Giant Shark Rice Krispie Treat

This jumbo rice krispie treat shark is perfect for any mermaid, ocean or under-the-sea birthday party! It’s super kid-friendly (look at its cute little face!) and can be made several days in advance, which takes some stress off YOUR shoulders while you plan and host the coolest underwater party.

I also love that this is a fun, no-bake alternative to a birthday cake! Whether you don’t have an oven or simply can’t bear to turn it on in the heat, you won’t be without a really fun birthday cake that steals the show!

This shark cereal treat is also made WITHOUT(!!) food coloring! I’ve been eyeing Suncore Foods and their colored powders for what feels like ages and this was the perfect opportunity to try them out myself. They are quite pigmented and dissolve very easily into the marshmallow mixture, so it didn’t feel like I was adding another complex component into this shark-making process. What I neglected to consider, despite how obvious it seems now, is that because these powders are derived from natural ingredients (beets and butterfly pea flowers), they would come with a flavor. I’m VERY relieved (lol) to say that I didn’t actually taste a strong flavor and when served to my friends at a pool party, they were very complimentary of the “berry” flavor of the rice krispies and really enjoyed that the shark had that extra touch vs just tasting like regular rice krispie squares. I’m not entirely sure where the berry flavor came from (the combination of the two powders maybe??), but you know what? As long as they didn’t spit it out and ask why it tastes like vegetables, I’ll take it!

Ingredients for Giant Shark Rice Krispie Treat

• unsalted butter – I always use unsalted butter in my rice krispie treats, never salted! You could also use margarine, if you prefer.
• mini marshmallows – I find that mini marshmallows are easiest to measure out (instead of full-size marshmallows). I used about 2 1/2 of the jumbo, family size bags of mini marshmallows for this recipe.
• vanilla extract – this makes ALL the difference in rice krispie treats! It takes them from average rice krispies to a recipe you’ll be asked to make over and over again. Be sure to use pure vanilla extract, not artificial, just because it tastes infinitely better. If you want to step it up even more, try using Mexican vanilla extract! It has such a delicious, complex flavor and I love adding it to recipes where it’ll really shine, like rice krispie squares, buttercream and homemade marshmallows.
• rice krispies – the star of the show! I used about 3 standard-size (not family size) boxes for this recipe.
• white food coloring – this is what makes the bone and the belly of the shark! White food coloring tends to have a slight vanilla flavor, which adds a really delicious extra touch. It doesn’t overpower the vanilla extract that we’ve already added, it just gives the shark some dimension in flavor between the different components.
• Suncore food coloring powder – I used Suncore’s Beet and Butterfly Pea Flower powder. They have so many colors and it was fun to try out a natural way of coloring my desserts. If you’d prefer to use food coloring, I highly recommend Wilton Color Right.
• cooking spray – absolutely necessary! You will use your hand to shape the shark and there is nothing more infuriating than trying to handle warm rice krispies as they stick to every surface imaginable. Spray your hands generously and you’ll have a much, MUCH better time.
• plastic wrap

Helpful Tools

• Small, microwave-safe bowl
• Plastic wrap
• Parchment paper
• Cooking spray
• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Spatula

How to Make a Giant Shark Rice Krispie Treat

Make the bone

In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the butter for 30 seconds or until melted. Add the marshmallows, mix to combine, then microwave for 45 seconds – 1 minute, stopping half way to stir. Heat until melted and smooth when stirred. Add the white food coloring and stir to combine. Add the rice krispies and stir until well combined.

Spray your hands generously with cooking spray. Shape the rice krispies into a 16”-long sausage. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge while you make the meat.

Make the meat

In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the butter for 30 seconds or until melted. Add the marshmallows, mix to combine, then microwave for 45 seconds – 1 minute, stopping half way to stir. Heat until melted and smooth when stirred. Add the red beet powder and stir to combine. Add the rice krispies and stir until well combined.

Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap onto your work surface. Spray your hands generously with cooking spray and shape the red rice krispies into a large oval, about 19” long. Make a divot in the center of the oval. Unwrap the “bone” and place it into the divot.

