Brown Butter Sugar Cookie Rice Krispie Treats
You will love this recipe for Sugar Cookie Rice Krispie Treats if you want something cute and party ready that takes almost no effort. These are soft, chewy marshmallow bars topped with sweet vanilla frosting and sprinkles; they taste like a frosted sugar cookie but come together as quickly as classic Rice Krispies treats. Perfect for birthdays, girls’ night, baby showers, holiday cookie swaps, or any time you need a last minute dessert that still looks Pinterest pretty.
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Ingredients for Sugar Cookie Rice Krispie Treats
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 10 ounces mini marshmallows
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- Pinch of salt
- 5 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- About ¾ cup vanilla buttercream frosting (store bought or homemade)
- Sprinkles, for decorating
How to Make Sugar Cookie Rice Krispie Treats
1. Prepare the pan. Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal. Lightly grease the parchment paper with nonstick spray or butter.
2. Brown the butter. Melt ½ cup unsalted butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, as the butter begins to foam and froth. Once the foam settles slightly and you see golden-brown flecks on the bottom of the pot, remove the pot from the heat or reduce the heat to low. The butter should smell rich and nutty. This generally takes about 4 to 6 minutes.
3. Melt the marshmallows. Turn the heat down to low. Add the 10 ounces mini marshmallows. Stir constantly until the marshmallows are just melted and smooth, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan so all that browned butter flavor blends in. Do not overcook the marshmallows or the bars can turn hard later.
4. Add extracts and salt. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and a pinch of salt until combined. The almond extract is what gives these treats that classic bakery sugar cookie vibe.
5. Fold in the cereal. Add the 5 cups of Rice Krispies cereal to the saucepan. Gently fold until all of the cereal is evenly coated in the marshmallow mixture. Take your time so you do not crush the cereal too much.
6. Press into the pan. Transfer the mixture to the prepared 9×9 inch pan. Use a lightly greased spatula or clean, buttered hands to press the mixture into an even layer. You can also use a greased piece of parchment paper over the top to help make everything flat. Press just firmly enough to level it out.
7. Cool completely. Let the pan sit at room temperature until the bars are completely cool to the touch. This helps the frosting stay neat and keeps the treats from turning soggy.
8. Frost and decorate. Once cool, spread about ¾ cup vanilla buttercream frosting over the top in an even layer. You want a thin “sugar cookie” style layer, not a thick cake layer. Add sprinkles right away so they stick to the frosting. Choose colors to match your party or holiday.
9. Slice and serve. Use the parchment paper to lift the slab out of the pan. Cut into 16 squares for a party platter or 9 bigger squares if you want bakery sized treats. Serve at room temperature.
Optional: Quick homemade vanilla buttercream
- If I have an extra 5 minutes, I like to whip up a small batch of frosting:
- Beat ¼ cup softened unsalted butter until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually mix in 1 cup powdered sugar.
- Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, a small pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon milk or heavy cream.
- Beat until light and fluffy, adding up to 1 more teaspoon milk or cream if needed for a spreadable consistency.
Pro Tips
- Measure everything before you start. Have your cereal, extracts, and frosting ready to go. Marshmallows melt quickly and you will want to move fast.
- Do not walk away from the browning butter. Browning goes from perfect to burnt fast. Stir, watch for golden bits, and pull it off the heat as soon as it smells toasty and nutty.
- Grease your tools. Lightly coat your spatula or your hands with butter or cooking spray before pressing the mixture into the pan so it does not stick. Sometimes, I’ll spray some Pam on a piece of parchment paper and use that to flatten the top of the Rice Krispie treats.
- Adjust the almond flavor to your taste. For very subtle almond, stick with ¼ teaspoon. For more of that bakery sugar cookie vibe, use up to ½ teaspoon.
- Let them cool before frosting. Frosting warm bars can cause it to melt and slide around. Cool completely for clean slices and a smooth, pretty top.
- Make ahead friendly. You can make these the night before an event. Store them in an airtight container once cooled and frosted. Add extra sprinkles before serving if you want to freshen up the look.
FAQs
Do I have to brown the butter?
You do not have to, but I really recommend it. Browning adds a toasty, almost caramelized flavor that pairs perfectly with the vanilla and almond so the bars taste more like sugar cookies.
Can I skip the almond extract?
Yes. If you are not a fan of almond flavor or have an allergy, leave it out and add an extra ½ teaspoon of vanilla instead. The bars will still taste like frosted vanilla sugar cookie Rice Krispie treats.
What kind of frosting works best?
Any vanilla buttercream frosting works. Store bought is totally fine when you are short on time. Just make sure it is spreadable and not too stiff so it glides easily over the cooled bars.
How should I store Sugar Cookie Rice Krispie Treats?
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If your kitchen is very warm, you can refrigerate them; just let them sit out for about 15 minutes before serving so they soften up again.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes. Double all the ingredients and press into a 9×13 inch pan. The bars will be slightly thicker; just cool completely before frosting and cutting.
Sugar Cookie Rice Krispie Treats are my go to solution when I want something that looks like I spent all afternoon baking but actually came together in 15 minutes. You get the nostalgic chew of classic cereal bars plus the sweet vanilla frosting and sprinkles of a decorated sugar cookie, all in one easy, no mixer recipe.
If you need a quick dessert for a birthday, potluck, or a cozy night in, keep this recipe handy. Once you try them, you will find yourself making them for every occasion that calls for something cute, simple, and seriously tasty.
Brown Butter Sugar Cookie Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 10 oz mini marshmallows usually 1 bag
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- Pinch of salt
- 5 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 3/4 cup vanilla buttercream frosting, approximately store bought or homemade
- Sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal. Lightly grease the parchment paper with nonstick spray or butter.
- Melt ½ cup unsalted butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, as the butter begins to foam and froth. Once the foam settles slightly and you see golden-brown flecks on the bottom of the pot, remove the pot from the heat or reduce the heat to low. The butter should smell rich and nutty. This generally takes about 4 to 6 minutes.
- Turn the heat down to low. Add the 10 ounces mini marshmallows. Stir constantly until the marshmallows are just melted and smooth, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan so all that browned butter flavor blends in. Do not overcook the marshmallows or the bars can turn hard later.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and a pinch of salt until combined. The almond extract is what gives these treats that classic bakery sugar cookie vibe.
- Add the 5 cups of Rice Krispies cereal to the saucepan. Gently fold until all of the cereal is evenly coated in the marshmallow mixture. Take your time so you do not crush the cereal too much.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared 9×9 inch pan. Use a lightly greased spatula or clean, buttered hands to press the mixture into an even layer. You can also use a greased piece of parchment paper over the top to help make everything flat. Press just firmly enough to level it out.
- Let the pan sit at room temperature until the bars are completely cool to the touch. This helps the frosting stay neat and keeps the treats from turning soggy.
- Once cool, spread about ¾ cup vanilla buttercream frosting over the top in an even layer. You want a thin “sugar cookie” style layer, not a thick cake layer. Add sprinkles right away so they stick to the frosting. Choose colors to match your party or holiday.
- Use the parchment paper to lift the slab out of the pan. Cut into 16 squares for a party platter or 9 bigger squares if you want bakery sized treats. Serve at room temperature.
