Last Updated on August 11, 2021 by Chenée Lewis
You've had Rice Krispie treats. You may have even had brown butter Rice Krispie treats. But these brown butter white chocolate Rice Krispie treats will change your life! They're the same easy, no-bake treats you love, only MUCH better. Decadent enough for a party, but quick and easy enough for any weekday, these fancy rice krispie treats are the sweet snack you need in your life!
How do you spice up rice krispies treats?
In my experience, everything is better with brown butter. And these fancy rice krispie treats are no exception! But we didn't stop there. We're also adding a creamy, rich white chocolate ganache, vanilla extract, and flaky sea salt to make these the best ever!
To me the combination of brown butter and white chocolate is LEGENDARY. And because these brown butter Rice Krispie treats are a no-bake recipe, the rich, nutty brown butter flavor really stands out! Add to that the white chocolate ganache, and you get the ultimate soft, gooey, rich, buttery Rice Krispie treats!
Ingredients
You might think you know how to make Rice Krispie treats, and actually, you do! There are just a couple of extra steps, but in essence, these are as easy as any Rice Krispie treats you've made. First, you'll need to gather together your ingredients:
- crispy rice cereal - grab a 12-ounce box. You won't use all the cereal, but you'll need most of it.
- mini marshmallows - you'll need a one-pound bag of mini marshmallows.
- salted butter - I like to use salted butter to bring out the flavors in the marshmallow and the white chocolate! Feel free to use unsalted though, and just add a pinch of extra sea salt on top!
- pure vanilla extract - be sure to use a high-quality pure vanilla extract. Or better yet, check out my post on how to make vanilla extract at home with just 2 ingredients!
- white chocolate - you can use a 4-ounce white baking bar or a cup of white chocolate chips.
- heavy whipping cream - we'll use this to make the ganache to create that creamy, rich flavor!
- sea salt - I love adding flaky sea salt to these fancy rice krispie treats! It balances out the sweetness so perfectly.
Step by Step
To start with, you'll need to melt your white chocolate with heavy cream to make a ganache. White chocolate ganache sounds super fancy, but it's just white chocolate and heavy cream melted together. It's so simple, and in this recipe, it gives these fancy Rice Krispie treats their perfect gooey-ness! Plus the rich white chocolate flavor just deepens the deliciousness.
First, you'll heat your white chocolate and the heavy cream in the microwave, whisking every 10 seconds until melted and smooth.
Brown the butter in a light-colored pan -- I use this 6.5-qt. Dutch oven. For more images and details on how to brown butter, check out my Brown Butter Appreciation Post.
Add the white chocolate to your brown butter, and then stir in marshmallows until most of them are melted.
Stir in your crispy rice cereal until coated. Gently press into a buttered 9x13 pan. Let them cool, and cut into squares.
And that's it! This is such an easy recipe. In fact, the hardest part about it will be stopping yourself from eating them all immediately!!
Best of all, with only a few ingredients that are mostly non-perishable, this is a perfect treat to make if it's hard to find fresh ingredients in stores.
Tips and F.A.Q.
Nope! These fancy Rice Krispie treats are great at room temperature, stored in an airtight container.
There are so many ways to make these fancy Rice Krispie treats even fancier! You can add sprinkles, chocolate shavings, or chopped toasted macadamia nuts. Or you can swap out the vanilla extract for a bit of peppermint or orange extract for a unique flavor!
They are, but you should double check your cereal, marshmallows, white chocolate and vanilla to make sure that the brand you purchase is gluten free. In my research I found that Jet-Puffed Marshmallows, Ghirardelli white chocolate ,and McCormick vanilla extract are made without gluten and do not have cross-contamination, but if you are strictly gluten-intolerant you should double check for each ingredient.
Related Recipes
If you want more gooey white chocolate, I know just the thing! Try my sparkling peppermint sugar cookies with a white chocolate ganache. They're a perfect holiday cookie, but anything with that creamy ganache on top is perfect for any time of year!
You might also like my raspberry white chocolate blondies, full of melted white chocolate, white chocolate chunks, AND a white chocolate ganache on top, and bursting with fresh raspberries. You can't go wrong!
Equipment you may need
- dutch oven
Ingredients
- 4 oz (113 g) white chocolate - chopped (one Ghirardelli baking bar)
- 2 tablespoon (30 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (114 g) 1 stick salted butter
- 1 16 oz. bag marshmallows
- 10 cups (187 g) crispy rice cereal - about ¾ of a 12-oz. box
- flaky sea salt - for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Line a 9x13 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a small bowl, heat heavy cream and white chocolate in microwave by 10 second intervals until just melted. Stir in vanilla extract until smooth; set aside.4 oz white chocolate, 2 tablespoon heavy whipping cream, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- In a large light-colored dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat, heat butter until it starts to foam, stirring. Continue to cook until the butter is golden brown and has a nutty aroma. Turn off heat and add marshmallows. Stir until marshmallows are mostly melted.½ cup 1 stick salted butter, 1 16 oz. bag marshmallows
- Immediately stir in white chocolate mixture.
- Fold in cereal and stir to coat completely.10 cups crispy rice cereal
- Gently press mixture into prepared pan. Be sure not to press down to hard to keep the treats from getting too hard.
- Top with flaky sea salt, if desired.flaky sea salt
- Allow to cool for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PIN this fancy Rice Krispie treats recipe for later!
Denise L Lewis
Spend time with your family making this crispy, sweet, and gooey treat! Pairs well with cold milk or hot cappuccino! Enjoy!
Nicole
I tried these, they are so good! The texture is amazinnngggggg!!!