brown butter rice crispy treats
Guys, I am feeling very lazy lately. I know everyone is saying we need to stay active, and I would say that I have been half of the time, but all I want to do is drink coffee, watch movies, sleep, read and bake. I’m living my best life. Or something like that.
My hankering for a sugary treat of the moment is rice crispy treats. But not the kind you’re thinking of. Back in the day, I would have reached for this recipe, which IMO is one of the tastiest- but I want something simpler yet still a little zhushed up.
If you want to add a little something to a baked good, brown the butter. This will do the trick in most instances. Chocolate chip cookies, blondies, almost anything benefits from browning the butter. In the case of rice crispy treats, where butter is one of three ingredients, it really does make a difference!
No matter what you’re making, if you do use browned butter, you will need to add about a fourth extra butter of what the recipe originally calls for. This is because the browning process causes the water in butter to evaporate/cook off, reducing the overall volume of the butter by a fourth. Referencing the original recipe on the cereal box, which calls for 3 Tb melted butter, I know that 1 stick (8 Tb) sounds like a big jump, but this will cook down to about 6 Tb. I realize that’s double the original recipe, but I like to luxuriate. And this is not a time to pass judgement. #quarantine.
brown butter rice crispy treats
yield: 9 large squares
1 stick (4oz./8 Tb) unsalted butter
6 cups (half a box) crisp rice cereal
1 package (10 oz.) jumbo marshmallows
coarse sea salt, for sprinkling (optional but recommended)
Lightly grease an 8x8 square pan. Set aside.
Open your bag of marshmallows to have at the ready. Measure out the 6 cups of rice cereal into a bowl. Set aside.
In a large pot, melt the stick of butter over medium-low heat. The butter will melt in a few stages- clear, then foamy/crackly, then brown. Don’t leave the stove, as brown butter can burn in the blink of an eye. If your pot is darker colored, you may need to swirl the butter occasionally to check the color of the butter. You will know the browning has started once the butter starts to smell nutty. You will want to cook it until it becomes a nice toffee/chestnut color, fairly dark but not burnt.
Remove from the heat and stir in the marshmallows with a spatula, smooshing them against the side of the pan to help them break down. This will take a few minutes. If they have trouble breaking down, return to the heat on low, just until everyone is melted, and remove again.
Once the mixture is homogenous, add all of the cereal at once and stir quickly. The cereal should be evenly coated. Quickly (and carefully!) transfer to the greased pan and press firmly with a spatula, smoothing out the top. If your mixture is sticking to your spatula, you can spray it with some pan spray to help it along. Sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt, if using. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes. Cut into 9 squares (3x3) and enjoy! Store in an airtight container for 3 days.
If GF, make sure your marshmallows are certified gluten free, as not all brands are.
