Orange Dreamsicle Rice Krispie Treats

Orange Dreamsicle Rice Krispie Treats + Summer Reads to Savor in the Sun 🍊📚✨

You know that feeling when you bite into something and it instantly transports you to a lazy summer afternoon from your childhood? That’s exactly what these Orange Dreamsicle Rice Krispie Treats do. With their zesty citrus zing and creamy vanilla swirl, they’re like chasing the ice cream truck barefoot down your neighborhood street all over again. Sweet, nostalgic, and just a little bit magical—the perfect snack to nibble on while flipping through your latest summer read.

And speaking of reads . . . these dreamy squares were inspired by Emily Henry’s Beach Read—the quintessential bookish rom-com that has everything we love: witty banter, emotional depth, slow-burn romance, and, of course, a sunny lakeside setting. Just like the treat, Beach Read balances sweet with a hint of tart, and both leave you wanting more.

If you’re stacking your beach bag (or picnic basket) with more sunshine-soaked stories, here are a few more novels to pair with your snacks and sangria:

• The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther

  • A heart-tugging tale set on Martha’s Vineyard filled with love, loss, and a wedding week game that changes everything. It’s breezy, emotional, and the ultimate poolside companion.

• One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

  • Dreamy, time-bending, and set along the Amalfi Coast, this story is like an orange creamsicle for your soul. Perfect if you love travel, grief-tinged beauty, and a little magic with your heartbreak.

• People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

  • Yes, another Henry pick, but she’s the queen of feel-good fiction with bite. This friends-to-lovers story unfolds over sunny vacations and awkward glances and is basically sunshine in paperback form.

• PRE-ORDER ALERT! The Charmed Library by Jennifer Moorman

  • Where fictional heroes step off the page and into real life (yes, even your book boyfriend). Cozy, magical, and full of heart, this story is a love letter to libraries, the power of words, and the kind of transformation that only books can spark.

So, go ahead. Whip up a batch of these ORANGE DREAMSICLE RICE KRISPIE TREATS, find your comfiest lounge chair, and get swept away in a summer story (or three). Whether you’re at the beach, in your backyard, or just dreaming of warmer days, a good book and a nostalgic snack are the perfect escape.

Orange Dreamsicle Rice Krispie Treats

For the treats:

¼ cup plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened, divided

10 ounces jumbo marshmallows

1 ¾ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

½ cup orange cake mix

6 cups crisp rice cereal

1 (12-oz.) bag white chocolate morsels

Cooking spray

3 cups powdered sugar

6 tablespoons fresh orange juice

¼ teaspoon orange extract

Food coloring (optional)