Animal Cookie Bars (Printable Version)
Colorful, chewy bars stuffed with animal cookies, marshmallows, and bright sprinkles for a treat that brings out big smiles.
# What You'll Need:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
02 -
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
03 -
10 ounces mini marshmallows
04 -
9 ounces Circus Animal Cookies, smashed up and split up
→ Decorative Additions
05 -
3 tablespoons colored sprinkles, split up
06 -
3 tablespoons rainbow nonpareils, split up
07 -
Red food coloring
08 -
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon heavy cream if your chocolate is too thick
09 -
1/2 cup white chocolate chips, split into two portions
# Step-by-Step Guide:
01 -
Spray your 9x13 pan with non-stick spray so nothing sticks.
02 -
Toss the Circus Animal Cookies into a blender or food processor and pulse them a few times. Leave some bigger bits in there. Save about half a cup of the pieces for the top later.
03 -
Grab a big non-stick pot. On low heat, combine the butter and marshmallows, stirring regularly until smooth.
04 -
Take the pot off the heat. Throw in the Rice Krispies, most of the cookie bits (not the amount you set aside), 1 tablespoon of rainbow nonpareils, and 1 tablespoon of sprinkles. Stir really well. Dump in another tablespoon of sprinkles and nonpareils and mix again so they're spread around.
05 -
Scoop everything into your greased pan. Push it down with a silicone spatula. Dust the top with those cookie pieces you kept aside.
06 -
Put 1/4 cup of white chocolate chips into each of two small bowls. Microwave both for 30 seconds. Stir until they're smooth and fully melted.
07 -
Spoon the plain melted white chocolate into a sandwich bag, snip a tiny bit off the corner, and zigzag it over your bars.
08 -
Drop a bit of red food coloring into the second bowl of melted chocolate. Mix until you get a light pink shade. If it's too thick, pour in some heavy cream and stir. Put this into a fresh sandwich bag, snip, and drizzle in a different direction over the bars.
09 -
Scatter the last tablespoon of nonpareils and sprinkles over the top to finish.
10 -
Let the bars sit out until they’re totally cool and firm. Then cut into squares.
# Additional Notes:
01 -
Cut with a sharp knife that's oiled up a bit after the bars are all the way cooled for clean pieces.
02 -
Go easy on the food coloring—a little makes it pink but a lot turns it red fast.