Toasted Marshmallow Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats

Name: Toasted Marshmallow Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 9
Ingredients: 5 ½ cups Rice Krispies cereal; 1 (10-ounce bag) large marshmallows; ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, sliced into 8 pieces; ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; Flaked sea salt, for topping (optional)

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Toasted marshmallow brown butter Rice Krispies Treats are perfectly ooey-gooey and delicious! I toast the marshmallows under the broiler, and roast the cereal to give them a delicious, deep caramel flavor!

hand grabbing prepared Rice Krispies Treat from short stack

Roast and toasty!

That’s how I like my homemade Rice Krispies Treats. It’s almost been a decade since I started my blog, and I can’t believe I haven’t shared a recipe for these marshmallow cereal squares yet. So today, I’m bringing you the classic 4-ingredient dessert recipe. A few tricks give these very standard bars a much more elevated flavor.

First, we’ll toast the cereal – it deepens the rice flavor and gives them a nutty taste. Then, we’ll broil the marshmallows so they are toasty with just a hint of char to give them depth. And then, we’ll brown the butter so that it gets all nutty and golden. Just when you thought I was done, I like to sprinkle them with just a hint of flaked sea salt to really elevate the flavors until they dance on your tongue! And by the time you’re done, you won’t believe they’re made with the same 4 ingredients you’ve always made them with.

@littlespicejar Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats Full recipe linked in my profile and on littlespicejar.com. Toasted marshmallow brown butter Rice Krispies Treats are perfectly ooey-gooey and delicious! I toast the marshmallows under the broiler, and roast the cereal to give them a delicious, deep caramel flavor! #ricekrispy #ricekrispietreats #ricekrispies #marshmallow #desserts #dessertchallenge #recipesoftiktok #easydesserts #desserttok ♬ Theme From A Summer Place – Percy Faith

There’s no doubt that Rice Krispies Treats are delicious as is, but I like to think these simple changes really kick the flavor up to a whole new level!

bitten Rice Krispies Treats on white marble

What do you need to make brown butter Rice Krispies Treats?

Rice Krispies: For this recipe, I suggest using this specific brand. I had the best results with it. If you decide to use a store brand or a generic cereal brand, I find that the baking time may not be accurate. For this recipe, use Rice Krispies!
Marshmallows: you’ll need a 10-ounce bag of marshmallows for this recipe. You can use the large or mini variety. But keep in mind that since we’re broiling the marshmallows, the mini ones will cook much faster than the larger ones. Timings provided work best for normal-sized marshmallows. Also, this recipe has been tested with Kosher marshmallows, and besides taking slightly longer for the marshmallows to melt into the brown butter, it works great!
Butter: As with most of my recipes, I’ve used salted butter for these treats too. I find that the salted butter helps cut down on some of the sweetness from the marshmallows. However, if you usually prefer Rice Krispies Treats with the regular amount of sugar, feel free to use unsalted butter here!
Vanilla extract: Just a dash helps bring out that delicious vanilla flavor that the marshmallows already have.
Flaked sea salt: I add flaked sea salt to make the flavors pop better on your tongue. However, it is optional! Feel free to leave them out if you’re making these for a younger crowd or like sweeter desserts.

browned marshmallows on parchment-lined baking sheet

How to make the best brown butter Rice Krispies Treats:

Toast the cereal. Start by preheating the oven and lining two baking sheets with foil. You can also use parchment paper if you’d like but be sure that your parchment paper is safe at 500ºF – most are not! Then, spread the cereal out on one baking sheet and place the baking sheet in the oven. YOu’ll toast the cereal for 3-5 minutes, keeping a close eye and stirring it frequently so that it toasts but doesn’t burn. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the cereal to cool.
Broil the marshmallows. Line the marshmallows out on the second baking sheet and set the oven to the broil setting. Ensure the rack is in the center of the oven so that the marshmallows don’t brown too quickly. Then, place the baking sheet in the oven and allow the marshmallows to brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet while you brown the butter.
Brown the butter. Add the butter to a large dutch oven or stainless steel pot. Heat the butter over medium heat and allow it to melt. When melted, keep a close eye on it and allow it to brown. You want to stir it frequently to keep it from browning too quickly. This will take a good 5-7 minutes, so be patient and don’t walk away! Then, lower the heat to the lowest setting, add the marshmallows, and stir and cook until the marshmallows melt into the butter. Stir in the vanilla. Add the toasted cereal and stir to combine using a rubber spatula. Continue to stir until the cereal is evenly coated in the melted marshmallows.
Make bars. Then, working quickly, dump the cereal mixture into the prepared square dish. You want to use a glass or stainless steel measuring cup to help tightly pack the Rice Krispies into the baking dish so that the bars aren’t crumbly. Sprinkle with flaked sea salt, if desired. Then, let the bars cool for at least 1-2 hours before slicing and eating.

browned butter in cast iron pan with spatula

pressed Rice Krispies Treats in pan, ready to be portioned

FAQs about homemade Rice Krispies:

Any tips for browning the butter easily? Slice the butter before adding it to the pot to melt. Then, swirl the pan or stir using a rubber spatula so that the butter browns evenly.
How can you tell the butter is done browning? Let your nose be your guide. Once you smell the nutty aroma, you can add the marshmallows into the pot. At that point, you want to move quickly so that the butter doesn’t brown too much further.
What size baking dish works best for this? Both an 8×8 and a 9×9 square glass, ceramic, or metal baking dish will work. An 8×8 pan will produce slightly thicker bars, whereas a 9×9 pan will produce slightly thinner bars.
How do you flatten the treats into the dish without making a mess? Spray the bottom of a glass or stainless steel measuring cup with cooking spray and then use that to flatten out the cereal and marshmallow mixture. That should keep it from sticking!

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side shot showing melty marshmallow and crushed toasted cereal

Yield: 9-12 squares