Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats

These Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats have the same sticky, sweet goodness as the classic, with a tasty twist of fall flavor and festive shapes and toppings. They’re perfect for a Halloween party, after Thanksgiving dinner, or whenever you’re craving a pumpkin spice treat!

If you’re craving more pumpkin spice, I’ve got plenty of other recipes that you can enjoy all year round. Some of my favorites are Whipped Pumpkin Spice Butter Spread, Pumpkin Spice Chex Mix, Pumpkin Spice Carmelita Bars, and Spiced Pumpkin Bars with Brown Butter Frosting.

Why We Love Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Cereal Treats

These Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats, shaped like cute little pumpkins, are a must for your fall festivities! Add them to your holiday treat list – they’re a hit with kids of all ages, making any autumn gathering a bit sweeter.

• Adorable and fun. These little fall-themed treats are the perfect dessert for celebrating autumn with their seasonal flavor. 
• Super easy. Just like the traditional recipe, this no-bake dessert is so easy to make, with only a few extra steps for decorating. 
• Incredibly quick. It takes so little hands-on time to make this simple dessert. 
• Customizable. You can switch up the flavors, colors, and shapes for any season!

Ingredients Needed

For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Butter – salted
• Fresh Marshmallows
• Pumpkin Pie Spice 
• Orange Food Coloring – gel food color is best.
• Rice Krispies Cereal – I like to use a brand new box so I know it’s fresh. If your family is like mine, they are notorious for not closing the bags and the cereal goes stale.
• Cooking Spray or Extra Butter – for greasing
• Chocolate-Covered Pretzels -I use Flipz Milk Chocolate Covered Pretzels
• Green and Black Cookie Icing – for decorating — I use prepackaged cookie icing with the tip attached

Easy Pumpkin Krispie Treats Instructions

1. Melt the butter and marshmallows. Then stir in pumpkin pie spice and orange food color.
2. Remove from the heat and quickly stir in cereal.
3. Using your hands scoop up the mixture and form it into 9 pumpkin-shaped balls.
4. Allow the balls to sit on a parchment-lined baking sheet to cool for about 30-60 minutes.
5. Carefully insert chocolate-covered pretzel pieces in the top of each pumpkin ball to make the stem.
6. Use the black and green icings to decorate pumpkins with faces and leaves.
7. Once set, the pumpkin spice rice krispie treats are ready to be enjoyed!

Kitchen Tip

Resist the urge to pack the rice krispie treat balls too tight when you’re forming them into balls. You will end up with hard treats instead of soft and gooey.

Storage

These treats are easy to store if you happen to end up with leftovers! You can leave them at room temperature in an air-tight container or zip-top bag for 1-2 days. You can also pop them in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To freeze homemade rice krispie treats just place them in a zip-top freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter.

Tips From The Kitchen

• Once the cereal is added to the marshmallow mixture, keep it in the warm pan and work quickly before it has time to cool. 
• Be sure to grease or wet your hands before forming the pumpkin balls. This will prevent the sticky Rice Krispie mixture from sticking to your hands.
• Using gel food coloring will give the treats a more vibrant orange color without adding extra moisture.
• The pumpkins will set more quickly if you place them in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use the pumpkin pie spice? You don’t have to use pumpkin pie spice, but it’s a handy blend of spices often found in pumpkin pie, and you can easily make your own to customize the flavors to your liking.

Do these rice krispie treats taste like pumpkin? Pumpkin pie spice earns its name from its blend of warm, comforting spices traditionally used to flavor pumpkin pie filling, without actually tasting like pumpkin itself. You can pick up this fragrant spice at the grocery store, or make your own pumpkin pie spice.

Variations + Additions

• Stems – Swap out the chocolate-covered pretzels — use Tootsie Rolls, Rolos, or pretzel sticks instead.
• Leaves – Substitute green M&Ms, green fondant, or candy melts for the icing. 
• Spices – Instead of pumpkin pie spice, prepare your own spice blend, use apple pie spice, or just cinnamon. You can also omit the spices and make classic Rice Krispie treats, then shape them.
• ​Garnish – Instead of decorating with faces, give these pumpkins a little white chocolate drizzle. You can use dark chocolate, too.
• Marshmallows – Skip the addition of pumpkin spice and use pumpkin spice marshmallowsinstead of regular marshmallows.
• Extract – Try adding vanilla extract for more warm fragrance and flavor. I like to use my homemade vanilla extract.

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Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats

Yield: 9 - (2 ½ inch ) Rice Krispy balls
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats offer classic sweet goodness with a festive fall twist—perfect for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or anytime you crave pumpkin spice!

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 (10 or 12 ounce) package regular sized marshmallows
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• Orange gel food coloring
• 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
• Cooking spray or extra butter (for greasing)
• Chocolate covered pretzels (I used Flipz Milk Chocolate Covered Pretzels)
• Green and black cookie icing, for decorating (I used the prepackaged cookie icing with the tip attached)

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil, set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.Once melted, add the marshmallows to the saucepan and stir continuously until completely melted and smooth.
3. Stir in the pumpkin pie spice until well combined. Add a few drops of orange food coloring to achieve your desired pumpkin color, stirring until evenly distributed.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and quickly stir in the crispy rice cereal until it is evenly coated with the marshmallow mixture.
5. While the mixture is still warm, grease your hands with butter or cooking spray to prevent sticking, Using your hands scoop up the mixture and form it into 9 pumpkin-shaped balls any size you want. I made 9 (2 ½-inch) balls. Don’t pack the balls too tight or they will end up hard. 
6. Place the shaped treats onto the lined baking sheet for easier cleanup.
7. Allow the pumpkin treats to cool and set at room temperature for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
8. Break or cut the chocolate-covered pretzels into small pieces for the stems (break just the rounded corners off so there’s a little hook shape for the stem). Push into the center of the top of the pumpkin balls.
9. Use the black cookie icing to draw the pumpkin’s eyes and mouth. You can make traditional jack-o'-lantern faces or get creative with different expressions. 
10. Use the green cookie icing to draw leaves or vines coming out of the pumpkin by the pretzel stem. Let the icing set.
11. Once set, your Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats are ready to be enjoyed! Serve them at Halloween parties, fall gatherings, or as a fun treat any time of the year.

Notes

TIPS:

• Don’t let the cereal mixture cool too much or it will be difficult to shape, but keep the mixture in the warm pan while shaping so you will have enough time.

• To prevent the sticky Rice Krispie mixture from sticking to your hands, lightly grease your hands with butter or cooking spray (or wet them with a little water) before shaping the pumpkins.
• For a vibrant pumpkin color, use gel food coloring instead of liquid. Gel food coloring provides more intense color without adding extra moisture to the mixture.
• If you're in a hurry, you can place the shaped pumpkins in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to help them set faster.

STORAGE:

• Leave them at room temperature in an air-tight container or zip-top bag for 1-2 days. You can also pop them in the fridge for up to 5 days or freezer for 3 months.
• Thaw on the counter.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 9
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 189
Total Fat: 9g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 3g
Cholesterol: 17mg
Sodium: 183mg
Carbohydrates: 26g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 9g
Protein: 2g

Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used and are just estimates. We encourage, especially if these numbers are important to you, to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.