I am in love with ChocZero's amazing new keto-friendly marshmallows. As soon
  as I received my first order, I knew I wanted to pair them with Magic Spoon
  cereal to make a healthier version of my husband's favorite marshmallow
  cereal treats. However, I didn't want to make just a plain,
  garden-variety, healthified version of the traditional treats. Instead, I came
  up with this fabulous, extra-delicious recipe where the vanilla flavored
  marshmallow and frosted cereal is studded with bursts of extra flavor from
  chopped salted pistachios, unsweetened dried cherries and sugar-free dark
  chocolate chips.
  In today's review, I'm delighted to share my brand new, original recipe that
  is gluten-free, grain-free and has no added sugars. Enjoy!
  
    
      
         
       | 
    
    
      | 
        My photos don't do justice to these firm yet ooey-gooey, healthy
          marshmallow cereal treats studded with chopped pistachios, dried
          cherries and dark chocolate chips. They're insanely good!
       | 
    
  
  Healthy Marshmallow Cereal Treats That Taste Even Better Than the
    Original!
  One of my favorite things about these treats is that they are firm and
  non-sticky when cooled while also having a fun, ooey-gooey, chewy consistency
  when you bite into them. This recipe truly exceeded even my high expectations
  for developing it. More importantly, it also earned the ultimate compliment
  from my husband, a dyed-in-the-wool Rice Krispie treats lover who said these
  are even better than the ones made from the sugar-laden original recipe!
  I do want to give credit to two recipes that influenced the development of
  mine. The first is Scott Loitsch's
  Rice Krispie Treats recipe
  (account required) from The New York Times' "NYT Cooking" section,
  which gave me the idea to brown the butter before stirring in the
  marshmallows. The second is Maya Krampf's
  Healthy Rice Krispie Treats recipe
  from the Wholesome Yum website, which recommended coarsely chopping the cereal
  (I decided to coarsely crush mine instead).
  The idea of adding chopped pistachios, cherries and sugar-free dark chocolate
  chips was entirely my own.
  Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free and Grain-Free Ingredients Are Just Healthy
    Options. Make These Treats Your Way!
  If you aren't concerned about healthy eating, feel free to substitute
  conventional marshmallows, chocolate chips and your favorite plain or frosted
  cereal (including Rice Krispies, if you like) to make these scrumptious sweet
  treats. 
  You definitely don't want to miss out on this fabulous, extra-special version
  of the beloved, traditional Rice Krispie treats recipe. Your family is sure to
  love my new variation!
  Healthy Pistachio Cherry Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cereal Treats
    Recipe
  
    
      
         
       | 
    
    
      | 
        I wish you could taste these incredibly yummy treats that no one
          would believe are actually healthy!
       | 
    
  
Author: Margaret Schindel
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5-10 minutes
Cooling Time: 60 minutes
Servings: 16
  Ingredients
  Directions
  - 
    Lightly butter a 9-inch square baking pan. Line it with baking parchment,
    leaving enough overhang to serve as handles. Generously butter both the
    parchment-lined pan and an additional small sheet of parchment paper. Set
    aside.
  
 
  - 
    Use your hands to mix the coarsely crushed cereal with the chopped
    pistachios and dried cherries. Gently rub the cherry pieces between your
    fingers to coat with cereal crumb "dust" so they don't stick together. Set
    the mixture aside.
  
 
  - 
    In a
    5-quart, nonstick stock pot, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat until it starts to foam. Reduce
    heat to low and continue cooking for another two to three minutes,
    stirring constantly with a silicone spoon or spoonula (spoon spatula), until the milk solids turn a deep golden
    brown. (Note: It took about five minutes on my glass top electric
    stove.) 
  
 
  - 
     Use the back of the silicone spoon to smear some of the melted,
    browned butter halfway up the sides of the pot and add the marshmallows,
    salt and vanilla. Take the pot off the heat and immediately start stirring
    the marshmallows into the hot butter until they are mostly melted.
  
 
  - Quickly stir in the cereal, pistachio and dried cherries mixture.
 
  - 
    Pour/scrape half of the mixture into the prepared baking pan, then sprinkle
    with half of the dark chocolate baking chips. Use the extra sheet of
    buttered parchment to press down gently to level the surface. Quickly repeat
    with the other half of the marshmallow mixture and the remaining chocolate
    chips.
  
 
  - Allow to cool at room temperature for 60 minutes.
 
  - 
    Use the overhanging parchment paper "handles" to life the cooled slab out of
    the pan and invert it onto a cutting board. Peel off the parchment and use a
    long, sharp chef's knife to cut the slab into 16 squares.
  
