Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a large bowl and a sturdy spatula with non-stick cooking spray (If you are making rice crispy treat squares, also spray an 8″ x 8″ or a 9″ x 9″ square pan.) Wipe most of the spray off your bowl, spatula, and square pan (if using one). You only want a very thin film left to prevent sticking.

If you are making carrots, it is easier if you have someone to help you shape them. You can make them on your own, but will need to work fairly quickly to get all nine shaped before the mixture starts to harden. You will need a cone-shaped treat bag with the top folded over for each person shaping carrots.  (You can shape the carrots by hand if you can’t find the cone-shaped bags. You can also wrap them in any clear food-safe plastic, but the rest of the directions use the cones.)

Put the pan of crispy brown rice cereal in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit to toast for five minutes. When the timer goes off, turn the oven off but leave the pan in the oven.

While the cereal is toasting, add the Earth Balance to a pan over medium-low heat. When the Earth Balance is mostly melted, add the vanilla, salt, and color if you are making carrots. I used 18 drops of yellow and 8 drops of red. Do not add coloring if making plain squares.

Add the marshmallows, and stir them around to get them coated with the Earth Balance mixture. Continue stirring while the marshmallows start to melt. It will take a few minutes, so be patient and keep stirring continuously (remember to turn the oven off after five minutes or your cereal will burn!)

When the marshmallows are fully melted, take the pan off the heat, get your cereal out of the oven and into your prepared bowl, and scrape all of the marshmallow fluff onto the cereal. Fold the mixture and the cereal together, gently but firmly enough to mix.

If you are making squares, press the mixture firmly into your prepared pan. Let it cool completely, then turn the big square out onto a cutting board, and cut into nine squares.

If you are making carrots, get one ninth of the mixture and squish it into a log shape but pointed on one end. Place it in the prepared treat bag. Push the mixture into the bottom of the bag, then twist the top of the bag to compress the mixture. Remove the shaped carrot from the cone and place it on a piece of waxed paper. Repeat until all nine carrots are shaped, then allow them to cool fully before packaging them.

Put each carrot into a new cone-shaped treat bag, twist tie them closed, and add green curly ribbon or felt to make the carrot tops. See the blog post for details.