Ooey, gooey crisp rice treats may have a reputation for being square, but with a little creativity and some yummy trimmings, these longtime lunch-box favorites can become the life of the party. Instead of using eggs, milk, and flour to bake a cake, why not stir up some marshmallows, butter, and crunchy cereal to make desserts with a light, chewy sweetness?

The results can be cut, rolled, and molded into all sorts of clever confections fit for any birthday bash (our recipe, below, is the perfect consistency for all these techniques). Add shaped cereals, chocolate chips, licorice whips, and gumdrops to create ladybugs and caterpillars, boats, cars, flowers -- even a traditional cake. These goodies may look too good to eat, but once kids get their hands on them, not a trace will remain -- except on sticky fingers.

Basic Crispy Treat Recipe
No-Bake Birthday Cake
Delectable Daisies
Sugary Ships
Crunchy Critters
Stop and Goo Cars