Nora
These No-Bake Rice Krispie Christmas Puddings are the kind of festive treat that instantly makes a dessert table look more magical. They have that cozy Christmas pudding look everyone loves, but instead of a long ingredient list or oven time, you get a fun, simple sweet made with crisp rice cereal, melted marshmallows, and a little holiday decorating.
What I love most about these little treats is how cheerful they are. They’re soft, chewy, lightly buttery, and easy enough to make with kids, yet cute enough to serve at a holiday party, cookie swap, or Christmas movie night. If you want a no-fuss seasonal dessert that still looks special, this one absolutely delivers.
Why You’ll Love This No-Bake Rice Krispie Christmas Puddings
These festive little puddings come together quickly and don’t need any baking, which is always a win during a busy holiday season. They’re playful, nostalgic, and easy to customize with your favorite decorations.
You’ll also love how budget-friendly they are. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples, and the decorating is simple enough to keep cute without becoming complicated. They’re perfect for parties, edible gifts, or a fun afternoon project when you want something sweet without a lot of cleanup.
What Makes These No-Bake Rice Krispie Christmas Puddings So Cute and Easy?
The charm is all in the shape and topping. The cereal mixture is pressed into small pudding-like domes, then finished with white icing, green leaf details, and a red candy on top for that classic Christmas pudding look.
They’re easy because the base is wonderfully forgiving. Once the marshmallows and butter melt together, the cereal mixes in fast, and the puddings hold their shape beautifully after a short chill. That means you get a dessert that looks bakery-worthy without any tricky steps.
Ingredients for the No-Bake Rice Krispie Christmas Puddings
You only need a handful of ingredients to make these adorable holiday treats, and each one plays an important role in getting the right texture and look.
Rice Krispies cereal
This gives the puddings their light, crisp structure and classic chewy-crunchy bite.
Mini marshmallows
Marshmallows melt into the sweet binder that holds everything together and keeps the texture soft.
Unsalted butter
Butter adds richness and helps the marshmallows melt smoothly without becoming stiff.
Ground cinnamon
A little cinnamon gives the treats a warm holiday flavor that makes them feel extra festive.
White candy melts or thick vanilla icing
This creates the signature drippy topping that makes each one resemble a miniature Christmas pudding.
Green decorating icing
Green icing is perfect for piping holly leaves and giving the toppers that classic seasonal look.
Red candy-coated chocolates or red sugar pearls
These become the bright holly berries on top and add the finishing touch.
How To Make the No-Bake Rice Krispie Christmas Puddings
This recipe is simple and fun to put together. The key is shaping the cereal mixture while it is still warm enough to mold easily.
Step 1: Melt the Base
In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the mini marshmallows and stir until fully melted and smooth. Mix in the ground cinnamon so the flavor is evenly distributed.
Step 2: Fold in the Cereal
Remove the pan from the heat and add the Rice Krispies cereal. Stir gently but thoroughly until every piece is coated in the marshmallow mixture.
Step 3: Shape the Puddings
Lightly grease your hands or a spoon. Scoop portions of the mixture and press them into small dome shapes, about the size of mini Christmas puddings. You can shape them by hand or press them into lightly greased small molds or muffin wells, then invert them.
Step 4: Let Them Set
Place the shaped puddings on a parchment-lined tray or plate. Let them cool and firm up at room temperature, or chill them briefly in the refrigerator for faster setting.
Step 5: Add the Icing Drip
Once the puddings are set, spoon or pipe white candy melts or thick vanilla icing over the tops so it gently drips down the sides.
Step 6: Decorate the Holly
Pipe small holly leaf shapes with green decorating icing near the top center of each pudding. Finish with one red candy-coated chocolate or a few red sugar pearls.
Step 7: Serve or Store
Let the decoration set before serving. Once finished, these are ready to plate up for a holiday dessert tray or pack into an airtight container.
