Ultimate Rice Krispie Treats
You probably already make delicious rice krispie treats. But if you haven’t made the ultimate rice krispie treats, are you in for a surprise! You won’t need to add anything new: the ingredients remain the same. Ever since the first rice krispie treat was made back in 1939, most folks have been melting butter with marshmallows. Then they add crisp rice cereal and press this into a pan. But they left out one or two steps that would have made these classic treats square perfection.
Don’t get me wrong, I would never turned down a rice krispie treat made this way. They are phenomenal no matter how you make them. But since bakers have discovered that browned butter improves the flavor of baked goods, many have been using it to take all kinds of homemade treats to a new level. Including rice krispie treats!
What Makes These Rice Krispie Treats so Great?
The answer is just that–browned butter! To begin making rice krispie treats, you have to melt butter. But before adding the marshmallows, let the butter continue heating in the pot. It will start to bubble up, then eventually simmer. Meanwhile the milk solids on the bottom layer will begin toasting. The golden liquid layer that rises to the top is clarified butter, or ghee.
After a few minutes of heating, the milk solids on the bottom will begin to turn golden brown. This will give the flavors enhanced caramel notes. The resulting butter tastes way better, and you can use this method to improve many of your baked goods.
Another reason why these rice krispie treats are so good is because they’re loaded with little bits of visible marshmallows. This makes them so much tastier with more texture that makes them seem like there are extra marshmallows when really there aren’t!
Why do my Rice Krispie Treats Turn Out Hard?
If you’ve made rice krispie treats before and they’ve turned out hard, it likely means you melted the marshmallows too quickly. Instead, melt the marshmallows over low heat. Stir constantly while they melt. If any bit of the marshmallow/butter mixture scorches at the bottom of the pot, you’ve overcooked it and this can lead to a harder square. Just like in my Old Fashioned Caramels and Old Fashioned Fudge recipes, the longer you cook the mixture, the harder the candy.
The best rule of thumb to use when melting marshmallows for rice krispie treats is to not melt them entirely. When they are about 3/4 melted, add the cereal and turn off the heat. Any carryover heat will melt any remaining marshmallows.
What Size Pan do I Use?
The standard size pan most recipes call for in a traditional rice krispie treats recipe is a 9 x 13 inch cake pan. This yields about 15 squares that are around 1 inch high. I often use this size pan, but sometimes I like a thicker rice kirspie treat so I press them into an 8 inch square pan. (The ones in this blog post were made in this pan.) I get 16 nice sized squares that are around 1-1/2 inches tall. It’s up to you what size you prefer.
One thing for sure is either way, you won’t be able to stop eating these rice krispie treats!
I hope you’ll give this recipe for the ultimate rice krispie treats a try soon. And when you do, let me know how they turned out for you!
Ultimate Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter 125g
- 400g bag mini marshmallows about 8 cups
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 cups crispy rice cereal
Instructions
- Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan generously with butter and/or line with parchment paper. For thicker squares, use an 8 inch square pan. Set aside.
- In a large heavy bottomed sauce pot, melt butter over medium low heat until it starts to sizzle. Continue heating until it foams and simmers. Stir frequently and do not leave unattended. When the milk solids at the bottom begin to toast, continue heating until they become golden brown.
- Set aside 2 cups of the marshmallows and add the remaining ones to the butter. Lower heat and stir constantly until the marshmallows are ¾ melted. Add vanilla and stir well. Add crispy rice cereal and remove from heat. Stir well until every grain is coated.
- Add the reserved 2 cups of marshmallows and stir very briefly. (If you stir for too long, they will melt away like the others and there won't be any bits.) Press into prepared pan. If the mixture sticks, butter your fingers so it will be easy to handle. Press evenly to create a uniform surface.
- Allow to cool for 45-60 minutes or until set. Cut into squares. These rice krispy treats will keep for 5 days in an airtight container or freeze well wrapped for up to 3 months.