Tag Archives: Rice Krispie treats

Frosted Brown Butter Cinnamon Roll Rice Krispie Treats

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I’m an impulse shopper, but only in the grocery store. Sometimes, I see a new food product and lose my marbles over the excitement, then snatch it up before I have time to think about what I’m going to do with it. I get it home and proceed to stare at it for months, wishing I had thought before I bought.

I had that problem with two bags of Jet Puffed Cinnamon Bun Marshmallows I bought. I was in Target when I spotted them, which means I was already vulnerable to good buys and thinking irrationally, and I couldn’t resist scooping up a duo of bags. Of course, it didn’t take long after I got home for me to start wondering what the heck to do with them. Luckily, I had a box of Rice Krispies waiting in the pantry, and everybody knows marshmallows and Rice Krispies go together like peanut butter and jelly. So I whipped up a decadent twist on plain old Rice Krispie Treats: Frosted Brown Butter Cinnamon Roll Rice Krispie Treats._DSC5766

I don’t typically turn cartwheels over Rice Krispie treats, but man, I’m doing back flips for these babies! The rich nutty brown butter and the sweet Cinnamon Bun Marshmallows make these like no other RK treat you’ve had before. Plus, a layer of smooth, creamy Cinnamon Vanilla Buttercream Frosting makes these a decadent treat that can’t be beat.

Best of all, they’re the easiest dessert to whip up in the book. Even with browning the butter and making frosting, you can churn out a batch of these babies in under 30 minutes. They got rave reviews from my father’s workers, the lucky recipients of these decked out RK treats, and it’s easy to see why. With deep flavor from brown butter, a sweet cinnamon twist, and icing to-boot, this is one RK recipe you don’t want to miss.

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. If you can’t find the Cinnamon Bun Marshmallows, use regular large marshmallows with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (instead of the 1/4 tsp. in the recipe) and 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract.
  2. Frosting is optional. You could also do a light vanilla glaze instead.
  3. Double the batch or cut in half as necessary.
  4. Browning butter is super simple. Use medium heat, whisk well, wait for it to start foaming, then look for the brown specks to form. Then you’re done!_DSC5781-2

Frosted Brown Butter Cinnamon Roll Rice Krispie Treats
By The Smart Cookie Cook

Ingredients:

For the Rice Krispies

  • 5 tbsp. butter
  • 1 8-oz. bag + 1/2 cup Cinnamon Bun Marshmallows (roughly 12 oz.)
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
  • 6 cups Rice Krispies

For the Cinnamon Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 – 4 tbsp. heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp. almond extract
  • 1/8 tsp. salt

Directions:

  1. Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
  2. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until butter turns golden brown & forms brown specks. It should taste nutty. Do not over cook.
  3. Immediately add the marshmallows and stir continuously until completely melted. Turn off heat and stir in the cinnamon and Rice Krispies until well-combined. Pour into prepared pan and use your hands to flatten out in an even layer. If it’s too sticky, you can used wax paper to press it down or spray your hands with nonstick spray. Let cool.
  4. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat 1 cup of sugar into the butter until completely incorporated. Start at a low speed then increase as it starts to incorporate to avoid a powdered sugar dust storm. Continue mixing in one cup at a time, scraping down sides from time to time. Beat in heavy cream, vanilla, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt on high until light and fluffy.
  5. Spread frosting over Rice Krispies in an even layer. Cut into squares.

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S’mores Rice Krispie Treats

One thing that bothers me to no end is people who judge me for embracing my inner kid from time to time. Yes, I’m 18, going to be 19 in less than a month, but does that mean I need to buy some granny panties and get them in a bunch over every little thing? No. It most certainly does not.

No matter what your age, there is a young spirit in you somewhere. And choosing to repress it 24/7 may cause you to miss out every now and then. You are no better than I just because you don’t watch Disney movies anymore. Being an adult doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy pancakes with a smiley face made from whipped cream & bananas, nor does it mean you can’t watch an episode or two of Spongebob. The kid in us is quite possibly the best part of us. It’s the part that still remembers what it’s like to be carefree. No, you don’t need to lose all sense of maturity and parade around like an irresponsible 4 year-old, but enjoying a Happy Meal or looking at a couple of cute kittens from time to time is not going to kill you.

I have one thing to say to the people who think being adult means you can never act like a kid: loosen up; eat a Rice Krispie Treat.

