Brown Butter Bourbon Rice Krispie Treats
Thick and chewy and flavored with browned butter plus hints of bourbon, vanilla, and sea salt, these brown butter Rice Krispie treats take this classic childhood dessert to the next level!
Servings: 20
Calories: 211kcal
Equipment
- Large pot (like a Dutch oven)
- 9x13 pan
Ingredients
- 20 ounces mini marshmallows, divided
- 14 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons bourbon (or vanilla extract)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 9 cups Rice Krispies cereal
Instructions
- Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper and lightly spray the parchment with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Set aside two cups of the marshmallows to save for folding into the treats.
- In a Dutch oven or large pot, brown the butter by cooking the butter over medium-low heat past the point of melting, until the water evaporates and the milk solids become a toasty brown color.
- Immediately remove the pot from the heat and add the marshmallows. Stir until the marshmallows are completely melted and smooth. You may need to return the pot to medium-low heat to fully melt the marshmallows.
- With the pot off the heat, add bourbon, vanilla, and salt and stir until blended.
- Add the cereal to the pot and stir until it's completely coated in the marshmallow mixture.
- Add the reserved marshmallows to the pot and fold them into the cereal mixture.
- Scoop the mixture into the prepared pan. Gently without pressing down on the mixture, spread the cereal mixture to fill the pan and flatten the top.
- Let the treats cool and set for at least 30 minutes before slicing into squares and enjoying.
Video
Notes
Storage: Store treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If possible, store the treats uncut, only cutting them into squares when you're ready to eat them.
When adding the mixture to the pan, add scoops of mixture all around the pan instead of dumping all of it in one spot. This will make it easier to spread the mixture evenly around the pan without squishing it.
Save the wrapper from the stick of butter! The buttery piece of parchment is the perfect tool for gently pressing the treats into the pan, since it's already non-stick!
This is the most important tip of all if you want to make Rice Krispie treats that are chewy instead of dense: DO NOT pack the mixture into the pan! Flatten the mixture gently but do not push down on the mixture to keep it light and chewy. Packing the mixture into the pan will create firm, dense treats.
Setting aside marshmallows to fold into the mixture is optional. You can instead melt all of the marshmallows into the butter. But folding in some unmelted marshmallows makes for extra pretty treats!
Nutrition
Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 1083IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 4mg
