These butterscotch pretzel rice krispie treats are soft and chewy bars made extra special by using brown butter, butterscotch chips and crushed pretzels for a sweet and salty treat!
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.
Us Minnesotans love our dessert bars. Check out my recipes for Lucky Charms Rice Krispie Treats, Grapefruit Bars, Turtle Bars and Lucky Charms Treats for your next bar fix!
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Ingredient Notes
Here are a few helpful tips on the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Salted butter - Browning the butter takes these bars to the next level! Details on how to make it below!
- Marshmallows - I like using mini because they melt faster, but regular sized will work just fine.
- Vanilla - Enhances the flavor of desserts
- Crispy rice cereal - Your favorite brand
- Pretzels - Twists or traditional-shaped. Put pretzels in a plastic zipper bag and roll them with a rolling pin. You want the pieces small enough to blend in well with the cereal, but not crushed to dust.
- Butterscotch chips - Adding these along with the cereal prevents them from melting entirely, leaving little delicious surprises throughout the bars.
Tips & Tricks
Here's are the keys to make the perfect rice krispie treat:
- Use fresh marshmallows! Using stale marshmallows for rice krispie bars is a myth that results in hard bars and a sore jaw.
- Measure marshmallows by ounces, not cups if using regular-sized instead of mini
- Don't press bars down too hard in the pan. Lightly pressing the mixture will keep the bars nice and soft.
- Crush the pretzels before measuring them. This makes your measurement consistent no matter what shape you're using.
- Have your cereal, pretzels and butterscotch chips measured about before starting the butter because once everything is melted, you need to work fast as the bars will harden quickly.
- 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.
How to Brown Butter
Using brown butter in baked goods takes the flavor to a whole new level. The purpose is to give the butter a rich, nutty flavor and it's really simple to make.
Add butter to a large saucepan and melt over medium heat. If possible, use a light colored pan so you can see the color well.
As the butter melts, stir it with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. After the butter melts it will start to foam and bubble up. Keep stirring and within a couple minutes you'll notice the color begin to darken and turn golden brown. The foam will stop and you'll see little specks of the bottom of the pan. This along with the nutty aroma are a giveaway the butter is done.
How to Make Butterscotch Rice Krispie Treats
Follow steps above to brown the butter. Add in marshmallows and stir constantly until melted and smooth.
Keep butter browned, not burnt! - It's crucial to add the marshmallows as soon as you notice the butter is perfectly browned to prevent the butter from burning. It can happen in a matter of seconds, so it's important to work quickly.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Add cereal and pretzels and stir with a rubber spatula until everything is mostly coated. Then add butterscotch chips and finish mixing everything until well coated.
Gently press the mixture into the bottom of the baking pan. Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting into squares, about 30 minutes.
Serving & Storage Tips
Cutting the pan into 3x3 squares will give 9 nice sized bars. Feel free to cut them 4x4 for 16 more bite-size bars.
Room temperature - Store bars in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator - Extend the life of the bars by refrigerating them for 5-7 days.
Freezer - Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just be sure to give them plenty of time to thaw before digging in!
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Butterscotch Pretzel Rice Krispie Treats
Ingredients
Method
- Grease bottom and sides of 8x8 baking pan with softened butter.
- In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally to prevent burning. After a couple minutes, the butter will begin to foam and turn from yellow to a deep golden brown and have a nutty aroma. (Some brown sediment will likely settle in the butter, and that's okay!)5 tbsp. unsalted butter
- Add marshmallows and stir constantly until completely melted. Remove from heat and add vanilla.16 oz. mini marshmallows, 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Add cereal & pretzels. Stir with a rubber spatula until everything is mostly coated. Then add butterscotch chips and finish mixing everything until well coated. Gently press mixture into the bottom of 8x8 pan.½ cup butterscotch chips, 5 cups crispy rice cereal, 1 cup crushed pretzels
- Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.
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. Go by ounces, not cups.
- Cut 4X4 for 16 smaller bars
Ashley says
Perfect balance of sweet and salty. The little morsels of butterscotch throughout… yum! A fun rice krispy recipe.
Katie says
Turned out excellent! Great twist on a classic treat!