Two Halloween treat recipes to make with your kids

Trick-or-treating for candy is part of the Halloween fun, but nothing beats something homemade. Get into the festive spirit by trying one of these easy recipes with your kids. Not only is the end result seriously impressive, your kids will take pride in knowing they had a part in helping make the yummy snacks. These are just two recipes from Katie Wyllie’s book, “Kids’ Treats: 50 Easy, Extra-Special Snacks to Make with Your Little Ones,”to check out the book for more yummy treat ideas you can make all year long.

Monster Rice Cereal Treats
Rice cereal treats are one of the easiest treats you can make, which is great because, when creating with kids, simple is always best. These Halloween-themed rice cereal treats put on a monster of a costume for the season and are a favorite among kids! Sometimes the best treats are the easiest—and the ones that are the most fun—to make.

Ingredients:
Yields 12–18 Monster Treats

3 tablespoons butter
1 (10-ounce) package marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon sprinkles
12–18 mini Oreo cookies
1 (3.5-ounce) tube black glaze icing gel

Related: Recipes for kids with allergies

Directions:
1. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add rice cereal to butter and marshmallow mixture and stir to combine.

3. Press mixture into a 13″ × 9″ pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle sprinkles on top.

4. Allow rice cereal to cool for about 10–15 minutes and then cut into 2–3-inch squares.

5. Separate your Oreos, trying to keep the cream on one side of the Oreo.

6. Using your gel icing as glue, glue the opened Oreo to the center top of the rice cereal treat. The cream side should be facing you. Apply a black dot of gel in the center of the cream to create an eyeball.

Candy Corn Marshmallows
These “boo” friendly Candy Corn Marshmallows are one of the easiest treats you can make and only require a few ingredients. They make a super fun treat for any candy-seeking trick-or-treaters and your kids are guaranteed to love them, too.

Ingredients:
Yields 12 Candy Corn Marshmallows

½ cup orange chocolate candy melts
12 marshmallows
½ cup yellow chocolate candy melts
½ cup brown chocolate candy melts

Directions:
1. Melt your orange chocolate candy melts in a candy melting electric pot according to the package instructions, or in the microwave at 30-second increments.

2. Dip the bottom half of the marshmallow into the orange chocolate candy melts.

3. Place marshmallows in refrigerator until chocolate hardens, approximately 5 minutes.

4. Melt your yellow and brown chocolates as in Step 1. Dip the bottom of your orange-covered marshmallow in the yellow chocolate halfway to create a candy corn look. Place in refrigerator until chocolate has hardened, approximately 2–3 minutes.

5. Using a toothpick or the bottom end of a cake-decorating paintbrush and your brown chocolate candy melts, dot two eyes on your candy corn. Place marshmallows on a Silpat or parchment paper and place in refrigerator until chocolate has hardened, approximately 2–3 minutes.

Excerpted from Kids’ Treats: 50 Easy, Extra-Special Snacks to Make with Your Little Ones Copyright © 2015 by Katie Wyllie and published by F+W Media, Inc. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. Photos courtesy of Katie Wyllie.