Pumpkin Patch on a Plate!

Happy Friday everyone!  Halloween keeps creeping closer and closer so I will end this week with one more really easy treat that the whole family will love to make…and eat!  I really enjoy being in the kitchen during the holidays and I love it even more when I can create some festive snacks quickly and inexpensively to serve up to my family or friends who stop by.  If you’re thinking of entertaining or just want to whip up a Halloween treat for your kids, this one is definitely a winner!  Rice Krispies cereal treats are so easy and delicious…and have always been a favorite in our house at ANY time of year!  So to celebrate fall and the arrival of Halloween, I decided to try a new version inspired by the season!  See how easy it is to create an edible pumpkin patch…

served on a platter!

we make lots of krispie cereal treats whenever we’re entertaining kids…but it never fails that the adults eat them too!  what’s not to like?  and now you can get so many brilliant ideas right on your phone…ways to shape them, decorated them, even make cakes with them!  i had a little sticky fun making mine into two-bite pumpkins for my boys and some guests!  look at this cute AND delicious little guy…

these pumpkins are SO simple!  just follow the original recipe right off the box–but before the marshmallows are completely melted, add plenty of orange food color to the mix…

don’t be shy here.  the more color you add the more vibrant the pumpkins will be.  too little will leave with you with something resembling a peach!

then add the cereal and mix until it’s completely coated, just like if you were making regular bars.

but rather than spread them into a pan, i just coated my hand with cooking spray and rolled them into rounds that were a bit bigger than a golf ball.  just let them cool a moment so you don’t burn your hands!  and when they’re not piping hot they won’t be quite as sticky either…on the flip side, don’t wait TOO long or they’ll start to set up and make spooning them out more difficult!

there’s plenty of candies you can use for a stem but since these were fairly small, even bite-sized chocolates were too big.  i found these mini Klondike squares and simply cut them in half to make the stems.  they kind of melt in your mouth when you eat them so they make a nice, non-competing candy to top off the krispie treat! (plus they were easy to slice without crumbling)

simply poke them into the tops of each pumpkin pressing them slightly down inside the ball…

some of mine got a little misshapen after adding the stem but it’s so easy to gently press them back together!  you could also add a gumdrop “leaf” but since that’s not a favored candy with anyone in my family i decided not to use them.  line ’em up and let them cool completely before serving or storing in an airtight container.

they’d make a cute addition to a holiday snack table!  they would also look lovely at Thanksgiving…fun & yummy place cards on the kid’s table maybe?  either way, have some sweet and simple fun in the kitchen…

and treat your friends and family

to a miniature pumpkin patch!