Rice Krispie treats are nostalgic and one of the treats that I never tire of. These Brown Butter M&M Rice Krispies will knock your socks off thanks to the addition of browned butter, the perfect amount of salt, and the right ratio of M&M’s. Rice Krispies are one of the easiest treats to make, so don't be intimidated by the one extra step of browning the butter. I promise it is easy to nail and worth it!
What ingredients do you need?
Rice Krispies
The star of the show! Use fresh Rice Krispies to ensure the crispiest texture. I have used both regular and brown rice Krispies– both work great.
Unsalted Butter
My absolute favorite butter is grass-fed Kerry Gold Butter. You can purchase it for a more reasonable price at Costco. Be aware that if you have salted butter on hand, you may want to lessen the amount of salt you add to the mixture.
Marshmallows
Mini marshmallows provide the most consistent results for this recipe. Make sure your marshmallows are fresh! I learned the hard way that stale marshmallows = stale Rice Krispies.
M&M's
You can use the traditional M&M’s, or you can use the Unreal brand if you are looking for a brand with natural food dyes.
Salt
Are you still a skeptic that salt belongs in sweet recipes? Try making chocolate chip cookies without salt, and you’ll realize how salt brings out the flavor and depth in a recipe. If you’ve never considered using salt in a Rice Krispie recipe, now is your chance. If you are sensitive to salt, you can always adjust the amount and add less. You can also skip sprinkling a little extra salt on top.
What equipment do you need?
As I mentioned, Rice Krispies are simple to make and clean up. All you’ll need is a large pot, measuring cups, a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, a 9x13 pan, and parchment paper to prevent sticking.
How is it done?
To begin, remove 1 ½ cups from the 20 ounces of marshmallow and set it to the side in a separate bowl.
Add parchment paper to a 9x13 pan or spray the pan well with nonstick cooking spray or butter to prevent sticking.
The next step in creating the Rice Krispies is to brown the butter.
Begin by cutting the butter into small cubes and placing them in a large pot over medium heat. Stir the butter constantly as it melts. As the butter melts, it will begin to foam. Keep stirring the butter and watch for it to turn a golden brown color. This should take about 3-5 minutes. Once the butter turns a golden brown color and gives off a nutty aroma, remove it from the heat. Remove the butter from the stove immediately to stop the cooking process. Be careful not to burn the butter by leaving it on the heat for too long or stopping the stirring process. It is essential to stir the butter constantly while it is browning to ensure that it cooks evenly and does not burn. The process of browning butter can happen quickly, so it is important to keep a close eye on it.
Immediately after the butter is browned and you have removed the pot from the stove, add your marshmallows (except the 1 ½ cups you reserved). Stir the marshmallows quickly until they are completely melted, and you are left with a shiny, smooth mixture. The pot should still be hot enough to melt the marshmallows. If you are having trouble melting the marshmallows fully, you can add it back to the stove over low heat until fully melted.
Add the salt to the mixture and mix well. Add your 8 cups of Rice Krispies to the pot and mix until well combined. Then add the reserved marshmallows and M&M’s and mix well.
Add the Rice Krispie mixture to your 9x13 pan and press the mixture evenly into the pan.
Let the pan cool for at least 20 minutes, preferably longer, before cutting and serving.
Is it gluten-free?
This recipe is gluten-free as long as you ensure that each ingredient used is certified gluten-free.
If you make these brown butter rice krispies, please let us know how they turn out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!
Brown Butter M&M Rice Krispies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
- 20 oz mini marshmallows (about 10 1/2 cups) (reserve 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 tsp salt plus more for sprinkling on top (we like to use Maldon Sea Salt)
- 8 cups Rice Krispies
- 1 cup M&Ms
Instructions
- To prevent sticking, line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper or grease with butter.
- Add the butter to a large pot over medium heat. Let the butter melt and begin to brown. This will be a slow process; continue to stir the butter as it browns. The butter will bubble, become foamy, and then, shortly after, turn golden brown. Stir continuously as this process occurs. Once the butter is golden brown, remove the pan from the heat.
- Immediately add the salt and all but 1 ½ cups of marshmallows. Stir continuously until the marshmallows are melted and you have a smooth mixture.
- Quickly add the Rice Krispies. Mix well until the Rice Krispies are fully incorporated into the marshmallow mixture.
- Next, add the M&M’s and the remaining 1 ½ cups of marshmallows and mix well.
- Pour the mixture into the lined or greased 9x13 pan. Use your hands to gently spread the Rice Krispie mixture until it is evenly spread throughout the pan.
- Let the Rice Krispies set and cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Alternatively, you can place the pan in the fridge to speed up the cooling time. Sprinkle lightly with flakey sea salt before serving, if desired.
The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Brown Butter M&M Rice Krispies."
The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
Emily B
These are a must try! The browned butter with m&m's is so so good!