Looking for the easiest homemade Halloween sweet that tastes like a candy bar with an ooey gooey stretch and satisfying crunch? Look no further than these Browned Butter Peanut and Candy Corn Halloween Rice Krispie Treats!
Every October I shout it from the rooftops. The only way to eat candy corn is by the handful, combined with the salty crunch of roasted peanuts!
For those of you who do not accept candy corn as actual food – this one is going to be tough.
For those of us who are candy corn apologists – we know this combination to be gospel truth. By gospel truth, of course I mean that this combination tastes just like a Pay Day bar without the chocolate, amen.
I’ve taken the gospel one step further, by adding salty sweet browned butter krispie treats because my days down playing this epic combo are done.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make my favorite candy corn and peanut halloween rice krispie treats:
• unsalted butter
• puffed rice cereal like, Rice Krispies or any other brand you prefer
• a bag marshmallows, mini or big boy marshmallows. They all melt down the same.
• sweetened condensed milk, it’s our secret ingredient!
• good flaky sea salt
• salted peanuts
• your favorite candy corn
• non-stick cooking spray or softened butter to grease the pan
Now, I’m sure you know how to make krispie treats. A little melt, a quick stir, and a press into the pan and you’re done!
There are a few secrets taking these Halloween krispie treats from good to great:
• brown the butter using this patient melting technique.
• add sweetened condensed milk to the melted butter before adding the marshmallows. The condensed milk will make the treats suuuuuper stretchy for days. I love this trick!
Salt is the secret to these sweet treats. I like to add a generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt to the marshmallow and cereal as it comes together. Little salty bites make these treats truly irresistible.
Press gently into a greased square pan.
Before the treats completely set, press in a generous amount of salted peanuts and candy corn. I like more peanuts than candy corn but use proportions that feel good to your sweet tooth.
Allow the treats to cool and set for an hour or so or — really as long as you can wait. They’re virtually impossible not to slice into right away. They’ll slice cleaner if they’ve set for a bit but they’re also delicious when they’re soft and weepy.
Print
Candy Corn and Salted Peanut Rice Krispie Treats
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minuttes
- Total Time: 20 minutes or so
- Yield: 12 smaller or 9 larger squares 1x
- Category: cookies, bars, holiday
- Method: baking
Description
I’m forever preachingg candy corn and salted peanuts are the ultimate halloween candy combo so… let’s put ’em on rice krispie treats!
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray and a few tablespoons of softened butter for the pan
- 6 heaping cups Rice Krispie Cereal
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 (10-ounce) bag large marshmallows
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 bag candy corn (I use about a cup but you can use as much as you’d like!)
- 2 1/2 cup salted peanuts
Instructions
- Lightly spray a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper so that the paper hangs over the side on two sides. Butter the bottom of the paper. Set aside.
- Place cereal in a large bowl and set aside.
- In a large, heavy bottom saucepan, melt butter over medium heat until just browned. Butter will melt, foam and begin to spit as the water cooks out of the butter. Whisk browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Just as the butter begins to brown add the sweetened condensed milk and stir around the pan until it just begins to bubble. Add the large marshmallows and salt.
- Remove the pan from the heat and immediately pour into the cereal bowl.
- Turn the mixture out into the prepared pan and press to fill all sides of the pan with a spatula. While the mixture is still warm and pliable, press a generous amount of peanuts and candy corn into the top of the treats. I prefer more peanuts piled on than candy corn but go nuts!
- Allow the treats to set and cool at room temperature before slicing. I give the treats a few hours.
- Slice into squares and serve or wrap individually and store at room temperature.
12 Responses
Your Candy Corn and Salted Peanut Rice recipe is a brilliant blend of sweet and savory, creating the perfect autumn treat. Each bite is an irresistible celebration of flavors!
We’ve always loved candy corn with peanuts and these are amazing! The browned butter and sweetened condensed milk are the perfect touch to make these melt in your mouth.
I have hated candy corn my whole life, but Joy convinced me to try them with peanuts. They really do taste like a Payday bar that way. I mixed a cup of lightly salted peanuts into the cereal, because a sprinkling of them on top wasn’t gonna be enough for me. They set up nicely into neatly sliced, easy to handle bars while remaining perfectly gooey, thanks to the condensed milk. A perfect, festive mix of sweet and salty.
ha, super fun crispie version, the fun Halloween version, thank you!
Joy is right about candy corn and peanuts! I’ve never been a fan of candy corn, but last year I bought a bag to eat with peanuts per her suggestion (because she honestly never steers me wrong), and I’m a convert! I made this as soon as it was posted and it was such a fun treat! Shared with some neighbors and we all loved!
**I only had an 8-inch square pan, so I used just 5 cups of cereal (keeping the rest of the mixture ingredients the same), then I used only enough peanuts and candy corn to cover the top. Worked perfectly!
Will make again!
These are delicious!! Last year Joy taught us the delight that is peanuts and candy corn! This year, wow next level! Two comments: 1. Work fast spreading in the pan so they are still very gooey when you add peanuts and candy corn (especially if you happen to be making them with a slooow 8-year old). 2. Cut them small—they are decadent—and then go slice off a little more alone in the kitchen later. ?
All hail sweetened condensed milk krispie treats! For anyone wondering, yes, you can make this with dairy free ingredients if you buy Violife or Miyoko vegan butter and a dairy free sweetend condensed milk. I added pretzels too! So good.
That should have said Thank you! (Not Thank you?)
Amazing! I was looking for a recipe to put candy corn in Rice Krispie treats assuming someone thought of it before me! This recipe is amazing. The salty peanuts are a great addition! Yes, reminds me of a Payday bar. One of my favorites! Thank you ?
I totally misread the title of this recipe and thought you had made canned corn and salted peanut rice crispy treats. I wanted to see how you had actually pulled that off! ?
This looks delicious and terrible for my teeth. I want to make it with butterscotch chips! Yum
Quick question, payday bars do not have chocolate? I’m confused as to the mention of it lol
They do have chocolate Paydays at least where I live. I prefer the original myself.