Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats

Yield: 6 pumpkins

Ingredients

• 6 cups rice krispies cereal
• 3 Tbsp salted butter
• 1 (10 oz) pkg. mini marshmallows
• Orange gel food coloring
• 3 pretzel rods, end portions broken off into 2-inch pieces (so you'll have 6 pieces)
• 6 mini green airheads or green fondant*
• Non-stick cooking spray

Directions

• Measure out rice krispies cereal and pour into a bowl. Melt butter in a 4 quart non-stick saucepan or pot over medium-low heat. Add marshmallows and stir and as they begin to melt start adding in the gel food coloring until desired color is achieved. Stir constantly until marshmallows have melted. Remove from heat then immediately pour in rice krispies cereal and gently stir and fold with a spatula until cereal is evenly coated. Let mixture cool slightly (until it's cool enough to handle with your hands).
• Spray hands with non-stick cooking spray then shape rice krispie treat mixture into balls about the size of a baseball, then insert 1 piece of the pretzel rod into the top center and reshape the pumpkin as needed. Transfer to a plate or dish sprayed lightly with cooking spray.
• Beginning on one side of the airhead candy cut out a leaf shape with clean scissors then use the remaining portion of the piece of candy to roll and shape into a thin rope shape then twist into a vine shape (or just shape the fondant accordingly, no cutting required). Place candy on the sides of each pretzel on the pumpkin (as pictured). Repeat with remaining candy. Store in an airtight container.
• *If making this for kids I'd just use the airheads because they usually like the taste of them, if making it for adults I'd recommend making 1/4 a batch of this fondant recipe (it's the only fondant recipe I like) and tinting it green - it tastes better than the airheads.