Everyone will love these adorable pumpkin Rice Krispie treats with Tootsie Roll stems and leaves! I have such a good time each Halloween season creating this fun treat with my son--they're great to make together.
They're also perfect to send to school for his class Halloween party or for the fall potluck we have before we go trick or treating. And just like other Rice Krispies treats, they're always a hit with kids and adults alike!
The fall is such a fun time to create unique, cute dishes with Halloween and autumnal themes. These little Rice Krispie treat pumpkins are great for Halloween and the whole fall season.
And, the recipe is so versatile that you can adjust the decorations and shape according to the time of year. Be sure to check out my Variations section below to check out ways to change up this recipe for different holidays and occasions.
If you're looking for other Halloween and fall recipes, well you're in luck. I've got a bunch! You'll love my Monster Munch Halloween snack mix and my Mini Meatloaf Muffins with monster decorations. The meatloaves are really great served with my smoked gouda mac and cheese and are perfect for Halloween night dinner.
My sloppy joe's are also a great kid friendly option. For the adults, you'll want to check out my Purple People Eater gin cocktail and Autumn Bourbon Rickey recipes. Now that you've got some more ideas on what to serve this fall season, let's make these cute little pumpkins!
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this pumpkin Rice Krispies treats recipe:
- mini marshmallows
- salted butter
- Rice Krispies
- orange food coloring gel
- vanilla extract
- chocolate Tootsie Rolls
- green apple Tootsie Rolls
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to make these Halloween Rice Krispie treats:
- First, melt the butter and marshmallows in a large pot or Dutch oven over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the food coloring and vanilla until fully combined.
- Next, add the Rice Krispies to the melted marshmallows and stir until coated.
- Then, let the mixture stand until cool enough to handle. Use an ice cream scoop to shape into pumpkins.
- Finally, use a paring knife or skewer to create indentions in the sides of the pumpkins, if desired. Cut the chocolate Tootsie Rolls in half for the stems. Roll out the green Tootsie Rolls until flattened. Cut into leaf shapes and roll into a log to create curly stems. Attach to the top of each pumpkin.
Hint: Pop the pumpkins in the fridge after you've shaped them to allow them to set up quickly, if desired.
Substitutions
Here are some suggestions for any ingredient swaps you need to make:
- Butter - Using salted butter helps balance out the sweetness of these. Feel free to use unsalted butter and add a pinch of salt instead.
- Rice Krispies - Use another type of cereal instead of crispy rice. Try Trix, Chex, Cheerios, Kix, Lucky Charms--the possibilities are endless!
- Food coloring - I used orange food coloring gel but you can make a pumpkin orange color with a drop or two of red food coloring and yellow food coloring.
- Tootsie Rolls - Instead of a Tootsie roll for the pumpkin stem use a pretzel stick. For the leaves, you can use a green M&M that's been cut in half or other green candy like a green Airhead.
Variations
Want some more ways to change up this recipe? Here are some thoughts:
- Jack 'o Lanterns - Pipe melted black chocolate melts into jack-o-lantern faces onto the cereal treats.
- Valentine's Rice Krispies - This recipe works for other holidays as well. Tint the marshmallow mixture pink or red and shape into hearts. Or make these strawberry Rice Krispie treats.
- Baseball or Basketball Rice Krispies - I have a sports-loving son, so this recipe comes in handy for sports team events. Pipe black lines onto the orange rice crispy balls to look like a basketball. Or, omit the orange food coloring and pipe red frosting "stitching" onto uncolored rice crispy balls to look like baseballs.
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need for this recipe:
- measuring spoons
- dry measuring cup
- Dutch oven
- paring knife
- rolling pin
- ice cream scooper
Storage
Store the Rice Krispie pumpkins in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
To freeze, layer the Rice Krispie treats in an airtight freezer-safe container and separate each layer with parchment paper or wax paper. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Tasty Tip
Allow the Rice Krispie mixture to cool slightly before shaping (about 15 minutes). If you try to shape it into pumpkins just after mixing, it won't stick together and could also be too hot to handle.
