Chewy, Gooey Golden Rice Krispie Treats
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These toasty, golden, and caramel-y Rice Krispie Treats are made with brown butter and a secret ingredient.
Photo by Johnny Miller (Clarkson Potter, 2021)
The inspiration for these delicious Rice Krispie treats comes from the bakery bar at Summer House Santa Monica, a fun restaurant in Bethesda, Maryland. They’re made with a secret ingredient that gives the bars a distinctly toasty, caramel flavor. After one bite, you’ll pause and wonder, “What’s in these?” I’ll give you a clue: it starts with “golden” and ends with “grahams.” Once you try them, you may never go back to the classic version of Rice Krispie Treats! And if you want another riff on the original Rice Krispie Treats, Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats are a really fun option for peanut butter lovers.
Table of Contents
“These are absolutely amazing…I work in a nice restaurant and bring them in for my coworkers…they are always inhaled and greatly appreciated!”
What You’ll Need To Make Chewy, Gooey Golden Rice Krispie Treats
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, place the Golden Grahams in a resealable plastic bag. Using a rolling pin, the bottom of a dry measuring cup or your fist, pound the cereal into smaller pieces. You don’t want to pulverize it – some pieces should be Rice Krispies-sized, some should be larger, and some should be crumbs.
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
After the butter melts, it will begin to bubble, foam, and turn golden around the edges.
Eventually it will turn a dark golden color and smell nutty — watch carefully, it will go from golden brown to burned quickly. (You’ll see little bits of brown sediment forming; that’s okay.)
Once the butter is browned, remove the pan from the heat and add all but 2 cups of the marshmallows, the vanilla, and salt.
Place the pot over low heat and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until the marshmallows are completely melted.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the cereals.
Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir until evenly combined. Add the reserved marshmallows.
Stir until they are softened and partially melted, but not completely mixed in.
Using the butter wrapper or damp fingers, press the mixture into an even layer in the prepared baking pan.
Let cool for at least an hour.
Use the foil overhang to lift the treats onto a cutting board, then cut into squares. Enjoy!
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Chewy, Gooey Golden Rice Krispie Treats
These toasty, golden, and caramel-y Rice Krispie Treats are made with brown butter and a secret ingredient.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- Two 10-oz bags mini marshmallows, divided (about 10⅔ cups)
- 3 cups Golden Grahams
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Heaping ½ teaspoon salt
- 5½ cups Rice Krispies or crispy rice cereal
Instructions
- Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with heavy duty aluminum foil and lightly grease with softened butter or nonstick spray. Set aside 2 cups of the marshmallows.
- Place the Golden Grahams in a resealable plastic bag. Using a rolling pin, the bottom of a dry measuring cup, or your fist, pound the cereal into smaller pieces. You don't want to pulverize it -- some pieces should be Rice Krispies-sized, some should be larger, and some should be crumbs.
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat (save the wrappers for pressing the mixture into the pan). After the butter is melted, it will begin to bubble, foam, and turn golden around the edges. Swirl or stir the butter as it continues to brown; eventually it will turn a dark golden color and smell nutty -- watch carefully as it will go from golden brown to burned quickly. (You'll see little bits of brown sediment forming; that's okay.) This whole process should take just a few minutes. Once the butter is browned, immediately remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining marshmallows, vanilla, and salt.
- Place the pot over low heat and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until the marshmallows are completely melted. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cereals. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir until evenly combined. Add the reserved marshmallows and stir until they are softened and partially melted (you want pockets of goo). Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and, using the butter wrapper or damp fingers, press the mixture gently into an even layer. Let cool for at least an hour.
- Use the foil overhang to lift the treats onto a cutting board, then cut into 18 to 24 bars, depending on how large you'd like them. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: To freeze, place in layers separated by wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for about an hour before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (24 servings)
- Calories: 187
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated fat: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Sugar: 16g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Sodium: 104mg
- Cholesterol: 20mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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The best rice crispy treats ever. U just gotta accept that it’s an absolutely indulgent treat and enjoy!
Our family is already a fan of Golden Grahams, so I was pretty sure these would be a hit. They were beyond decadently delicious, and my 10-year-old has said we cannot go back to eating regular rice crispies treats ever again. Love, love, loved these and cannot wait for the next occasion to make them! Thanks for introducing our family to what surely will become a tradition from now on.
Just when we thought Rice Krispie treats couldn’t get any better!! My 10 yr old son and I were a little skeptical as we actually had never ate golden graham cereal but the picture was so tempting & he was adament that these treats were going to happen! The addition of the Golden Graham Cereal was brilliant as it added a warm, gentle-caramel flavor that was out of this world. I would not adjust the recipes ingredients. I would suggest however that you double the batch as these will disappear quickly!!! We separated with wax paper and packaged tightly for fresh keeping.
Thank you for sharing!
– michelle & Nicolas
1. I have made this with half the butter successfully, and in fact preferred it because I felt like the full cup of butter has little pools of butter that never quite mixed in and just looked and felt a little icky. I don’t feel that it lacked in flavor or texture. It stuck a little more when pulling away from foil to cut, but just as delicious!
