Cardamom. Uniquely fragrant. Intensely spicy.
Also? Slightly numbing.
I really love the smoky cool flavor of cardamom, and when making this recipe I employed the not always successful process of “if a little is good, a lot is better!” In this case it was successful, these taste fantastic, and they also have a very fleeting and very slight numbing quality to them.
Many forms of cardamom have been used in traditional medicine for a number of ailments, so I think the numbing I feel is really more of a medicinal property than actual numbness. Still, it’s there, and it just adds another dimension to this primo dessert.
orange cardamom rice crispies
vegan, gluten free, dairy free
makes 9-12 squares
2 tablespoons butter (Earth Balance)
10 oz package marshmallows (Dandies vegan!)
zest of 1 orange
1-2 tablespoons cardamom
5 cups rice puffs
Zest the orange (grapefruit zest is good also), set aside. Melt butter in saucepan, add marshmallows. Stir over medium heat until melted, add cardamom. Remove from heat, add rice puffs, stir until combined. Add most of the orange zest, reserving a small amount for topping, mix completely. Press into prepared pan (9×9 square makes tall rice crispies!), top with remaining orange zest.
Zesty! The bright flavor and the colorful punch of the zest combines with the cardamom for a great result! A last grasp at summer with the citrus while welcoming fall flavors with the smoky cardamom equals pure bliss!
What are your favorite flavors to welcome fall?
{ 71 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow, those look incredible. I don’t think I’ve really used cardamom to be honest. But I want to lick my monitor right now!
I love cardamom… it’s something I use more this time of year, fall and winter, as I equate it with comfort food and “warm” spices.
Oooh — these look fantastic! Perfectly spiced for autumn, and cardamom is one of the absolute greatest flavors — so underrated. And your pictures are so pretty! I was thrilled to find Dandies at my local food co-op, and you’ve shown that there’s a lot one can do to give the standard Rice Krispie treat some oomph…
thank you, Helen, and yay for Dandies! I agree that cardamom is underrated – under used, except in my house! (I seem to have a lot of recipes right now where I am using it – trying to space them out!).
What a great way to dress up a simple recipe. I would have no problem entertaining with this dessert…at all!
yes, Krista! it’s kind of “grown up”, right?
These are adorable. I love the word cardamom because when my niece was really little she loved to read this book about herbs and hearing her say “cardamom” was the cutest thing!
I love those kind of memories. and I love cardamom!
Really?!! I mean,now all I want is these! I just got done working out, stopped to check my reader, and you post this! haha! YUM!
How are you? Thinking of you still, good karma and wishes <3
aw, thank you, Katie!! It may take a while for the “thing” to happen, so your continued effort is appreciated!
these are a PERFECT after workout treat. I know… first hand. 
What a unique recipe! I love all fall flavors, but am especially excited for hot apple cider.
Mmm, I love to have a pot simmering on the stove, making the whole house smell warm and cozy!
These look incredible and a nice change from regular rice crispy treats!
thank you, Rachael! I think rice crispy treats are really fun to play with…
Oh my goodness. These sound so delicious!
thank you, Stephanie!
I was really happy with the result – one of those that comes out even better than you imagined?
WHEN DOES YOUR COOKBOOK COME OUT?? I mean really….citrusy crispies?! Yessssssssssss
hee – I had a conversation about a book just yesterday, factually.
I’m working on an outline and an approach… THANK YOU for always being such an awesome support – comments like this really energize me! XO
oh honestly, if you had a cookbook, i’d purchase it in a second. tell your future publisher to call me, hahah
When I think of cardamom, I instantly think of a Tomato Cardamom sorbet that a local ice cream shop made for the Tomato Arts Festival in my neighborhood.
I have a question about these. In the past, using puffed rice has been rather disappointing as the treats seem stale due to their lack of crunch-and they always seem to not hold together well for some reason. Maybe it’s just me!! My husband won’t eat anything with them! Do you think brown rice crisp cereal (like Erewhorn) would work?
absolutely it would work – any rice cereal will. I love the crunch of the regular “crispie” too, but had these on hand and don’t mind them
tomato cardamom SORBET!? that sounds delicious…
Yum! I love playing around with rice crispies recipes!
me too!! I’d LOVE to see some of yours!
yum, Kris! I’ve been on a SERIOUS crispy rice cereal kick – it’s the texture I just can’t get enough. I’ve been thinking about making some chocolate PB rice crispy treats, but I’ll have to add these to my list, too!
I made some nut butter ones recently too!!
actually… you might be VERY interested in them… can you guess which nut butter I used? 
omg these look insanely good!
I love RKTreats…big time!! I have about 17 versions of them
But never with grown-up flavors like cardamom…and orange. SO CREATIVE
And beautiful photography!
thank you, Averie! I was happy with these photos (you know, after about 30!)
a classic rice crispie will always be good, and your versions always look awesome too!
Mmmm, cardamom! I just bought a small box of ground cardamom at the Asian food store.
I used to put it into my coffee to make it more good-natured, but I haven’t featured it in a recipe so far. Seems to be high time for that!
My favorite flavors of fall … Well, spontaneously, I’d say cinnamon, but I love that one all around the year as well!
