Vegan Rice Crispy Treat Carrots (or Squares)

In my opinion, this recipe makes the best rice crispy treats ever! This is not an exaggeration. I created it several years ago after doing extensive research and testing. I tried many different tips, but this combination of techniques and ingredients works beautifully every time. So, what makes these so easy to make and so very good to eat?

• Spray your bowl, spatula, and pan (if making squares) with non-stick spray, and then wipe most of it off. This prevents sticking without making your treats greasy.

• Toast the crispy rice cereal before adding the melted marshmallow, and keep the cereal warm until you are ready for it. The toasting adds depth of flavor and helps to keep the cereal from getting soggy. The warmth of the cereal gives you a little more time before the marshmallow sets, allowing for more elaborate shaping of the treats.

• Add vanilla and a tiny bit of salt to the melted spread before adding the marshmallows. These additions really enhance the flavor and make the treats special.

• Use Dandies mini marshmallows and Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice Cereal. I have tried other brands, but like these the best.

Let’s get started! Here is what you will need to make them:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a large bowl and a sturdy spatula with non-stick cooking spray (If you are making rice crispy treat squares, also spray an 8″ x 8″ or a 9″ x 9″ square pan.)

Wipe most of the spray off your bowl, spatula, and square pan (if using one):

If you are making carrots, it is easier if you have someone to help you shape them. You can make them on your own, but will need to work fairly quickly to get all nine shaped before the mixture starts to harden. You will need a cone-shaped treat bag with the top folded over for each person shaping carrots (I got these at Michael’s):

Put the pan of crispy brown rice cereal in the oven to toast at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for five minutes. When the timer goes off, turn the oven off but leave the pan in the oven.

While the cereal is toasting, add the Earth Balance to a pan over medium-low heat:

Once the Earth Balance is mostly melted, add the vanilla, salt, and color if you are making carrots. I used 18 drops of yellow and 8 drops of red:

Add the marshmallows, and stir them around to get them coated with the Earth Balance mixture:

Continue stirring while the marshmallows start to melt. It will take a few minutes, so be patient and keep stirring continuously (remember to turn the oven off after five minutes or your cereal will burn!):

As soon as it looks like the photo below, take the pan off the heat, get your cereal out of the oven and into your prepared bowl, and scrape all of the marshmallow fluff onto the cereal:

Fold the mixture and the cereal together, gently but firmly enough to mix:

If you are making squares, press the mixture firmly into your prepared pan. Let it cool completely, then turn the big square out onto a cutting board, and cut into nine squares. Enjoy!

If you are making carrots, get one ninth of the mixture and squish it into a log shape but pointed on one end. Place it in the prepared treat bag:

Push the mixture into the bottom of the bag, then twist the top of the bag to compress the mixture:

Repeat until all nine carrots are shaped, then allow them to cool fully before packaging them. (You can shape the carrots by hand if you can’t find the cone-shaped bags. You can also wrap them in any clear food-safe plastic, but the directions below use the cones.)

Put each carrot into a new cone-shaped treat bag, twist tie them closed, and add green ribbon or felt to make the carrot tops. I tried three ways of adding the green, and they are all cute!

To make one of the ones with ribbon, cut four pieces of ribbon that are 9″ long. Hold them so they are stacked together, and tie the ribbon in a knot around the treat bag like this:

For the curly one, just curl the eight ribbon strips. For the straight ribbon one, pull the ribbon ends up and secure them with another twister tie:

The felt tops require a few more steps. Start by cutting a 1 1/2 strip of green felt and cutting the ends into fringe. Leave about 1 1/2 inches in the center uncut:

Fold the strip in half, and cut a notch in the center. Cut a smaller notch than I did here and be sure not to get too close to the fringe!

Twist the end of a treat bag to make it skinny enough to thread it through the notch in the felt strip, then add the felt to your carrot:

Pull the ends up, and secure the felt with another twister tie:

For both the straight ribbon and felt carrots, cut off some of the top of the treat bag. Also, using green twister ties makes for neater carrots:

The carrots look so sweet in an Ostara or Easter basket!

*Also shown in the basket are my Vegan White Chocolate Coconut Nests, Vegan Chocolate Pretzel Nests, and Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs!