Christmas Wreath Cookies
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy. Deck the halls (and the kitchen) with these festive Christmas wreath cookies, made with crunchy cornflakes and gooey marshmallows! Christmas wreath cookies are a fun holiday baking project for kids and adults alike. Made with cornflakes, marshmallows, and green food coloring, the “cookies” are a festive twist on the classic Rice Krispie Treats (and my not-so-classic but crazy-delicious Golden Rice Krispie Treats). They have a crispy, crunchy, gooey texture that is perfect for shaping into wreaths and decorating with colorful icing, sugar pearls, mini candies, or whatever you like. Cinnamon red hots are traditionally used for the berries/ornaments, but I prefer to use red decorating icing—it’s easier to adhere, and I think it tastes better, too. Once the wreaths are finished, you can share them with friends, hang them on your tree, or just keep them all to yourself—however you decide to enjoy them, these treats make a wonderful holiday tradition. Table of Contents What You’ll Need To Make Christmas Wreath CookiesStep-By-Step InstructionsYou May Also LikePrintable RecipeReviews What You’ll Need To Make Christmas Wreath Cookies Step-By-Step Instructions You May Also Like Printable Recipe Reviews “We love trying all your recipes, Jenn, and this is such a fun variation on the Rice Krispie treats as we know them…These wreaths were a HIT!!” What You’ll Need To Make Christmas Wreath Cookies Cornflakes Cereal: Provides the main texture and structure for the wreaths, creating their distinctive crunchy base. Butter: Melts down with the marshmallows to create a smooth and sticky mixture that binds the cereal together. Marshmallows: Act as the glue that holds the wreaths together, providing sweetness and stickiness to the mixture. You won’t need the entire bag; just 30 marshmallows. Green Food Coloring: Gives the wreaths their vibrant green color, resembling the foliage of a Christmas wreath. Vanilla Extract: Adds a subtle flavor and aroma to the mixture. Red Decorating Icing: Used to form berries on the wreaths. Confectioners’ Sugar: Optional, but adds a snowy effect to the wreaths, giving them a festive appearance. Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements Cornflakes Cereal: Provides the main texture and structure for the wreaths, creating their distinctive crunchy base. Butter: Melts down with the marshmallows to create a smooth and sticky mixture that binds the cereal together. Marshmallows: Act as the glue that holds the wreaths together, providing sweetness and stickiness to the mixture. You won’t need the entire bag; just 30 marshmallows. Green Food Coloring: Gives the wreaths their vibrant green color, resembling the foliage of a Christmas wreath. Vanilla Extract: Adds a subtle flavor and aroma to the mixture. Red Decorating Icing: Used to form berries on the wreaths. Confectioners’ Sugar: Optional, but adds a snowy effect to the wreaths, giving them a festive appearance. Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements Step-By-Step Instructions Place 2 cups of the cornflakes in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag and pound with your hands until the cornflakes are crushed and similar in size to Rice Krispies. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the marshmallows. Cook, stirring frequently, until completely melted. Remove the pan from the heat and add the salt, food coloring, and vanilla. Stir until the mixture is uniformly green. Add the crushed cornflakes and the remaining 2 cups of cornflakes. Stir until the mixture is uniform. Fill a wide skillet with 1 inch of very hot water. Place the saucepan into the skillet so the cornflake mixture stays warm. Using two spoons, drop mounds of the cornflake mixture (about 2 heaping tablespoons each) onto the prepared pans. Spray your fingers with nonstick cooking spray, and then use your fingers to form the mounds into wreath shapes. If using candies, press them on to the wreaths while they are still warm and sticky. Let set until cool, dry to the touch, and stiff enough to lift from the baking sheets, about 1 hour. Using a mini fine sieve, dust the tops of the wreaths with the confectioners’ sugar, so that it looks like snow. Pipe berries onto each wreath with the decorating icing (an odd number of berries looks best). Store the wreaths in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 days; freeze for longer storage. Store them in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature. You May Also Like RecipeComments (6)Add Comment Recipe Comments (6) Add Comment Christmas Wreaths Ingredients 4 cups cornflakes cereal, divided 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter 30 large marshmallows, from 1 (12-oz) bag ¼ teaspoons salt 1½ teaspoons green food coloring 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Red decorating icing with a plain piping tip, for berries (see note) Confectioners' sugar, for snow (optional) 4 cups cornflakes cereal, divided 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter 30 large marshmallows, from 1 (12-oz) bag ¼ teaspoons salt 1½ teaspoons green food coloring 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Red decorating icing with a plain piping tip, for berries (see note) Confectioners' sugar, for snow (optional) Instructions Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spray the parchment lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Place 2 cups of the cornflakes in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag and pound with your hands until the cornflakes are crushed and similar in size to Rice Krispies. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the marshmallows, and cook, stirring frequently, until completely melted. Remove the pan from the heat and add the salt, food coloring, and vanilla; stir until the mixture is evenly green. Add the crushed cornflakes and the remaining 2 cups of cornflakes, and stir until the mixture is uniform. Fill a wide skillet with 1 inch of very hot water. Place the saucepan into the skillet so the cornflake mixture stays warm. Using two spoons, drop mounds of the cornflake mixture (about 2 heaping tablespoons each) onto the prepared pans. Spray your fingers with nonstick cooking spray, and then use your fingers to form the mounds into wreath shapes (spray your fingers with more nonstick cooking spray as necessary). Let set until cool, dry to the touch, and stiff enough to lift from the baking sheets, about 1 hour. Using a mini fine sieve, dust the top third of the wreaths with the confectioners' sugar, so that it looks like snow. Pipe berries onto each wreath with the decorating icing (an odd number of berries looks best). Store the wreaths in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Note: If you'd like to use sugar pearls or candies instead of icing for the berries, cinnamon red hots (or cinnamon imperials), sugar pearls, or mini red m&m's are all good options. Press them on while the wreaths are still warm and sticky, or "glue" them on with a dab of icing once the wreaths are dry. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: Place the wreaths in a single layer in an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for about an hour before serving. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spray the parchment lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Place 2 cups of the cornflakes in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag and pound with your hands until the cornflakes are crushed and similar in size to Rice Krispies. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the marshmallows, and cook, stirring frequently, until completely melted. Remove the pan from the heat and add the salt, food coloring, and vanilla; stir until the mixture is evenly green. Add the crushed cornflakes and the remaining 2 cups of cornflakes, and stir until the mixture is uniform. Fill a wide skillet with 1 inch of very hot water. Place the saucepan into the skillet so the cornflake mixture stays warm. Using two spoons, drop mounds of the cornflake mixture (about 2 heaping tablespoons each) onto the prepared pans. Spray your fingers with nonstick cooking spray, and then use your fingers to form the mounds into wreath shapes (spray your fingers with more nonstick cooking spray as necessary). Let set until cool, dry to the touch, and stiff enough to lift from the baking sheets, about 1 hour. Using a mini fine sieve, dust the top third of the wreaths with the confectioners' sugar, so that it looks like snow. Pipe berries onto each wreath with the decorating icing (an odd number of berries looks best). Store the wreaths in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Note: If you'd like to use sugar pearls or candies instead of icing for the berries, cinnamon red hots (or cinnamon imperials), sugar pearls, or mini red m&m's are all good options. Press them on while the wreaths are still warm and sticky, or "glue" them on with a dab of icing once the wreaths are dry. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: Place the wreaths in a single layer in an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for about an hour before serving. Nutrition Information Powered by Serving size: 1 plain wreath Calories: 105 Fat: 5g Saturated fat: 3g Carbohydrates: 16g Sugar: 8g Fiber: 0g Protein: 1g Sodium: 59mg Cholesterol: 12mg Serving size: 1 plain wreath Calories: 105 Fat: 5g Saturated fat: 3g Carbohydrates: 16g Sugar: 8g Fiber: 0g Protein: 1g Sodium: 59mg Cholesterol: 12mg This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. See more recipes: Cookies & CandyDessertHolidaysAmerican Cookies & Candy Dessert Holidays American