Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
In a large bowl, whisk together the rice flour, sugar, salt, and citric acid until evenly combined.
In a separate bowl, mix the melted butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Pour the wet into the dry and stir until a crumbly dough forms.
Divide the dough into 8–10 portions. Add 2–3 drops of food coloring to each portion and knead until the color is uniform. Go bold — these should look like jewels.
Press each colored ball flat between two sheets of parchment to about 1/16" thick. Use a pizza cutter or knife to slice into tiny irregular pebble-sized pieces (roughly 1/4" to 3/8"). Don't stress about uniformity — that's part of the charm.
Spread the pieces in a single layer on the baking sheets. Bake for 40–50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the pieces are dry, crispy, and lightly toasted on the edges.
Let cool completely on the pan — they crisp up further as they cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Serve in a bowl with cold milk. The colors will start to bleed after a minute or two — that's how you know they're homemade.
💡 Pro tip: For extra flavor, replace 1 tbsp of the sugar with freeze-dried fruit powder (strawberry or raspberry works great). Toss it in with the dry ingredients.