When it comes to making Rice Krispy Treats, it’s always a good idea to melt the marshmallows on a medium-low setting–no higher than a 4. The higher the heat, the hotter the sugar crystals will get and will make the treats hard and crispy instead of soft and chewy. So the issue with using brown butter in this recipe is to get it brown you have to use medium-high heat (a 7-8 setting). It’s important to dump the brown butter into a new pan to make the treats or let the brown butter cool for 45 minutes to an hour before making them. Otherwise, like I said before, the treats will turn out hard and crispy.
If you love sweet and salty flavors, gather those broken pretzels and chips at the bottom of the bags that no one wants to eat and make these Sweet and Salty Rice Krispies. Just be careful not to get all the salt in the bottom of the bags because the treats might turn out too salty.
More Recipes with Brown Butter
- Chewy Brown Butter Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Brown Butter Raspberry Pie
- Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Icing
- Brown Butter Apple Dessert
- Old Fashioned Sour Cream Drop Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting
Step-by-Step Photos for How to Make Sweet and Salty Rice Krispies
Frequently Asked Questions about How to Make Sweet and Salty Rice Krispies
How do I make brown butter?
In a light-colored saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until brown specks appear in the bottom of the pan. (See the pictures above in the step-by-step photos.) Once it is browned, pour it into a glass container–or for this recipe a new pan–so it doesn’t cook further and possibly burn.
Should I strain the brown specks from the melted butter?
The brown specks are actually where most of the caramel-like flavor comes from. So you want to scrape them off the bottom of the saucepan when pouring the brown butter into the large pan you are using to make the Rice Krispy Treats.
Do I have to brown the butter?
No, but I highly recommend it. The extra step of browning the butter adds a depth of caramel-like flavor to the treats, making them extra delicious.
Can I use big marshmallows in place of the mini marshmallows?
Yes, you can use one bag of large marshmallows if you do not have two bags of mini marshmallows. As you will see in the step-by-step photos, I used large ones, and it took so long to melt down that the treats were not as chewy. So I recommend using mini marshmallows. Not only do they melt faster, but they also give the treats that yummy gooey texture.
Can I use all corn chips or all pretzels?
Yes, you can. The flavor will be different, but they will still taste good.
Chef’s Tools:
- Large Mixing Bowl
- 9×13 Glass Baking Dish
- Cooking Spray
- Wooden Spoons
- Measuring Cups
- Rice Krispies Cereal
- Marshmallows
Popular No-Bake Desserts
- 2 (10-ounce) bags of mini marshmallows
- ½ cup butter, browned
- ¼ tsp salt
- 5 cups rice crispies cereal
- 1 cup crushed corn chips
- 1 cup crushed pretzels
- Prepare a 9x13 dish with cooking spray or by lightly buttering it. Set it aside.
- Next, brown the butter by placing ½ cup butter in a small saucepan.
- While the butter is browning, measure the rice crispies, crushed corn chips, and broken pretzel pieces into a large bowl. Set aside.
- Once the butter has browned, pour the butter into a large saucepan. Add the salt and the marshmallows, making sure to reserve 1-2 cups of marshmallows to add at the end.
- Stir over medium-low heat until the marshmallows are melted.
- Pour the marshmallow mixture over the prepared bowl of rice crispies, chips, and pretzels. Stir until well combined.
- Next, add and mix in the reserved mini marshmallows.
- Lastly, pour the mixture into the prepared 9x13 pan and evenly press down with buttered hands.
- Let cool completely, cut into squares, and enjoy.
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