Originally published in Bombshelle Magazine, October 2004. Updated for The Homicidal Homemaker Myspace in 2008.
UPDATE 01/18/17: I have made a video update for this recipe! Watch below!
Give Rice Krispies a Ghoulish Raw Meat Twist with my ORIGINAL RECIPE for Fresh Meat Red Velvet Rice Krispy Treats!
The Original Raw Meat Rice Krispies recipe, loved and recreated by many!
Back in 2008, while I was performing with my dance troupe The Horror Dolls, we were scheduled to perform at a horror convention about four hours away. Knowing that our gelatin-based gore and brains that we utilized (and ingested) for our performances likely wouldn’t hold up during the drive and heat, I was desperate for another inexpensive option. I happened to have both marshmallows and Rice Krispies on hand, so I decided to use a recipe I had developed for the Halloween edition of a music magazine I had been working for in the early 2000’s. At the time, I had searched high and low, and a recipe did not exist for Rice Krispy Treats that looked exactly like raw meat.
Long story short, my Rice Krispy Treat “raw meat” was unnervingly effective, and now, I am going to share my updated version of the recipe with you!
Using inexpensive ingredients and taking only minutes to put together, these Fresh Meat Red Velvet Rice Krispy Treats are the quick and easy recipe you need to make for your next Halloween party! I used Loran Oils Red Velvet Flavoring Emulsion, but if you don’t have it, vanilla extract will work just fine.
Alternatively, if you don’t have Red Velvet cake mix on hand, you could simply just color the melted marshmallow/butter mixture with food coloring!
This would also make a fun treat for the beloved ghoul in your life on Valentine’s Day.
To really seal the deal, I recommend going to the deli and asking for a few (unused) trays to serve your Fresh Meat Red Velvet Rice Krispy Treats on. Wrap them up with some clear plastic wrap, and the other members of your household might accidentally try to turn them into something you would fire up the grill for!
An Important Note About Raw Flour/Dry Cake Mix
Yes, this recipe uses dry cake mix as an ingredient. Heating raw flour (or in the case of this recipe, dry cake mix) to a temperature of at least 160ºF (71ºC) kills off any bacteria that may be lurking within your flour. As you cook your mixture, it should reach the required 160ºF/71ºC to kill any bacteria. Of course, always use a kitchen thermometer to double-check!
Alternatively, you can quickly heat treat your dry cake mix by spreading it out onto a lined baking sheet and toasting it for 5 minutes at 350°F. Allow it to cool before using.
Red Velvet Raw Meat Rice Krispy Treats
What You Need:
- 3.5 to 4 Cups of Cocoa Krispies or Rice Krispies cereal
- 1 1/2 Cups mini marshmallows
- 1/2 Cup dry Red Velvet Cake Mix (SEE NOTE!)
- 1/4 Cup of salted butter
- 1 teaspoon of Lorann Red Velvet Emulsion (or vanilla extract + a few drops of red food coloring)
- For vegan variation: Use EarthBalance or other vegan margarine, and vegan-friendly marshmallows.
What To Do:
Lay out a sheet of parchment or wax paper.
To prepare in microwave: In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter and marshmallows in 30-second increments, stirring frequently and being careful not to scorch or burn the mixture – watch it closely!
To prepare over stovetop: Melt the butter in large sauce pan, over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until melted and well combined. Cook 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly so the mixture doesn’t scorch. Remove from heat. (NOTE: Stovetop preparation results in a chewier, gooey-er rice krispy treat, which may not hold complex shapes as well. You may or may not need to add a bit more rice krispies!)
Once butter and marshmallows are fully melted and mixed together and have reached at least 160ºF/71ºC (this will ensure that any bacteria present in the raw flour of the cake mix will be killed), add 1 teaspoon of the Red Velvet Emulsion (or vanilla extract + a drop of red food coloring) and mix well. Gradually stir in the 1/2 Cup of dry Red Velvet Cake Mix, and continue to mix until fully combined. (NOTE: if you are not using the cake mixture, simply add your food coloring to the melted marshmallow/butter mixture.) If mixture seems too thick, microwave for a few seconds or add in a little bit more melted butter. Add in the Rice Krispies cereal and mix until combined – start with 3 Cups and only add as many as you need. Around 3.5 Cups worked perfectly for me, but depending on the temperature/humidity or even the varying brands of marshmallows, you could need more or less!
Spray your hands with cooking spray, or grease them with butter, oil, or shortening. Remove the mixture from the bowl and onto the parchment/wax paper. Shape into desired shape – be creative! Make a single ‘brain’ like I did, or make cute individual sized brains to serve up on a platter…or simply just throw it onto the tray!
Garnish with a blood sauce, such as a berry coulis, grenadine in corn syrup, raspberry agave, etc., if desired, and dig in!
Hungry For More?
Try these other no-bake, cereal-based spooky recipes!
- “Corona Zombies” + Toilet Paper Roll Nutella Rice Krispies
- Frankenberry Monster Chow
- Count Chocula Monster Chow
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I saw “raw meat” in the title, but these were an absolute hit at my work potluck last Halloween and I am going to make them again this year. Thanks The Homicidal Homemaker! You have the best Halloween recipes!!!
So, I decided to try these Raw Meat Rice Krispies for my friend’s birthday, and they were a fun conversation starter! The looked so disturbingly realistic that I actually hesitated before taking a bite—mission accomplished, I guess? The red coloring and texture were spot-on, giving the illusion of raw ground beef. Super weird and super fun. I don’t usually make stuff like this, but the instructions were easy to follow, and it took less time than I thought. I ended up making two batches because the first one disappeared fast once people got over the look of it. The only reason I’m not giving it five stars is because they were a little sweet for me—I only had unsalted butter so maybe that’s why. But overall, it’s a super clever idea, and if you want to freak people out in the best way, this recipe gets the job done!
Hello I can’t find labels here
How do you make the lable
Hi Kaci , i can not find the link for the labels .
Renea
hi, I was wondering if the half cup of red velvet cake mix is just the powder on the boxes they sell in grocery stores? you basically don’t cook anything.. right.
this would go well with a cocktail I found in a werewolf novel yrs ago called a “Hemorrhaging Brain”. In a glass of peach schnapps, pour a small amount of Baileys Irish Cream (brain) then splash in a few drops of grenadine (blood). And, it doesn’t taste terrible if ya like peach…
Can this be done just on a stove instead of just a microwave or is it essential in order to maintain certain temperatures?
Thanks!
Hi Lokke! Thanks for checking out my recipe. These can absolutely be prepared on the stovetop! The stovetop method actually results in a gooey-er, chewier rice krispy treat, which is actually more tasty (in my opinion!) but may not hold complex shapes as well, so for something like this, you might have to add a bit more rice krispies to the mixture. It’s one of those things that you sort of have to eyeball – sometimes humidity, or even the brand of marshmallows you use, can slightly affect the end results.
To prepare over stovetop: Melt the butter in large sauce pan, over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until melted and well combined. Cook 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly so the mixture doesn’t scorch. Remove from heat and add cake mix, flavorings/colorings, and cereal, and stir until well-coated.
Hope this helps! 🙂