Brown Butter Rice Krispies

  • By KJ

The beloved Rice Krispies recipe gets an easy upgrade for a nostalgic treat everyone will love!

Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats are made with a toffee-like brown butter base, for a nutty, rich flavor. Stir in extra mini marshmallows at the end for a fluffy and delightful surprise.

Sometimes the best things in life are simple and sweet.

A brown butter rice krispie being torn apart.

Brown Butter Rice Krispies

The beloved Rice Krispies recipe gets an easy upgrade for a nostalgic treat everyone will love!

Brown Butter Rice Krispies are made with a toffee-like brown butter base, for a nutty, rich flavor. Stir in extra mini marshmallows at the end for a fluffy and delightful surprise. 

Sometimes the best things in life are simple and sweet.

A brown butter rice krispie being torn apart.

Why KJ Loves

Brown Butter Rice Krispies

Brown Butter Rice Krispies

Oh. My. Goodness. These Brown Butter Rice Krispies are SO good! I usually don’t crave a rice krispie treat, but these are calling my name!!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy & quick

…like, super easy. Rice Krispie treats are already insanely simple. Browning the butter only adds a few extra minutes — but adds a lot of extra flavor. 

Classic with a twist

Brown butter gives this classic treat extra richness and depth. Plus, stirring in extra mini marshmallows at the end gives this pillowy treat extra fluff!

Sliced Brown Butter Rice Krispies.

Brown Butter Rice Krispie Ingredients

Butter

Salted or unsalted depending on your preference. I personally love salted!

Mini marshmallows (divided)

Vanilla extract

Salt

Rice Krispie cereal

Browned butter in a skillet.
INGREDIENT SPOTLIGHT INGREDIENT SPOTLIGHT INGREDIE

Brown Butter Bliss

Brown butter is the secret ingredient that will take your Rice Krispie treats to the next level. But, don’t let the brown butter burn! Making browned butter is easy — you just need to keep a close eye on it. Here’s what to do:

  1. Using a stainless steel pot or Dutch oven, heat your butter over low-medium heat.
  2. Stir occasionally and watch for the bubbling to subside. That’s when the browning magic happens!
  3. Swirl the butter around until it turns a beautiful amber-brown color and smells like toffee. Watch carefully as it can quickly burn!
  4. Finish up the steps below for delicious, brown butter Rice Krispie treats!
Browned butter and melted marshmallows swirled together in a Dutch oven.

How to Make Brown Butter Rice Krispies:

1

Grease a 9×13 pan and set aside. Save 2 cups of mini marshmallows.

Pro tip: Line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal.

2

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Watch and stir frequently until the butter turns light brown and smells nutty.

Best pot to use: You’ll get the best results with a light-colored stainless steel pot or Dutch oven. 

3

Add mini marshmallows, vanilla, and salt. Stir until melted.

4

Remove from heat and add the Rice Krispies cereal. Mix in the remaining 2 cups of mini marshmallows.

5

Transfer the brown butter Rice Krispies to the prepared pan and press gently.

6

Let sit at room temperature for an hour before cutting and serving. Enjoy!

7

Wash the dishes. How sad.

Mini marshmallows being stirred into the brown butter rice krispies.

Pro Tips & Tricks

The perfect pot

By using a light-colored stainless steel pot or Dutch oven, you’ll be able to monitor the butter browning more easily. 

No-stick trick

Want even easier removal from the 9×13 pan? Grease and line the pan with foil or parchment paper.

The perfect spoon

Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to stir and combine all the Rice Krispies together. I prefer the rubber spatula!

Gluten-free

Make this a gluten-free brown butter Rice Krispies recipe by using gluten-free Rice Krispies. 

A close-up photo of brown butter rice krispies just stirred together.

Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treat Variations

Drizzle.

Melt some chocolate, Nutella, or caramel, and drizzle over the top for an added level of indulgence.

Sprinkle.

Top the treats off with some classic sprinkles for a fun, colorful twist.

Mix.

Stir in some crushed Oreos or mini M&Ms at the end for a crunchy addition.

Brown butter rice krispies pressed into a baking pan.

Storing Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Store the Rice Krispies in an airtight container for up to a couple of days. (If they last that long.) 

Freezing Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Freeze the brown butter Rice Krispie treats in an airtight container. To keep the treats from sticking together, layer them between sheets of wax paper. 

Before serving, let the treats sit at room temperature for about an hour. 

A close-up photo of a pan of brown butter rice krispies.
Sliced brown butter rice krispies.

Other Brown Butter Treats

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Sliced brown butter rice krispies.

Brown Butter Rice Krispies


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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  • Author: KJ & Company - Kate Poskochil
  • Total Time: 20 minutes (plus 1 hour to set)
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x

Description

The beloved Rice Krispies recipe gets an easy upgrade for a nostalgic treat everyone will love!

Brown Butter Rice Krispies are made with a toffee-like brown butter base, for a nutty, rich flavor. Stir in extra mini marshmallows at the end for a fluffy and delightful surprise. 

Sometimes the best things in life are simple and sweet.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) butter
  • 20 oz mini marshmallows, divided
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 9 cups rice krispie cereal

Instructions

  1. Generously grease or butter a 9×13 pan and set aside. Reserve 2 cups of the mini marshmallows for later use. 
  2. Add the butter to a large pot over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and bubble to start to brown, watching the butter carefully and stirring occasionally so that the butter doesn’t burn. The butter should bubble up and then start to turn a light brown color and have a nutty smell. This happens quickly! 
  3. Once the butter is slightly browned and nutty, add in the mini marshmallows, vanilla and salt and stir until just melted, reducing the heat as needed so that the butter doesn’t burn.
  4. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the rice krispie cereal until just combined. Add in the remaining 2 cups of mini marshmallows and stir to gently combine, being careful to not overmix. 
  5. Transfer the rice krispies to the prepared baking dish and gently press in, being careful to not be too aggressive and over-pack which results in a harder rice krispie treat. 
  6. Allow the rice krispies to set at room temperature for about an hour before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Nutritional information for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: No-Bake

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 387
  • Sugar: 25.2g
  • Fat: 15.4g
  • Carbohydrates: 59.2g
  • Fiber: 0.1g
  • Protein: 2g
  • Cholesterol: 40mg

Keywords: Brown Butter Rice Krispies

Sliced brown butter rice krispies.

Did you make this recipe?

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If you made this recipe and love it as much as I do, I’d love to hear from you! Comment below, rate the recipe, or share a picture tagging @kjandcompany or using  #kjandcompany so that I can see your fun pictures! Thanks for following and cooking along with me.

Affiliate Links

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