Take classic rice krispie treats up a notch with this simple recipe that will knock your rice krispie loving socks off!

Nothing says school party, last minute dessert, and let’s get retro like rice krispie treats.

True foodies look aside because I’ve always adored the lovable little squares.

Two rice krispie treats stacked on white parchment.

Like most kids, they were the first thing I ever really made by myself in the kitchen. I think I was nine and I only made them that one time at home, I’m pretty sure, because I didn’t like my mom’s tortuous plan that I also needed to wash out the gnarly pan when I was finished.

I didn’t really revisit rice krispie treats until, maybe, seven or so years ago. Clearly the sticky pan scenario made a big impact on me.

Two rice krispie treats stacked on top of each other. The top treat has a bite taken out.

Since letting them back into my life, I’m happy to report, I’ve made lots of variations, including this kicked-up number, loaded Oreo batches, and most importantly, these classic browned butter vanilla ones.

In fact, that’s the only way I’ve made a regular, ol’ batch of rice krispie treats in years.

That little step of browned butter love + a splash of vanilla + a pinch of coarse, kosher salt? Well, it takes classic rice krispie treats to crazy levels of deliciousness without a crazy amount of extra work.

A rice krispie treat being pulled apart with two hands.

I’m sure people all around the world have been doing this to rice krispie treats for forever. Hence the reason I didn’t feel like I needed to share this recipe.

But in the last month, I’ve taken these treats to four separate activities (I know, I’m such an overachiever) and after the 12th request to know what the secret ingredient was (love, obvs) and if I’d share (always), I figured, hey, you might want in on it, too.

Plus, with Valentine’s Day coming up, you don’t want to be left without a go-to rice krispie treat recipe. Seriously. So here you go. Knock yourself out and make a batch this minute.

You’ll be done in less than ten and can spend the rest of the day deciding whether to share or not. Just a warning that if you are new to browned butter vanilla rice krispie treats, that decision may not be as easy as it appears.

A white plate full of cut up square rice krispie treats.

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Browned Butter Vanilla Rice Krispie Treats

Yield: 24 Squares (9X13-inch pan)
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 3 mins
Total Time: 13 mins
4.88 stars (64 ratings)
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Ingredients

  • ½ cup (113 g) salted butter
  • 16 ounces (454 g) large marshmallows
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch coarse kosher salt
  • 9 cups crisp rice cereal, i.e. Rice Krispies

Instructions 

  • Butter the bottom and sides of a 9X13-inch pan. Set aside.
  • In a large saucepan, melt the butter on low heat and let it cook until the solids start to turn golden brown and it smells caramelly and fragrant (here’s a browned butter how-to if you’d like a visual).
  • Add the marshmallows and cook on low, stirring constantly until mostly melted, a few small lumps here and there are ok. Add the vanilla and salt and stir to combine.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and add the rice krispies. Stir until evenly combined.
  • Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and using lightly greased or barely wet (with cold water) hands, lightly press the mixture into the pan (mashing them too hard and you’ll end up with very firm rice krispie treats – so use a gentle hand if you want them chewy). Let cool before slicing into squares.

Notes

Oreo Version: super gooey Oreo version here.
Serving: 1 Square, Calories: 121kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 49mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 11g

Recommended Products

9X13-inch Metal Baking Pan
Cookware
Wooden Spoon
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Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

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