Gluten-free Strawberry Coconut Rice Krispy Treats

I'll not go into the details of how long these lasted in our household, but.....lets just say they vanished rapidly. It was as if the road runner ran through, only stopping to eat and say "meep, meep."

When I've made vegan rice crispy treats using the traditional recipe, they often get pretty crunchy after setting. You'll have no such problems with these. This will also please the gluten-free crowd.

Strawberry Coconut Rice Crispy Bars

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. coconut oil (should be solid at room temperature)
3/4 cup strawberry powder
3 Tbsp. water
2 tsp. strawberry extract (McCormick Imitation Strawberry Extract is labelled gluten-free)
1 bag vegan marshmallows (I used Dandies)
5 cups rice crispies (gluten-free kind)

1. Melt the coconut oil in s medium sized sauce pan on medium-low heat. 
2. Once it is melted, add the marshmallows, and stir until they are completely dissolved (if you leave them they may burn to the bottom).
3. Stir in strawberry powder and water. Mix until it is well-incorporated.
4. Turn the heat on the burner down to simmer, and slowly stir in the rice crispies. Mix until they are all evenly coated.
5. Press into a 9 x 12 sized glass dish or pan. I use wax paper to get it in with out sticking to everything.
6. Allow to cool and set 5 minutes, then cut into squares or make heart shapes using a heart cookie cutter.

How to make Strawberry Powder:

Take freeze dried strawberries (I've gotten them at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and Co-ops) and rub them on a fin metal mesh strainer.

This will turn it into a fine powder and keep out an large chunks. 

Tip: I typically convert the whole bag into powder, as it will not work if they receive moisture in the air. 






The best thing is how easy it is to make them. In total about 15 minutes. Not bad for a delicious Valentine's Day treat! What do you plan to make for your Valentine?