These bakery-style brown butter rice krispie treats are gooey, buttery, and packed with nutty brown butter. Adding a little extra butter and marshmallows and toasting the crispy rice cereal packs tons of extra flavor!
If there’s one thing I learned working as a pastry chef, it’s that brown butter desserts are elite. It adds a nutty, caramel-like flavor that is so irresistible!
And the best part? They’re every bit as easy to make as my browned butter banana bread!
What else can you make with brown butter? I’m so glad you asked! You’ve got to try my brown sugar snickerdoodles—they’re like your favorite classic cookie but with a rich caramel twist. Or if you’re craving something decadent and gooey, my brownie cake is where it’s at!
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients for Flavor
Vanilla bean paste: A more concentrated form of vanilla extract that packs a fresh vanilla punch! You can use regular vanilla extract in substitution.
European butter: Like in my brown butter rolls, high-fat butter gives these krispie treats a super buttery flavor (what the Kellogg version misses!).
How to Make Them
1
Prepare the pan. Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper to cover all four sides. Alternatively, generously butter or spray the pan with cooking spray.
2
Toast the crispy rice cereal. Make sure you watch it closely so you don’t burn it!
3
Melt the marshmallows in the browned butter over gentle heat. It’s best to use mini marshmallows here. The large ones take forever to melt!
4
Mix in the toasted cereal. It’s best to use a rubber spatula to keep it from sticking!
5
Fold in the extra marshmallows until they are half melted. This is key to gooey pockets of marshmallow!!
6
Gently press the rice krispie mixture into a pan using butter wrappers. This will give you a soft, chewy texture that melts in your mouth! Packing it into the pan will produce a firmer texture, similar to the store-bought version.
Still dreaming of brown butter treats? Don’t stop here! My toffee chocolate chip cookies are packed with crunchy toffee bits and a buttery caramel flavor you’ll love. Or, if you’re feeling festive, my chewy pumpkin cookies bring together warm spices and that golden-brown magic for the ultimate seasonal dessert!
Your Top Questions Answered
How to cut them easily: Rub a sharp knife with butter to prevent it from sticking!
Doubling the recipe: Yes, you can double it! Make sure you have a large enough pot to hold the mixture, then press it into a 9×13 pan.
Is toasting the cereal necessary for a bakery-style flavor? YES! Toasting the rice adds more nuttiness, complementing the nutty brown butter flavor.
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Equipment
- 9×9 pan *See notes for other pan sizes*
Ingredients
- 7 cups mini marshmallows, divided
- 6 cups crispy rice cereal
- 14 tablespoons unsalted European butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, substitute vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare the baking pan. Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper to cover all four sides, or generously butter or spray with nonstick spray.
- Divide the marshmallows. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the mini marshmallows for folding in at the end.7 cups (13 oz) mini marshmallows
- Toast the crispy rice cereal. Spread the crispy rice cereal onto an unlined baking sheet and toast under the broiler, stirring every minute, until golden brown. Watch it VERY carefully so that it doesn’t burn! The top will turn golden brown quickly, then after stirring, it will only take another minute for it to brown again. Keep repeating this process until all of the cereal is browned.6 cups (6 oz) crispy rice cereal
- Make the brown butter. In a large Dutch oven or pot, cook the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, while it sizzles, foams, bubbles, and pops. Stand nearby and watch it so that it doesn't burn. Once the milk solids at the bottom of the pan are amber-brown, turn the heat off. Pro tip- save the butter wrappers to use later!!14 tablespoons (196 grams) unsalted European butter
- Melt the marshmallows. Add the 5 1/2 cups of mini marshmallows, salt, and vanilla bean paste and stir until the marshmallows are completely melted and combined with the brown butter.1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Mix in the toasted cereal. Take the pan off the heat and mix the cereal into the marshmallow mixture.
- Fold in extra marshmallows. Once combined, fold in the reserved 1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows until they are starting to melt but not completely melted. This is key to gooey pockets of marshmallows!
- Press the rice krispie mixture into a pan. Use a reserved butter wrapper to gently press the rice krispy mixture into the pan. For a firm texture similar to store-bought rice crispy treats, compact it into the pan. For a soft and gooey texture, don’t compact it!
- Let set before cutting. Let the krispie treats firm at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, then use a sharp knife to cut them into big or little squares. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & tag @cambreabakes on social!
Cambrea you beautiful genius, I’ve made these twice now. I don’t have a broiler, so I sauteed my rice krispies in a nonstick pan over medium heat, tossing to get even, controlled browning. It worked really well and didn’t take long (10mins) but had to do it in 2-cup batches. I accidentally used an 8×8 instead of a 9×9 so I did what we’re all doing these days and pressed the extra into a nonstick muffin tin, about halfway up. I got 9 hocky puck treats that looked great on a platter for the family to gobble up.
That is such a great idea to toast it on the stove! Alternately, you could toast them at 350F and just keep an eye on them. Thank you so much for coming back to leave a review I appreciate it so much! 🙂
Loved this! The brown butter makes such a difference.
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that Jazmine 🙂