Browned Butter Toffee Marshmallow Treats

Fiddle-dee-dee. Someone hand this gal a fan. I’m going to swoon.

If there was one flavor that makes me weak in the knees, it is browned butter and toffee.

Wait. That’s two flavors.

Anyways, I’m a sucker for Heath bars and my favorite texture is anything toothsome and chewy. Al dente pasta, macaroni and cheese, and……Marshmallow Treats. Yum!

Tomorrow is Easter holiday and I’m so excited to be spending it with some close family friends. Aside from a turkey, green beans, and a cheesecake, I wanted to make something that could be nibbled on throughout the evening.

I was at Target in the checkout lane, waiting patiently to be rung up. Like a bald eagle spotting a salmon jumping mid-air, upstream in a river, I spotted a clearance sign. (It’s a hunting skill I’ve honed over many, many trips to the stores)

That clearance sign was attached to a Heath bar.

*commence drooling*

So, of course, I grabbed five.

There are four members in my family, but they don’t need to know about the extra one, right?

On my way home, I decided to make Marshmallow Squares. With crushed Heath bar. AAAAND browned butter.

While not completely reinventing the wheel, the addition of a little vanilla, a hefty dose of crushed Heath bars, and browned butter

takes the childhood standard Marshmallow Square and gussies it up a bit.

In a large pot, you’ll brown four Tablespoons of unsalted butter.

Don’t go far, such a small amount browns very quickly.

As soon as little brown flecks appear and butter smells “nutty”, you’ll need to act FAST.

Mix in your ‘Mallows and 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract.

When I said you need to act fast, I meant it. This explains the shoddy camera work right here:

.

Once your marshmallows are melted, pour in your rice crisp cereal and give it a good stir:

Once completely coated, stir in your crushed Heath bars:

You’ll be setting up your treats in a parchment paper lined pan.

I like to clip the edges in place with clothespins or chip clips:

Press mixture firmly and evenly into pan.

Sprinkle reserved crushed toffee bits onto top and press in. Let cool completely:

Cut bars into squares using a chef’s knife that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

This helps avoid sticking:

Browned Butter Toffee Marshmallow Treats

Makes 12 large treats or 24 small treats

Ingredients:

4 T. butter, unsalted

1 10 oz. bag of marshmallows (large or small will work)

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

6 cups of crisp rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies)

7 ounces of Heath candy bars, crushed (reserving about 1 candy bars’ worth or 1.4 ounces)

Equipment:

9×13″ baking pan

Parchment or waxed paper

rubber spatula or wooden spoon

large pot

cutting board

Chef’s knife

Directions:

1. Line 9 x13″ baking pan with parchment or waxed paper. Set aside.

2. In large pot over medium heat, allow four T. unsalted butter to melt and brown. This process will happen very quickly given the small amount of butter we are using, so keep an eye on it. As soon as brown flecks appear, butter is dark golden and smells nutty, add in your marshmallows and stir quickly until melted together.

3. Add in your 1 tsp. vanilla and give it a good stir.

4. Add in cereal and stir until coated.

5. Pour in crushed toffee bits and stir until evenly dispersed.

6. Pour mixture into prepared 9×13″ baking pan and press evenly and firmly into pan. Use caution as cereal mixture will be hot. You can use a second piece of parchment as a barrier between your hands and the food.

7. Allow to cool completely, several hours. Once cool, use extra bits of parchment paper to assist with transferring treats to your cutting board.

8. Spray a sharp chef’s knife with cooking spray and cut into pieces. You may need to spray knife occasionally to ensure crisp lines on your treats.

These treats should stay fresh for up to 3 days in an airtight, covered container (if they last that long).

*places hand on forehead and swoons*