Candy Corn Flake Crispy Treats

Truth be told, I cannot stand ACTUAL candy corn, but a marshmallow cereal crispy treat that looks like it? Yum! Did I mention it's flavored with salted browned butter? Want to make it taste better, top it with marshmallow creme and some Reese's Pieces. This recipe will please the trick-or-treaters as well as the treat givers in your lives.

You could easily modify this recipe to the crispy treat you love, Rice Krispies, Cheerios, Golden Grahams, etc. etc. Add some peanut butter, use chocolate sauce instead of brown food color, different candy toppings, whatever you like! 

Recipe inspired by: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151543559326957&set=a.10151252474531957.450186.30634981956&type=3&theater 

You'll need:

One 9-inch cake pan, coated with nonstick baking spray (I used nonstick foil) 

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 (10 oz.) package miniature marshmallows, divided
coarse sea salt
almond extract (use vanilla if you prefer)
yellow, orange, and brown food coloring 
6 cups Corn Flakes, divided

For optional topping:
Marshmallow Creme
Reese's Pieces (about 1 1/4 cups) 

There are 3 layers here, the outside layer, being the largest, gets half the ingredients, 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 2 cups (5 oz.) marshmallows, 1/4 tsp. almond extract, 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, yellow food coloring, 3 cups cereal.

The 2nd layer 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 1 1/3 cups (about 3.3 oz.) marshmallows, 1/8 tsp. almond extract, 1/8 tsp. coarse sea salt, orange food coloring, 2 cups cereal.

The 3rd layer 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, 2/3 cups (about 1.65 oz.) marshmallows, 1/8 tsp. almond extract, 1/8 tsp. coarse sea salt, brown food coloring, 1 cup cereal. 

For the first layer, melt the 3 Tbsp. butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until the butter sizzles, gently swirl the pan around the burner and cook until the butter turns golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Add the marshmallows, turn the heat to low and stir until almost melted, add the almond extract, sea salt, and yellow food color until desired shade is reached and mixture is smooth. Stir in cereal until well coated. 

Using buttered spatula or wax paper, evenly press mixture into 1 1/2-inch wide ring along the sides of cake pan. 

Repeat steps with the 2nd layer set of ingredients, evenly press orange mixture into 1 1/2-inch ring inside of the yellow ring in cake pan.

Repeat with remaining ingredients to make the brown layer, evenly press in the center of the pan. Let cool.    

Remove cereal treat round from pan and cut into wedges, you can leave some empty, and/or decorate as many as you like.

Top wedge with marshmallow creme and add Reese's pieces, topping yellow layer with yellow Reese's, orange layer with orange candies, etc. Mine look more like "Indian Corn" you can decorate yours in your favorite type of candy corn.

I think these would make a great Halloween treat bar for a kid's party, make the wedges (if having large party make several cereal varieties) and let the kids top theirs with whatever they choose, some ideas: peanut butter with Reese's pieces, Nutella with M&M's, canned frosting or the marshmallow creme with actual candy corn, jelly beans, colored marshmallows, gummi bears, etc. 

Enjoy! Happy Halloween!