Wrap the red rice krispies around the bone and shape it into the body of the shark – basically a long, rounded oval. You can be firm with the rice krispies – it will retain its shape better if you sort of pack it together tightly. Wrap the entire piece in plastic wrap and return to the fridge to chill, about 30 minutes.

Make the white belly

In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the butter for 30 seconds or until melted. Add the marshmallows, mix to combine, then microwave for 45 seconds – 1 minute, stopping half way to stir. Heat until melted and smooth when stirred. Add the white food coloring and stir to combine. Add the rice krispies and stir until well combined. Unwrap the shark and place it on your work surface. Spray your hands generously with cooking spray. Press the white rice krispie onto one half of the shark. This will be the bottom of the shark, but keep it upside down for now, as it needs to cool and stick onto the shark. Gravity is your friend! Wrap the shark back in plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge (white belly side UP!) while you make the blue rice krispies.

Make the blue top and fins

In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the butter for 30 seconds or until melted. Add the marshmallows, mix to combine, then microwave for 45 seconds – 1 minute, stopping half way to stir. Heat until melted and smooth when stirred. Add the blue butterfly pea powder and stir to combine. Add the rice krispies and stir until well combined.

Unwrap the shark and place it white belly side DOWN on your work surface. Spray your hands generously with cooking spray. Press enough blue rice krispies onto the shark to cover the remaining red portion. With the leftover rice krispies, create the shark fin, tail and side fins and press them firmly onto the shark. Wrap the shark in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for about 1 hour. You may need to place a small can under the tail to offer support until it stiffens in the fridge.

Make the eyes

Place the semisweet chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 second intervals until melted, stirring at each interval. Line a small tray or plate (it must be flat!) with parchment paper. Place two 1” dollops of melted chocolate onto the parchment paper. Use a sharp knife to cut the pointed tip off the white chocolate chips, then place one onto each of the melted chocolate circles, creating the sparkle in the shark’s eye. Place the tray in the fridge until the chocolate has hardened, about 30 minutes.

Make the shark teeth

Unwrap the shark and place it on your work surface. Using a sharp knife, cut a wedge of rice krispies out of the front of the shark, creating its open mouth.

Use sharp scissors to cut some mini marshmallows into triangles. Do this by holding a mini marshmallow vertically between two fingers and making an angled snip on both sides of the marshmallow so that the end of the marshmallow forms a point. Dip the round, flat bases of the marshmallow teeth into a tiny amount of water. They should become sticky. Stick them into the mouth to create the shark’s teeth.

Final touches

Use any remaining melted semisweet chocolate chips to glue the chocolate eyes onto the shark.

Slice with a sharp knife and serve!

More Shark Recipes to Try

Shark Ice Cream Float

Shark Pool Cheesecake

Shark Truffles

Shark Fin Coconut Pudding

More Rice Krispie Treat Recipes to Try

Giant Watermelon Rice Krispie Treat

Giant Hamburger Rice Krispie Treat

Rice Krispie Christmas Trees

Rice Krispie Turkey

Cookies & Cream Rice Krispie Squares

Giant Shark Rice Krispie Treat

This jumbo cereal treat shark will swim its way into your ocean, mermaid or under the sea -themed birthday party! A great no-bake alternative to a birthday cake and definitely kid friendly!

Total Time 4 hours hrs

Course dessert

Cuisine american

Servings 25 people

Calories 518 kcal

Equipment

• plastic wrap
• mixing bowls
• measuring spoons and cups
• parchment paper
• small microwave-safe bowl
• spatula

Ingredients

Bone:

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cups mini marshmallows
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups rice krispies cereal
• ½ tbsp white food coloring

Meat:

• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• 15 cups mini marshmallows
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 18 cups rice krispies cereal
• 1 ½ tbsp Suncore red beet powder

White belly:

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 10 cups mini marshmallows
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 12 cups rice krispies cereal
• 2 tbsp white food coloring

Blue top and fins:

• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• 15 cups mini marshmallows
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 18 cups rice krispies cereal
• 1 ½ tbsp Suncore blue butterfly pea powder
• ¼ cup mini marshmallows
• 2 tbsp semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 white chocolate chips

Cooking spray

Instructions

Make the bone:

• In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the butter for 30 seconds or until melted. Add the marshmallows, mix to combine, then microwave for 45 seconds – 1 minute, stopping half way to stir. Heat until melted and smooth when stirred. Add the white food coloring and stir to combine.
• Add the rice krispies and stir until well combined.
• Spray your hands generously with cooking spray. Shape the rice krispies into a 16”-long sausage. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge while you make the meat.

