Candy Corns star in dozens of treats near Halloween. They seem to go well in candy, cookies, and even crème caramel and cheesecake. The following recipe for Scarecrow Treats apparently was originally presented by Land O’Lakes as a promotional treat using their brand-name ingredients. It is very popular on Pinterest, and some of those presenting these bars have adapted the recipe to suit their personal preferences. The following version has an extra cup of miniature marshmallows so that the end result is extra chewy. Believe it or not, the original recipe also called for margarine (yuk! why bother?), and since butter tastes so much better, real butter is a must. Regular salted peanuts have been substituted for dry roasted, which make for a good crunch and attractive presentation.

You can make these bars several days ahead, and if you hide them, they will last until you’re ready to serve them. They look nice on a Halloween BOO-ffet, and are a good addition to a Halloween dessert presentation.

48 Bars

Crust:
1/2 cup butter
1 15.25 ounce yellow cake Mix
1 egg

4 cups miniature marshmallows

Topping:
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups crisp rice cereal
2 cups salted peanuts
1 cup candy corn

1. Preheat oven to 350º and line a 15" shallow baking sheet with parchment or spray with non-stick spray.
2. Crust:Mix the butter, cake mix, and egg until combined press the mixture evenly onto the prepared pan. It's easier if you have a small rolling pin (7" long and 2" in diameter which can easily be made from a closet rod) to roll the dough over the bottom of the pan because this crust is very thin.
3. Bake the crust about 12 minutes or until it starts to brown and is cooked through.
4. Remove from the oven and scatter the marshmallows evenly over the surface of the crust.
5. Return the pan to the oven and let cook 2-3 additional minutes or until the marshmallows are puffed; remove from the oven.
6. Topping: Mix the corn syrup, sugar and brown sugar in a saucepan; stir over medium heat until the mixture boils and the sugar is dissolved.
7. Turn off the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla.
8. Add the rice cereal, peanut butter, and candy corn; stir until coated.
9. Spread the mixture over the marshmallows and press down.
10. Let the bars cool before cutting into 48 squares. Store in an airtight container.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 204 Calories from Fat 65
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 32% Protein 5% Carb. 63%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 7 g
Saturated Fat 2 g
Cholesterol 10 mg
Sodium 139 mg
Total Carbohydrate 32 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 7 g
Protein 3 g

Vitamin A 2% Vitamin C 1% Calcium 0% Iron 2%