Hi friends! Elise here from Polka Dotted Blue Jay with another yummy holiday treat for you to make: Christmas Marshmallow Treats.
I don’t know about you, but I always have the best intentions going into the last three months of the year. I will bake cookies, decorate the house, wrap beautiful presents, and drink hot chocolate while I relax on the couch. Then, before I know it, the date is December 10th and I haven’t done even one of those things. You feel me?
Well, last weekend I made a couple things happen (stuffy nose and all) and made some delicious Christmas marshmallow treats that are perfect with my hot chocolate while I read about and admire Karen’s white and blue Christmas tree.
I ate the most delicious marshmallow treats at my friend’s airplane-themed baby shower back in April and begged her sister for the recipe.
“Is there sea salt in these???” I exclaimed.
Lucky for me, her sister kindly gave me Aunt Jen’s recipe for browned butter, vanilla, and sea salt marshmallow treats. Yes, I know the name is a mouthful, but believe me, you won’t mind once you taste them.
I remember making marshmallow treats as a child but I have never made them as an adult, so this was all new territory for me. I’ve also never browned butter before, but I am happy to report that no sticks of butter were burned in this process! Winning at life, friends.
The combination of butter, vanilla, and melted marshmallow made my kitchen smell heavenly and I was able to make a batch of marshmallow treats in under 10 minutes. Perfect for holiday parties, potlucks, or as an easy and festive dessert. Cleanup is easy too – as long as nothing has burned to your pan and you don’t wait too long to start cleaning the sticky marshmallow off your pan and spoon.
I tried dying my marshmallow treats two different ways:
1. Add the food colouring to the liquid mixture before adding the cereal
2. Add the food colouring to the finished mixture of butter, marshmallow, and cereal
Option one is WAY easier but let me warn you that the browned butter will bubble and pop when you add the food colouring. (I used this option for the green).
Option two works but requires bicep muscles that I clearly do not have. It is hard to incorporate the food colouring into the mixture and to coat everything evenly. (I used this option for the red).
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter (unsalted)
- 2 Tbs. Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tsp. Salt
- 1 Pinch Sea Salt
- 8 Cups Rice Cereal
- 1 Package Mini Marshmallows (283g. / 10 oz.)
- Red and Green Food Colouring
Instructions
- Start melting your butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until it is a golden brown color and smells “nutty”. Approximately 5 minutes.
- Stir in the marshmallows until completely melted over low heat.
- Add Vanilla and Salt (the butter and marshmallows may pop when you add the vanilla, so use caution).
- Remove from heat.
- Add food colouring (skip this step if you would like “normal” colored marshmallow treats).
- Stir in rice cereal.
- Pour into a 9x13 glass pan and spread evenly
- Sprinkle flaked sea salt on top.
- Wait for marshmallow treats to cool.
- Cut and serve.
If you love sweet and salty treats, like I do, then these browned butter, vanilla, and sea salt marshmallow treats are sure to become a favorite. I suppose they are especially dangerous because they are so easy to make.
Let Karen and I know if you try the recipe by tagging us on social media:
Karen: @ahousefullofsunshine
Elise: @pdbjay
I hope you get to enjoy the holidays and get to do all the fun activities and baking projects that are on your list. From my family to yours, have a very Merry Christmas.
Those look so fun and easy to make!
Thanks Ellen, I think so too! My kids would love them! xo
They were so simple, Ellen! I was shocked. 🙂
Definitely going to try these, so cute!
Enjoy your sweet treat, Lorin! xo
Be sure to share a photo if you make them, Lorin!
Looks like an easy yet fun recipe to try with my kids! Can you tell me if the ones in the photos were used with the #2 food coloring method (post cereal) or the #1 (pre-cereal)? Thanks again!
Elise tried both methods but found option 1 much easier to incorporate the colour evenly! I’m guessing the photos show option 1 because she said she struggled to mix it through properly using the second method. And her treats are beautifully and evenly coloured. 🙂 Just be careful of spitting – option 1 should be left up to an adult.
Hi Kathy!
I colored the green pre-cereal and the red post-cereal. I really got a workout with the red and struggled to incorporate the color evenly before the marshmallow started to harden.
Be sure to share a photo if you make some treats.