Name: 4 Ingredient Pumpkin Puffs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 9
Cuisine: North American
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons butter; 5 - 6 ounces marshmallows; 3 cups puffed wheat, crispy rice cereal or rice krispies; 3 - 4 drops orange food coloring; Optional: pretzel sticks, green candies, candy eyes

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Havin’ a halloween partaaayyy? Here’s a super cute little marshmallow treat to serve the kids (who are we kidding – adults will love these too)…

These 4-ingredient Pumpkin Puffs hit the sweet spot…. literally. They’re chewy, marshmallowy, and shaped like adorable pumpkins (with or without eyes, your choice!). They instantly make you look like Martha Stewart, even if your kitchen’s a complete disaster at the moment. Hey, no judgement…. You haven’t seen mine!

The best part about these marshmallow treats? There’s no baking, no fuss, and no weird tools. Just melt, mix, roll, and snack. (<—- the best part!)

🛒Your Ingredient Lineup

These little guys are sweet, chewy, and shaped like pumpkins with tiny pretzel stems. Super fun, especially if you use the candy eyes, and guess what? They’re ridiculously easy. Like, done before your coffee gets cold, easy!

✅Puffed wheat cereal: I used this because it’s what I had on hand, but Rice Krispies or puffed rice cereal will work perfectly.
✅Marshmallows: Big puffy white ones melt best and give that classic chewy bite.
✅ Butter: Helps everything melt smoothly and gives flavor. Use real butter for the best flavor.
✅Orange food coloring: Just a few drops to get that bright pumpkin look.
✅Candy or pretzels: Optional. Think little pretzel sticks for stems or green M&Ms, jellybeans, or candy eyes if you want to get wild and crazy. Let your imagination do its thing here.

Ingredients for the pumpkin puffs. Marshmallows, crispy cereal, butter and orange food coloring.

👀Directions at a Glance

Combine butter, marshmallows and food coloring in a pot and melt.
Add the rice cereal.
Form into pumpkin puff balls and stick pretzel rods into the center to form a stem. Add the candy eyes if using as well.

Marshmallows and food coloring added to a pot. There is a spoon sticking out of the pot on the bottom right.

The loose mixture of the rice and marshmallows in the pot.

4 pumpkin puff cereal treas on a plate with googly candy eyes.

Helpful Notes

Want to make them more pumpkin-y? Add ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice before mixing in the cereal.
These freeze surprisingly well! Just wrap each puff individually, freeze up to a month, and thaw on the counter before serving.
Got extra cereal? Make a chocolate version next. As I said, my favorite puffed wheat squares never go out of style.
Puffed wheat vs. rice cereal: Puffed wheat gives a slightly toastier, nostalgic flavor. Rice Krispies give that classic crispy snap. You can’t go wrong either way.
Food coloring tip: Gel coloring gives brighter color with less liquid. But if you only have drops, it’s all good. Go wild and add a few more.

If you’re not into adding the candy and pretzels, feel free to serve them on plate as they are, or drizzle some melted white chocolate to make an “abstract” kind of pumpkin treat. I’m all about easy, simple to make holiday treats like Pumpkin Fluff Dip and my 3 Ingredient Halloween Ghosts.

And there you go – pumpkin perfection with barely any effort. 🎃 Whether you make them with puffed wheat, rice cereal, or whatever’s hanging out in the back of your cupboard, these little marshmallow pumpkins are pure fall happiness.

So go ahead and pour a coffee, sneak one (or three) of these stinkin’ cute pumpkin puffs, because they’re NOT just for kids. Adults need some fun too.

Yield: 9 - 10 treats

4 Ingredient Pumpkin Puffs

These easy 4-ingredient Pumpkin Puffs are chewy, fun, and full of fall flavor! Made with puffed wheat or rice cereal, marshmallows, a little food coloring and optional candy if you want. And bonus, they’re ready in 15 minutes flat.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Additional Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
5 - 6 ounces marshmallows
3 cups puffed wheat, crispy rice cereal or rice krispies
3 - 4 drops orange food coloring
Optional: pretzel sticks, green candies, candy eyes

Instructions

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted and smooth.
Add the orange food coloring and stir until evenly tinted.
Remove from heat and quickly stir in the puffed wheat (or rice cereal). Stir until everything’s coated.
Let the mixture cool for a few minutes, just enough to handle.
Grease your hands lightly with butter and roll into pumpkin-sized balls.
Press a pretzel stick or candy into the top for a stem. Add eyes or candy if you’re feeling extra festive.
Let them sit at room temperature for 10 - 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

If your marshmallows start to stiffen while mixing, pop the pot back on low heat for 10 seconds to loosen it.
Want to make them more pumpkin-y? Add ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice before mixing in the cereal.
These freeze surprisingly well! Just wrap each puff individually, freeze up to a month, and thaw on the counter before serving.
Using water on your hands in place of oil also works if the mixture is too sticky.

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 368Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 9mgSodium 132mgCarbohydrates 85gFiber 2gSugar 55gProtein 3g

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands used, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.