Cap’n Crunch Bars (Cereal Treats!)

Cap’n Crunch Bars are a no bake cereal treat featuring Cap’n Crunch cereal, browned butter, and plenty of ooey gooey marshmallows. You can make this easy, sweet and salty dessert in less than 20 minutes!

Why These are The Best Cap’n Crunch Bars

Cereal treats have long been relegated to kid’s parties and school functions, but these Captain Crunch Bars might convince you they belong on the adult table.

Just a few simple ingredient swaps take these from a simple no bake dessert to the kind of irresistible treat that keeps calling you back to the pan for more. Seriously, I can’t count the number of times Will and I caught each other in the kitchen slicing off “one more sliver.”

We call these our “Salty Cap’n Bars,” because it sounds cool, they’re sweet and salty, and we love to break out our pirate voices any chance we get. Here’s what makes these so special:

• First up, an instant upgrade: browned butter. Salty, toasty, nutty browned butter infuses these with a much more complex flavor than you get from the usual krispie treat.
• Secondly, salt! It sounds simple, but adding enough salt to this recipe is the key to the flavor that keeps you coming back from more.
• Finally, my secret ingredient for the softest cereal bars of your life, sweetened condensed milk. We’ve used it in Fruity Pebbles Treats, Lucky Charms Krispie Treats, and Chocolate Covered Rice Krispie Treats, and it never fails to make the gooiest treats that stay nice and soft, even several days after you make them.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

Salted butter– I specifically recommend using salted butter (and a lot of it!) for this recipe. The extra salt keeps the bars from being too sweet and enhances the browned butter flavor.

Sweetened condensed milk– You don’t have to add this, but it’s the key to extra gooey rice krispie treats. Just a few tablespoons will keep your bars soft for days and prevent that annoying tear-up-your-mouth situation that cereal treats sometimes have.

Vanilla extract– Another simple addition that adds a layer of flavor.

Marshmallows– I use mini marshmallows because they melt the easiest. You can use big marshmallows, but know that you’ll have to be extra patient to wait for them to melt down.

Cap‘n Crunch Cereal– My beloved crispy Captain Crunch forms the base of these crispy treats. I prefer to use the original version, but you can absolutely substitute peanut butter or crunch berries version if you prefer.

How to Make Captain Crunch Treats

Step 1: Brown butter. Add butter to a large pot over medium heat. Melt until bubbly. Allow the butter to keep bubbling until the bubbles turn into a fine foam. At this point, whisk continuously and keep a close eye on it. When you see light brown bits forming on the bottom of the pot, remove the butter from the heat. Keep whisking for 30 seconds.

Step 2: Add marshmallow mixture. Add sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, salt, and marshmallows. Return pot to low heat and cook until marshmallows are fully melted.

Step 3: Add cereal. Add the cereal and stir together until evenly coated, if desired, add a few whole marshmallows to the mix.

Step 4: Pat into pan. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan and gently spread with your hands, being careful not to press the mixture down. Cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Tips for Perfect Cereal Treats

• Use low heat. Melt the marshmallows over low heat and stir often, so they don’t burn or harden. As soon as the mixture is melted, remove from heat.
• Don’t press the treats down. When you transfer the treats to the pan, don’t press them down. Instead, gently spread them out evenly. Think spread, not squish.
• Use cooking spray on your hands to keep the treats from sticking to you when you’re spreading them out.

More No Bake Desserts to Try

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• 12 Tablespoons salted butter
• 2 Tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch Kosher salt
• 8 cups mini marshmallows (divided)
• 8 cups Cap’n Crunch cereal
• Maldon Sea Salt Flakes (optional)
• Cooking Spray

• Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

• Add the butter to a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Melt butter until bubbly. Allow the butter to keep bubbling until the bubbles turn into a fine foam. At this point, whisk the mixture continuously and keep a close eye on it. It’ll go fast from here! When you see brown bits forming on the bottom of the pot, remove the butter from the heat. Keep whisking for 30 seconds.

• Return the pot to low heat, and stir in the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and pinch salt.

• Add 7 cups of the marshmallows and cook, stirring often, until they are completely melted.

• Remove from heat and add the cereal, gently stirring the mixture together. Sprinkle in the final cup of marshmallows and keep stirring until all the cereal is coated and extra marshmallows are just starting to melt.

• Pour the cereal mixture into the pan. Spray your hands with cooking spray and gently pat the mixture evenly into the pan. Allow to cool at least 15 minutes before slicing.

• Taste, sprinkle with additional flaky salt if desired, and serve.

• Melt the marshmallows over low heat and take your time so they don’t burn or harden.
• You can use large marshmallows, but it will take longer for them to melt.
• Don’t press the cereal down into the pan, this keeps it from becoming dense and hard.

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Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 210mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 0.02g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 239IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 4mg