Make the meat:

• In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the butter for 30 seconds or until melted. Add the marshmallows, mix to combine, then microwave for 45 seconds – 1 minute, stopping half way to stir. Heat until melted and smooth when stirred. Add the red beet powder and stir to combine.
• Add the rice krispies and stir until well combined.
• Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap onto your work surface. Spray your hands generously with cooking spray and shape the red rice krispies into a large oval, about 19” long. Make a divot in the center of the oval.
• Unwrap the “bone” and place it into the divot. Wrap the red rice krispies around the bone and shape it into the body of the shark – basically a long, rounded oval. You can be firm with the rice krispies – it will retain its shape better if you sort of pack it together tightly.
• Wrap the entire piece in plastic wrap and return to the fridge to chill, about 30 minutes.

Make the white belly:

• In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the butter for 30 seconds or until melted. Add the marshmallows, mix to combine, then microwave for 45 seconds – 1 minute, stopping half way to stir. Heat until melted and smooth when stirred. Add the white food coloring and stir to combine.
• Add the rice krispies and stir until well combined.
• Unwrap the shark and place it on your work surface. Spray your hands generously with cooking spray.
• Press the white rice krispie onto one half of the shark. This will be the bottom of the shark, but keep it upside down for now, as it needs to cool and stick onto the shark. Gravity is your friend!
• Wrap the shark back in plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge (white belly side UP!) while you make the blue rice krispies.

Make the blue top and fins:

• In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the butter for 30 seconds or until melted. Add the marshmallows, mix to combine, then microwave for 45 seconds – 1 minute, stopping half way to stir. Heat until melted and smooth when stirred. Add the blue butterfly pea powder and stir to combine.
• Add the rice krispies and stir until well combined.
• Unwrap the shark and place it white belly side DOWN on your work surface. Spray your hands generously with cooking spray.
• Press enough blue rice krispies onto the shark to cover the remaining red portion. With the leftover rice krispies, create the shark fin, tail and side fins and press them firmly onto the shark.
• Wrap the shark in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for about 1 hour. You may need to place a small can under the tail to offer support until it stiffens in the fridge.

Make the eyes:

• Place the semisweet chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 second intervals until melted, stirring at each interval.
• Line a small tray or plate (it must be flat!) with parchment paper. Place two 1” dollops of melted chocolate onto the parchment paper.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the pointed tip off the white chocolate chips, then place one onto each of the melted chocolate circles, creating the sparkle in the shark’s eye.
• Place the tray in the fridge until the chocolate has hardened, about 30 minutes.

Make the teeth:

• Use sharp scissors to cut some mini marshmallows into triangles. Do this by holding a mini marshmallow vertically between two fingers and making a angled snip on both sides of the marshmallow so that the end of the marshmallow forms a point.
• Unwrap the shark and place it on your work surface. Using a sharp knife, cut a wedge of rice krispies out of the front of the shark, creating its open mouth.
• Dip the round, flat bases of the marshmallow teeth into a tiny amount of water. They should become sticky. Stick them into the mouth to create the shark’s teeth.

Final touch:

• Use any remaining melted semisweet chocolate chips to glue the chocolate eyes onto the shark.
• Slice with a sharp knife and serve!

Notes

This recipe uses roughly 3 standard size boxes of rice krispies and 2 1/2 extra large bags of mini marshmallows.

Nutrition

Calories: 518kcalCarbohydrates: 91.7gProtein: 4.8gFat: 14.4gSaturated Fat: 9.2gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 429mgPotassium: 50mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 32.8gIron: 9mg

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