How to Serve and Store No-Bake Rice Krispie Christmas Puddings
This recipe makes about 12 mini Christmas puddings, depending on how large you shape them, which is great for serving 6 to 12 people. They work beautifully as a bite-sized holiday dessert after dinner, a sweet addition to a Christmas buffet, or a fun edible centerpiece on a cookie platter.
To store them, keep the puddings in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days if your kitchen stays cool. For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to 1 week. If stacking them, place parchment between layers so the decorations stay neat. Let chilled puddings sit out for a few minutes before serving for the best texture.
What to Serve With No-Bake Rice Krispie Christmas Puddings?
Hot Chocolate
A rich mug of hot chocolate pairs perfectly with the chewy cereal base and makes these treats feel even more festive.
Peppermint Mocha
The minty coffee flavor adds a cozy holiday café feel that complements the sweetness beautifully.
Christmas Tea
A warm black tea, spiced chai, or holiday herbal blend balances the sweetness and makes these ideal for an afternoon treat.
Vanilla Ice Cream
A small scoop of vanilla ice cream turns these puddings into a fun plated dessert.
Fresh Strawberries
A few fresh berries on the side add color and a juicy contrast to the soft, chewy texture.
Whipped Cream
A little whipped cream makes the dessert feel extra special without overwhelming the flavor.
Holiday Cookie Tray
Serve these alongside other Christmas sweets for a dessert spread with different textures and flavors.
Want More Christmas Dessert Ideas?
If these cute little puddings made you smile, there are plenty of other festive treats worth saving for the season too. You might also enjoy Christmas Cookie Pinwheels for a colorful holiday cookie tray, No-Bake Preacher Cookies when you want another easy sweet without turning on the oven, Whipped Shortbread Cookies Recipe for a buttery classic, and Paula Deens 5-Minute Fudge when you need a quick festive candy for gifting or sharing.
Each one brings something a little different to the dessert table, so you can mix and match soft, chewy, buttery, and chocolatey treats all season long.
Save This Pin For Later
📌 Save this recipe to your Pinterest dessert board so you can come back to it any time.
And let me know in the comments how yours turned out. Did you make them extra cinnamon-spiced, keep them classic, or add your own decorating twist?
I always love hearing how others make festive recipes their own. Questions are welcome too, especially if you want ideas for holiday party platters or simple make-ahead treats.
For even more daily recipe inspiration, browse Nora Nosh on Pinterest and discover more cozy, creative favorites to try next.
No-Bake Rice Krispie Christmas Puddings
Description
These No-Bake Rice Krispie Christmas Puddings are the kind of festive treat that instantly makes a dessert table look more magical. They have that cozy Christmas pudding look everyone loves, but instead of a long ingredient list or oven time, you get a fun, simple sweet made with crisp rice cereal, melted marshmallows, and cheerful holiday decorations. Perfect for quick dessert ideas, no-bake treats, easy holiday recipes, Christmas party food, food ideas, and sweet snack recipes, they’re cute, chewy, and wonderfully easy to make.
Ingredients
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
4 cups mini marshmallows
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup white candy melts or thick vanilla frosting
Green decorating icing
12 red candy-coated chocolates or red sugar pearls
Instructions
1. Line a tray or plate with parchment paper and set it aside.
2. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter completely.
3. Add the mini marshmallows and stir until fully melted and smooth.
4. Stir in the ground cinnamon until evenly combined.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and add the Rice Krispies cereal.
6. Mix until all the cereal is coated in the marshmallow mixture.
7. Lightly grease your hands or a spoon, then scoop and shape the mixture into 12 small dome-shaped puddings.
8. Place the shaped puddings on the prepared tray and let them cool until firm.
9. Melt the white candy melts if using, or prepare the thick vanilla frosting for piping.
10. Spoon or pipe the white topping over each pudding so it drips slightly down the sides.
11. Pipe small holly leaf shapes with the green decorating icing.
12. Add one red candy-coated chocolate or a few red sugar pearls on top of each pudding.
13. Let the decorations set, then serve or store in an airtight container.
Notes
Do not press the cereal mixture too tightly when shaping, or the puddings can turn dense and hard instead of staying light and chewy.