Our love of Rice Krispie treats is strong. Crispy cereal, gooey marshmallow, maybe some sprinkles. What's not to love, right? Except maybe we want a little more texture, a little more crunch, something more robust. Something like...popcorn! And so, following our S'mores treats and Valentine's treats, we've now made autumn popcorn Rice Krispie treats.
The principle is the same in that we cook butter and marshmallows together until they're all melty and gooey. Then we add in popcorn instead of the cereal. We used our Baby White kernels for this because the smaller popped corn made it easier to cut these into bars. The baby white is a small, hulless kernel that pops with a tender texture and mild corn taste.
We stirred in some fun autumn sprinkles as well for a little pop of color and sweetness. But then we went one better, actually two better, because we drizzled on both white and semi-sweet chocolate before hitting these treats with even more fun sprinkles. You can use milk or dark chocolate if you prefer. We like the semi-sweet for this because it balances out the sweetness of the marshmallows.
The trick to getting this sticky mess flat in the baking dish is to lightly wet your hands when you're pressing down. Or, of course, you can use gloves. Once it sets up, lift it out of the pan (yet another reason we love parchment paper) and use a large, sharp chef's knife to slice it into bars. Then drizzle (or dip if you prefer more chocolate) and sprinkle and enjoy.
Autumn popcorn Rice Krispie treats are a popcorn version of regular marshmallow Rice Krispie bars. Topped with drizzles of both white and semi-sweet chocolate and autumn sprinkles for a delicious seasonal treat.
Make the popcorn by adding the canola oil and 2 to 3 of the baby white kernels to a large pot with a lid. Heat on high until the kernels pop. That will let you know that your oil is hot enough.
Add the remaining kernels and the salt. Cover, continue cooking on high, shaking the pot often, until the popping stops. Remove the popcorn to a large bowl.
To make the bars, line a 9" x 9" baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large pot, melt the butter and stir in the marshmallows and salt. Cook on low heat, stirring often, for a few minutes. When fully melted, add in the popped popcorn and half the autumn sprinkles. Stir until the popcorn is fully coated. NOTE: If you notice your mixture turning a bit brown, it is likely the butter browning. You’ll get a nuttier flavor but if you want the mixture to remain white, make sure you keep the heat on very low and stir more often.
Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish, pressing the top down to make it even. Note that this is easier to do with slightly wet hands. Let it sit for about 15 minutes to set.
Remove the set popcorn from the dish and, with a large, sharp chef’s knife, cut into bars.
Drizzle half the bars with the semi-sweet chocolate and the other half with the white chocolate. Top with the remaining autumn sprinkles and serve. Store any leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.
Recipe Note
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