 
  - 
    Turn the squares right side up, then serve. Wrap any leftover pieces
    individually in either wax paper or parchment paper and place inside an
    airtight storage container. Store at room temperature (do not refrigerate,
    which will cause them to harden too much) or freeze.
  
 
  Nutrition Facts
  Here are the nutrition facts for one serving of this recipe as calculated by
  the Carb Manager premium app, using the My Recipes feature to create a custom
  recipe and entering the ingredients and quantities listed in this recipe post.
  My photo of all the ingredients to shows the exact brands and products I used
  for each ingredient (the butter is Vital Farms unsalted grass-fed butter).
  
    
      
         
       | 
    
    
      | 
        I used the Carb Manager premium app's custom recipe feature to
          calculate the nutrition facts for this recipe, using the exact brands
          shown in my ingredients photo.
       | 
    
  
  Tips for Making My Extra-Special Healthy Marshmallow Cereal Treats
Here are my tips for getting great results.
  Choose the Ingredients That Fit Your Dietary Requirements and Taste
    Preferences
  
    
      
         
       | 
    
    
      | 
        These are the exact ingredients and brands I used, and the ones on
          which the nutrition facts are based.
       | 
    
  
  I chose
  ChocZero marshmallows with no added sugar
  and
  ChocZero dark chocolate sugar-free baking chips, which are sweetened with low-glycemic sweeteners that don't upset my tummy,
  unlike some other brands that give my husband and me gastric distress. (Note:
  I bought my baking chips last year, before the packaging was updated.)
  Similarly, I chose
  Magic Spoon grain-free, gluten-free frosted cereal with no added sugars, one of the few such cereals that doesn't cause us digestive issues. (I
  initially bought a variety pack to try several flavors after reading my fellow
  Review This Reviews contributor Barbara's
  Magic Spoon keto cereal product review and both my husband and I really like all the flavors we have tried so
  far.) 
  If you want to make these treats low carb and keto-friendly, be sure to choose
  unsweetened dried cherries with no added sugars and minimal other ingredients.
  I chose
  unsweetened Sunrise Dried Cherries
  that contain only one ingredient: sweet cherries. They are surprisingly sweet,
  moist and delicious, and since the 1/3 cup used in this recipe is divided
  among 16 servings, the net carbs can fit within all but the most strict keto
  diet regimens. They also add a nice bit of dietary fiber and healthy
  polyphenols.
  Crush the Cereal While It's Still Inside the Bag
  
    
      
         
       | 
    
    
      | 
        I used a rolling pin to coarsely crush the cereal inside the bag
          before opening it.
       | 
    
  
  The first time I made these I tried coarsely chopping the cereal, but found it
  made a mess that was hard to corral. Pressing on the cereal with a rolling pin
  while it's still inside the sealed bag is a much neater and, for me, easier
  way to accomplish the same end.
  Line Your Baking Pan With Parchment and Butter Generously
  
    
      
         
       | 
    
    
      | 
        After crushing my cereal and chopping my pistachios and dried
          cherries, I measure and set out all my ingredients ("mise en place") so I can move quickly during this recipe, when time is of the
          essence.
       | 
    
  
  Keto marshmallows with no added sugar do not behave exactly the same way as
  conventional marshmallows made with sugar, especially when they are melted.
  Trust me when I tell you that butter alone, no matter how generously applied,
  is not enough to prevent this marshmallow mixture from gluing itself to your
  baking pan!
  Make sure to butter your 9x9-inch square baking pan (to help prevent the
  parchment paper from sliding around), paying special attention to the corners,
  line the buttered pan with two sheets of parchment paper and then generously
  butter the parchment. Make sure to cut the parchment paper long enough so that
  the overhang can serve as handles to let you lift the cooled marshmallow
  cereal treats out easily. 
  Mix the Crushed Cereal, Chopped Pistachios and Dried Cherries
  
    
      
         
       | 
    
    
      | 
        Mixing the cereal, chopped pistachios and dried cherries ahea of time
          helps to ensure that they are evely distributed into the browned
          butter-marshmallow mixture quickly.
       | 
    
  
  As soon as the marshmallows are added to the browned butter, the mixture will
  be very thick and can harden if stirred too long or reheated. Combining the
  pistachios and dried cherries into the cereal ahead of time lets you
  incorporate these dry ingredients into the thick, melted marshmallow and
  butter mixture quickly and still get a fairly even distribution.
  Tip: Use your hands to mix the nuts and fruit into the coarsely crushed cereal
  and rub the sticky chopped cherry bits between your fingers to coat them with
  cereal crumb "dust" and separate them.
  Brown the Melted Butter for a Rich, Slightly Caramelized Flavor
  
    
      
         
       | 
    
    
      | 
        When the melted butter starts to foam, turn the heat down to low and
          stir constantly...
       | 
    
  
  
