These Browned Butter Rice Crispy Treats are not your average rice cereal treat. They are made with brown butter for an extra rich flavor that is bakery-quality. In just about 20 minutes, you can have this addicting dessert ready to serve, and they make a great gift too!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review: “Whenever I make these, everyone raves about them. Especially my husband. The brown butter makes all the difference! You can put brown butter on anything and make it better, right?” – Kristi
I’m a total sucker for a rice krispie treat, it tends to be my go-to dessert when I need to make a bunch for a crowd in a short amount of time. Even better they are always a hit – everyone asks, “Why are these rice crispy treats SO good?“
My reply, “the secret ingredient is browned butter!” It adds a subtle nuttiness that elevates the flavor ever so slightly to make them unbelievably delicious and it only takes 5 extra minutes. If you’ve never made browned butter, don’t worry, I give you all the steps. It’s so easy, just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn!
You might also enjoy these other, feed-a-crowd, fabulous sweet treats: Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars & Bites, Espresso Brownie Bites, and my boys’ favorite, Texas Sheet Cake!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Dessert in under 30 minutes. Actually 20 minutes…it’s so quick and simple! My favorite “last-minute I need a dessert now” kinda no bake dessert recipe!
- Rich flavor in every bite. You will never make regular rice crispy treats again!
- Perfect for sharing with family and friends. Bring a tray of these to any potluck, and they will disappear in no time.
- I can resist a lot of baked goods, seriously, but homemade rice krispie treats are not one of them!
Ingredients
- Butter: The base to rice crispy treats and browned butter. I typically use salted butter, but it will spit and spurt a bit more when browning, ideally use unsalted butter. It’s best to start with room temperature butter too.
- Vanilla bean paste or ½ vanilla bean may be used: Adds that signature flavor, you may also use vanilla extract.
- Mini marshmallows: Responsible for binding the cereal together and adding that sticky, gooey sweetness. But you can use regular-sized marshmallows too.
- Kosher salt: A little pinch brings out all the flavors.
- Crispy rice cereal: The key ingredient to crunchy Rice Krispies treats! Buying brand names not necessary!
- Optional: Sprinkle with coarse sea salt or my favorite Fleur de Sel!
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
How to Make Browned Butter Rice Crispy Treats
Step 1: Make the Browned Butter
Line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper and spray with oil, or spray pan well with oil. Your pan should have at least 2-inch sides.
In a large saucepan (large enough to hold the marshmallows and cereal), melt butter over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, pour in the vanilla bean paste (or scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean, using the back edge of a knife) and place in melted butter. The butter will start to bubble, rapidly, sounding a bit like a babbling brook.
It’ll start foaming up more, with a softer, gentler almost “popping” kind of sound, shortly after it foams up you should start seeing brown bits move up, the milk solids will become a dark caramel brown. And most importantly it should have a nutty aroma and be a nutty color. The whole process will take about 5 minutes, so be patient.
It’ll start foaming up more, with a softer, gentler almost “popping” kind of sound, shortly after it foams up you should start seeing it turn brown, the milk solids will become a dark caramel brown. The whole process will take about 5 minutes, so be patient.
Step 2: Add the Marshmallows and Cereal
Add the marshmallows into the melted butter and stir until completely melted and incorporated.
Remove pan from heat and pour the rice cereal into the marshmallow mixture. Gently fold from bottom to top stirring the marshmallow into the rice cereal.
Pour into prepared pan, using an oil-sprayed piece of parchment or plastic wrap, lay on top and smooth down until even and the pan is filled. Sprinkle with flaky salt if desired. Allow to cool completely. Cut into 12 squares. To get more of your treats, cut your squares into triangles, they even look fancier!
Expert Tips for the best Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats
- When making brown butter, constantly stir or swirl the pan. You want the butter to always be moving while it cooks for even browning.
- Once the browned butter smells nutty, watch carefully! It’s moments away from being done, and it only takes a couple of more seconds to burn.
- Press the mixture into the pan to help it set, but don’t press too firmly. If the cereal is too compact, it will be tough in texture once cooled. I like using a rubber spatula or even just my hands.
- If you like a super chewy rice crispy treat, add 1-2 cups less cereal to the pot. This will make it extra gooey with every bite.
- You can easily double this recipe using a half sheet pan. Line it with parchment paper and grease lightly with oil.
Variations
- After cooling about 5 minutes, sprinkle some mini M & M’s on top and gently press into the treats.
- Or drizzle with a little melted chocolate (white or dark, milk chocolate!)
- Stir in jimmies for festive treats, if you stir in m&ms or similar they will bleed into the rice krispies under the heat.
