📋 Apricot Sunflower Healthy Rice Krispie Treats Recipe
These Apricot Sunflower Seed Rice Krispie treats are healthier, a unique variation of the standard rice krispie square, and are made quickly in the microwave. They also make a great bake sale item!
Servings 18 squares
Calories 147kcal
Ingredients
- 6 cups rice krispies
- 5 cups mini marshmallows
- ¼ cup margarine or butter
- ¾ cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds
- ¾ cup dried apricots finely chopped
Instructions
- Spray a 9 X 13 pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Grease a large microwave safe bowl and a large spoon (plastic preferably) with a little vegetable shortening
- Add margarine and marshmallows to bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Remove and stir. If not fully melted, put back into microwave in 20 second increments and remove and stir each time until melted. * They will melt as you stir.¼ cup margarine or butter, 5 cups mini marshmallows
- Once melted, remove from microwave and stir in rice krispies, chopped apricots and sunflowers seeds.6 cups rice krispies, ¾ cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds, ¾ cup dried apricots
- Press into a 9X13 pan. You can dampen your hands with water or lightly grease them to press into pan or use a greased spatula.
- Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until firm
- Slice into squares and serve.
Notes
Expert Recipe Tips:
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- Chop the apricots finely for even texture. This ensures they distribute evenly throughout the squares and don’t create large chewy chunks.
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- Use fresh, soft marshmallows. Older marshmallows can become dry and harder to melt, which makes mixing more difficult.
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- Grease your bowl, spoon, and hands. A light coating of butter, margarine, or non-stick spray prevents the sticky mixture from clinging and makes pressing it into the pan much easier.
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- Don’t overheat the marshmallows. Microwave in short intervals and stir often—overheating can make the mixture too stiff, making it harder to mix and press.
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- Pack the mixture gently. Press it just enough to hold together without compacting too firmly, so the squares stay light and chewy.
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- Cool before cutting. Refrigerating for at least 30 minutes helps them firm up and makes slicing cleaner and neater.
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- Freeze for longer storage. Wrap squares individually or separate layers with parchment, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 4 months.
- WW friendly rice krispie treats - use light margarine and/or sugar-free marshmallows (affiliate link)
- Make them vegan - with vegan marshmallows (affiliate link) and vegan margarine
- Apricots -you can use cranberries, cherries, raisins, or chopped dates instead of apricots. Just keep the amount the same (¾ cup finely chopped).
- Lactose-free - use vegan margarine.
Nutrition
Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 110mg | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 895IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 3.3mg
