I grew up in a household where the after-school snack was an apple and peanut butter, or baby carrots and celery dipped in balsamic vinegar. Our “junk-food cabinet” often sat bare, with the exception of those rock-hard sourdough pretzels and a smattering of assorted dark chocolate (“it has antioxidants!” my mom would say as she snagged a piece… or two… or five).

My face flushed green with envy any time I would go over to a friend’s house and greet a mammoth pantry brimming with Gushers, Cool Ranch Doritos, and Cosmic Brownies; though, I’d make sure to always get my fill of chips, candy, or cookies before we retreated upstairs or outside to play. As we’d kick around the soccer ball, or build castles out of Legos, I’d feel something bubble up inside of me. A hunger. A craving for more. Something salty. Something sweet.

I’d excuse myself to “go to the bathroom,” and quietly scurry back to the junk-food oasis. I’d sit on the floor and indulge myself in one more treat, knowing it could be weeks until my next playdate. As I’d shovel Sour Patch Kids, or M&Ms into my mouth, my fingers grew sticky, not from the sugar, but from the idea that I could have this at home. I’d retrieve my backpack and begin to pour in heaps of snacks to take home and hide under my bed, for whenever I needed a treat. 

Night after night, I’d ration them. A few Cheez-its here. A Hostess Cupcake there. After a few days, they’d always run out, but I’d manage to stock up again at another friend’s house. Though I’ve outgrown my snack-burglary phase, to this day I still need a little treat after every meal.  

For this recipe, I wanted to develop something based on one of my favorite things to snag, Rice Krispie Treats. For my riff, I’ve browned the butter and added a ton of assorted seeds, in hopes of tricking moms everywhere into thinking they’re healthier than what you’d buy at the grocery store (they’re not… but they are tastier!). 

The brown butter gives the treats a nutty undertone, that is complemented by the vanilla extract mixed into the gooey marshmallow base. The mix of toasted pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, and poppy seeds give them a warm toasty crunch, perfect for this time of year. Highly recommend throwing together a batch of these and hoarding them under your bed, just like I used to do!

See you soon with some more fall-vibes recipes!

xx,
Ian

Seeded Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Yield: One 9×13 tray of treats

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (75g) raw unsalted sunflower seeds
• 2/3 cup (72g) raw unsalted pumpkin seeds
• 1/3 cup (47g) sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup (38g) poppy seeds
• 8 tbsp (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter
• 10oz bag (283g) mini marshmallows
• 2 tsp (8g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt*
• 2 tsp (8g) pure vanilla extract
• 5 cups (133g) Rice Krispies or other puffed rice cereal

Directions:

1. Toast your seeds: Preheat your oven to 350°. Arrange your sunflower and pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a small baking sheet. Bake until they give off a deep nutty aroma, and have darkened in color, 7-10 minutes. While those bake, heat a stainless steel skillet over medium heat and add in your sesame and poppy seeds. Toast, shaking regularly, until fragrant and the sesame seeds have become golden, 2-4 minutes.
2. Prep your pan: Lightly grease a 9×13 pan with non-stick cooking spray or a bit of butter. Line with parchment paper.
3. Brown your butter and prepare your base: Heat a large stockpot over medium heat. Add your cut butter, it will melt and then begin to sputter. Continue to cook the butter, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a rubber spatula, until the sputtering subsides and the milk solids on the bottom of the pan have browned, 5-7 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and add your marshmallows, stirring until they have fully melted. Pull off the heat and add your salt and vanilla, vigorously stirring to incorporate evenly.
4. Add your dry ingredients: Once your base is melted through, add in your Rice Krispies and all your toasted seeds. Use a greased silicone spatula to gently fold the mixture and ensure every piece of cereal/seed is coated in the mixture.
5. Set: Dump your mixture into the prepped 9×13 pan and press gently into an even layer using your spatula, or greased hands. Let set at room temperature for an hour. Cut into your desired size squares and serve. Treats will keep in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days.

Notes:

*If you’re using any other type or brand of salt (i.e. Morton, or sea salt), I suggest scaling back to 1/2