I’ve always liked Rice Krispies Treats, but they were never a totally-worth-the-calories snack until I made them with brown butter. And, wow, what a difference! Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats taste divine. The kids won’t notice a difference in their favorite marshmallow-y treat, yet these taste totally grown up to me, and I think they will to you too. They strike the perfect balance.
If you’re not familiar with brown butter, it’s butter that’s been cooked to bring out a rich, nutty flavor before adding it to your final dish. And in a simple, three-ingredient recipe like Rice Krispies Treats, it makes a huge difference. You can use brown butter to take nearly any baked goods — or even pasta! — up a notch.
If you have a sauce pan and 10 minutes to spare, you need to try this trick. Here’s how to brown butter and then turn it into Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats. You’re welcome.
Top: Sea Salt and Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats | This Week for Dinner
Related: 7 ways to turn plain white cake into something fantastic.
1. Pick your recipe.
You want to start with any recipe for Rice Krispies Treats that you already love since the only difference here is that we’ll be browning the butter. Up until recently, I always followed this recipe for the Best Ever Rice Krispie Treats at Two Sisters Crafting. Now that I’m experimenting with brown butter, I’ve also played with the Sea Salt and Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats at This Week for Dinner (top), which you know is good since it’s by one of our favorite past Cool Mom Eats contributors, Jane Maynard.
Pro tip: If you opt for the recipe on the back of your Rice Krispies box, just make sure to double the butter. Because with this recipe — as in life, generally — it’s all about the butter.
2. Brown the butter.
Melt the butter on low to medium heat and keep swirling as it cooks for 5-10 minutes. Don’t rush this stage: It takes a while for the butter to turn the hazelnut brown that you’re looking to achieve. You also don’t want to step away from the butter since it goes from perfect to burnt in an instant. As soon as brown flecks appear, watch closely as the color darkens.
You can also use your nose! Brown butter has a nutty scent that’s distinctly different from the straight-out-of-a-movie-theater smell of pure butter. When you detect a difference in aroma, start watching closely!
3. Remove brown butter from heat and add the marshmallows.
From here, the steps proceed just like with regular old Rice Krispies Treats. You may have to use a little more heat to get the brown butter-marshmallow mixture smooth. I did!
Related: The best zucchini bread ever. Period.
4. Mix in the cereal and press into a buttered pan.
I use a silicone spatula to combine the cereal and brown butter-marshmallow mixture in a bowl, then quickly transfer all that goodness to a buttered baking dish. Press down to evenly spread the sticky cereal across the bottom of the dish; I either continue to use my silicone spatula or, if I have some on hand, use my hands to press down on a piece of wax paper.
Let cool, and you’re done! Best Rice Krispies Treats ever!
