These spooky rice krispie treats really look like you're eating raw ground beef thanks to a very simple add-in. Trick or treat? This recipe is both!
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The zombie apocalypse is coming, aka Election Day. Let's enjoy a few fake spooks before things will start to get really scary. I saw these "raw meat" rice krispies treats done somewhere on Instagram (I tried desperately to find the reel to credit the owner to not avail after searching for a million things that gave some really weird results BTW).
These treats are such a fun way to add a little weird and little spooky to your Halloween table. My 10 year old boy was especially in love with these. Last year he was into mini chocolate skull cakes. This year, it's desserts that look like raw meat. Go figure. "Raw meat" rice krispies treats are perfect for adults and kids alike.
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Why You'll Love These
- Crazy easy - these rice krispies treats will take no more than 10 minutes of your time. Red velvet cake mix is what's added to give the rice krispies their vibrant red color.
- So spooky - Connor's teacher was legit concerned as to why he was carrying two packs of raw meat. These have been tested in the wild and are proven to be spooky.
- Free labels - No need to make your own meat package labels. I've made them for you and linked them below.
- So dang delicious - I don't know the last time you've had rice krispies treats, but it had been a long time for me. Rice krispies treats are so addictive. You'll feel like a true caveman/woman taking a large hunk of this down your gullet, but it's so worth it.
If you love this recipe, check out the other Halloween recipes on the blog. There are so many spooky, fun treats to make your Halloween all the more special.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love These
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Red Velvet Cake Mix vs. Red Food Coloring
- Equipment, Labels (Free!) & Work-Arounds
- How to Make "Raw Meat" Rice Krispies Treats
- How to Serve Your Spooky "Raw Meat" Rice Krispie Treats
- Storage
- FAQ
- More Halloween Inspiration? Try These!
- Other Recipes You'll Love
- Spooky "Raw Meat" Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients You'll Need
You'll just need the classic ingredients you know and love for rice krispies treats, with just one special addition.
- Marshmallows – I like to use mini marshmallows because they melt quickly. You’ll need a 10.5 oz bag.
- Butter – I use unsalted but use whatever you prefer.
- Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract is always my go-to.
- Red velvet cake mix – You're using just hte powdery mix, not baking the cake first.
- Crispy rice cereal - We love the classic Rice Krispies, but there are a ton of knock-offs that would work just as well.
- Red food coloring (optional) - I don't think you need this at all. The color you see in these pictures is the actual color of the "meat," and I think it's plenty enough color to look like real ground beef. You can always add some to the marshmallow/butter mixture if you'd like though.
The recipe card below will have the full quantities and directions for how to make the "raw meat" rice krispie treats.
Red Velvet Cake Mix vs. Red Food Coloring
I experimented with using both red velvet cake mix and red food coloring and ultimately decided the red velvet cake mix was definitely the way to go. You have to add so much red food coloring that the rice krispies treats tasted bitter. Nobody wants that. The red velvet cake mix adds a pleasant hint of chocolate but you can't really taste it. It's more for the color.
These pictures are true to the color that comes from using just the red velvet cake mix -- vibrant, right? It really is the color of the ground beef we buy at Whole Foods. If you find you want a deeper red color, feel free to add a drop ortwo of red food coloring.
Equipment, Labels (Free!) & Work-Arounds
- Large pot - Everything for this recipe is done in this large pot. I love a good one pot dessert.
- Plastic or styrofoam trays - These foam trays from Amazon are wonderful. However, I asked my local butcher to give me a few trays they use for ground beef. He looked at me funny but ultimately handed them over to me. Make sure you wash them first though. I don't want you to have any real raw meat on your fake "raw meat" rice krispie treats. 🙂
- Labels - I made Wild Beast (aka just a hunk of meat on a platter) and Roadkill Patties (shaped like burgers) with accompanying labels. I made these labels on Canva...and they are all yours now (for free)! I printed them out on regular printer paper and then used tape to place the labels on the plastic wrap. If you want to get fancy, print out the labels on sticker or label paper, then cut them out.
How to Make "Raw Meat" Rice Krispies Treats
This recipe is just as easy as making regular rice krispies treats, so don't panic. Here's how you'll make them:
- Step 1: Melt butter and marshmallows and vanilla extract together until completely melted.
- Step 2: Add red velvet cake mix. Stir until fully incorporated.
- Step 3: Turn off heat and add rice krispies cereal, stirring to evenly coat.
- Step 4: Grab a hunk of "meat" and place on plastic tray. Cover with plastic wrap and affix spooky label.
Pro Tip: Work quickly once the cereal is added to the marshmallows. You want the rice krispies treats to still be warm when you're shaping them but not hot enough to melt your styrofoam or plastic trays. After about 10 minutes, the rice krispie treats will be next to impossible to shape as they harden.
How to Serve Your Spooky "Raw Meat" Rice Krispie Treats
- Serve on trays like you buy your real meat - This is what I've done here. Connor's teacher literally thought Connor had meat in his hand when he brought these in.
- Serve on a scale - These would be so cool served on top of an old fashioned metal scale like butchers used to have back in the day. I'd put a piece of parchment underneath and just serve a whole fistful of the "raw meat" for people to pick at. If only I had a scale...
- Form a "brain" - Instead of sharing into patties or just spreading out in one big clump to look like ground beef, you could shape the rice krispie treats into little brains.
- Splatter with strawberry or chocolate sauce - I've seen some really spooky creations that splatter the trays with a chocolate or fruit sauce like there's blood oozing from the "raw meat." This would be creepy and fun.
Storage
This is important -- rice krispies treats don't keep their crunchy texture if they are made well in advance. You want to make these "raw meat" red velvet rice krispies treats the day that you plan on eating them. This is lucky because they are so easy to make!
FAQ
You'll want to make sure the cake mix and marshmallow mixture gets to 160˚F using a thermometer. If you're getting the marshmallow mixture this hot, you won't have any problems.
You can but they will take much longer to melt, which sometimes causes the butter to burn while you're waiting on the marshmallows. Just be careful to not have the heat up too high. You'll need a little more patience.
Spray your hands with cooking spray (or butter) before manipulating the rice krispie treats. This will help you not have more cereal stuck to you than shaped.
More Halloween Inspiration? Try These!
- Spooky Mini Chocolate Skull Cakes -- one of my favorite Halloween treats to make! The "raw meat" rice krispies would be the perfect pairing with these creepy skulls!
- Meringue Ghosts -- adorable little things that are great for topping cakes or cupcakes, eating by themselves, or placing around other food for decoration.
- Halloween Cookie Cake -- a classic!
- Chocolate Brownie Cookies for Halloween - if a brownie and a cookie had a baby, this cookie would be it!
Other Recipes You'll Love
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Happy Halloween, y'all!
xox,
kathryn
Spooky "Raw Meat" Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 package (10 oz) miniature marshmallows
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup red velvet cake mix
- 6 cups rice cereal I used Rice Krispies
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-low heat, melt marshmallows, butter, and vanilla extract together until melted. Make sure the heat isn't high enough to boil the mixture. You'll know it's ready when you can't see the shape of the marshmallows.
- Add in the red velvet cake mix and stir until blended. The mixture should be a nice vibrant red color. If you want to add additional red food coloring, this is the time to do it (but not necessary).
- Remove the mixture from the heat. Stir in rice cereal and stir until the cereal is completely coated in the marshmallow mixture.
- While the rice krispie treats are still slightly warm (but not so hot that it will melt your trays), shape into whatever shape you want to make the rice krispie treats look like raw meat. Place in the trays, cover with plastic wrap, and affix the label.
Let Me Know What You Think!