Coat your hands with nonstick cooking spray or vegetable oil to prevent a sticky mess. If the mixture is not staying together, let it stand a little longer.
Frequently asked questions
This is the perfect make ahead recipe, so you can prepare them as early as a week in advance.
The marshmallow and butter were probably melted at too high of heat. Cook the mixture low and slow to prevent the treats from getting too hard.
Nope! These can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
You probably have too much marshmallow mixture to rice crispy. Add a little more cereal to the mix and that should fix it.
Absolutely! Check out my substitution suggestions above.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with these pumpkin rice krispy treats:
🍽Get the recipe
Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats with Tootsie Roll Stems
Equipment
- measuring spoons
- dry measuring cup
- Dutch oven
- paring knife
- Rolling Pin
- ice cream scooper
Ingredients
- 1 (10-ounce) package mini marshmallows
- ¼ cup salted butter
- Orange food coloring gel
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 cups rice cereal (I used Rice Krispies)
- Mini chocolate-flavored Tootsie Rolls
- Mini green apple-flavored Tootsie Rolls
Instructions
- Combine the marshmallows and butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over low heat. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in a few drops of orange food coloring and vanilla extract.
- Add the Rice Krispies and stir until coated. Let stand at least 15 minutes and until cool enough to handle.
- With greased hands, shape the cereal mixture into pumpkin shapes. (I use an ice cream scoop for ease.) Let stand at room temperature or in the fridge until hardened. Use a skewer or paring knife to create indentions in the sides of the balls to mimic pumpkins, if desired.
- Cut each chocolate mini Tootsie Roll in half for the stems. Roll out some of the green Tootsie Rolls with a rolling pin until flattened and cut out leaf shapes. Roll some green Tootsie Rolls into thin ropes to look like green curly stems. Decorate each top of the pumpkin with the Tootsie Roll stumps and leaves. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
Claudia-Cristina says
Just made the Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats with Tootsie Roll Stems—cute, fun, and super tasty for fall! 🎃🍬
AshleyFreeman says
Thanks so much!
Nicole says
These are such a cute fall recipe!
AshleyFreeman says
Thanks Nicole!
Jaleah says
These pumpkin Rice Krispie treats are so fun! The perfect holiday treats.
AshleyFreeman says
Thanks so much Jaleah! They are so fun!
Elizabeth says
These pumpkin treats are such a cute touch for Fall. Looking for recipes to include for our 30 days of Halloween and we loved this one. They taste delicious, too!
AshleyFreeman says
30 Days of Halloween. That sounds so fun!
Liz Berg says
These are adorable! I made them last year and my kids have requested I make them again for Halloween this year!
AshleyFreeman says
Love to hear that Liz! We will be making them in our house too 😉
Nora says
The perfect Fall/Halloween treat! We are going to make this for our little Halloween get-together again!
AshleyFreeman says
I think so too, Nora. Thanks!
Matt says
These turned out to be such a fun and festive treat! The pumpkin shape is adorable, and the mix of flavors is perfect for fall.
AshleyFreeman says
Thanks so much! I love them too!
Oscar says
I love making these adorable pumpkin Rice Krispie treats for Halloween! They’re easy to put together, fun to make with the kids, and a crowd-pleaser at our fall potluck.
AshleyFreeman says
Yes! So glad you think so Oscar 🙂
Liz says
These turned out so cute!! And I love Rice Krispie treats, so I loved how yummy they were, too.
AshleyFreeman says
Awesome! They are a fun way to change up the classic treat!
Nisha says
Love these cute pumpkin rice krispie treats with the tootsie roll stems , very creative indeed and a delicious treat for Halloween!
AshleyFreeman says
Thanks Nisha! They were a hit with my son's elementary school class last year 🙂