Browned butter rice krispie treats

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·★★★★★5 from 9 reviews

An elevated twist on your favorite childhood snack, these 3-ingredient browned butter rice krispie treats are soft, slightly nutty in flavor, and loaded with ooey-gooey pockets of marshmallows.

Three browned butter rice krispie treats stacked on top of each other on a small, round wood cutting board. A bottle of milk, other rice krispie treats and a white pot are in the background.

I don't mean this lightly when I say these are the best rice krispie treats you'll ever have.

Soft and chewy with gooey marshmallow pockets as far as the eye can see, this treat takes everything you love about rice krispies and kicks it up a notch with the buttery, slightly nutty goodness of browned butter.

Jump to:

Ingredients
How to make browned butter rice krispies
Expert tips
Scaling
Frequently asked questions
Storage
More browned butter recipes
Recipe

Ingredients

Below are a few helpful tips on the ingredients. Measurements can be found in the recipe card.

Unsalted butter: A high-quality butter with a high percentage of fat (like European butter) will result in a richer, deeper flavor.
Marshmallows: Mini marshmallows work best because they melt faster and more evenly.
Rice Krispie cereal: Any crispy rice cereal will work well for this recipe. Honestly, any cereal makes for delicious dessert bars (as evidenced by these cinnamon toast crunch bars).

How to make browned butter rice krispies

Step one: Overhead view of browned butter.

First, brown the butter.

Place the butter in a large pot (something with plenty of room for stirring) and cook over low-medium heat until golden.

Step two: Overhead view of melted butter and marshmallow in a silver pot.

Second, add the marshmallows.

Add all but a ½ cup of marshmallows (we'll add these later to create those pockets of marshmallow goodness), stirring until melted.

Step three: Overhead view of browned butter rice krispie treats pressed into an 8x8 pan.

Finally, combine the remaining ingredients.

Add the remaining marshmallows and cereal, stir to coat and press into dish.

Step four: Overhead view of sliced rice krispies on a silver cooling rack.

Use the back of a small measuring cup to press into place.

Allow to set until firm.

Close up of rice krispie treat being pulled in two with thick strings of marshmallow stretching between the halves.

Expert tips

I made this delicious recipe four times to get it juuuuuust right. Luckily, you don't have to! Here are all the tips and tricks I learned so you can get it right the first time:

Start with room temperature butter: This reduces the chance of splatter and helps it melt evenly.
Bringing cold butter to room temperature: One of the easiest methods is to cut it into ½" cubes and leave it on the counter for 10-15 minutes. You can also try one of these methods.
Cook over low-medium heat: While it may be tempting to crank your stove up to melt those marshmallows (or butter) faster, this can lead to hard treats (and burnt browned butter). Be sure to keep your stove at low-medium and remove immediately once melted.
Packing them into your dish: Butter the back of a small measuring cup and use it to press the rice krispies into place.
Grease your dish with butter: Cooking sprays leave a greasy residue on the rice krispie treats.

Scaling

This recipe makes nine ultra-thick rice krispie treats. If you want a thinner bar (similar to my Frankenstein rice krispie) or just need more, here's how to scale the recipe:

Thinner rice krispies: You can make this recipe in a 9"x13" dish or halve the measurements and make it in an 8"x8".
Rice Krispies for a crowd: Want ultra-thick bars for a crowd? Double the recipe and make it in a 9"x13" dish.

Browned butter rice krispie treats on a silver cooling rack with a knife, bottle of milk and white enameled pot in the background.

Frequently asked questions

What makes rice krispie treats too hard?

Melting the marshmallows too quickly or cooking them for too long can result in hard, dry rice krispie treats. To avoid this, cook the marshmallows over low-medium heat and remove them from the heat once they're melted.

How long do you wait to cut rice krispie treats?

To get neatly cut squares, you'll want to wait until your treats have set completely (about 1 hour). If you can't wait, use a sharp knife to cut them in the pan - This will help them retain their shape.

How do you keep rice krispie treats from sticking to your hands?

As the mixture cools, it will become less sticky making it easier to pack and handle. For pressing it into the dish, I recommend using a small measuring cup (like a ¼ or ⅓ cup) and greasing it with a little butter.

Storage

Rice krispie treats can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature and are best when eaten within three days.

More browned butter recipes

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below! I regularly update these posts and feedback from wonderful readers like you help me improve them.

Recipe