Gluten-Free Rice Krispie Treats
While it might appear that traditional Rice Krispies are gluten-free, they are unfortunately not gluten-free, as they contain malt flavoring which is derived from barley. If you need a gluten-free version, be sure to use certified gluten-free crispy rice cereal. I like Nature’s Path Crispy Rice cereal!
Dairy-Free/Vegan Rice Crispy Treats
- First, use your favorite plant-based butter. I like Miyokos the best, but it won’t automatically brown like dairy butter, because it lacks the milk solids. After melting the butter, add 1-2 teaspoons of oat flour and cook until the mixture turns golden brown. This will mimic the brown butter nicely.
- While regular marshmallows are not typically vegan (they contain gelatin), many of them are dairy-free. So if you are going for a vegan rice krispie treat, then look for Dandies (Whole Foods carries them) or Trader Joe’s sometimes has vegan mini marshmallows.
- Also, near Passover and other Jewish holidays, you can often find kosher marshmallows in the regular grocery stores. These are commonly dairy-free, but not vegan, as they still use animal gelatin.
Storage
Store these delectable brown butter crispies in a sealed container at room temp for up to a week, best within first two days, but still quite tasty a week in, if they stay around that long.
Believe it or not, you can actually freeze browned butter rice krispie treats! Place in an airtight freezer container or freezer baggie. Add a layer of parchment paper or wax paper between treat layers. Freeze up to 6 weeks, thawing on counter before serving.
Nice to use as gifts for teachers, coaches, neighbors. I wrapped them in a strip of parchment paper and tied with some bakers twine. Place them in a cello bag, tie with twine and you have a festive treat!
Common Questions
If you overcooked the marshmallows, this can often happen. The other culprit might be stale marshmallows, so be sure to use fresh marshmallows here. Also avoid pressing the mixture too hard into the pan.
It adds a nutty and rich flavor that makes it more decadent with every bite.
Usually allow an hour for them to cool completely so they can be sliced cleanly and served. But the rice krispies police won’t get you if you dive into them early.
Nope, use your favorite puffed rice cereal!
More Browned Butter Desserts
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Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, if using salted butter, reduce salt by ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or ½ vanilla bean may be used, split lengthwise, seeds removed, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 20 ounces mini marshmallows 2 bags
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 9 cups crispy rice cereal such as Rice Krispies, use gluten-free rice cereal if making gluten-free
Optional
- Flaky sea salt sprinkled on top, perfect burst of sweet and salty
Instructions
- Line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper and spray with oil, or spray pan well with oil.
- In a large saucepan (large enough to hold the marshmallows and cereal), melt butter over low heat. Once the butter is melted, pour in the vanilla bean paste (or scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean, using the back edge of a knife) and place in melted butter.1 cup unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- The butter will start to bubble, rapidly, sounding a bit like a babbling brook. It'll start foaming up more, with a softer, gentler, almost "popping" kind of sound.
- shortly after it foams up you should start seeing it turn brown, the milk solids will become a dark caramel brown. The whole process will take about 5 minutes, so be patient and keep a close eye on it, swirling the pan occasionally.
- Add the marshmallows and salt into the melted butter and stir until completely melted and incorporated.20 ounces mini marshmallows, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Remove pan from heat and pour in rice cereal. Gently fold from bottom to top stirring the marshmallow into the rice cereal.9 cups crispy rice cereal
- Pour into prepared pan, using an oil sprayed piece of parchment or plastic wrap, lay on top and smooth down until even and the pan is filled, without putting too much pressure, you don't want it completely compacted, this is what makes for hard treats. Sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt if desired. Allow to cool completely. Cut into 12 squares.
- Treats can be stored in an airtight storage container for up to a week, best within the first couple of days.
Notes
How to Store Rice Krispies Treats to Keep Soft and Fresh
Store in a sealed container at room temp for up to a week, best within first two days, but still quite tasty a week in, if they stay around that long. Can I freeze Rice Krispie Treats? Yes! They are best if stored in an airtight container on the counter at room temp, however you may freeze them. Here are my tips:- Place in an airtight freezer container or freezer baggie.
- Add a layer of parchment paper or wax paper between treat layers. Freeze up to 6 weeks, thawing on counter.
Nutrition
Kristi
Whenever I make these, everyone raves about them. Especially my husband. The brown butter makes all the difference! You can put brown butter on anything and make it better, right? I only use 8 cups rice cereal. More goo per square inch is better, too. ????
Miz Helen
The brownd butter will make these rice crispy treats very special! Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday and come back to see us soon!
Miz Helen