These brown butter rice krispie treats are like the classic but with a small updated twist! Brown butter gives the sticky, gooey treats a delicious nuttiness that is irresistible.
These treats are one of my favorite no-bake desserts! Beyond just the classic rice krispie treats recipe, we also love peanut butter rice krispie treats and scotcheroos.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Crowd-favorite: Gooey, sweet, buttery, and crispy! These are a favorite for parties, lunchboxes and both kids and adults love them.
- Flavorful. They’re chewy and marshmallowy just like the traditional treat but the addition of brown butter with its signature nutty flavor takes these to new heights.
Variations
- Add color! Add food coloring or sprinkles for a festive holiday idea, as I did with these red, white, and blue rice krispies.
- Extra crunch. For added crunchy textures and fun flavor, mix in M&Ms, butterscotch chips, white chocolate, or chocolate chips.
- Salty and sweet. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top for an extra bit of saltiness.
- Vanilla extract. Adding a bit of vanilla to the brown butter will give your rice krispies even more of a caramel flavor.
- Gluten-free: For gluten-free, vegan, or dairy-free versions, you’ll want to make sure to check your packages for certifications.
How to Make Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted, continue cooking for 2 more minutes, until golden brown. Remove the pan immediately from the heat and rest for a minute.
Add 7-8 cups marshmallows to the pan and stir until they melt. Once they are almost melted, pour mixture over a bowl of Rice Krispies and marshmallows that have been set aside. Mix until completely coated.
Add mixture to baking dish and press down with a spoon coated in butter or wax paper to compact and level out surface. Allow to cool and then slice into squares.
Storing & Freezing
- To store: Keep leftover squares in an airtight container at room temperature. If left out uncovered they will become hard and lose their chewy consistency.
- To freeze: Wrap each piece individually and store them in an airtight freezer-friendly bag for up to 3 months. This way you can just take out as many as you need later on.
More dessert recipes we love with brown butter include brown butter chocolate chip cookies or brown butter blondies.
More Easy No Bake Desserts
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Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter
- 16 ounce mini marshmallows
- 6 cups rice krispies cereal (about 1/2 a box)
Instructions
- Line a 9×9″ baking dish with foil and butter. Place the cereal and 2-3 cups of the marshmallows in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted, continue cooking the butter for about 2 more minutes, until it has turned golden brown. To prevent it from sticking to your pan, make sure to swirl it around using the pan handle. The butter will turn a golden amber color and will put off a nutty aroma. That's when you’ll know it’s done. Remove the pan immediately from the heat (so that it doesn't burn) and let sit just a minute.
- Add 7-8 cups marshmallows to the pan and stir until they melt. Once they are almost melted, pour over the rice krispies in the bowl. Mix until completely coated with the marshmallow mixture.
- Add mixture to baking dish and press down with a spoon coated in butter or wax paper to compact and level out surface.
- Allow to cool and then slice into 16 squares (or 9 large squares). I find using a plastic knife to cut them works best. Store in a covered container.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: 5 Ingredients Or Less, American, Bars, Desserts, Freezer-Friendly, Kid-Friendly, No-Bake, Nut-Free, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Holy Moly these are SO good! The browned butter takes this to a new level of delicous!
OK….this was actually SO GOOD. Who knew rice krispie treats could be THIS good??
The brown butter really enhanced the flavors of this treat and my kids were all over these sweet treats.
These Rice Krispie treats look and sound so yummy! My kids are going to love this for dessert. Excited to make these!
The brown butter adds so much additional flavor that you wouldn’t get otherwise. We love these!
These are incredible! My family devoured them in all in less than 1 day.
I’m so happy to hear that!