Halloween's here, and I have pumpkin on the brain. In our home, pumpkin season runs from the start of the school year through Thanksgiving and beyond. I can never get enough of the sweet spiciness. Oreo pumpkins are the perfect trick to get your pumpkin fix!
We always track down the exclusive Pumpkin Spice Oreos this time of year, and I like to crush them up and shape them into sweet little Oreo pumpkins. We've been buying these for quite a few years. If you can't find these, the Maple Creme Oreos make a good substitute, with a teaspoon of pumpkin spice added to the mix.
These are kind of like cake pops. But better. Because… Oreo pumpkins. There is literally no way to go wrong with this. Also? I really like crushing the Oreos in a bag with a mallet or a rolling pin.
Every time I'm cooking or baking and need something crushed, I find myself cackling and muttering, “I'll smash it with a HAMMER!” Every. Single. Time. Anybody else quote children's movies sporadically? No? Just me then.
How to Make Festive Oreo Pumpkins
I use the basic well-known recipe for Oreo cookie balls, tweaking it a bit to make delectably adorable (if I do say so myself) pumpkin balls.
Spiced OREO Pumpkin Balls
Ingredients
- 1 pkg brick cream cheese, 8 oz., softened
- 36 OREO Cookies, about 3 cups, finely crushed
- 16 oz butterscotch chips, melted
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- Pretzel sticks
- Canned green frosting with tip to pipe leaves.
Instructions
- Mix cream cheese and cookie crumbs until blended.
- Shape into 48 1-inch balls. Freeze 10 min.
- Melt butterscotch and coconut oil together in the microwave for about a minute or a minute and a half, stirring every 15 seconds.
- Cut pretzel sticks approximately 3/4" long, then dip end of pretzel stick into melted butterscotch and skewer into pumpkin balls, leaving a small amount sticking out for the pumpkin ball stem.
- Holding by the pretzel stick, dip pumpkin balls in melted butterscotch. Place in single layer on shallow waxed paper-lined pan.
- Add frosting leaves.
- Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
48Serving Size:
1 ballAmount Per Serving: Calories: 144Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 87mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 0gSugar: 13gProtein: 1g
I shape my Oreo pumpkins with a teaspoon so they all come out the perfect size.
You can use orange candy melts to bring a more vibrant color to your Oreo pumpkins, but I prefer the taste of butterscotch. I like that when I mix it up with coconut oil, it's nice and smooth. Man, I need a manicure.
Dipping the pretzel sticks in the butterscotch melt helps secure them to the sticks, which serve as handy handles for dipping in the candy coating. If you haven't made any sort of cookie balls or cake pops before, just know that it takes a little bit of maneuvering and you're bound to mess a few up. I figure these are taxes for the cook! Gotta make sure it all tastes okay before serving to guests, right? Riiiiight.
Add a sweet little leaf to complete your Oreo pumpkins. I use plain old canned frosting that comes with a variety of tips. Easy peasy.
What's your favorite Halloween-time treat? Do you make Oreo pumpkins for your family during this season?