Puffed rice and pumpkin spice to make everything nice! A simple twist on the classic rice crispy treat!
Even though I’m partial to cooking savory food, I always have room for dessert. Plus it’s Halloween so sweet treats are a must! One of my favorite treats are rice crispy treats. They’re lovely, nostalgic, crowd-pleasing, and easy to make!
The hardest part with rice crispy treats is making sure you have the best ratio of butter, marshmallows and cereal. It’s also a little bit personal since some like treats really crispy and some like more gooey!! My version is gooey!
Even though I love the traditional rice crispies, I’ve been really digging puffed rice lately. They’re light, crispy, and airy. (Note: Puffed rice is also gluten free. Some rice crispies are made with malt, which comes from barley and may contain gluten/however, you can find brands that are gluten free).
I’ve been adding puffed rice to my morning yogurt along with granola. As I’ve been eating, I’ve been wondering how they would do in a rice crispy style treat. My kiddos enjoy those puffed rice logs too! So it felt like a good swap. Since it’s fall, I also wanted to celebrate the season by adding pumpkin flavor and the warmth of pumpkin spice.
Once you have all the ingredients together, the process is easy. Start by melting the butter, then the marshmallows and add a bit of real pumpkin puree. Remove from heat and add more marshmallows, vanilla and pumpkin spice. Love seeing those flecks of spice in the marshmallow mixture!
Because this recipe adds real pumpkin, there is one very important (major VIP) step!! You must let the mixture cool before adding the puffs. This helps ensure the puffs don’t get soggy!
Once it’s completely cooled, gently toss the puffs so that they are completely covered in the marshmallow mixture.
Once the cereal is coated, press into the pan lined with parchment paper and smooth the top. You can use another piece of parchment paper to press so your hands don’t stick.
Another VIP step is to place the pan in the refrigerator for one hour before cutting. This makes sure the mixture sets and you get nice even slices.Then it’s up to you to decide if and how you want to decorate. I love drizzling with chocolate and finishing off with sprinkles. For Halloween, you could also add candy eyes to make them monster puffed rice!
I loved this puffed rice version. They were a little more dense and chewy, and super gooey. The pumpkin spice flavor came through and I loved that hint of orange color from the puree. So festive!!
Thanks so much for reading. Hope you enjoy friends! Stay healthy and well!
Valerie
- 3 tablespoons butter
- Pinch of salt
- 5 cups of mini marshmallows (10 oz. bag)
- ¼ cup canned pumpkin
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 5-6 cups rice puffs (use 5 if you want the puffs more gooey) 🙂
- 1 cup Milk chocolate chips for drizzling (optional)
- Sprinkles (optional)
- Line a 9X9 pan with parchment paper so that there is an inch of parchment above each edge of the pan
- Place a large pot on the stove and bring to medium-low heat. Toss in the butter and melt.
- Once the butter is melted, add a pinch of salt, 4 cups of the mini marshmallows and the pumpkin. Melt all together and stir frequently.
- Remove from heat, add remaining marshmallow, pumpkin spice and vanilla.
- VIP STEP: Let the marshmallow mixture cool for 20 minutes. If you add the puffs too soon, they can get soggy
- Once the marshmallow mixture is cooled, add the puffed rice and carefully toss together to coat the rice puff cereal.
- Use a spatula to place the mixture into the 9X9 prepared pan. Take another piece of parchment paper and use to press down the mixture so it's even on top.
- Place in the refrigerator for one hour so the marshmallow can set
- Remove from the refrigerator and cut into squares.
- Optional - To decorate with chocolate, pour 1 cup of chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove from the microwave and stir. Place back in the microwave for 30 seconds. Repeat until chocolate is completely melted. Use a spoon or fork to drizzle the puffs with chocolate. Top with sprinkles!!
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