Brown Butter Dulce de Leche Rice Krispie Treats
Brown butter dulce de leche Rice Krispie treats start as a traditional Rice Krispie treat that gets elevated to the next level! The nuttiness from the brown butter with the creamy sweetness of the caramel all wrapped around the crunch of the cereal…I’m going to be bold and say it will be the best Rice Krispie treat of your life!
Kerri here! You might remember me from the world famous gingerbread men cookies and the caramel Bugles. Head over to those posts to read about who the heck I am…haha! Anyway…I told Carrian that she had to try this new recipe I had come up with because it was the most amazing Rice Krispie treat I had ever had. Side note…can we just call them RKTs from now on? Rice Krispie treat is such a mouthful!
Afterall, it was her RKTs recipe that was the base of the recipe in the first place. She made my brown butter dulce de leche version, and photographed them. And here we are! She had cinnamon sugar Rice Krispies in the cupboard and she swears by the cinnamon sugar! I can’t wait to try it that way!
How This Recipe Came to Be
This all started with a trip to Blox, a restaurant here in Utah that specializes in dessert bars. We tried one of their Rice Krispie treats one time, and I could tell immediately that it was made with brown butter and I was hooked for life. Then I thought, I should stuff some dulce de leche in the middle of this gooey RKT.
We love dulce de leche here at Oh Sweet Basil, and Carrian is always stuffing it into delicious recipes to make them even more outrageous, so I probably should do the same! So the RKTs were stuffed (or layered really) and minds and tastebuds were blown! I’ve made them a few times now for different events and every single person has wanted the recipe. I absolutely love that they will live here now and I can just send people a link to the recipe rather than explaining all my steps.
Ingredients for Browned Butter Dulce de Leche Rice Krispie Treats
You only need 6 ingredients and about 10 minutes to have these RKTs ready to go!
- Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter so that I can control the salt in the recipe. The first step in this recipe will be browning the butter. I describe how to do that below.
- Vanilla Extract: Use real vanilla extract for maximum flavor.
- Mini Marshmallows: You want to use mini marshmallows so that they can melt quickly and evenly.
- Rice Krispies Cereal: I’ve only ever used regular Rice Krispies, but Carrian used the cinnamon sugar flavored and says that’s where it’s at! I trust her and will be trying it next time. It gives it a churro flare and churros never disappoint! Use either one and you won’t be disappointed!
- Sea Salt: The little hint of saltiness is critical to the flavor. It enhances all the flavors and adds contrast to all the sweetness.
- Dulce de Leche: I usually just buy a can of dulce at the grocery store, but you can definitely make you’re own if you want to!
The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
How to Brown Butter
Browned butter is just butter that has been melted and cooked slightly. It has a delicious nutty flavor. It is super easy to make.
Cut your room temperature butter into evenly sized pieces so that it melts evenly. I like to use a light colored pan so I can see the color of the butter and watch it change. Place the pan over medium heat. Stir the butter around to keep it moving while it melts.
As it melts, you will start to see foam and sizzling around the edge and brown flecks will appear on the bottom of the pan. Remove it from the heat immediately. It should be very fragrant. You have made browned butter!
Browned butter can become burned butter very quickly, so remove it from the heat as soon as you see the brown flecks.
Can I Use Regular Butter Instead?
Yes, for sure! If you don’t want that brown butter flavor (we probably can’t be friends…haha…jk!), just add the marshmallows to the butter as soon as it’s melted.
Tips for the Best Rice Krispie Treats
Here are a few tips for success when making this Rice Krispie treats recipe:
- Line your pan with a parchment or foil sling so the RKTs are easy to pull out of the pan when they cool.
- Don’t skimp on the marshmallows or butter. The ratio of butter to gooey marshmallow is perfection and shouldn’t be changed. The result is a soft and chewy and heavenly RKT.
- Don’t over cook the marshmallows. If they cook too long, they start to crystallize and then when they cool, they will be very hard. No one in the history of ever has wanted a hard RKT.
- Use a huge mixing bowl and a wooden spoon to stir everything together. A large bowl gives you plenty of room to get everything combined well.
- Don’t skip the extra marshmallows added in at the end. They create little pockets of chewy goodness that you don’t want to miss!
- I like to spray the bottom of a measuring cup with cooking spray to gently press the RKT mixture into the pan. There is no sticking and it makes that step super easy. I also saw a video of someone using the wrapper from the butter to press the mixture in by hand which I thought was genius!
- I like to use a dough scraper to cut the Rice Krispie treats easily and evenly.
Why are These the Best RKTs Ever?
Ok, first of all, that brown butter flavor is heaven on earth! I just can’t get enough of it!
The ratio of marshmallow and butter to cereal is perfect and the RKTs are soft and chewy.
The layer of dulce de leche adds a creaminess and comforting caramel flavor that contrasts the crunchy cereal beautifully.
This is a no bake dessert that takes 10 minutes to make. You can’t get much better than that! It’s the waiting for it to cool that is the hardest part!
This recipe doubles to a 9×13 pan perfect! And they are great for feeding a crowd!
Storing Rice Krispie Treats
RKTs should be stored in an airtight container. They will keep at room temperature for 4-5 days or they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
This is the Lamborghini of Rice Krispie treats! The best of the best. The creme de la creme. And I can’t wait for you to try this recipe and become just as obsessed and the Cheneys and I am!
More Rice Krispie Treat Recipes to Try:
Print
Brown Butter Dulce de Leche Rice Krispie Treats
Course 500+ Best Dessert Recipes
Cuisine American
Keyword brown butter, Browned butter, dulce de leche, rice krispie treats, rice krispies
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 342kcal
Author Sweet Basil
Spray a 9×9-inch pan with non-stick spray and line it with a foil or parchment paper sling. Spray again.
Place a large pot on the stove over medium heat, add your butter and let it melt and then brown. *See notes below for browning butter.
5 Tablespoons Butter
Once the butter is browned, remove from the heat and add the salt and 8 cups of mini marshmallows. Stir until everything is completely melted and smooth. If you need to put it back on the heat to finish melting the marshmallows, that is fine. You just don't want the browned butter to burn.
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt, 10 Cups Mini Marshmallows
Once it is smooth, add vanilla and stir again.
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Measure out the rice krispies cereal in a large bowl. Pour the melted marshmallows over the rice krispies and mix well.
6 Cups Rice Krispies Cereal
Add in the remaining marshmallows while still warm.
10 Cups Mini Marshmallows
Lightly press about half of the rice krispies mixture into your prepared pan (see note). Flatten it down so it is even in the pan and then spread the dulce de leche all over the rice krispies in an even layer.
1/2 Can Dulce de Leche
Top with the rest of the rice krispies mixture and lightly press it around until it is evenly spread into the pan. Let it set at room temperature until cooled.
- We made this batch of RKTs with Cinnamon Sugar Rice Krispies and it was amazing. If you can’t find them at the store, you could add 1/4 – 1/3 cup of cinnamon sugar.
- Browning butter: Place a light colored pan over medium heat and add room temperature butter. Stir it gently as it melts. It will begin to foam and sizzle and then you will see little brown fleck forming on the bottom of the pan. As soon as you see those flecks, remove the pan from the heat.
- Using a spoon with a little butter on it will help you press the rice krispies into the pan without it sticking all over your hands.
Rice Krispie treats can be stored in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 2-3 days. Or they can be frozen for up to 6 weeks.Serving: 1g | Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 362mg | Potassium: 32mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 1616IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 7mg
READ: Brown Butter Dulce de Leche Rice Krispie Treats