Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats with Sea Salt

This post was originally published February 2016 and updated as of February 2022.

These Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats with Sea Salt take what is already happiness in a square and makes it nutty, salty-sweet, rich, unadulterated bliss in a square.

If you know me, I mean really know me, then you know that rice krispie treats are my truest love. There is no sweet treat I would rather have on my plate. I would choose them easily over brownies or pie or even the gooiest cookie.

I love the texture, I love the crunch, I love to make them in a small pan so they are super tall and dense like little bricks of marshmallow coated love.

Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats with Sea Salt

I have always considered these dream squares to be perfection. That is, until this version of the recipe came along and blew apart what I thought I knew about rice krispie treats.

This recipe takes what is already happiness in a square and makes it nutty, salty-sweet, rich, unadulterated bliss in a square. Somehow browning the butter and adding sea-salt changes everything and I can NEVER go back.

Truly, this is THE rice krispie treat recipe and that’s coming from me, the founder/president of the Rice Krispie Treat-a-holics.

How do you brown butter for Rice Krispie Treats?

Browned butter is an easy and quick process that results in a nutty, caramel flavor that is perfect for elevating your rice krispie treats.

All you have to do is melt your butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty.

Be sure not to take your eyes off the pot because the butter can go from browned to burned in less than a minute!

How to make Rice Krispie Treats that stay soft and chewy

As soon as the butter takes on a light brown color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it’s not, turn the heat back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.

It can be tempting to crank up the heat so you can get those treats in your belly sooner, but resist the urge! Cooking the butter and marshmallows with the heat too high will give you hard and crunchy treats.

Can you handle it? So. Good. I can’t wait for you to make this rice krispie treats recipe and change your life. Upon doing this you’ll likely feel the urge to send me cards and gifts. Please understand that I cannot accept them. I just ask that you share the recipe with those you love and spread the joy (unless you were planning on sending me money. In that case feel free to make the check out to Liz).

Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats with Sea Salt

Ingredients

• 4 ounces (1/4 pound or 1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan
• 1 10-ounce bag marshmallows
• Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt (feel free to add more to taste)
• 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (about half a 12-ounce box)

Instructions

1. Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 8-inch square cake pan with 2-inch sides.
2. In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Don’t take your eyes off the pot as while you may be impatient for it to start browning, the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute.
3. As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.
4. Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. Quickly spread into prepared pan. I liked to use a piece of waxed or parchment paper that I’ve sprayed with oil to press it firmly and evenly into the edges and corners, though a silicon spatula works almost as well.
5. Let cool, cut into squares. Eat. Let your mind be blown.

https://prettylifegirls.com/2016/02/plg-cooks-brown-butter-rice-krispie/

What’s your favorite way to eat a Rice Krispie Treat? Are you a purist? Do you like peanut butter to be involved? I need your secrets NOW.

Happiest baking!
ox. Liz

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