2. Someone asked about freezing. I froze a batch successfully to keep myself from eating them all at once. No issues when thawed. I still ate the entire batch within 7-10 days so can’t comment on longevity!
3. And most important, these are AMAZING. Like your favorite childhood treat grew up with you. Both the Golden Grahams and browned butter give a lot more depth. Even on my laziest cook days, these are worth the extra steps. Run, do not walk, to the kitchen now!!
Thank you for sharing that you made it successfully with 1/2 the butter. They’re tasty but a bit rich for me. I feel more confident cutting back now!
These are wonderful, I will never make without the Golden Grahams again. Super!!!
These are one of my daughter’s favorite treats. I swap out the white rice krispie cereal with brown rice. Sometimes, I add mini chocolate chips too.
This recipe has made me very popular with the kids in my neighborhood…as well as the adults. It is amazing the difference the Golden Grahams make in taste! Easy recipe, quick to make and will not last long!
Could I use crushed Graham wafers instead of the honey graham cereal?
Hi Pat, I think you could. I’d crush them like the recipe indicates for the Golden Grahams. Because I’ve never used graham crackers here, I might suggest starting out by using less than the recipe calls for– (maybe 1 1/2 cups instead of 3) and use additional Rice Krispies in their place. If you don’t feel like going that route, you could always make my traditional Rice Krispies Treats.
Love this new take on your already amazing Best Ever Rice Krispy Treats! Just wondering why the difference in butter…1 cup for the Golden vs 3/4 for the original. Not that you can ever have too
much butter…:). Just wondering if I should up it for the original as well?
When testing the recipes, through trial and error, I just determined that this was best with 1 cup of butter. I’d stick with the 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) for the regular Rice Krispies. Enjoy!
Great! Thanks so much for the quick response!?
These are amazing, however I found the 1 cup of butter to be too much that made them kind of greasy. I’ve now made it several times with only 1/2 cup and find them just as tasty with 1/2 the fat and not as greasy.
Thank you for this recipe. I have made this 4 times now and everyone loves them, much better than the traditional Rice Krispie treat.
Omgosh! These are the best!!!! I have made them several times to bring to pot lucks and also made for gifts. I don’t think I could ever go back to the original! Thank you so much!
Addition of Golden Grahams & Browned Butter are the ticket to an addictive treat! Always made my RK bars w/ 1 1/2 stick butter, a splash of vanilla & a 16 oz. bag of marshmallows; & still was no huge fan of them. These however ARE AMAZING! Kicks the flavor up an octave & are simply the best. No comparison to regular RK bars. Thank you for sharing another amazing recipe.
I came across this recipe when I was looking for something that would ship well to my son serving in Afghanistan. (Lots of websites discourage sending baked goods because it takes up to 2 weeks to deliver to APO addresses overseas.) I’m happy to report that these Rice Krispie treats ship well and are well-received by soldiers longing for a little bit of home!!
Please add: I wrapped individually in waxed paper, then placed in ziploc bags before shipping.
These Chewy Gooey Golden Rice Krispies Treats are the bomb for anything Rice Krispy or marshmallowy!
So easy and quick to make. Thank you for the step by step photos for those of us visually inclined.
Made these for a crowd on Mother’s Day. Everyone from the youngest (10 years old) to the oldest (80 years old) raved. My brother told my husband he actually liked these better than the family favorite chocolate sheet cake also being served that night…Another great job, Jen. Just love your site, your recipes and your instructions. You are a true leader in your field. You are an entertainer’s and a cook’s best and most trusted friend and confidant. THANK YOU!!!
These are AMAZING! My kids like the “regular” krispie treats with marshmallows, while my favorite has always been Grandma’s recipe (peanut butter, cocoa powder, karo syrup, cocoa krispies) and so I’ve always been reluctant to make their version, until now. The brown butter and Golden Grahams really take this up a few notches, I think I can safely say, I have two favorites now and like to alternate between these recipes.
Surprisingly different (from the original Rice Krispie Treat recipe) and delish; thank you!
Wow!! This is another rave review! These treats were over the top! I made them for a family gathering and they disappeared on the first day. I was asked to make them again the next day, and once again there weren’t any left. This will be a “go-to” recipe. Delicious!!
These treats are absolutely amazing! I am going to have to lose the recipe though as I have no self control around them.
My husband loved these!! The browned butter gave them the richest Carmel flavor, over the top!! Great recipe!!
Wonderful. Best part about these —
is that they are even better the day after and even days after you make them! I’m making some today to send in a package
to my in-laws!
Never will make the original recipe again.
Mary
I would like to send these in a care package to a loved one. It takes 2 days for packages to arrive. Do you have any recommendations for how to best package these for shipping? Thank you!
Hi Ally, they’re pretty sturdy, so they’ll ship well. I’d suggest putting them in an airtight container with the layers separated by wax or parchment paper. Hope the recipient enjoys!