It’s hard to answer this question just in terms of spices. Definitely autumn-y as well: Pumpkin / squash, turnips, plums, apples, quinces, kale (yay!), cabbage, parsnips, fennel, oranges, mandarins (a little later …), chicories, … I AM LOOKING FORWARD!!!
ooh, in coffee? BRILLIANT idea, my friend! I’ll have to try that with my next cup… and I’d love to see what else you’d use it for!
I know it is YOUR time of year, produce wise! I anticipated an excited answer from you! so glad it’s almost here!
Believe it or not, but it has to do with chocolate, and it’s vegan!
oooh! I cannot wait!
These are very pretty! I think I could stand a little numbing for the overall experience
My fave fall flavors include apples and pumpkin. It’s just about that time!!
weee – I can’t wait for (actual) pumpkins!!
Wow, I would have never thought of this flavor combination. I have a friend who is coincidentally coming over for dinner this weekend and LOVES cardamom something fierce. I’ll see if I can find some vegan marshmallows and whip these up!
oh, I hope you can, it would definitely be a fun treat to make your friend!
great combo! I love cardamom, seriously put it on everything, but not with orange, sounds great
I feel like I’m using it for a lot right now too – but for me it’s the cardamom time of year – I think I always do in the fall!
Hi Kristen! YOWZA…these look GOOD. LOVE cardamom but haven’t combined it with orange. I bet it’s a great flavour combination. Thanks so much as always for the great recipe!!!
you are SO welcome, Roz! I hope you try it – it’s a fun one!
Ooh, how interesting! Yummy, too! And you know…I’ve got a big thing of organic cardamom (whole) straight from Saudi Arabia. Mmm, I can smell the fragrant yumminess now!
Mmm – SO fragrant! I’m loving cardamom right now.
I think I live cinnamon more than cardamom. Or maybe I just prefer “cardadad” har har har….
Ok, I need to go away. I’m becoming lame.
PS. I always feel late to the party because I get your email updates at night like 10 hours after you post them. Grrrr.
cardadad. I laughed!
DANG – I know!! well, I don’t know. only because you tell me. I’ll have to figure out if I can change that. hmm…
I’ve been obsessed with cardamom in desserts since enjoying a cardamom cupcake at Native Foods this summer. This is such a clever and tasty recipe! I need to get some Dandies ASAP (I ate up my sample from Vida Vegan Con…yum!)
I love dandies – and yeah, that sample was LONG gone!
I love cardamom, I use it a lot this time of year, I suppose it’s kind of a “fall” flavor to me. cardamom cupcake – I must make some!
I’ve never had cardamom… I assume it pairs well with citrus? Very interesting, may need to check it out
oh, Liz, get yourself some cardamom! it’s the perfect time of year to use it in baking – very ‘autumn’ in flavor! and it went VERY well with the citrus zest!
Mmm, cardamom and orange are definitely my all-time favorite flavor combination (vegan orange cardamom sticky buns are the BEST), and I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who can’t help using massive amounts of cardamom. It’s such an underrated spice. I’ve also had a hankering to make some rice crispies, so I can’t wait to try your recipe!
what!? there are vegan orange cardamom sticky buns somewhere!? I must have them. for me this was a random pairing that happily came together!
and yes, this time of year I am all over the cardamom – it’s such an autumnal flavor! thank you for stopping by, Hanna Louise!
back in the olden days, before I was vegan, one of my favorite restaurants made orange cardamom buns, so recently I’ve been making my own vegan sticky buns with cardamom and orange filling (instead of cinnamon and raisin or something). I’ll send you the link to the recipe if I eventually post it on my blog. Rosewater is the other classic flavor combo with cardamom, although you probably already knew that, which I use in baklava.
oooh, rosewater! I love it – I make an Arabic tea that uses rosewater – delicious flavor! I would love the sticky bun recipe if you post it – they sound amazing!
I love the orange and spicy combo! I’m going to have to try something like this. Great idea. Adds a level of sophistication to a classic treat.
thanks, Lauren!! I hope you try it – they are so good… I’m making more this weekend for a party!
I love orange zest in anything, does it really go with cardamom. sounds interesting, anyway! nice pics
inventive creation here. I imagine those flavors go well together, nice pictures!
OMG what an inventive treat! and I love your pumpkin version too!
so incredible! I made these for a party last night (the pumpkin versions!!) and they were a huge hit. I have never made such a grown up version of a crispie, I love the orange zest. very creative, thanks!
these sound awesome!!
WOW. all I can say is WOW!! like everyone else here, I made these too and love them!! thank you for the creative recipe!
so happy you like them! thank you, Christina!
I was expecting to not really like these, my kids to think they were gross, my hubby to turn up his nose… we all loved them! there WAS a weird numbing??? but the flavors were awesome.
so creative, these sound delicious!
sounds incredible – great job!
my wife made these today, we love them. very unique!
creative flavorings here, I like your sight
thank you, Pash. this is one of my favorites.
brilliant flavors
these are fantastic – a grown up treat for sure.
lovely, just discovred you from tastespoting, beautiful site
intriguing flavors here, love the creativity!
thank you, Ute! this one is always popular when I make it!
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