My son is in this year’s play at our local high school, and when he asked if he could host the cast party at our house, well, I could not say no. Even though this meant twenty-some hungry teenagers descending upon our house at 10 p.m. (hello, we are usually in bed reading by then, even on Fridays). Jacob assured me it would be eeeeaaaasy. “We don’t need real food, Mom. Just some chips and soda. Well, and guacamole and salsa. Oh, and maybe some cookies and stuff?” Um, ok. Enter my easiest go-to treat recipe: Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats.
I was once known for making these, even though it’s not my recipe (I pinched it from Smitten Kitchen). They’re the perfect easy thing to whip up for a class party, potluck, or mid-week marshmallow craving.
The brown butter and salt transform this recipe from a sugary kiddie treat to something special and crave-worthy. That delicious, nutty flavor against the sugary marshmallows and flaky sea salt? So good. And these are SO EASY. Seriously. Ten minutes, start to finish. Just brown some butter, melt in mini marshmallows, and stir in rice krispie cereal. Done.
You could fancy them up further, if you want. Add a little peanut butter or almond butter to the marshmallow mixture. Put a drop of food coloring in the marshmallows to make them green or blue or pink, and top them with sprinkles. You could use cocoa krispies! And maybe a layer of melted chocolate on top (oooh). Or try my simplest yet favorite modification (fellow saltaholics take note): an extra sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top.
I kept it simple this time, though. The teenagers still gobbled them up (and washed them down with Dr. Pepper – sorry, parents).
Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 16 to 32 treats, depending on size 1x
Description
An upgraded, slightly more grown-up version of the classic treat, rich with nutty brown butter and a crunch of flaky sea salt.
Ingredients
8 TB (1 stick) salted butter
5 1/2 cups rice krispie cereal
One 10-oz bag mini marshmallows
1/2 tsp flaky or coarse sea salt
Instructions
Butter the bottom and sides of a 9×13 inch pan. In a large bowl, combine rice krispie cereal and salt. Set aside.
In a large high-sided pan, melt the butter over medium heat and allow it to cook until the solids begin to turn brown and give off a nutty fragrance. Watch this process carefully, as once they solids begin to brown they can burn quickly.
Remove the pan from the heat and tumble in the marshmallows. Use a silicone spoon or spatula, mix the marshmallows in until they are melted and smooth (if needed, return them to low heat to help the process along).
Pour the buttery marshmallow mixture over the cereal and salt and fold to combine. Once thoroughly combined, tip the mixture into the buttered pan and use the spatula to even out the top. Allow to cool 10-15 minutes.
Turn the treats out onto a cutting board (I turn the pan over and give it a whack to help it release), and cut into squares of desired size.
Notes
… Measure the rice cereal carefully. Too much will result in dry treats.
… I once tried to use some “natural” marshmallows purchased at a health food store (gelatin-free, perhaps?. They don’t work in this recipe; rather than melting, they just fall apart and disintegrate. Don’t do it.
… I find that clean-up is much easier when I use a non-stick pan for the butter and marshmallow melting. If you do the same, just make sure yours is big enough to hold all the marshmallows.
My all-time favorite recipe of yours! I’m salivating.