The Secret Ingredient Your Rice Krispies Treats Are Missing

I just know that Asian mothers are Costco’s target demographic on the West Coast—my mother included! Whenever she’d buy us snacks in elementary school, she’d buy them in bulk there. For someone who often vetoed our requests for junk food, she was surprisingly lenient whenever we asked for Rice Krispies treats. At some point, I grew tired of the sixty-pack after getting one a day in my school lunch bag.

Now that years have gone by, I’ve been ready to foray back into eating marshmallow treats.

I first made a batch with furikake for a Valentine’s pasalubong treat box in February 2021, and now I can’t fathom including a recipe without this Japanese seasoning. My homemade version benefits in texture and taste from the addition of furikake and toasted pinipig.

The combination of nori, sesame seeds, salt, and kelp powder in the Trader Joe’s furikake I like to use for these treats adds a salty, umami finish on top. Pinipig are pounded glutinous rice flakes that you’ll commonly see in the freezer section of Filipino grocery stores. They’re often used as a crispy topping for halo-halo. Since you also toast the pinipig for this recipe, they provide a nutty crunch to this dessert.

Prepare the pan:

Line an 8×8-inch square pan with aluminum foil. You want enough overhang on all sides to be able to lift the dessert out with ease later. Lightly grease the surface with nonstick spray.

Cook the pinipig:

Place the pinipig in a large saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and fragrant. Transfer the toasted pinipig to a large bowl, and add the Rice Krispies to the bowl. Set aside.

Melt the butter:

Add the butter and sesame oil to the large saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the butter is melted, 3 to 4 minutes.

Melt the marshmallows:

Mix in the marshmallows and stir occasionally until they melt completely, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and immediately add the Rice Krispies mixture. Stir until it becomes evenly coated in the melted marshmallows and butter.

Press Rice Krispies into the pan:

Quickly transfer the contents of the saucepan to the prepared pan. Press it into the pan with your rubber spatula until it forms an even layer, and sprinkle all over with the furikake.

Cool and serve:

Wait for the mixture to cool completely before cutting into 9 squares. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

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