marshmallows, melt together on low while stirring so it turns glossy and doesn’t scorch.
- Break Up Cookies:
- Pulse circus cookies in a food processor until you’ve got crumbles and some bigger chunks left. Scoop out a half cup for the topping later.
- Grease the Pan:
- Coat a 9 x 13 dish with nonstick spray so the bars pop out easy and cleanup isn’t a pain.
Save Pin
I’m all about circus animal cookies—the chunkier the frosting, the more I want that piece! Whenever these come out of my kitchen, the smell totally throws me back to childhood birthday parties.
Keep Them Fresh
Pop these bars in an airtight container on the counter and they're good for up to four days. Put wax paper between layers if stacking so they won’t get glued together. To stretch it out, wrap single squares in plastic, freeze, and grab one whenever you want a sweet boost.
Swaps and Switches
If you can’t find circus cookies, any sprinkle-topped frosted cookie with bright color will work. Missing white chocolate chips? Melt almond bark or basic milk chocolate instead. Stick with white drizzle or just add loads of sprinkles if you want to skip the pink.
Fun Ways to Serve
Cut these up with cookie cutters for cute shapes, or go with classic bars for lunchboxes. Stack high on a tray at bake sales, or bag them up for handy snacks. Throw a few on a colorful dessert table at a baby shower or just after-school hangouts.
Save Pin
The Backstory
These gooey bars started popping up in the middle of the twentieth century in America when folks needed an easy sweet for parties. Both kids and grownups go wild for that chewy cereal texture. Circus animal cookies themselves have been on shelves over a hundred years, so smooshing them into treats is like mixing two generations of good memories.
Common Recipe Questions
- → How do you make sure your bars stay chewy and soft?
Keep your heat low when melting the butter and marshmallows, and go easy pressing the mix into your pan. That way, the bars won’t turn tough—they’ll stay light and soft.
- → Is it okay to use another kind of cookie?
Totally! Any sugar or frosted animal cookies you like will work, though the traditional circus animal cookies are the ones that give you that classic feel and look.
- → How can I get nice, even drizzles with the chocolate?
Just melt the white chocolate chips, then pour into a zip-top bag with a tiny bit snipped off one corner. Squeeze it out in lines across the bars for a pretty top.
- → Should you serve these right away or can you make them before the party?
They’re definitely at their best in the first couple of days. But if you pop them in an airtight box, they’ll be good sitting out on the counter for four days max.
- → Do you have to use food coloring for the pink chocolate?
Nope, it’s just for the festive look. You can skip it, or even use colored chocolate melts if you want to keep it easy and still get bright color.