These vegan Halloween rice crispy treats use a couple simple swaps and just a little creativity. It’s a fun easy recipe that you can even make with kids on the big day or as a last minute treat for Thanksgiving. Just make sure the cooking is done by an adult or teen (those marshmallows get hot!). But little ones can help press the mixture in and cut it into shapes. They can even decorate their shapes with a little dairy-free frosting.
Vegan Halloween Rice Crispy Treats for Every Ghost and Goblin
Here are some ingredient and customization tips for these ghoulishly good treats.
Marshmallows – Most marshmallows are dairy-free, but they contain gelatin, so they aren’t vegan. If you want strictly vegan marshmallows, I prefer Dandies Minis. The minis melt quicker than their regular-sized marshmallows. Keep in mind that most vegan marshmallow brands do contain soy. If you need soy-free, you might need to buy regular soy-free mini marshmallows.
Pumpkin Flavor – For a truly festive treat, you can pick up Dandies Pumpkin Marshmallows. You can also spike the recipe with a little pumpkin spice, if desired. I would add 1 to 2 teaspoons, to taste.
Food Coloring – Plant-based food coloring is getting easier and easier to find. Some natural options include ColorKitchen (includes orange), McCormick Nature’s Inspiration (lower cost option), and Color Garden.
For Thanksgiving – This fun recipe transitions easily into Thanksgiving with a pumpkin cookie cutter!
This recipe was shared with us by Milkadamia.
Special Diet Notes: Halloween Rice Crispy Treats
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, optionally gluten-free, optionally nut-free, peanut-free, vegan, and vegetarian. Please note that most brands of vegan marshmallows do contain soy, and you will need to choose a nut-free buttery spread, if needed.
- ¼ cup dairy-free buttery spread (like Milkadamia)
- 1 (10-ounce) bag vegan marshmallows (like Dandies)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Natural orange or red and yellow food coloring, as needed (optional; see post above)
- 6 cups crispy rice cereal
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Melt the buttery spread in a large pot. Add the marshmallows, and stir until the marshmallows are completely melted. Stir in the vanilla and food coloring, if desired, to reach an orange / pumpkin-y hue.
- Remove the pot from the heat and add the cereal, and immediately stir until thoroughly coated. Act quickly! The marshmallow mixture gets harder to stir as it cools.
- Transfer the mixture to your prepared baking pan. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the top and evenly press the mixture into your pan.
- Let the crispy treats cool, or place the pan in your refrigerator for a few minutes to set it more quickly.
- Cut the crispy treats with cookie cutters. Enjoy leftover scraps as a chef’s reward!
2 Comments
definitely NOT nut free if using milkadamia!
No, that’s why I put “optionally nut-free.” You don’t have to use that buttery spread, you can use a safe one for you. We just noted which variety was used in the picture.