Frankenstein Rice Krispie Treat Pops

Prepare the pan

1. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter, then line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the two long sides. Measure the cereal into a large mixing bowl and set aside 1 cup of the mini marshmallows. Having everything ready before you begin helps the next steps go smoothly, as the mixture starts to set once it cools.

Melt the marshmallows

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add all the mini marshmallows except the reserved cup and stir constantly with a spatula until they are completely melted, smooth and glossy, about 5 to 6 minutes. Keep the heat low throughout. Gentle heat keeps the finished pops soft and tender, while high heat can make them hard.

Add the color and flavor

1. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the salt, vanilla and green gel food coloring until the color is even with no streaks remaining. The mixture should look bright green and glossy. If you would like a deeper shade, add a little more coloring now, before the cereal goes in.

Fold in the cereal

1. Pour the green mixture over the cereal and add the reserved cup of marshmallows. Fold gently with a greased spatula until every piece of cereal is coated, about 1 to 2 minutes. The mixture will be thick and sticky, and the reserved marshmallows will only partly melt. This is normal and creates soft, gooey pockets.

Press and set

1. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish. Using a greased spatula or a lightly greased piece of parchment, press it into an even layer, reaching into the corners. Press just firmly enough to hold it together, as packing it tightly will make it dense. Leave it at room temperature for about 40 minutes, until firm to the touch.

Cut the pops

1. Lift the slab out of the dish using the parchment overhang. Cut it in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 6 strips to make 12 bars, about 2 x 4 1/2 inches each. Use a large knife lightly greased with butter, wiping it between cuts if it begins to stick. Line a tray with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate

1. Place the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small, deep microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each one, until the chocolate is smooth and glossy, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes in total. If a few small lumps remain, keep stirring rather than heating again, as the warmth of the bowl will melt them gently.

Attach the sticks

1. Dip the tip of a lollipop stick about 1/2 inch into the melted chocolate. Push it straight into the center of the bottom edge of a bar, about 1 1/2 inches deep, keeping it level so it does not break through the front or back. Repeat with the remaining bars and lay them flat on the lined tray. Chill for about 10 minutes, until the chocolate has set and the sticks feel secure.

Prepare the neck bolts

1. While the pops chill, dip one end of each pretzel half into the chocolate and lay them on a separate piece of parchment. Chill them alongside the pops for about 10 minutes, until the chocolate tips are firm. If the chocolate in the bowl begins to thicken, warm it again for 10 to 15 seconds and stir until smooth.

Dip the hair

1. Hold each pop by its stick and dip the top 3/4 inch into the melted chocolate. Let the excess drip back into the bowl for a few seconds. For a textured hairstyle, press chocolate jimmies onto the wet chocolate straight away. Lay the pops flat on the tray, or stand them upright in a mug filled with dried rice, and chill for about 10 minutes, until the chocolate is firm.

Decorate the faces

1. Pipe 2 small dots of icing just below the hairline and press a candy eye onto each dot. Pipe a line for the mouth, then add short crossing lines to create stitches, and a small brow above each eye if you like. Gently push a pretzel bolt, plain end first, into each side of the pop near the bottom. Leave the pops at room temperature for about 15 minutes, until the icing has set.