These Pumpkin Spiced Rice Krispie Treats are crispy, chewy, and gooey with warm fall flavors in every bite. Made with nutty brown butter, lots of marshmallow pockets, and cozy spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, they’re a festive twist on the classic dessert. Quick and easy, they’re perfect for holidays, gatherings, or whenever you’re craving a nostalgic treat with a seasonal twist!

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice (In Rice Krispie Treat Form!) 

Classic rice krispies treats will always hold a special place in my heart, but sometimes they deserve a little seasonal upgrade. In the summer, I lean towards my strawberry rice krispie treats and s’mores rice krispie treats. However, in the fall, these spiced rice krispie treats are my go-to! With cozy fall flavors and gooey marshmallow goodness, they’re basically autumn in dessert form.

Made with nutty brown butter, warm pumpkin pie spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, plus a touch of orange zest for brightness, these bars are sweet, chewy, and irresistibly fragrant. Gooey pockets of marshmallow swirl through each bite, giving you that perfect balance of nostalgic crunch and melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Think of them as the fall version of your favorite childhood treat. They’re festive enough for Thanksgiving dessert tables and cozy gatherings yet simple enough to whip up when you’re craving pumpkin spice without the latte.

More Easy Desserts

• Apple Scones Recipe
• Birthday Cake Cheesecake 
• Key Lime Cookies
• Easy Banana Muffins
• Moist Chocolate Cake 
• Easy Banana Pudding

Recipe Ingredients

• Brown Butter: Brown butter has a deep, rich, nutty, slightly toasty flavor that adds decadence and warmth to these treats. 
• Mini Marshmallows: A must in any Rice Krispies recipe! I prefer mini marshmallows for faster melting and pockets of melty goodness in every bite.
• Crispy Rice Cereal: I use the brand name Rice Krispies, but any plain crispy rice cereal will work for these pumpkin spice rice krispie treats.
• Vanilla Extract: Use pure vanilla to add depth and enhance the flavor of the rest of the ingredients. Or, swap it out for vanilla bean paste for an even stronger flavor. 
• Spices: A pinch of salt enhances the sweetness, while cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves create that signature pumpkin spice flavor.
• Orange Zest: This is optional, but it adds a zesty, citrusy finish that balances the warmth of the spices nicely. 

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats

Step 1. Make the brown butter. Cut the butter into small pieces, and heat them in a large pot or Dutch oven until they’re melted and amber brown in color. Once brown bits begin to form in the bottom of the pan, the popping slows, and the butter has a nutty aroma, you know it’s ready! 

Step 2. While the butter is browning, divide the marshmallows, putting 10 ounces in one bowl and 6 ounces in another. 

Step 3. Once the butter is browned, reduce the heat to low, and add the 10 ounces of marshmallows, spices, vanilla, and orange zest (if using). Use a nonstick spatula to stir the marshmallow mixture until it’s melted and completely smooth. 

Step 4. Next, remove the pot from the heat, and fold in the cereal. 

Step 5. Add the remaining marshmallows to the pot, and mix to combine. Be careful not to melt the marshmallows completely! 

Step 6. Transfer the cereal mixture to a prepared baking dish, pressing it into an even layer. Pro tip. Use parchment paper to press down the treats for easy cleanup. Alternatively, you can put some nonstick spray on your hands to press the treats down.

Step 7. Set the pumpkin spice rice krispie treats aside to cool. Then, slice, and enjoy! 

Possible Variations

• White Chocolate Drizzle – Drizzle melted white chocolate over the cooled bars for an extra-sweet finishing touch that pairs perfectly with the spices.
• Maple Spice – Swap the vanilla extract for pure maple extract, and drizzle the finished bars with maple glaze for a cozy breakfast-inspired version.
• Nutty Twist – Stir in ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts with the cereal for extra crunch and fall flavor.

Tips & Tricks

• Use fresh Rice Krispies cereal for this recipe. Stale cereal will result in dense, tough treats.
• Make sure you cook the marshmallows on low heat to ensure you have a chewy treat. Trust me. It’s not worth cranking up the heat to get the mixture to melt more quickly.
• Make sure you remove the pot from the heat as instructed in step 5. When you add your additional mix-ins, you don’t want your rice krispie treats to be too hot. Otherwise, the additional marshmallows will melt completely, and you won’t have pools of gooey marshmallows like in the photos.
• When you add the marshmallows in step 6, do not over-mix, as too much mixing completely melts the added marshmallows, which we don’t want.
• When your treats are ready to be transferred, gently press the mixture into your prepared dish to limit crushing your cereal.
• The density of these pumpkin pie spice rice krispie treats is determined by how much you press the cereal into the casserole dish. If you press them down a lot, you will have denser treats. So, be careful to press down just enough for the treats to hold their shape.

