I was going to wait until it felt a little lighter and springier before sharing these genmaicha rice krispy treats… but on this very cloudy morning, while the world feels heavy and out of control, I think we all deserve a big square of rice cereal held together with marshmallows.

The other week I was struck with a strange craving for rice krispy treats, so I grabbed a bag of marshmallows and brown rice cereal (that’s all they had!) at my weekly Berkeley Bowl trip. Then staring right at me was genmaicha tea in my cabinet and I knew I had to add it into the mix! Genmaicha is a variety of green tea with toasted brown rice. It’s such a great flavor. Refreshing, a little floral, yet toasty and comforting. The toasted brown rice in the tea pairs PERFECTLY with the crispy rice in these treats. They are actually not too sweet and have a really interesting sweet and savory flavor profile. I served them at our weekly friends dinner and everyone loved them! I may have started my meal with a bite of one of these squares : )

Genmaicha Rice Krispy Treats

8 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp genmaicha tea, more for topping

1/4 tsp coarse salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 10oz bag marshmallows 

8 cups rice cereal

Sesame seeds, for topping

Flaky salt, for topping

1. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

2. In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Once melted, reduce heat to medium- low and add tea. Simmer until fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Add salt, vanilla, and marshmallows. Spray a rubber spatula with oil or non-stick spray (to prevent marshmallows from sticking) and stir the marshmallows until mostly melted. Add the cereal and mix until well combined.

3. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and press into the edges of the pan with the back of a large measuring cup (spray the bottom with a little oil or nonstick spray to prevent sticking. Sprinkle sesame seeds, flaky salt, and some more tea leaves on top. Allow the rice krispy treats to completely cool before cutting and serving.