These no-bake Peanut Butter Marshmallow Squares are a popular Canadian Christmas treat and served year round at potlucks, weddings and funerals. Make them the traditional way, or add a cup of coconut, chopped nuts or Rice Krispies for crunch and texture.
Well, I learned something new today.
Only in Canada, you say?
I learned that Peanut Butter Marshmallow Squares – one of my all time favourite goodies to make and eat at Christmas time – are totally Canadian, and that most of the rest of the world has never heard of them.
I also learned that here in Canada, these delicious treats are known by a myriad of different names.
How do I know this?
I’ve always called these squares “Peanut Butter Marshies”, but I think that’s a name that I made up when I was a kid. I wanted to know what to call them for this post, so I shared a photo of my squares Happy Hooligans Facebook page, and asked my followers there what they called them.
I hear from people from all over Canada, from Vancouver, and Alberta, to Ontario and Newfoundland, and I was so surprised to learn that everyone has a different name for them.
Peanut Butter Marshmallow Squares are also known as:
- Confetti Squares, Confetti Bars or Confetti Slice
- Rainbow Squares
- Stained Glass Windows (not to be mistaken for this stained glass dessert)
- Marshmallow Slice
- Peanut Butter Squares
- Christmas Jumbles
And a couple of people have always just called them Grandma’s Squares” because their grandma made them every year at Christmas.
No-Bake!
Whatever you call them, they’re insanely delicious and also insanely easy to make. They’re no-bake! You just melt your ingredients in a pot, add the marshmallows, and pour them into a pan.
4 Ingredients:
The traditional recipe calls for just 4 ingredients: butter, peanut butter, butterscotch chips and coloured marshmallows.
For some extra crunch (optional):
I take my squares up a notch by adding a tsp of pure vanilla extract AND, this year, I added a cup of Rice Krispies for a little extra crunch and texture.
I was hesitant to do that because I was afraid I would ruin a good thing, but oh my gosh, they’re even better with a bit of crunch to them. Some of my Facebook followers say they add coconut or chopped nuts, so a cup of either of those would work too.
Whether you add the crunch or you don’t, I’m pretty sure these will be a new favourite at your house this Christmas.
They Freeze Well
Bonus: You can make these squares weeks ahead, like I have, and freeze them until Christmas. Just slick and wrap in parchment paper, and then aluminum foil before popping them in the freezer.
Share the love!
Be sure to share this recipe with your American friends! Peanut Butter Marshmallow Squares have been a well-kept Canadian secret for far too long!
You may also like our Easy, White Holiday Bark
Peanut Butter Marshmallow Squares Recipes
No-Bake Peanut Butter Marshmallow Squares (Confetti Squares)
These easy Peanut Butter Marshmallow Bars are a classic Canadian no-bake Christmas treat. Known also as Confetti Slice and miriad of other names, you can make them the classic way, or add Rice Krispies for crunch and texture.
Servings: 25 bars
Calories: 170kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 300 g butterscotch chips (1 bag)
- 4 cups coloured mini marshmallows (1 bag)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
- 1 cup Rice Krispies optional
Instructions
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Line an 8×8 pan with aluminum foil.
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Melt butter, peanut butter and butterscotch chips over low heat, stirring until smooth.
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Remove from heat, and let cool until you can safely hold your hand against the bottom of the pot. This will ensure your marshmallows won’t melt when added.
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Stir in vanilla (if using), marshmallows and Rice Krispies.
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Pour mixture into 8×8 pan and gently spread with a spoon or spatula.
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Refrigerate until firm.
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Remove from pan and slice into squares.
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Store squares in refrigerator or wrap in parchment and aluminum foil and freeze.
Notes
For smaller squares, cut pan into 5 rows of 5. For larger squares, cut into 4 rows of 4.
Nutrition
Serving: 25g | Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 139mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg
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Oatmeal, White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies
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Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.