Happy Halloween!!! After posting the healthy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies last week, I wanted to post another seasonal dessert that I’ve been looking forward to making for a whole year! It’s, unfortunately, not healthy at all. But it’s so adorable, cheap to make and perfect for Halloween! It’s a basic Rice Krispies Treat Recipe, but made in a bundt cake pan with the addition of candy corn and Reese’s Pieces.
Eric and I are excited to welcome our first year of trick or treaters at our home. We knew we didn’t want to hand out candy. With the crazy high rates of childhood obesity in our area it just feels wrong to pile on the candy. But we’re not staying away from sweet completely, we’re gonna sit outside with hot apple cider and cocoa for the kids. I realize some parents may not let their parents accept it but I think it will be a fun experience for those who do.
You may be saying, “Diana, if you’re not willing to hand out candy, why are you giving us a candy recipe?” Well, this recipe has been a year in the making! A friend of ours made this treat for a potluck last year, and I was absolutely struck by how cute and simple it was and how affordable it would be to make. Starting the first week of October I was on the look out for Rice Krispies and marshmallows to go on sale. Once they did, I snatched them up! Then I went to the dollar store for my candies.
The cool thing is, this “cake” cost me only $4 to make but can be sliced into 20 pieces! It’s a really affordable option for bringing to a Halloween party. So even though it certainly isn’t healthy, it’s cheap and easy. Besides I think adults can make their own decisions about whether or not to gorge on candy, but it’s up to us to teach kids healthier choices. If you’d rather have a healthy Halloween party treat, check out this cheese mummy!
As for our costumes today, Eric and I have decided to be zombies this year. We’ve never been zombies for Halloween but you may remember our previous zombie outfits from Red, White and Dead. Or perhaps my Thriller dance! If you have no idea what I’m talking about you have to check out my Cheese Mummy post. It’s the BEST Halloween Party food ever!!! Anyway, I figure that zombies can be dressed warmly so we can be bundled up to sit outside tonight.
I’ll post lots of pictures later of us and our little visitors (along with the winner of our Johnson pumpkin carving party). If you post any of your Halloween photos let me know, I’d love to see them!
Halloween Rice Krispies Cake
Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Total time: 10 minutes Yield: 16-20 servingsIngredients
- 3 TBS
butter or coconut oil
- 1 pkg (16 oz)
marshmallows - 6 cups
Rice Krispies - 1 cup
candy corn - 1 cup
Reese’s Pieces
Cooking Directions
- Melt the butter in a large pot on medium heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until they’re melted. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in the Rice Krispies, candy corn and Reese’s Pieces.
- Dump the Rice Krispies mix into a bundt pan that’s been coated with cooking spray. Use wax paper to press it firmly into the pan.
- Let cool and place a plate over the pan. Invert the pan so the “cake” sits on the plate. Slice into wedges to serve.
Approximate cost/serving: This cost me just a little over $4 to make. At 16-20 slices that’s just 20-25 cents a serving. Cheap dessert for your Halloween party!!!
Vegetarian/Gluten Free: The recipe is vegetarian with the use of vegetarian marshmallows or marshmallow creme like Dandy brand marshmallows or Ricemellow Creme. You can make it vegan by using coconut oil in place of the butter but you’d need to choose different candy because the Reese’s Pieces contain milk and the candy corn is made with egg whites. It’s gluten free if you use regular Rice Krispies. Check the ingredients if using a generic brand or a flavored variety.
Ha! My mom would make this for my brothers and me every birthday growing up! Except instead of rice crispies we used popcorn, and instead of reeses we used peanuts!
Well that’s funny Charis because your mom is the one I got the idea from!!! She brought it to a Life Hurts God Heals night and I’ve been wanting to make it ever since.
what a ridiculously cute idea! i love it!
Thanks Caitlin!
This is such a cute idea! Would you mind if I posted a link on my blog? Do you have a policy about using pictures (I would credit you, of course!)?
Hi Shana, I’m fine with posting a link and a picture, I just ask that you not repost any other content (like the recipe). Thanks so much!
It’s a wonderful and beautiful idea.
Lovely cake !:)
Thanks so much Winnie!
If this recipe is vegetarian does that mean that there are marshmallows in the US that don’t contain pork or beef gelatine? I’ve been vegetarian for 13 years now and have never seen any, so if they do exist I would love to know where! I miss them a lot.
I could always try replacing them with syrup or white chocolate. Since I’ve made rice krispie cakes with those before and they were pretty yummy. Just hope it looks as effective as the pictures above. : )
I’ve now used 4 recipes off this website and they were all yummy. I think the Swiss Chard soup may be my favourite so far. It was delicious.
Oh thanks for reminding me Karlie! I need to add that to my note. There are vegan marshamllows out there. I don’t know if you can find them in health food stores but there’s the Dandy brand marshmallows online
There is also a vegan “marshmallow creme” called Ricemellow Creme
They both work for rice krispies treats!