Pumpkin Rice Crispy Treats

I'm gonna say something that isn't going to make me any friends. But I just need to get it off my chest. I love pumpkin. Seriously. I adore it. As soon as there's the first hint of cool weather and changing leaves I will begin putting pumpkin into everything. Cupcakes, oatmeal, curry and soup. But, there are two things that I don't think should be paired with pumpkin. First, coffee. Here's looking at you pumpkin spice latte. I don't understand why you're so hip & cool. Maybe I'm just a purist but vanilla and chocolate are the only flavors I really want mixed with my coffee flavored things. The second combination I just can't get behind is pumpkin & chocolate. It just feels off for me. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't turn down a free pumpkin chocolate chip muffin but you won't ever see me making one.
Last week there were dozens of bags of Dandies on sale. They had just gone out of date, but I knew they would be totally find for melting into rice crispy treats. So I bought six bags. I stumbled upon a pumpkin rice krispy treat at the Sweet Life, and decided there was no sense in making a single batch when I had so many Dandies to spare. So I doubled it, left out the chocolate, and make some little changes based on the partial can of pumpkin I had left after making a pie.


Pumpkin Rice Crispy Treats
tweaked in the most minor of ways from The Sweet Life

8 cups rice cereal
5 tbl Earth Balance
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground gloves
1/4 tsp salt
2 bags dandies

Line a 9x13" pan with parchment or wax paper. Pre-measure the cereal and add it to your largest bowl. In a heavy bottomed stock pot, melt Earth Balance. Add pumpkin puree, vanilla, and spices. Stir until distributed evenly. Add marshmallows and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently until the marshmallows are mostly melted. Fold the pumpkin mixture into the cereal and press mixture firmly into the pan. Let cool for one hour before slicing.


These rice crispy treats were very delicious and a total piece of cake. They would make a nice non-traditional addition to a Thanksgiving dinner table or as a snack anytime in the next few weeks. I feel like this recipe would also be terrific if you used sweet potato puree instead of pumpkin, added a cup of chopped of walnuts and some mini marshmallows to pay respects to my favorite casserole. Have you heard that Dandies are coming out with mini marshmallows?!

Sweet & Salty Rice Crispy Treats

You know that thing that your mother tells you countless times (especially if you have siblings that are close to your age so you're more prone to bickering and harassing each other like children do)? If you don't have something nice to say then don't say anything at all. While I feel like that is generally a good rule of thumb, it's not helping me out right now. I have plenty of nice things to say about these rice crispy treats, I just don't have any words to pair with it. Cat's got my tongue? Maybe it's like the Buffy episode Hush, except that instead of being unable to speak, I can't type my thoughts? These rice crispy treats are delicious. They are adorable. There's all sorts of layers of crunch and texture and just enough salt. I feel like that's all you need to know? Maybe it's true that a picture is worth a thousand words, because I definitely have several of those?!


Sweet & Salty Rice Crispy Treats
makes one 9x13" pan

6 cups rice cereal (Erewhon is always GF & there's a new Rice Krispie GF version too)
1 1/2 oz (or a large single serving bag) potato chips of choice
1 cup sprinkles*
1 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
one 10oz bag Dandies
5 oz (half a tub) Ricemellow
2 tbl Earth Balance

In a large mixing bowl combine cereal, crumbled potato chips, sprinkles, and sea salt. Mix until combined. In a medium sauce pan melt Dandies with Earth Balance and Ricemellow on low heat, stirring consistently. This will take several minutes, just be patient. Once totally melted scrape marshmallow mixture into mixing bowl and press into the cereal. Don't be afraid to use your hands. Press into a parchment lined 9x13" pan, then press additional sprinkles and sea salt into the top if you want a prettier, brighter appearance. Let cool in fridge for 2 hours before cutting with a sharp knife into squares.
*I have had luck finding confectioner's glaze free rainbow sprinkles at bakery supply stores. You just have to be patient. If you can't find any, then use the tried and true Let's Do… sprinkelz or make your own using this recipe!


I suppose I'm just getting a little sleepy. Trying to do too many things at once. Last week I fell asleep with an open but uneaten ice cream bar in bed. And today I left the pint of ice cream I bought at work. When you start losing track of your ice cream, you know things are getting rough.

Rice Crispy Treats

I have been on the hunt for vegan marshmallows for about two weeks. It has been a complete test of my patience. When I get obsessed with a recipe I can not be distracted by anything. That is how I have felt about rice crispy treats and s'mores thumbprint cookies (coming soon!) recently. Sticky Fingers normally has Sweet & Sara marshmallows in stock, but they were out of everything except strawberry last week. A friend went to Pangea and offered to bring me some back, but I denied because I was heading to Root's Market the next morning. I shouldn't have turned her down, because Roots only had coconut covered marshmallows! I started getting desperate, and in a frenzy called Roots on Monday morning to see if they were getting more in soon. They had gotten a shipment overnight, and I detoured on my way home from work solely to buy two containers of vanilla marshmallows.
Last night I FINALLY made rice crispy treats. I only made a small batch, because I have grand plans for the second tub of the marshmallows. I know that people frequently make rice crispy treats with Dandies marshmallows, which makes sense because I know from experience they melt really easily in hot chocolate. Sweet & Sara's have a flavor that I think is superior, but they definitely don't melt as easily. After a lengthy period of time on the stove, I realized it was futile and resorted the microwave.

Rice Crispy Treats
~Enough for a square 4-6" pan

5oz container Sweet & Sara vanilla marshmallows
2 tbsp Earth Balance
2 tbsp Smuckers marshmallow topping
heaping 2 cups rice crispy cereal*
Optional chocolate, caramel, or peanut butter for drizzling

In microwave melt marshmallows and Earth Balance, for approximately 2 minutes. With a spatula, quickly stir in marshmallow topping and cereal. Spoon into a plastic container or pan lined with parchment paper. Gently press down. Let cool in fridge for at least 2 hours.

*To make these gluten free, make sure you use a brand of rice crispy cereal that is certified gluten free such as Erewhon. Most of the cereals have barley malt extract added, which isn't suitable for a gluten free diet.


I melted dark chocolate with a teaspoon of coconut oil to drizzle on mine. My partner reports that they are the best thing I have ever made, which is funny because they are probably one of the easiest!
Do you like your rice crispy treats plain or do you prefer to add mix-ins?