They did ship extremely well and received rave reviews from the recipient and his friends. Thank you so much for another winner!
Everyone in my house loved these!!
I have always loved rice crispy treats. But this recipe takes them to a whole new level. growing up Pennsylvania Dutch we used browned butter a lot. on eggs, on noddles. but i never heard of doing this for a dessert and it is awesome. it has inspired me to try this in other recipes.
Hard to believe it was so easy to amp up Rice Krispies bars! Made these for a baby shower and they were a hit.
Absolutely the best rice krispie bar ever! They are so addictive that I had to freeze some of them so I didn’t eat the whole pan.
These were fantastic! I attribute it to the browned butter and the graham effects. Wow – much better than the 1950’s recipe. I took these to the Easter dinner and the rest to my volunteer gig = LOVED THEM. Sweet but not over the top – subtle, more complex butter/graham flavors.
Love this recipe – thanks for sharing! Golden Grahams??? Would would have thought!
Your recipes are so carefully done, excellent photos and I am impressed by your food knowledge. I am happy to receive your emails. I tried the Chewy, Gooey Rice Krispie recipe. Wonderful! Thank you for lovely Easter and Springtime options.
Hi Jen
I’m a big follower and have told many about you. Thanks for the recent addition to easy meals. The struggle of getting the things done and getting a meal on the table is daunting. I have a request. I have five children. Two of my daughters have celiac. Two are vegetarians. Cooking for big family meals is just not fun anymore. I realize I have to have multiple dishes. One of your salads is always a mainstay. Right now it’s the kale and Brussels sprouts. I’m looking for something filling without gluten or meat;( I know you are busy but if you come across something I would be interested. Thanks, Mary
Hi Mary, I know feeding a family with a number of dietary restrictions has to be challenging! You may want to check out my vegetarian and gluten-free categories.
Can I freeze gooey Rice Krispie Treats after they are made?
Thank you
I’ve never frozen them, but the Kelloggs site says it’s okay– To freeze them, place in layers separated by wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Absolutely love this recipe! Where has this recipe been all my life? The browned butter truly takes this treat to a whole new level. It is like having a kids treat on an adult level. As you said it was Chewy, Ooey and Gooey. Will definitely make this again and again and again………..
These are amazing! I cut mine up then dipped the bottom half in Dark Chocolate.
These were great. Absolutely addictive! I thinking browning the butter added tons of flavor.
I cannot believe how amazing these are! I have always loved Rice Krispy treats, but these take it up to another level. So much depth to their golden flavour. Truly amazing and I challenge everyone to make them and tell me otherwise.
In all the years of baking, cooking and trying new recipes, I have never made rice krispie treats until now. These were delicious and devoured quickly!! These treats will be made again.
These treats were delectable! They were a huge hit at a church function and before the meeting was done, my mom asked me to make them for another church function she is having in April…loved the pockets of gooey marshmallows!
Absolutely INSANE! I have made 2 batches in the last week. I don’t think I’ll ever make the “original recipe” again!
AMAZING! Loved every bite and making another batch to FedEx to a girlfriend for her birthday… best guilty pleasure!
My grandson has a gluten intolerance.
I am always looking for new recipes that we all can eat. The Golden Grahams contain wheat so I can not use them.
Any ideas on how to change the recipe without using them?
I would be glad of any suggestions.
Thank you.
Hi Gillian, you can use my original Rice Krispies Treat recipe instead (which is gluten-free). And if you’re looking for a Passover-friendly main dish other than beef, you may want to try this Chicken Marbella or this Sweet and Spicy Roast Chicken.
OMG! Absolutely Fabulous!!! Huge hit in our home.
I added milk chocolate chips and they tasted like s’mores – DELISH!
Tried but cereal became stale once it cooled. Any suggestions?
Hmmm, that shouldn’t happen. Is it possible the cereal was not fresh to begin with?
When I read this I thought….how can a rice krispie treat be any better…..NOW I KNOW! Everyone from my mailman to my co-workers are converted as well!
So delicious
I doubled the recipe for a big party and they were a huge hit! I have never browned butter in a pot. I think the instructions could use a hint on the time it takes to brown and the suggestion to swirl or stir it? My butter sort of burnt in the middle of the bottom of the pot but it never really browned? Anyway they were still amazing, so so good. Thank you for a great recipe!!
Glad they were a hit, Danielle! And great suggestion on the instructions – the recipe has been updated. Thank you!
Hi, I had never tried Golden Graham cereal before but they are quite delicious. It was great to make a rice krispie treat that did not stick to the pan. These are fantastic. An adult version of rice krispie squares. I am going to let the kids try them tomorrow and get their verdict.
That flavor is awesome!
I have been trying to replicate Summer House fruity pebbles treats! I am going to try it like this–swap out Krispies and Graham’s!
How did you manage to make rice krispies treats even more appealing to my husband/kids!? Golden Grahams is the cereal my husband could possibly live off of (and has at certain stages of life). Including them in this favorite is genius and these bars are fabulous!! Another great one;)