Rice Cereal Treat Candy Hearts

Instructions

• Make the rice cereal treats: Line a 9 x 13-inch (19 x 27 cm) baking dish with parchment paper and grease with nonstick spray.
• Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted, about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cereal, 1 cup (30 G) at a time, until well coated and evenly distributed.
• Spread the cereal mixture in the prepared pan, pushing down with a spatula or oiled hands to create a flat, even surface. Let cool completely, 30–45 minutes.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Use the edges of the parchment paper to lift the cereal treats from the baking dish and transfer to a cutting board. Starting at one corner, use the heart cookie cutter to cut a heart out of the cereal treat and place on the prepared baking sheet. Rotate the cookie cutter 180° so the heart shape is upside down and punch out another heart directly next to the first one. Repeat until you have cut out 3 rows of 5 hearts each, yielding 15 hearts total. Set aside.
• Make the royal icing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the meringue powder and powdered sugar. Add the water and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Add a few drops of red food coloring and whisk to combine, gradually adding more food coloring until the desired shade or red is achieved. Transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Set aside.
• Place each color of candy melts in a separate microwave-safe bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to each bowl. Working one bowl at a time, microwave for 30 seconds, stir with a spatula, then continue to microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring between, until smooth and completely melted.
• Line another baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place a cereal treat heart in the bowl of melted yellow candy. Using 2 forks, flip and coat the heart all over so no rice cereal remains visible. Let excess candy melt drip off the heart and carefully drag the bottom of the heart along the edge of the bowl before placing on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat to make 3 hearts of each color.
• Transfer the hearts on the baking sheet to the refrigerator to harden, about 5 minutes.
• After completely set, remove the hearts from the refrigerator. Using the red royal icing, decorate each heart with messages.
• Enjoy!