With a little free time on my hands this week, I decided to combine two of the season’s most popular flavors into one treat. Here’s how to make Pumpkin Spice Hot Cocoa Rice Krispie Treat Mugs, a no-bake fall dessert pressed into little mug shapes with a pretzel handle and chocolate “cocoa” top. They set up in about 30 minutes with no oven involved, which makes them an easy one to have kids help with.
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Pumpkin Spice Hot Cocoa RK Treat Mugs
Fall is trying to show up around here, even if the temperatures haven’t fully gotten the memo yet. I always start craving pumpkin spice a little before the weather agrees with me.
Rice Krispie treats are one of my favorite things to make…not because they’re fancy (okay these are) but because they’re light, airy, and about as low-effort as dessert gets. They’re also kind of a blank canvas, even down to their color, so it’s easy to turn them into whatever you’re in the mood for.
These Pumpkin Spice Hot Cocoa Rice Krispie Treats are pressed into little mug shapes. Then, you just stick on the pretzel handle, “fill it up” with the chocolate “cocoa”, and finish it off with a tad bit more pumpkin spice.. Never needed the oven and they come together faster than you’d expect!
Why You’ll Love These Rice Krispie Treat Mugs
- No Oven Required: Everything comes together on the stovetop, then sets on the counter.
- Kid-Friendly: Pressing the mixture into the pans and adding the toppings are easy jobs for little hands.
- Two Fall Flavors in One: Pumpkin spice and hot cocoa, combined into a single fun treat.
What You’ll Need
You only need to gather a few ingredients to make this tasty appetizer!
- crispy rice cereal
- butter
- mini marshmallows
- powdered hot cocoa mix
- vanilla
- pumpkin pie spice
- chocolate chips
- dehydrated marshmallows
- mini pretzel twists
Note: Always check the recipe card for a full list of ingredients, amounts, and steps.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Hot Cocoa Mugs
This one’s mostly stovetop and assembly, so let’s get started.
- Spray your muffin or cupcake pans with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large pot over low heat.
- Add the mini marshmallows (leaving out the reserved 1 ½ cups) and stir until melted and smooth.
- Remove from heat and stir in the hot cocoa mix, then the pumpkin pie spice and vanilla, until fully combined.
- Gently fold in the crispy rice cereal until coated, then fold in the reserved mini marshmallows.
- Spray your hands with nonstick spray and gently press the mixture into the muffin pan cavities.
- Let the treats sit for at least 30 minutes to cool and set, then pop each “mug” out with a butter knife.
- Break the two top curves off each mini pretzel twist to use as handles.
- Melt the chocolate chips in 20-second microwave bursts, stirring between each, until smooth.
- Dip the pretzel handles in the melted chocolate and press them into the sides of each mug.
- Spread melted chocolate over the top of each mug, then immediately sprinkle with dehydrated marshmallows so they stick.
- Finish with a light dusting of pumpkin pie spice and you’re done!
Tips & Tricks – Pumpkin Spice Hot Cocoa RK Treat Mugs
• Keep the heat low when melting the butter and marshmallows. Too high, and the treats can turn out firmer once they set.
• Be gentle when pressing the mixture into the pans. Packing it too tightly makes the treats dense instead of soft.
• No dehydrated marshmallows on hand? Regular mini marshmallows work as a substitute for the topping.
• Any brand of powdered hot cocoa mix works here. I used classic milk chocolate without marshmallows in the packet, so if yours has marshmallows built in, you may want to skip the reserved marshmallow step.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. These are best the same day or the next, since they get harder the longer they sit.
• Freezing with the toppings already on isn’t recommended, since it changes the texture. To make these ahead, freeze just the plain rice krispie “mugs” for up to 1 month, then thaw overnight before finishing with the pretzels and chocolate.
Want to Change it Up?
You can adjust this one based on what you have on hand:
- Swap the classic hot cocoa mix for a peppermint or salted caramel variety to shift the flavor for later in the season.
- No muffin pans? Press the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan instead, skip the handles, and spread the chocolate over the whole top.
More Fall Recipes
Pumpkin Spice Hot Cocoa Rice Krispie Treat Mugs
Equipment
- muffin pans or cupcake pans
Ingredients
- 6 cups crispy rice cereal
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 15 ounces mini marshmallows 1 ½ bags 1 ½ (10-oz) bags mini marshmallows (15oz total), 1 ½ cups reserved
- 2 packets powdered hot cocoa mix
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice plus a little extra for sprinkling on tops
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup dehydrated marshmallows
- ½ cup mini pretzel twists you’ll need 8 twists for 16 “mug handles” but allow for extra in case of error when breaking them
Instructions
- Spray some muffin/cupcake pans with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Melt butter in a large pot over low heat.4 Tbsp butter
- Add the mini marshmallows to the butter (leaving out the reserved 1 ½ cups) and stir until melted and smooth.15 ounces mini marshmallows 1 ½ bags
- Remove pot from heat, and stir in the 2 packets of powdered hot cocoa mix until fully combined and smooth.2 packets powdered hot cocoa mix
- Add in the pumpkin pie spice and vanilla and stir until combined and smooth.1 tsp vanilla, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- Work quickly but carefully to gently stir in the crispy rice cereal into the marshmallow mixture until the cereal is thoroughly coated. Gently stir in the reserved 1 ½ cups of mini marshmallows.6 cups crispy rice cereal
- Form the mini cups next. Spray your hands with some nonstick spray or use a little bit of oil or butter to keep the rice krispie mixture from sticking to your hands.
- Press the rice krispie mixture gently into the sprayed cavities of the muffin/cupcake pans.
- Allow the rice krispies to sit in the pans for at least 30 minutes to cool and set.
- Use a butter knife to carefully pop out each of the rice krispie “mugs” from the pans (once they’ve cooled and set).
- Break off the two top curves gently from each of the mini pretzel twists to use for the “handles” on the “mugs.” Break off enough to make the amount of “mugs” you have.½ cup mini pretzel twists
- Use a glass dish or heat-proof container to melt the chocolate chips in the microwave on full power in 20 second intervals, stirring between each interval until the chocolate chips are fully melted and smooth.½ cup chocolate chips
- Dip the ends of the broken-off pretzel curves into the melted chocolate, and attach them to each rice krispie “mugs” by gently pressing them into the sides to create the “handles.”
- Use a spoon or small spatula to spread some of the melted chocolate over the center top of one of the “mugs” to create the look of “hot cocoa” in the mug. Reheat back in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to re-melt it IF the melted chocolate starts to thicken while you’re working.½ cup dehydrated marshmallows
- Immediately sprinkle some of the dehydrated marshmallows onto the chocolate so they will stick to the chocolate as the chocolate sets. Repeat for each “mug” until all are complete.
- Sprinkle a little bit of pumpkin pie spice over the tops of each of the “mugs.”
Nutrition
Nutritional information accuracy not guaranteed.
