1-Step 1: Prepare Your Pan Start by spraying a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or greasing it with a little butter. This step is crucial because nothing is more frustrating than having your beautiful treats stick to the pan. Make sure to get into all the corners and edges. Some bakers like to line their pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides for easy removal. This method works wonderfully and makes cutting the bars even easier later.

2-Step 2: Brown the Butter This is where the magic happens. In a large stainless steel pan over medium-low heat, melt your 2 sticks of butter. You’ll want to use stainless steel rather than nonstick so you can clearly see the butter changing color. The butter will first foam and crackle as the water content evaporates. Continue swirling the pan gently rather than stirring constantly. You want those brown bits to form on the bottom of the pan. After the popping stops, watch closely for about 2 to 3 minutes. The butter will turn a gorgeous golden brown color, and you’ll smell an incredible nutty aroma wafting from your pan. Those brown bits are pure flavor gold. Don’t let them burn, or your treats will taste bitter. Remove from heat immediately once you see and smell that beautiful brown butter.

3-Step 3: Melt the Marshmallows Working quickly, immediately add both bags of mini marshmallows, your teaspoon of vanilla extract, and half teaspoon of kosher salt to the hot brown butter. Reduce the heat to low and stir constantly until the marshmallows are completely melted and the mixture is smooth. This usually takes about 3 to 4 minutes. Important: Avoid the temptation to crank up the heat to speed things along. High heat can scorch the marshmallows and result in hard, unpleasant treats instead of soft and chewy ones.

4-Step 4: Combine with Cereal Remove the pan from the heat entirely. Pour in your 9 cups of crispy rice cereal and stir gently but thoroughly until every piece is evenly coated with the marshmallow mixture. Use a folding motion to keep from crushing the cereal. You want those little grains to stay intact for the best texture. This should only take about a minute of gentle stirring.

5-Step 5: Press into Pan Transfer the mixture to your prepared pan. Here’s a key technique that many people miss: press the mixture gently into an even layer using a spatula or damp fingers. You want to press firmly enough that the bars hold together, but gently enough to maintain that wonderful chewy texture. Packing the mixture too tightly will result in dense, hard bars that are difficult to bite through. Some bakers use a piece of wax paper or buttered hands to press the treats down, which prevents sticking and makes the job much easier. Work relatively quickly while the mixture is still warm and pliable.

6-Step 6: Cool and Cut Let your Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats cool at room temperature for about 1 hour before cutting. Resist the urge to speed this up by putting them in the refrigerator, as this can make the bars hard. Once cooled, cut into 12 squares using a sharp knife. Some people like to spray their knife with a little cooking spray to prevent sticking.