Cotton Candy Rice Krispies

So, as you probably know I have a spunky little 9 month old who keeps me busy everyday. I use the word "spunky" to describe her personality in a positive way... the girl wants to be doing something new every 5 minutes. Which is great, except that there are only so many animals on "Old McDonald's Farm" (although my version has recently expanded to include monkeys and elephants...), so many times you can go on walks (I'm pretty sure we are averaging 3 a day), and the cashiers at Walmart and Target are starting to recognize me (is it bad to make a trip solely to buy a tube of toothpaste?). I am constantly on the lookout for things to entertain her. I was talking about this to a friend recently and she recommended trying bubbles--because of course every kid loves bubbles.

So after a quick stop to the 99 Cent Store (we keep things classy over here at Mallows & Co) we set out for some bubble fun! Or so I thought.

Bubbles: worst game ever.

My girl doesn't understand that the bubbles disappear when they pop. She spent 15 minutes of frustratingly searching for where all the bubbles were going before ending in a meltdown. I finally gave up and moved back to singing Old McDonald...

SooOOooOo why am I telling you this? I need to vent I would like to compare this experience to the classic treat Cotton Candy. It's expected that everyone is going to love this stuff, just like its expected every kid is going to love bubbles. However I feel the same way about my cotton candy as my girl does about her bubbles. I put it in my mouth and then it's gone! Wait! Where did it go? I try another piece and 2 seconds later it's gone. Next thing I know I am holding an empty paper stick and I've wasted $5 on flavored air. Rip Off!

Now this doesn't mean I don't like the flavor of cotton candy, it's just I don't love the vehicle that it comes in. So I have remedied the situation everyone! This is a version of the stuff that you can actually enjoy longer than 2 seconds! I give you Cotton Candy Rice Krispy Treats! This baby has the chewy rice krispy texture with all of the sugary cotton candy flavor! Courtesy of Duncan Hines newest baking treat: Frosting Flavor Creations! Whoo Hoo!

Cotton Candy Rice Krispy Treats

4 Tbsp butter
6 cup marshmallows
1-2 packets cotton candy flavored Duncan Hines Frosting Creations**
1 tsp vanilla
6 cup krispies
White Nonpareil sprinkles (optional, solely for aesthetic appeal)


Pour the rice krispies into a large bowl and set aside.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, turn the heat down to the lowest setting and add the marshmallows. Stir until the marshmallows are mostly all melted (this will take a few minutes--low and slow is key for perfect texture) then stir in the frosting mix and vanilla.

Once fully melted, take them off heat and pour over the rice krispies. Stir lightly to combine. Dump everything into a greased 9x9 pan. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, then with greased hands go in and flatten the top. If using, top with sprinkles, then allow them to cool about 20 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!

**I used only 1 packet and they were moderately cotton candy flavored. If you're a true cotton candy lover I would recommend trying 2 packets :)