Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats

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Once you try brown butter rice krispie treats, you will never want them any other way! The nutty browned butter gives these nostalgic bars an incredible depth of flavor.

rice krispie treats being cut into squares on parchment paper

Why it works

It's pretty much common knowledge that brown butter makes basically everything better. The nutty, almost caramel flavor elevates everything it touches. Rice krispie treats are no exception. In fact, this is one of my favorite ways to have my brown butter.

Unlike the store-bought variety, this treat is far more balanced and not just sweet all the way through. Instead, the brown butter adds depth and complexity and the hint of salt keeps these bars from tasting like a sugar overload.

You're going to love that

It is so much more flavorful than the store-bought version which is one note and too sweet
Even though there is an "extra" step, these are still one of the easiest things you could ever make
They're crispy and filled with pockets of gooey marshmallow

rice krispie treats scattered on parchment paper

Ingredient overview

It only takes a handful of ingredients to make these incredible treats. Let's do a quick overview of them and if there are any substitutions. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.

Butter - I highly recommend using unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt. If you don't mind risking salty treats, you can use salted butter. Margarine and other alternatives don't work as substitutions because they don't have the milk solids necessary to caramelize
Marshmallows - You can use regular or mini marshmallows here. They both work equally well, but you may get better pools of stretchy marshmallow using mini marshmallows
Cereal - Rice krispies cereal is the obvious choice of cereal, but you can experiment with replacing some of it with another favorite cereal to add more fun
Salt - I like to use sea salt or kosher salt, but you can also finish them with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt when leaving them to set
Vanilla - I recommend a splash of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste to add even more dimension to the flavor profile.

How to Make

Making rice krispie treats with brown butter is incredibly simple and has the added bonus of being a one bowl recipe because it is a simple twist on the original recipe for classic rice krispie treats.

Add your butter to a large pot or saucepan
Heat on medium-high heat to melt butter and continue to cook until it is brown and nutty. Turn the burner down to medium-low heat.
Add your bag of marshmallows, then mix until they are about 90% melted. If you find that the marshmallows are melting too quickly, turn off the stove and use the residual heat.
Stir the cereal into the marshmallow mixture. Mix until they are thoroughly coated.
Pour mixture in a prepared pan that is lined with parchment paper for easy removal. Press gently into an even layer to cool and set.

The only difference here is that it does take a little more time to make because you have to brown the butter. Luckily, it takes only a few minutes to brown your butter.

krispie treats stacked on top of each other

How to brown butter

Use a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan on medium heat and add your butter.
Cook until your melted butter begins to foam and bubble.
Stir constantly until you notice the butter starts to turn a beautiful golden brown and give off an irresistible nutty aroma. Make sure you frequently scrape the bottom of the pan to keep the milk solids from burning.
Take the saucepan off the heat immediately and transfer the butter to your bowl so it can cool and stop the caramelization process.

Tips for Perfect Rice Krispie Treats

Rice Krispie treats are more or less foolproof, but there are things you can do to make sure you get the best treats every single time.

Don't wait until all the marshmallows are fully melted before adding in your cereal. The unmelted marshmallow bits add delicious pockets of marshmallow
Don't press down too hard when you are adding your treats to a pan. Gently press them to prevent crushing the cereal too much. That way you don't end up with super dense squares and instead get fluffy bars of brown butter rice krispie treats.
Use butter wrappers to press down on your cereal. It keeps your hands clean and the grease from the butter on the wrapper keeps the cereal from sticking everywhere.
Use a bench scraper (I love this one) for the best cuts to get perfect squares. I also recommend trimming the edges (save those for yourself for being such an awesome baker).

Mix things up

Did you know you can take your treats to a whole new level by adding things like Golden Grahams and chocolate chips to make a brown butter s'mores rice krispie treat?! Cue the drool emoji.

I also like to enhance my treats sometimes by adding a drizzle of brown butter glaze. You can make one by stirring brown butter, powdered sugar, and a touch of milk or water together until is it just thin enough to drizzle from a spoon.

You can add a tablespoon or two of brown sugar in with the marshmallows to enhance the brown butter flavor.

Storage info

You should keep your brown butter rice krispies treats at room temperature wrapped in plastic wrap in an airtight container for up to 2 days. They cannot be refrigerated or frozen because it will alter the marshmallow and cereal texture and it does not thaw well.

Recipe FAQs

Are these treats gluten-free?

It depends on the brand of puffed rice cereal you use because some brands do contain gluten.

Is it okay to use marshmallow fluff?

You cannot use fluff in this recipe. It doesn't work well to give you a nice final texture. You can add a small swirl of fluff into the mix, but it should not replace your marshmallows.

Can I refrigerate or freeze the treats?

I do not recommend it. The cold will alter the texture of them and you will lose the soft, chewiness that we look for in rice krispie treats. Instead, store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

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