If you bring these Black Sesame Rice Krispies Treats to a party, the “Oh my God, have you tried those?” conversation will spread like wildfire.

This recipe is from NYT Cooking, and it’s by Eric Kim.

The sesame flavor is subtle. That’s the first thing you need to know, so that your expectation is set. Subtle, but delicious. However, that these treats are extraordinary – you sense that immediately. 

As you try one, your first impression is pure “Rice Krispies Treat,” but a really good one: as crispy as it is yielding. Perfectly chewy without feeling sticky to your fingers. The unmistakable Rice Krispies Treat flavor is clearly there. But a good deal of the over-the-top sweetness isn’t. That’s that’s the second thing you notice. (It’s been balanced by the seeds, oil, and salt.) Then there’s a big flush at the finish: first the salt becomes clearer, and the sweet-and-salty interplay is exquisite. Then finally, the sesame.

Everyone who tries one will immediately say “wow.” (At least if they’re a Midwesterner. I don’t know what other people say when they encounter something unexpectedly delicious.) 

Social Learning

Tips and Tricks: Don’t let the browning of the butter get too far along, or it may burn while you’re toasting the seeds.

I’ve heard it said that marshmallows come into our lives in only twelve- or sixteen-ounce packages. They also come in ten-ounce. It’s worth searching for a ten-ounce bag, because who wants leftover marshmallows? Not me … though I don’t mind tossing one or two into a cup of cocoa. Mini-marshmallows melt faster, so that’s also something to consider.

Presentation isn’t something that makers of Rice Krispies Treats might often consider. But these black sesame treats would be welcome at an adult gathering, where presentation might be important. What to know: once they’re set, they won’t stick together in a significant way so long as you don’t press them together. This means that you can stack them. I like to cut mine into two- to three-bite-size cubes, and I think the cubes look good in a bowl. However, I sometimes also like to cut them into rectangles and arrange them on a black slate serving platter.    

Pots and Pans

The pan that you press the freshly made treats into doesn’t have to be 8-inch square. Any size or shape of pan will do, but of course it will have an influence on the size and shape of your treats. The number of treats you’ll produce depends on how large or small you’d like them to be. 

Seseame Seeds

Especially if they’re toasted, sesame seeds have a three- to six-month shelf life if you keep them in a cool, dark place – like your pantry, if your kitchen is air conditioned during the summer. You can double or even quadruple their life by keeping them in the fridge or freezer. Taste your seeds before using them, to make sure they don’t have an “off” flavor. Toss them if they do. 

Black sesame seeds are nuttier and more earthy than white ones. I found this hard to believe when I first tasted them: they just tasted like sesame seeds to me. But then I tasted the black and white back to back. The difference is huge and surprising.

Black sesame seeds are sold raw or roasted. Both work here, but roasted ones will toast more quickly. Because they’re black, it’s hard to determine visually how toasted they’re becoming. You have to go by scent. Err on the side of under-toasting them. If in doubt, just give’m a single minute, and then move on.

Can you substitute white sesame seeds? I didn’t test that question out, but I’m going to say “no,” and here are my guessed-at reasons: remembering that the sesame taste is already subtle, without the visual cue that tells your taste buds to search for the sesame flavor, these treats would be confusing. Given that the flavor with the black seeds is already subtle, white sesame seeds don’t have quite the same punch as black ones. This would make the flavor too subtle. However, you can, optionally, add white sesame seeds to amp up the sesame flavor. It throws the balance off just left of perfect, but not so far that you’ll lose the “wow” factor.

The pot that you cook the treats in does not have to be non-stick, but it’s a lot easier if it is. If not, it will be significantly harder (but not impossible) to stir, and you’ll have to work hard at scraping the last bit of them from the pot. Afterward, the pot will need a good, hot, soapy, soaking. 

Black Sesame Rice Krispies Treats

Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man! This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything. References: I got this recipe from NY Times Cooking. The recipe is by Eric Kim. I haven’t made any substantial changes to the ingredients, although I have made the directions more explicit. Thank you, Kesor. Thank you, ⌘+C. Make It Like a Man! is ranked by Feedspot as #5 in the Top 30 Men’s Cooking Blogs. Did I read that right? Number five? Yes, number five!

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