Pumpkin Shaped Rice Krispie Treats
These Pumpkin Shaped Rice Krispie Treats are a fun and festive fall activity for kids—made with orange-colored marshmallow cereal, pretzel stems, and green candy leaves for a treat that’s as cute as it is tasty!
How stinkin’ adorable are these little pumpkin Rice Krispie treats for Halloween and the fall season? Gosh, I just love fall. When the leaves start to change and the grocery stores start to put out their pumpkins, it gets me so excited! All of the pumpkin recipes and fall fun can officially commence.
We make pumpkin playdough every year, and my kids love to make this pumpkin pie craft each year too. But once this recipe for Rice Krispies treats in the shape of pumpkins entered the scene, I was all over it!
These easy yet elevated marshmallow treats are so fun to make and the perfect recipe for kids to help out with. They’re great for parties too! Make your dessert table look extra adorable with these festive Halloween Rice Krispie treats.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- These adorable treats are a great treat to give out as a gift. Wrap in a fall-themed cellophane bag and some ribbon and you’ve got the perfect party favors or classroom gift.
- It will only take 25 minutes to make this fun and tasty fall recipe.
- This easy recipe is perfect for kids to make on their own or to help out with in the kitchen.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Shaped Rice Krispie Treats
- Rice Krispie cereal – You can’t make Rice Krispie treats without the Rice Krispies. During the holiday season, I like to buy them in the giant family size boxes so I have them in my pantry whenever inspiration, or a sweet tooth, strikes!
- Mini marshmallows – Mini marshmallows melt much more easily than the large marshmallows.
- Butter – You can use salted or unsalted butter in this recipe, either works just fine.
- Pretzel rods – Pretzel rods are the easiest way to make little stems for your pumpkins. If you have leftovers, use them to make Mummy Pretzel Rods. If you need a different option, use Tootsie Rolls, mini Twix, brown fondant or even Rolo candy. If you don’t have any of these on hand, a regular pretzel stick can work, too.
- Orange food coloring – Gel food coloring tends to work a little better in this recipe. Use a combination of red and yellow if you don’t have orange on hand.
- Green Airheads – This malleable candy easily makes leaves for the stems of the pumpkins. You can also make leaves out of green fondant. If you have a steady hand with a piping bag, green frosting will also work in a pinch.
Helpful Tools
- Large saucepan
- Silicone spatula
- Parchment paper
- Kitchen shears
- Nonstick spray
- Measuring cups and spoons
How to Make Pumpkin Rice Krispies
Melt butter in a large non stick saucepan. Once melted, add the marshmallows and stir to combine.
When the marshmallows start to melt, add the orange food coloring until it reaches the shade of orange that you want.
Keep stirring until the color is combined and all marshmallows are melted, you’ll want a smooth and creamy texture.
Turn off the heat and add the Rice Krispies cereal into the marshmallow mixture, one cup at a time. Stir well after each cup. Allow the mixture cool slightly until you are able to handle it.
Lay a sheet of parchment paper onto a clean surface, then coat your hands in non stick cooking spray or butter. Scoop large portions of the Rice Krispies mixture out of the pan and form into balls.
Press down on the top and bottom of each ball to form a pumpkin shape. Then, use your finger to make a large enough dent for the pretzel rod. Set each of the pumpkin shaped rice Krispie treats onto the sheet of parchment paper.
Take a pretzel rod and place a small piece into the middle of the top of the pumpkin and press down.
Cut leaf shapes out of a green Air Head using scissors. To make some vines, cut a thin piece of Air Head and then roll it out into a rope-like shape. Wrap the candy rope around a skewer stick or something else thin to make a twisted vine.
Gently pull it off of the skewer and then stick the vine on one side of the pretzel stick stem and the leaf on the other side.
Repeat those processes for every pumpkin.
Once all of your pumpkins are decorated and complete, serve immediately or wrap in a cute bag to hand out as gifts!
Storage
Place any leftover Rice Krispie treats into an air tight container and store at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Fridge: To extend the life of these sweet treats, store in the refrigerator at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezer: I do not recommend freezing these pumpkin Rice Krispie treats.
Pro Tips
- Make different sizes of pumpkins for a cute variety! Some large pumpkins, small pumpkins, and medium pumpkins all together will look like a fun little pumpkin patch.
- Press the pretzel rod, vines, and leaves into the pumpkin before the marshmallows and cereal completely set. The tacky marshmallow will help everything adhere to the pumpkin.
- If you have problems with the Rice Krispie mixture sticking to your hands, stop during the process and rinse your hands and then re-grease them and keep going!
- Overworking the marshmallow and Rice Krispie mix can lead to hard treats.
- Try mixing in some pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract for a little extra burst of flavor.
Make a sweet treat pumpkin patch with this adorably fun pumpkin Rice Krispie treats recipe. Whether you are taking them to a pot luck, serving them at a Halloween party or sending them in school lunches as a festive fall treat, these treats are going to be a hit!
Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 3 Tablespoons salted butter or unsalted
- 10 ounce package of mini marshmallows
- Orange food coloring
- 5-6 pretzel rods the end pieces only
- 8 green Airheads
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large non stick pan on low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir to combine. Once slightly melted begin adding orange food coloring until your reach the desired color.
- Keep stirring until marshmallows are completely melted. Turn off heat and add in the Rice Krispies, one cup at a time. Stir after each addition. Let cool slightly so you are able to handle the mixture.
- Lay down a sheet of parchment paper. Then coat your hands with cooking spray. Take large portions of the Rice Krispie mixture and form into balls. You can keep them uniform in size or different sizes.
- Press down on the top and bottom of each ball to form into a pumpkin shape. Then use your finger to make a dent in the top for the pretzel rod. Set on parchment paper.
- Take the pretzel and place it into the middle of the top of the pumpkin and press down slightly so it sticks.
- Cut little leaf shapes out of the airheads using a scissors.
- To form the vine, cut along the long part of the airhead very thinly, roll out into a small rope. Wrap it around something thin like a skewer stick to make a twisty vine.
- Gently pull off the skewer and stick to one side of the pretzel and stick the leaf on the other side, repeat for all the pumpkins.
Nutrition
More Fall Recipes and Activities
- Savory and sweet flavors come together thanks to the best Halloween Snack Mix. Chex cereal, Bugles, pretzels, candy corn, Reese’s Pieces and of course, candy eyeballs, make every handful delicious.
- Homemade Halloween decorations like Yarn Ghosts are a great DIY project for the kids to work on this season. Make a lot and you are on your way to an inexpensive garland!
- Elevate a box chocolate cake and make Turkey Cupcakes for your family’s Thanksgiving get together. The kids will love decorating these, too!
- Print off our template for Turkey Suncatchers and set the kids up for a nice quiet activity while they wait for their Thanksgiving meal. Hang them in the window while you eat to catch the sun on the colored tissue paper.