How to Store

Transfer leftover pumpkin spice rice krispie treats to an airtight container, and store them at room temperature for up to 3 days. Don’t refrigerate or freeze leftovers, or they will dry out and become tough! 

Even More Desserts You’ll Love

• Soft and Chewy Spice Cookies
• Delicious Pumpkin Bars with Chocolate Chips
• Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
• Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Spice Cookies
• Sweet Potato Cookies
• The Best Apple Crisp Recipe

I hope you love these homemade Pumpkin Spice Krispie Treats! They’re sweet, crunchy, and loaded with sweet, warm flavors in every bite. If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @butterloveandsalt on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support Butter, Love & Salt and make it possible for me to continue to create delicious recipes.

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Pumpkin Spiced Rice Krispie Treats

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time :7 minutes mins

Cook Time :8 minutes mins

Total Time :15 minutes mins

Serves: 16

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Ingredients

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• ▢ 1/2 cup unsalted butter browned
• ▢ 16 oz. mini marshmallows divided (10 oz and 6 oz)
• ▢ 7 cups rice crispy cereal
• ▢ 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 tsp cinnamon
• ▢ 1/4 tsp ginger
• ▢ 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• ▢ 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• ▢ 1 tsp of orange zest optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Grease or line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper.
• Make the brown butter. Cut the butter in small pieces and heat the butter in a large pot or dutch oven on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until the butter turns an amber color. The butter will first foam and start to pop. Then, brown bits will begin to form in the bottom of the pan. Once browned and popping slows, it is ready. You should smell a nutty aroma.
• While the butter is browning, separate the marshmallows. Divide the marshmallows by putting 10 oz in a bowl and about 6 oz in another. Set aside.
• Once the butter is browned, lower the heat to low and add the 10 oz (about 6 cups) of marshmallows, spices, vanilla extract, salt, and orange zest to the pot. Use a nonstick spatula to stir the marshmallow mixture until completely smooth and melted.
• Once melted, remove the pot from the heat and add the rice crispy cereal until completely combined.
• Next, add the remaining 6 oz (about 2 cups) of the mini marshmallows to the pot and mix until combined. Stir the mixture until the marshmallows are just melting (we don’t want them to fully melt, as we want gooey pools of marshmallow throughout the treats).
• Transfer the cereal mixture to the prepared making dish and press it into an even layer in the pan. Pro Tip: Use parchment paper to press down the treats for easy clean up. Alternatively, you can put some nonstick spray on your hands to press the treats down.
• Once cooled, cut and enjoy!

Notes

Use fresh Rice Krispies cereal for this recipe. Stale cereal will result in dense, tough treats.

Make sure you cook the marshmallows on low heat to ensure you have a chewy treat. Trust me. It’s not worth cranking up the heat to get the mixture to melt more quickly.

Make sure you remove the pot from the heat as instructed in step 5. When you add your additional mix-ins, you don’t want your Rice Krispie treats to be too hot. Otherwise, the additional marshmallows will melt completely, and you won’t have pools of gooey marshmallows like in the photos.

When you add the marshmallows in step 6, do not over-mix, as too much mixing completely melts the added marshmallows, which we don’t want.

When your treats are ready to be transferred, gently press the mixture into your prepared dish to limit crushing your cereal.

The density of the treats is determined by how much you press the cereal in the casserole dish. If you press them down a lot, you will have denser treats. So, be careful to press down just enough for the treats to hold their shape.

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1gCalories: 190kcal (10%)Carbohydrates: 34g (11%)Protein: 1g (2%)Fat: 6g (9%)Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 15mg (5%)Sodium: 124mg (5%)Potassium: 21mg (1%)Fiber: 0.2g (1%)Sugar: 18g (20%)Vitamin A: 993IU (20%)Vitamin C: 8mg (10%)Calcium: 6mg (1%)Iron: 4mg (22%)

Recipe by: Chavez Adams / Butter, Love & Salt | Photography by: Meg McKeehan