    
      
         
       | 
    
    
      | 
        ...until the milk solids turn a deep golden brown.
       | 
    
  
  This is a trick I picked up from Scott Loitsch's Rice Krispie Treats recipe in
  NYT Cooking, and it's a dandy one. 
The added richness and depth of flavor is subtle but significant!
  Add the Chocolate Chips in Layers (vs. Mixing Them In)
  
    
      
         
       | 
    
    
      | 
        To avoid partially melting the chocolate chips, sprinkle them in the
          middle and on top of the marshmallow-cereal mixture.
       | 
    
  
  I wanted the chips to stay intact and produce distinct "pops" of dark
  chocolate flavor rather than having it marbled throughout the vanilla
  marshmallow cereal base. So, I decided not to mix the chocolate chips into the
  coarsely crushed cereal with the chopped pistachios and dried cherries to
  avoid the risk of them partially melting when they were mixed into the warm
  marshmallow and butter mixture. 
  Instead, I pressed half of the marshmallow-cereal mixture into the prepared
  pan, sprinkled on half the chocolate chips, then repeated before pressing
  gently with a piece of buttered parchment paper to level the surface and press
  in the baking chips.
  Note: I love the paring of the dark chocolate with the pistachios and dried
  cherries, but you could substitute
  ChocZero milk chocolate chips
  if you prefer.
  Cut With a Long, Sharp Chef's Knife
  
    
      
         
       | 
    
    
      | 
        Using the long parchment paper overhang as handles makes it easy to
          lift the cooled, uncut slab of marshmallow cereal treats out of the
          pan in one piece.
       | 
    
  
  
    
      
         
       | 
    
    
      | 
        Invert the cooled slab onto a cutting board, peel off the buttered
          parchment and cut into 16 squares.
       | 
    
  
  Using a long, sharp knife to cut these treats is extremely helpful. I use the
  chef's knife from our excellent, inexpensive
  Astercook 15-piece high-carbon steel knife set with steak knives and
    storage block (read my review). I had no trouble cutting the slab into squares with this knife, but if
  yours starts to stick, run it under hot water in between cuts.
  As you can see, the slab was inverted after I peeled off the parchment paper.
  I cut them that way and then turned them right side up before serving.
Enjoy!
  
    Healthy Pistachio Cherry Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cereal Treats
      Recipe by Margaret Schindel
  Posts About My Keto Diet Journey
  My First Year on The Keto Diet
  Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part One
  Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part Two
  Low Carb Muffins & Cupcakes: Treats to Enjoy on a Keto Diet
  Low Carb Keto Chocolate Yogurt Granola Chip Pudding Recipe
  Good Dee’s Keto Cookie Low Carb Baking Mix Review
  Hamama Microgreens Growing Kit Review & Success Tips
  My Favorite Hamama Microgreens Seed Quilt Accessories
  Keto Cheddar Cheese Biscuits With Chives Recipe
  The Ultimate Keto Hot Chocolate Recipe
  The Best Low Carb Keto Gift Ideas: Keto Gift Guide
  The Best Low Carb Keto Cinnamon Muffins
  Wholesome Yum Keto Bread Mix and Yeast Bread Recipe
  The Good Chocolate 100% Organic No Sugar Dark Chocolate Review
  The Best Advice to Maintain Your Keto Diet Weight Loss
  My New Irresistibly Delicious Keto Cheese Crackers Recipe
  Luscious Low Carb Keto Triple Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies Recipe
  Quick & Easy Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix Review
  Snack Better With The Best Healthy Keto Cookie Dough Bites
  The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe
  The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe
  Comparing the Best Keto-Friendly Chocolate Hazelnut Spreads - No Added
      Sugars
  The Best Low Carb Keto Sandwich and Burger Buns Mix
  Blueberry Biscuit Scones — New, Easy, Low Carb Keto Recipe
  The Best Keto Pizza Crust Mix With 0 Net Carbs
  An Unusual, Delicious Strawberry Chocolate Tea With 0 Calories
  Delicious Sugar-Free Keto Cookies That OREO Fans Will Love
  Healthy Pistachio Cherry Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cereal Treats
      Recipe
  Easy, Decadent, High Protein, Sugar-Free Rocky Road Cottage Cheese Ice
      Cream
  The Best Quick & Easy Low Carb Sausage and Ricotta Calzones
  How to Make Refreshing Vanilla Italian Soda (With or Without Cream)
  Reviews of the Keto Diet by Barbara C. (aka Brite-Ideas)
  My Personal Keto Testimonial
  How I Stayed Committed to the Ketogenic Way of Eating
  Read More Food Reviews by Our Review This Reviews Contributors
  Read More Product Reviews by Our Review This Reviews Contributors
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article.  “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”