Enjoy the warm and comforting flavors of fall with these delightful cinnamon chip Rice Krispie treats. The classic recipe isn’t usually my first choice, but with the addition of brown butter and cinnamon chips, they take the dessert next level. You bet I reached for more than one, and it’s so easy to make for a crowd!
How to make browned butter
First, what is brown butter? Brown butter is simply just butter, melted down to a golden amber color with some browned flecks in it. By cooking butter, it actually produces a chemical reaction called the Maillard reaction, when sugars in butter react to create new flavor compounds. This enhances baked goods with a warm, nutty, richer flavor.
How to brown butter: In just about any sauce pan, melt butter on medium low heat over the stove. Stir occasionally for the next 10 minutes. It’s done when you begin to see brown flecks throughout the butter and it has a nutty aroma. Be careful not to overcook it otherwise it will taste burnt.
Use right away in your recipe, like in this one, or you can store in the fridge and melt again when ready to use.
Recipe tips
What cinnamon chips work the best? I personally LOVE Orson Gygi’s cinnamon chips. They work great with heat and stay their shape better. I use these cinnamon chips in my cinnamon chip bread as well.
Are all rice krispie cereals gluten free? Actually, no! Though this recipe is naturally gluten free, not all rice krispie cereals are gluten free. I recommend using the Malt-o-meal cereal to make sure this treat is fully gluten free.
How do I prevent the Rice Krispie treats from sticking to the pan? Greasing the pan with butter or using parchment paper can help prevent sticking. I also love this 9×13 pan, it doesn’t have treats stick to it as much as other brands.
How to store krispie treats best? These taste best same day, but they hold pretty well for a couple days! Wrap the pan well in plastic wrap or you can also wrap each individual rice krisipe treat in plastic wrap to keep fresh.
Can I freeze these? Yes, you can also freeze rice krispie treats! Wrap them up in plastic wrap, put in them in a freezer Ziplock bag, and store for a couple months!
How can I add more flavor to the basic Rice Krispie treats? You can add flavor by mixing in chocolate chips, peanut butter, or other ingredients before shaping the treats. Try out my turtle rice krispie treats where I add caramel AND chocolate to my basic brown butter treats rather than cinnamon chips.
Try these other brown butter recipes!
Classic Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Nutella Stuffed Brown Butter & Sea Salt Cookies
Cinnamon Chip Rice Krispies
Ingredients
- 10 oz (9 cups) Rice Krispies Cereal *see note
- 170 grams (3/4 cup) butter , salted or unsalted is fine
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 20 oz mini marshmallows , divided (yes, mini is best!)
- 1 cup cinnamon chips
Instructions
- Prepare a 9×13 pan by lining it with parchment paper. Alternatively you can also grease it with butter. Make sure to grease the bottom and all sides.Set aside.
- In a large pot on medium heat, melt the butter. Stirring occasionally, let it become a golden brown color with a few brown specks throughout. This is “browning” butter and it creates such a nice, warm subtle flavor.
- Add 10 oz (1 bag) of mini marshmallows, stirring until it melts in with the butter. Add vanilla and salt. Stir again.
- Turn down the heat and add the cereal and and fold to get the cereal evenly coated with the butter-marshmallow mixture. Add remaining mini marshmallows and cinnamon chips and fold again until marshmallows just begin to melt and cinnamon chips are evenly distributed. Remove from heat and press into your prepared pan.
- Tip: I love using the wrapper from my butter to press it into the pan, or a silicone spatula is helpful as well.
- Let cool for about 15-30 minutes before cutting for clean squares. Store airtight for up to 3 days. You can wrap them well in plastic wrap for best freshness.