See, that’s the other problem. People have this idea of “adult food.” Rice Krispie Treats don’t really fall under that category. Instead, we eat aspargus and liver, and that’s all fine and dandy. But who said I can’t enjoy a box of Lucky Charms every now and then (besides my metabolism)? If I’m craving a kid-friendly treat, then I’m going to eat it. You can put age limits on all the stuff you want, if you must. But don’t even try to tell me there’s an age limit on food.

So today, I am bringing together a homemade version of the childhood favorite snack, Rice Krispie Treats, with the greatest childhood summertime treat, s’mores. The result is an insanely delicious ooey, gooey snack packed with marshmallows, chocolate, graham crackers, and those crackling Rice Krispies. But, since we are adults after all, I sneaked in something more sophisticated too: browned butter. This stuff is liquid gold in the culinary world: rich, nutty, and deep in flavor.

Enjoy the iconic flavor of the s’mores you loved as a child with the beloved gooey, crispy texture of Rice Krispie treats. It’s the perfect way to bring out your inner kid.

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

  1. If you have a Wegman’s, you should definitely pick up the S’mores Snack Mix I used in the recipe. If you don’t, never fear! I also provided ingredients to achieve the exact same effect.
  2. It’s super easy to double this recipe to feed a party or crowd.
  3. You don’t have to cut it like a pie like I did. You can stick to regular squares if that’s more your style.
  4. Browning the butter is not detrimental to the Rice Krispie Treats turning out, but it really amplifies the flavor.
  5. Never browned butter before? Don’t be afraid! It sounds a lot fancier than it is. All you do is cook butter until it turns golden brown. Bam.

S’mores Rice Krispie Treats

Ingredients:

  • 4 tbsp. butter
  • 1 10-oz. package big marshmallows
  • 5 cups Rice Krispies
  • 1 cup S’mores Snack Mix (find it at Wegman’s) -OR- 1/3 cup milk chocolate chips + 1/3 cup Golden Grahams Cereal + 1/3 cup Jet Puffed Mallow Bites
  • 2 graham crackers, broken into small pieces

Directions:

  1. Line two 8×8 cake pans with parchment paper. Spray with nonstick spray.
  2. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue to cook until butter turns golden brown & forms brown specks. It should taste nutty. Do not over cook.
  3. Add the marshmallows and stir continuously until completely melted. Turn off heat and stir in the Rice Krispies. Add the s’mores snack mix (or chips, golden grahams, and mallow bites) and mix gently just until incorporated.
  4. Pour into prepared pans, distributing evenly. Use waxed paper (or spray your hands with nonstick spray) to press krispies down in an even layer. Press graham cracker pieces onto top and let set, about 20 minutes. Lift the treats out of the pan and slice. Store in an air-tight container.

Spooky Rice Krispie Treat Halloween Mask!

College poses many obstacles. It tells me, “Hey, write five in-depth, multiple-step essays in 90 minutes for your honors pysch midterm,” and, “Sit through a 3-hour night class where you learn how to use Microsoft Word, even though you learned that in middle school,” then, “Make a two-faced mask out of ‘found materials’ for Art class.”

Wondering what all of this has to do with Halloween or Rice Krispie Treats? Well, I may not be a psychology expert or physically capable of staying awake through three-hour night classes, but I am okay at art. Initially, when my art teacher asked us to make a mask, I wasn’t exactly thrilled. Quickly, however, that feeling diminished as a light bulb illuminated approximately 2 inches above my head. I realized I had an opportunity here to do what I do best: work with food. Dread quickly turned into excitement.

I’ve never sculpted with Rice Krispie Treats nor worked with fondant before this, but I figured I could work it out easily enough using knowledge acquired from religiously watching Food Network (and Cake Boss on TLC). It really wasn’t all that bad. I whipped up some Rice Krispie treats, molded them while the marshmallows were still molten, let it set, frosted it, covered it in fondant, then decorated it. And there you have it: a 100% edible, two-faced Halloween mask!

The Jack-O-Lantern Side.

The Skull Side.

Although I wouldn’t recommend using this for your Halloween costume (unless sticking your face into Rice Krispies is your thing), it would make a welcomed addition to any Halloween party, as well as an awesome centerpiece to a Halloween-themed table-scape. Once you’re done admiring it, you can eat it!

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