This week Team Philly got together to create our third Rice Krispies Recipe Challenge hosted by the Motherhood. We were told it had to be a Spooky Halloween Theme so Zareen, Sarah, Joey and I decided to put together a scary Haunted Pumpkin Patch. We had a blast with this one and have to say it’s my favorite thus far. I may be a little biased though since this is one of my favorite holidays besides Christmas. This time of year is when things get really fun and crafty in our house. We have about 7 days of fall (perfect weather) then comes the cold. So this would be a great activity to do with your kids alongside carving or decorating pumpkins for Halloween.
Isa took part in all the Spook-tacular fun!
Base Ingredients:
- 1 stick (8 TBS) butter or margarine
- 1 ¼ tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 package(about 40) + 10 regular marshmallows
- 2 TBS Pumpkin Puree
- 7 cups Rice Krispies
Base Directions:
1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Stirring frequently. Butter will foam and then the foam will subside. Brown bits will begin to form at the bottom. Keep stirring. You will smell a nutty aroma and the butter will be lightly brown. Off the heat.
2. Stir in pumpkin pie spice until incorporated. Add marshmallows and stir. Put the heat back on low and stir until marshmallows are completely melted. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in pumpkin puree and two drops of red food coloring and 3-4 drops of yellow food coloring (to make desired orange color).
4. Mix in Rice Krispies until they are fully coated with marshmallow mixture. Turn out onto a wax paper lined baking sheet.
Second, we made our Main Rice Krispies Recipe, Brown Butter Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats!
Pumpkin Rice Krispie Ingredients:
- One batch Brown Butter Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats.
- Small Pretzel Sticks
- Green Icing tube with Leaf tip.
Directions:
1. Allow Rice Krispies Treats to cool for a bit.
2. Shape into round balls. Insert a 1/3 of a pretzel stick into the tops to act as a pumpkin stem.
3. Use green icing and an leaf tip to create a small green leaf on the side of the “stem.”
Last but not least we put it all together to make one awesome Haunted Pumpkin Patch.
Haunted Pumpkin Patch Ingredients:
- 2 batches of Brown Butter Pumpkin Rice Krispies Treats
- 1 batch Brown Butter Pumpkin Rice Krispies Treats made into Pumpkins
- 1 can Chocolate Frosting
- 2-3 cups Chocolate Cookie Crumbs (crumble plain chocolate cookies in a food processor or blender)
- 1 bag Marshmallows
- 1 bag Pretzel Sticks
- 2 -3 sticks of Black Twizzlers
- 1/3 cup Reeses Pieces
- Peeps Marshmallow Ghosts, assorted miniature Halloween signs, tomb stones, zombies, bats, spiders , ghosts from a craft store for decorating
Haunted Pumpkin Patch Assemble Directions:
1. Spread a baking sheet with wax paper and spray with cooking spray. Make 2 batches of Brown Butter Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats and spread out onto baking sheet evenly. Once cooled completely turn over onto a platter or tray.
2. Frost Treats with chocolate frosting and cover with cookie crumbs (for dirt).
3. Create a “fence” around Treats by taking 2 Marshmallows and connecting them with 2 parallel pretzel sticks. Continue to join pretzels sticks and Marshmallows until the fence goes around the tray of Rice Krispies Treats. Adhere the marshmallows to the chocolate frosting.
4. Make a “path across the middle of the Treats (vertically) with Reeses Pieces.
5. Cut the tops of the Twizzlers down in thin strips to make tree branches and cut them slightly at the bottom (to make roots) and adhere into the frosting for spooky trees.
6. Scatter the Brown Butter Pumpkin Rice Krispies Treat Pumpkins around the “pumpkin patch.”
7. Decorate with marshmallow ghosts and store bought spooky creatures and signs.
We hope you like our recipe enough to make your own! Happy Halloween!