Brown Butter Sea Salt Rice Krispies
These Brown Butter Sea Salt Rice Krispies bring a little extra decadence to the treats you grew up on. Rich, nutty brown butter and gooey marshmallow get finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, and that salty-sweet bite is hard to beat. They’re simple, made in one pot, and will be gone from the pan before you know it.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Brown Butter Sea Salt Rice Krispies
- Serves: 12 treats
- Main Ingredients: (½ cup) unsalted butter, 10-ounce bags mini marshmallows, vanilla extract, fine sea salt, Rice Krispies cereal, Flaky sea salt
- Why You'll Love It: Nutty brown butter and gooey marshmallow come together in these irresistible Rice Krispie treats, finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for the ultimate salty-sweet bite.
A Classic Rice Krispie Treat, Made Extra Special
Rice Krispie treats are one of those things everybody loves. The adults get a hit of nostalgia, and the kids can’t get enough. As much as I love how good they taste, my favorite thing about them is how easy they are to customize. I’ve made Lucky Charms Rice Krispie Treats for St. Patrick’s Day and Red, White, and Blue Rice Krispie Treats for the Fourth of July, and this time I wanted to dress them up a little. That is… if a Rice Krispie treat can even be fancy!
It’s amazing how much flavor brown butter adds to whatever you’re baking. My Warm Brown Butter Pear Muffins are a great example, so I knew that stirring it into Krispie treats would be something special. Toasty and nutty with a hint of caramel, it makes every chewy, gooey bite so good you’ll be reaching for another!
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Bags of mini marshmallows
- Vanilla extract
- Fine sea salt
- Rice Krispies cereal
- Flaky sea salt (for the topping)
A Few Tips Before You Start
- Watch the butter closely as it browns. It can go from perfectly golden to burnt really quickly, so don’t walk away from the stove!
- Use a pot that’s bigger than you think you need. When you add the marshmallows and cereal, things get bulky fast, and you’ll want plenty of room to stir.
- I like to let the browned butter cool for just a minute before adding the marshmallows. It helps keep them from melting too fast and losing that fluffy texture.
- When pressing the mixture into the pan, I use a sheet of parchment paper on top to press everything down without it sticking to my hands.
- If your treats are sticking to the parchment when you go to cut them, pop them in the fridge for 10 minutes. They’ll firm up just enough to slice cleanly.
How to Make Brown Butter Sea Salt Rice Krispies
1. Prepare Your Baking Dish
Grab a 9×13-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper, or just give it a light coating of butter — either works great!
2. Melt the Butter
Next, melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Keep cooking and stirring frequently for about 4 to 6 minutes until the butter foams and turns a beautiful golden brown.
3. Melt the Marshmallows
Reduce the heat to low and toss in all but about 2 cups of the mini marshmallows. Stir until they’re completely melted and smooth.
Then take the pot off the heat and stir in the vanilla and fine sea salt.
4. Fold in the Rice Krispies & Marshmallows
Fold in the Rice Krispies until they’re evenly coated, then gently fold in the rest of the marshmallows you set aside.
5. Press Mixture Into the Pan
Now transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and gently press it into an even layer. Try not to pack it down too firmly, or it’ll lose that light, airy texture.
6. Add Sea Salt, Let Cool, & Serve
Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the top and let everything cool for about 30 minutes. Then lift it out of the pan and cut into squares. Easy as that!
How to Store
Store your Rice Krispies treats in an airtight container at room temperature, and they’ll keep well for up to 3 days.
Brown Butter Sea Salt Rice Krispies FAQs
Work quickly! If the mixture starts to stiffen before you get it into the pan, just pop it back on low heat for a minute or two. It’ll loosen right back up.
Totally. Just roughly chop them up first so they melt more evenly. The minis are just easier to work with since they melt faster.
You can definitely experiment with other puffed rice cereals. Just know that the texture and flavor might vary a little. I’ve tried a few generic brands and they work, but name-brand Rice Krispies give you that classic crispy bite.
Watch for the color and smell. Once you see golden brown bits forming at the bottom of the pot and it smells nutty and almost toasty, you’re there. Pull it off the heat right away though since it can go from browned to burnt pretty fast.
Did these disappear from the pan as fast as they did in my house? Tell me all about it in the comments and don’t forget to leave a star rating!
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons (½ cup) unsalted butter
- 2 10-ounce bags mini marshmallows divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- Flaky sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease with butter.
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the butter foams and turns golden brown, about 4-6 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add all but about 2 cups of the mini marshmallows and stir until completely melted and smooth.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and fine sea salt.
- Fold in the Rice Krispies until evenly coated, then gently fold in the reserved marshmallows.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Gently press into an even layer without packing the cereal down too firmly.
- Sprinkle the top with flaky sea salt. Let cool for about 30 minutes before lifting from the pan and cutting into squares.