• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Toasty Kitchen

  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • FAQ

subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • FAQ

×
Home » Recipes » Brownies & Bars

Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats

Modified: May 24, 2024 · Published: Sep 21, 2017 by Heather · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 868 words. · About 5 minutes to read this article.

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
Brown butter spiced rice krispies treats recipe.
Brown butter spiced rice krispies treats recipe.
Brown butter spiced rice krispies treats recipe.

Brown butter rice krispies treats are an easy no-bake recipe for fall. It's your favorite childhood treat with the addition of brown butter and warm fall spices.

A stack of rice krispies treats with marshmallows and cinnamon sticks.

These brown butter rice krispies treats include some of the best fall flavors - a caramelized brown butter and warm spices like cinnamon and ginger.

Rice krispies treats are an easy, no-bake dessert that even the kids can help make! Melted marshmallows, brown butter, rice krispies cereal, and fall spices come together in less than 30 minutes - the perfect last-minute treat for holidays, school functions, or potlucks.

With the addition of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, as well as homemade brown butter, these treats are perfectly flavored for fall. They're great for Halloween and Thanksgiving, too.

Ingredients and substitutions

Ingredients to make fall rice krispies treats.
  • Cereal - Rice krispies cereal (or similar generic brand) is needed for this recipe. Rice krispies can be substituted with chex cereal (I suggest rice chex or corn chex) for a similar result.
  • Marshmallows - I prefer mini marshmallows in rice krispies treats because they melt easily, but large marshmallows can also be used. 
  • Butter - Unsalted or salted butter works in this recipe. If using salted butter, omit the salt listed in the recipe.
  • Spices - Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg add warm, fall flavor to the treats. They could be substituted with your favorite seasonal spice blend, like chai spice or pumpkin spice. 

Tips and tricks

Melting butter in a saucepan to make browned butter.

Never browned butter before? Browning butter is as simple as melting butter in a saucepan over medium heat and allowing it to brown in the pan. You'll notice brown flakes forming on the bottom of the pan after about 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir frequently - Stir the butter frequently as it begins to brown. This helps scrape up browned bits on the bottom to prevent burning.

Cook until golden brown, not black - Once the butter looks golden brown with a good amount of brown flecks, remove the butter from the heat. It shouldn't look dark or black.

Melting marshmallows and stirring in rice krispies cereal.

Pan size - You'll need a 9x13 rectangular baking pan for this recipe. They could also be prepared in a 9x9 square pan to make extra thick rice krispies treats.

Mise en place - The term mise en place is a French culinary term that refers to the gathering of ingredients and setup required before cooking. Measure your ingredients and have your 9x13 pan lined before you begin.

Work quickly - The marshmallow mixture cools off and thickens quickly, so it's important to work fast. Mix your ingredients and press them into the pan quickly before the mixture cools and becomes difficult to stir.

Storage

Rice krispies treats are best enjoyed within 1 to 2 days of preparing and dry out quickly after that. Store prepared treats in a tightly sealed container at room temperature.

They also freeze well, up to six weeks or more when stored in optimal conditions. I suggest tightly wrapping your treats in foil, then storing in a tightly sealed freezer-safe container or bag.

Frequently asked questions

A stack of three rice krispies treats.
Can I substitute the marshmallows in this recipe?

Marshmallows can be substituted with a jar of marshmallow fluff. The butter and marshmallows could also be substituted with ¾ cup of peanut butter and ¾ cup of honey heated over medium heat until melted and smooth, similar to the base of scotcheroos. Peanut butter works best with neutral cereals like Frosted Flakes and Rice Krispies, or chocolate cereals like Reese's Puffs and Cocoa Krispies.

Do I need to brown the butter?

The brown butter adds a lovely caramelized flavor to the bars that I don't recommend skipping. However, the recipe will work without browning the butter. Simply melting the butter in the pan and adding the remaining ingredients to make a classic rice krispies treat with added spices.

Recommended

  • A stack of rice krispies treats on a white plate.
    Strawberry Rice Krispies Treats
  • Chocolate rice krispies treats decorated with chocolate spider webs.
    Halloween Rice Krispies Treats
  • A collage of different flavors of rice krispies treats.
    40 Easy Rice Krispies Treats Variations
  • A white plate filled with scotcheroos bars.
    Scotcheroos

📖 Recipe

A stack of rice krispies treats with marshmallows and cinnamon sticks.
Print Recipe
4.79 from 14 reviews

Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats

Brown butter rice krispies treats are an easy no-bake recipe for fall. It's your favorite childhood treat with the addition of brown butter and warm fall spices.
Prep Time5 minutes minutes
Cook Time10 minutes minutes
Total Time15 minutes minutes
Servings: 24 squares
Calories: 81kcal
Author: Heather

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter
  • 10 ounces (284 g) mini marshmallows
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 6 cups (168 g) Rice Krispies cereal
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • Line 9x13 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and stir frequently. Butter will begin to foam and boil. After about 4 to 5 minutes you will see brown flecks appear in the bottom of the pan. Continue to stir until butter is golden and flecks are a medium brown color. Watch closely, butter will brown quickly. Process will take about 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Remove butter from heat and add marshmallows, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Stir until marshmallows are almost completely melted. Add Rice Krispies cereal and gently stir until evenly coated.
  • Using a spatula, press cereal mixture firmly into 9x13 pan. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Equipment Recommendations

  • 9x13 Nonstick Pan
  • SS 3-Quart Saucepan
  • OXO Metal Balloon Whisk
  • Silicone Spatulas

Notes

  • Recipe can be made without browning the butter if desired. Simply melt your butter, then remove from heat and continue as directed above.
  • Rice krispies treats will keep for about two days in a tightly sealed container at room temperature. Leftovers can be frozen for up to three months. 

Nutrition Estimate

Serving: 12" square | Calories: 81kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 47mg | Potassium: 9mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 524IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

More Brownies & Bars Recipes

  • A stack of Valentine's day rice krispies treats.
    Valentine's Day Rice Krispies Treats
  • A stack of birthday cake rice krispies treats.
    Birthday Cake Rice Krispies Treats
  • A stack of birthday cookie bars.
    Birthday Cookie Bars
  • A stack of peppermint bark rice krispies treats.
    Peppermint Bark Rice Krispies Treats

Share this post:

Reader Interactions

Comments

No Comments

4.79 from 14 votes (14 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Heather of The Toasty Kitchen

Hi, I'm Heather!

I love cooking with simple, everyday ingredients and want to help you make homemade meals with ease.

Read more

Reader favorites

  • A metal fork in a bowl of cheesy rice.
    Cheesy Rice

  • Whipped buttercream frosting recipe.
    Whipped Buttercream Frosting

  • Beef roast in a large slow cooker.
    Slow Cooker Beef Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

  • Pouring gravy over a bowl of mashed potatoes.
    How To Make Gravy Without Drippings

Parties & Potlucks

  • Two glasses of punch.
    Spring Party Punch

  • A mint chocolate chip mini cheesecake unwrapped on a cutting board.
    Mint Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes

  • Confetti cupcake with a bite missing.
    Confetti Cupcakes

  • The gooey inside of garlic baked brie.
    Garlic Baked Brie

Footer

featured on:

decorative image of website logos.

Explore

  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Subscribe

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Image Copyright
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 The Toasty Kitchen®

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My family loved this!
Thank you for sharing this recipe

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.