Sweet, chewy, and absolutely irresistible, these Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats are all treat and no trick. Chewy rice cereal treats are shaped like the cutest little pumpkins for a quick, easy, and fun treat that will keep you coming back for just one more.
These pumpkins are made from sweet and chewy rice cereal treats and topped with chocolate Tootsie Roll “stems” for just the right amount of chocolate. Garnished with smooth and creamy icing, you’ll get all of the right textures for the perfect festive dessert.
SAVE THIS RECIPE FOR THANKSGIVING PUMPKINS TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD!
Why You Should Make These Halloween Pumpkin Treats
Fun to make. These pumpkin-shaped Rice Krispie treats are so adorable, and kids will love helping to roll their own pumpkins.
Easy and quick. These are the perfect sweet treat to make for a Halloween party, holiday get-togethers, or a quick pre-trick-or-treating snack.
A simple recipe with a twist. These classic Rice Krispie treats get all dressed up for some spooky Halloween fun, but don’t forget to make them for Thanksgiving, too. They’re a fun Thanksgiving dessert for kids, or make great place card holders or take-home gifts for your guests.
Ingredients for perfect Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats
You will need the following ingredients:
Salted butter – Unsalted butter, margarine, or vegan butter sticks work great too.
Mini marshmallows – Larger marshmallows take a bit longer to melt, but you can use them if you can’t find mini marshmallows.
Vanilla extract – This is optional, but creates a deeper flavor.
Rice Krispies cereal – Any brand of crispy rice cereal will work.
Orange food coloring – I used a water-based food coloring, but gel works great too. Just go slow if you use gel. The color is more vibrant, so you’ll need less.
Mini Tootsie Rolls – Any small, round, brown chocolate candy will work.
Green icing
Black Icing
Check out the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post for a detailed ingredient list!
How to Make Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats
These Halloween Pumpkins (or Thanksgiving Pumpkins) are so quick and easy to make!
Melt butter. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter.
Stir in the marshmallows and vanilla. Once the butter has melted,use a wooden spoon to stir in the mini marshmallows and vanilla extract. Stir frequently until the marshmallows have melted.
Make them orange. Add the orange food coloring to the marshmallow mixture, starting with 5 drops and adding more until you get the desired shade of orange you want. Stir continuously for an additional 2 minutes to incorporate the food coloring and make sure all the marshmallows are melted.
Add the cereal. Add the cereal and toss to coat. Allow the Rice Krispie mixture to cool slightly off the heat before forming the pumpkins.
Form the mixture into pumpkins. Coat your clean hands in cooking spray and roll the rice cereal into balls. You should get about 5-6 4-inch balls. One by one, place them on a nonstick surface like parchment or wax paper. Once you have all of them rolled, flatten the tops just slightly and use a butter knife to make vertical lines from top to bottom to represent the grooves in the pumpkin shape. Set aside to set and cool completely.
Decorate. Once cooled, use a small amount of green icing to attach the tootsie roll to the top of each pumpkin and place the remaining green icing in a piping bag with a small round tip. Make vines with loops and twirls with the icing. Place the black icing into a piping bag and pipe jack-o-lantern faces on all or some of the pumpkins.
Set and serve. Let it sit for 5 minutes to allow the icing to harden before serving!
FAQs
How do I store Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats?
If you have leftover Rice Krispie Pumpkins, you can keep them stored in an airtight container or resealable bag for about a week.
Do I have to use homemade Rice Krispie treats, or can I use store-bought?
In a pinch, store-bought works great and will save you some time. Just take the individual treats and shape them into pumpkins. I always check my local grocery store’s bakery section for pre-made rice cereal treats, so I know I’m getting something fresh, but prepackaged ones work great too.
You can buy the sheets and use a pumpkin cookie cutter, cutting out the pumpkins instead of making them 3d.
Can I make Pumpkin Rice Krispie treats ahead of time and freeze them?
You can freeze these cute little pumpkins (not decorated) after you make them. Just wrap them in plastic wrap before sliding them into a resealable plastic bag. Thaw to room temperature before cutting and decorating. They’ll last about 3 months in the freezer.
What else can I add for additional flavors?
I love that you can use different flavors to make these Rice Krispie treats fresh and new every time you make them. Here are some of my favorite ways to add a little something extra without a lot of effort.
Add a pinch of pumpkin pie spice for Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats
Use a green candy (like an M&M or Skittle) on the top instead of icing stem, or for a salty crunch, use a piece of a pretzel stick.
Wrap your pumpkin ball around a soft candy to make it candy-filled. A Reese’s, a Snickers, or a truffle would be perfect.
More Fun Rice Krispie Treats
Make one of these fun shapes for your next holiday!
Halloween Black Cats
Frankenstein Rice Krispie Treats
Halloween Ghosts
Patriotic Rice Krispie Treat Stars
Other flavors here!
Don’t forget to pin or print this Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats recipe so you have it for your next party!
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In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
Once the butter has melted, use a wooden spoon to stir in the mini marshmallows and vanilla extract. Stir frequently until the marshmallows have melted.
Add the orange food coloring, starting with 5 drops and adding more until you get the desired shade of orange you want. Stir continuously for an additional 2 minutes to incorporate the food coloring and make sure all the marshmallows are melted.
Add the cereal and toss to coat. Allow the rice Krispie mixture to cool slightly off heat before forming the pumpkins.
Coat your clean hands in cooking oil or spray and roll the rice cereal into balls. You should get about 5-6 4 inch balls. One by one, place them on a nonstick surface like parchment or wax paper. Once you have all of them rolled, flatten the tops just slightly and use a butter knife to make vertical lines from top to bottom to represent the grooves in the pumpkins. Set aside to set and cool completely.
Once cooled, use a small amount of green icing to attach the tootsie roll to the top of the pumpkin and place the remaining green icing in a piping bag with a small round tip. Make vines with loops and twirls with the icing. Place the black icing into a piping bag and pipe jack-o-lantern faces on all or some of the pumpkins.
Let thjem sit for 5 minutes to allow the icing to harden before serving!
