$5.20 Sweets: Rice Krispie Cupcakes

I’m all about Valentine’s Day right now.  If it’s pink and red, I’ve stuck it to the wall, used it to decorate the kitchen table and cooked with it.  Not even a container of pink frosting could evade me.

I made these adorable rice krispie treat cupcakes and topped them with ready-made (gasp!) frosting.  I spent most of an afternoon exclaiming aloud to anyone who would listen, “Have you had FROSTING on top of a Rice Krispie Treat?!?  You HAVE to try this!”  Sure, a sugar coma will follow but since this recipe only makes 6, you don’t get to indulge in many of them anyway.  Moderation, right? 😉 

While I could have made these for even less moolah with a jar of fluff from the store, I chose to make homemade marshmallow fluff.  I based the fluff on this recipe from Jasmin at 1FineCookie.  Remember when I made those S’more Stuffed Strawberries?  It’s the same delicious marshmallow fluff.  Once you try this, you’ll be hooked.  It’s sticky, ooey-gooey and makes the best rice krispie treats I’ve ever had.  Thanks, Jasmin, for creating one of my very favorite sweets.  Love this marshmallow goodness!

Marshmallow Fluff
1 egg white, room temperature
1/8 t. cream of tartar
1/4 c. corn syrup
1/4 t. vanilla extract
2 T. Sugar and 1 1/2 t. sugar (separate)
1 T. plus 1 t. water

In bowl of stand mixer with whip attachment, white egg white and cream of tartar until soft peaks begin to form.  Slowly incorporate 1 1/2 t. sugar.  Whip only to incorporate, you don’t need stiff peaks.  Let rest in bowl while you do the next step.

In a tiny sauce pan, combine 2 T. sugar, water and corn syrup.  Over medium heat, cook until it reached 250 degrees, hard ball stage, on your candy thermometer.  Remove immediately from heat.

Return to your mixer.  Turn it on low and slowly drizzle in the molten sugar mixture.  Once all is added, turn the mixer on high and whip for 4 minutes.  Turn off, add vanilla extract and whip for two more minutes.  That’s it! 

Rice Krispie Treat Cupcakes (makes 6)
2 T. Earth Balance vegan butter-y stick
1 cup marshmallow fluff (the recipe above makes just about 1 cup)
2 cups gluten-free Rice Krispies

Prepare 6 cavities of either a silicone cupcake pan or a regular cupcake pan sprayed with non-stick spray.

In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt the Earth Balance butter in microwave.  Remove and stir in the marshmallow fluff.  Stir to completely incorporate.  If it is still too thick to incorporate the cereal, pop into microwave for no longer than 30 seconds.  Stir in the rice krispies, mixing until well combined.

Place mixture into each of 6 cupcake cavities.  You may allow these to set up at room temperature or if you are in a hurry, place them in the refrigerator or freezer. 

I topped these with 1/2 of a can of Pillsbury frosting.  I had a good coupon, it’s labeled gluten-free, so I thought I’d give it a go.  It’s pretty good!  I usually make my own frosting, but I would use this again.  It only took about half a container of whipped frosting for 6 of the rice krispie treats.

Here’s the cost breakdown:
$1.52 for corn syrup
$.72 for rice krispies (I based this on $4 for a large box, but with cereal sales, you can do better!)
$.25 for egg
$.05 for sugar
$.04 for vanilla extract
$1.89 for frosting (watch for coupons on this, too.  I got frosting for next to nothing.)
$4.47 plus tax of $.21 = $4.68 total