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    Home » Desserts

    Butterscotch Pretzel Rice Krispie Treats

    Published: Feb 11, 2021 · Modified: Oct 16, 2021 by Ashley · As an Amazon affiliate, this post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    These Butterscotch Pretzel Rice Krispie Treats are soft and chewy rice krispie bars made extra special with the addition of butterscotch chips and crushed pretzels for a sweet and salty treat!

    White pan of Butterscotch Pretzel Rice Krispies Treats

    Rice krispie treats are one of the most simple and versatile desserts you can make. I love taking a tried-and-true recipe and making some slight changes or additions to transform it into something fresh and new like these Butterscotch Pretzel Rice Krispie Treats.  

    What You'll Need

    • Unsalted butter 
    • Butterscotch chips
    • Marshmallows - mini ones will melt faster but either mini or regular sized will work just fine
    • Rice krispie cereal 
    • Pretzel twists - crush into small chunks before measuring. I love seeing chunks of pretzel through the bars so don't make them too small!

    Rice krispy cereal and crushed pretzels in pot with marshmallow mixture

    The Key to Perfect Rice Krispie Treats

    There are a couple tips that will ensure the most perfect soft, chewy rice krispie treats. The first is fresh marshmallows. I think there is a myth that making rice krispie bars is a great way to use up stale marshmallows. False! Stale or dried out marshmallows will create hard bars that will be more of a jaw workout than a delicious treat. 

    The second key is to not press the bars down too hard into the pan. It may be tempting to really "smoosh" the mixture down with all your might but this will cause the bars to be hard because everything will be so compacted.  

    These Butterscotch Pretzel Rice Krispie Treats have the perfect ratio of butter to marshmallow to cereal & pretzels to create the ultimate sweet & salty dessert bar. 

    Hand placing pretzel on top of Butterscotch Pretzel Rice Krispies

    How to Make Butterscotch Pretzel Rice Krispie Treats

    All that's needed to pull together these Butterscotch Pretzel Rice Krispie Treats is a large saucepan, a rubber spatula and an 8x8 baking pan. To ensure the bars don't stick, grease the bottom and sides of the baking pan with a tablespoon of softened butter. I just use a piece of paper towel and essentially "wipe" the butter all over the bottom and sides of the pan. 

    Melted marshmallow, butter and butterscotch chips in Dutch oven.

    In a large saucepan, melt butter and add in butterscotch chips. Stir and cook until chips are completely melted. Then, add in marshmallows and stir constantly until melted and smooth. Make sure you have your rice krispie cereal and crushed pretzels measured out and ready to go at this point. Remove the marshmallow mixture from the heat and add in cereal and pretzels. Stir until everything is well coated. I like to use a rubber spatula to mix everything as I find the gooey marshmallow mixture doesn't stick to it as much as a wooden spoon. 

    Gently press the mixture into the bottom of the baking pan. A trick I like to use is to take a plastic measuring cup and spray the underside with non-stick spray. Use the bottom of the cup to gently press the bars into place so your hands or spoon don't become a sticky mess. I like to place a whole pretzel on each section of what will be an individual bar while they are still sticky. Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting into squares. Cutting the pan into 3x3 squares will give 9 nice sized bars. Feel free to cut them 4x4 for 16 more bite-size bars. Store these bars covered at room temperature.

    Butterscotch Pretzel Rice Krispie Treats on marble counter

    These Butterscotch Pretzel Rice Krispie Treats are a great dessert for a potluck or a fun treat to slip into a lunch box for a mid-day pick me up. 

     

    Other popular dessert recipes:

    Turtle Bars

    Trail Mix Cookies

    Orange Cranberry Cookies

     

    White pan of Butterscotch Pretzel Rice Krispies Treats
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    Butterscotch Pretzel Rice Krispie Treats

    Soft and chewy rice krispie treats made extra special with the addition of butterscotch chips and crushed pretzels for a sweet and salty treat!
    Prep Time15 mins
    Total Time15 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: bars, butterscotch, dessert bars, pretzel, rice krispies
    Servings: 9 servings
    Author: Ashley Leonard

    Ingredients

    • 1 tbsp. butter softened, for greasing
    • ⅓ cup unsalted butter
    • ¾ cup butterscotch chips
    • 16 oz. marshmallows
    • 5 cups rice krispie cereal
    • 1 cup pretzel twists crushed
    • extra pretzels for garnish

    Instructions

    • Grease bottom and sides of 8x8 baking pan with softened butter.
    • In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add butterscotch chips and stir until melted. Add marshmallows and stir constantly until completely melted.
    • Remove from heat and add cereal & crushed pretzels. Stir well to coat completely. Gently press mixture into the bottom of 8x8 pan.
    • Allow to cool completely before cutting into 9 squares.

    Helpful Equipment & Ingredient Links

    Saucepan
    Square Pan

    Notes

    • Crush pretzels before measuring. I like them to be small enough to distribute evenly throughout the bars, but big enough to see the pretzel chunks throughout
    • Either mini or regular size marshmallows will work
    • Cut 4X4 for 16 smaller bars

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    Welcome to The Darling Apron! I'm a wife, mom, & chai tea latte lover who uses food as her love language. I believe some of life's best moments happen when gathered around the kitchen table. Whether making time-honored family recipes or developing new favorites, I love creating memories through delicious food. I hope this space inspires you to do the same!

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