Pumpkin Rice Krispies Treats are the perfect combination of nostalgic cereal snacks and festive fall flair. These adorable pumpkin-shaped treats are great for Halloween parties, fall gatherings, or just as a fun weekend activity with the kids. Made with the classic Rice Krispies and marshmallow mix, they’re easy to shape, decorate, and enjoy!
Jump to Recipe🛒 Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter: Adds richness and helps bind the marshmallows and Rice Krispies together.
- 1 bag large marshmallows (approximately 40 marshmallows): These fluffy marshmallows are the key to making the treats soft and chewy.
- 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal: The classic cereal that gives these treats their signature crunch.
- Red & yellow liquid food coloring: Used to achieve the perfect pumpkin orange hue for your treats.
- Mini Rolos: Serve as the “stems” of your pumpkin treats, adding a touch of chocolate and caramel.
- Green M&M’s: These act as the “leaves” on your pumpkins, adding a pop of color and a bit of extra sweetness.
- 1/4 cup cooking oil or melted butter: This is for coating your hands while shaping the treats to prevent the sticky mixture from adhering to your skin.
👨🍳 Instructions
1. Melt the Butter and Marshmallows
- Heat the butter: In a large pot, melt 1/4 cup of butter over low heat. Stir continuously to prevent the butter from burning.
- Add the marshmallows: Once the butter is melted, add a full bag of large marshmallows (about 40 marshmallows). Stir constantly until the marshmallows are completely melted and combined with the butter.
Pro Tip: Use a non-stick pot or a well-greased pan to prevent the marshmallow mixture from sticking too much during the melting process.
2. Color the Mixture
- Add food coloring: Remove the pot from the heat and start adding yellow food coloring first, followed by red food coloring. Start with several drops of yellow, then add red one drop at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Continue adding the food coloring until you achieve your desired shade of pumpkin orange.
Pro Tip: The ratio that works well is about 12 drops of yellow to 4 drops of red, but feel free to adjust based on the intensity of the color you want.
3. Add the Rice Krispies
- Mix in the cereal: Once your marshmallow mixture is colored to your liking, stir in 6 cups of Rice Krispies cereal. Fold the cereal into the mixture until all the Rice Krispies are evenly coated.
Pro Tip: Use a large spatula for easy mixing. Greasing the spatula can also help prevent the mixture from sticking too much.
4. Shape the Pumpkins
- Prepare your hands: To prevent sticking, coat both sides of your hands with a generous amount of cooking oil or melted butter. This step is essential for handling the sticky Rice Krispies mixture.
- Roll into balls: While the mixture is still warm, scoop out portions of the Rice Krispies mixture and roll them into small balls, roughly the size of a golf ball. Place the balls on parchment paper as you go.
- Reapply oil or butter: After shaping each ball, reapply oil or butter to your hands before moving on to the next one.
Pro Tip: Work quickly, as the mixture becomes more difficult to shape as it cools. If it hardens too much, you can briefly warm the mixture back up on low heat to soften it again.
5. Decorate the Pumpkins
- Add the stems and leaves: While the Rice Krispies balls are still warm, gently press a Mini Rolo into the top of each ball to represent the pumpkin’s stem. Then, place a green M&M next to the Mini Rolo to act as a leaf.
- Create indents if needed: If the treats cool too quickly and harden before you’re able to add the decorations, use the end of a thick marker or an apple corer to make a small indent in the top of each pumpkin. This will give you a spot to place the Rolo and M&M.
Pro Tip: Make sure the treats are still warm enough to slightly melt the bottom of the Mini Rolo and M&M, helping them stick in place.
6. Let the Treats Set
- Cool completely: Allow the Pumpkin Rice Krispies Treats to cool completely on the parchment paper. This will help them firm up and hold their shape.
Pro Tip: If you’re in a rush, you can place the treats in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to speed up the cooling process.
Pumpkin Rice Krispies Treats
These colorful treats are shaped like pumpkins and decorated with Mini Rolos and M&Ms. The perfect combination of sweet and festive flavors will leave you craving more. Enjoy these Halloween treats for a special occasion or a casual snack.
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1 bag large marshmallows approximately 40 marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies
Red & Yellow Liquid Food Coloring
Mini Rolos
Green M&M's
1/4 cup cooking oil or melted butter in a small bowl to keep it from sticking to your hands
Directions
- In a large pot, melt the butter over low heat.
- Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted and combined with the butter.
- Remove from the heat. Add several drops of yellow food colouring, mix it together, then add red food colouring one drop at a time, mixing as you go. Add red/yellow drops until you reach your desired colour. (I used about 4 drops red and 12 drops yellow). Mix well.
- Add the Rice Krispies and stir to combine.
- Coat both sides of your hands with a generous amount of cooking oil or butter, and roll the Rice Krispie mixture into small balls. Set on parchment paper. Add oil/butter to your hands after each ball.
- While the balls are still warm, gently press a Mini Rolo into the top of each pumpkin for the stem and add a green M&M beside it as the leaf. (Tip: If the pumpkins cool before you're finished, use the end of a thick marker or apple corer to make a small indent in the top for the chocolate to sit in.)
⏲️ Time and Servings
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cooling Time: 10-15 minutes
- Total Time: 25-30 minutes
- Servings: About 12 pumpkin-shaped treats
🍴 Tips for Success
- Keep It Sticky But Manageable: When working with sticky mixtures like this, keeping your hands well-oiled or buttered is key. Don’t be shy about reapplying more oil or butter as needed while you shape the pumpkins.
- Work Quickly: The marshmallow mixture sets up quickly as it cools, so work fast when shaping the pumpkins and adding the decorations. If you find the mixture getting too hard to handle, gently reheat it for a few seconds to make it more pliable.
- Coloring Tips: Achieving the perfect pumpkin orange can take some patience. Start with a base of yellow food coloring, then slowly add red until you get just the right shade. Remember, you can always add more food coloring, but you can’t take it out, so go slow!
- Decoration Precision: Adding the Mini Rolos and green M&M’s while the treats are still warm helps them stick better. If the treats cool too fast, create small indents to hold the decorations securely in place.
🎃 Variations and Substitutions
- Alternative Colors: While orange is perfect for pumpkins, you can get creative with other colors for different holidays or themes. Try making green Rice Krispies treats for Frankenstein faces or purple for spooky witches’ hats.
- Different Decorations: Instead of Mini Rolos and M&M’s, you can experiment with other candy decorations. Candy corn, chocolate chips, or even pretzel sticks could be used for different effects. Get creative with what you have on hand!
- Flavor Enhancements: If you want to add a bit of extra flavor to your treats, consider adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract or a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice to the melted marshmallow mixture. This will give your treats a warm, autumnal flavor that pairs perfectly with the pumpkin theme.
Final Thoughts
Pumpkin Rice Krispies Treats are a fun, festive way to celebrate the fall season. With just a few simple ingredients and some creative decorating, you can transform a classic childhood treat into something special for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or any autumn gathering. Easy to make and even easier to eat, these pumpkin-shaped treats are sure to bring smiles to everyone who tries them. Enjoy!