Marshmallow Nougat Snowflake Crisps
Soft and chewy marshmallow nougat studded with add-ins like biscuits or cookies, freeze-dried or dried fruits, matcha or nuts — every combo yields a chewy yet lightly crisp bite that will have you reaching for just one more.
Snowflake Crisps (xuě huā sū, 雪花酥) originated in Taiwan. It has a soft and chewy, slightly crispy nougat-like base made of marshmallows, melted butter and milk powder. In the OG version, the nougat base is mixed with crackers, dried fruit and nuts. The result is a treat that is surprisingly “not too sweet” and very well loved by all ages.
Classic Fruit & Nut flavour: Gala crackers, freeze-dried strawberries, pistachios, dried cherries.
While I couldn’t confirm precisely when it was invented in Taiwan, my internet research indicates that it was popularized online as far back as pre-2020. Before it went viral online, it was made and sold as a popular snack in Taiwan. After widespread popularity there, it also went viral in China, followed by other places in East Asian like Korea. In other words, these Snowflake Crisps have been around for 6 to 7 years at least, by my estimation. Which leads me to be shocked why they haven’t taken off here in the Western part of the world?!
Matcha Strawberry flavour: Korean barley crackers, freeze-dried strawberries, matcha marshmallow base.
I know what you’re already thinking — this no bake treat is like the Taiwanese version of the American Rice Krispies. The process is similar where marshmallows are melted in butter, in this case milk powder is added (a crucial difference), followed by something crispy being mixed in. The variations of add-ins are just as limitless as they are for Rice Krispies.
Oreos & Potato Chips flavour: Oreo cookies (filling removed), salted potato chips, peanuts.
Since it is universally true that brown butter > melted butter in any Rice Krispie recipe, I applied that here in my versions of Marshmallow Nougat Snowflake Crisps. I love how it adds a dimension of rich nuttiness. Since this recipe makes 3 variations, I streamline the process by browning all the butter at once (a stick and a half of it) and divide it into three for each of the three batches. All told, it takes only an extra 10 minutes to brown the butter and it is well worth it!
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Each batch is cut into 24, for a total of 72 bite sized pieces.
If you make this recipe, I wanna hear all about it! Or let me know if you have any questions about it. I’m happy to help!
Eat well and be well,
Sonia x
what you’ll need:
Ingredients for Marshmallow Nougat Snowflake Crisps (scroll down to recipe card for full printable recipe)
INGREDIENTS FOR NOUGAT BASE (ALL 3 VARIATIONS):
Mini marshmallows - forms the base of the nougat. Avoid vegan marshmallows which gets too stiff very quickly after melting and is difficult for mixing.
Butter - adds nutty, buttery goodness in the form of browned butter.
Milk powder — essential for creating the soft and chewy texture and milky flavour.
CLASSIC FRUIT & NUT ADD-INS:
Gala crackers — Slightly savoury with a light texture, these create a light crispness to the treat.
Freeze dried strawberries — Adds pops of fruity brightness and gorgeous colour.
Dried cherries or cranberries — Adds another dimension of tart flavour and bits of chewiness.
Pistachios — Adds savoury nuttiness and crunch.
MATCHA STRAWBERRY ADD-INS:
Korean barley crackers — Any small cracker or biscuit that has a mild taste and light texture works well. Feel free to use gala crackers or other similar.
Freeze dried strawberries — Adds pops of fruity brightness and gorgeous colour.
Matcha powder — Adds earthy grassy undertones. Make sure to whisk matcha powder well with the milk powder to ensure proper distribution.
OREOS & POTATO CHIPS ADD-INS:
Oreo cookies — Sweet cookies yield a sweeter flavour profile overall. Scrape off the Oreo filling and use the cookie halves only.
Plain salted potato chips — The saltiness balances the sweetness of the Oreos for a sweet-savoury moment and adds textural dimension.
Peanuts — I’m a big fan of peanuts for a “kitchen sink” vibe. Feel free to sub any nut of your choice.
At a glance:
How to make Marshmallow Nougat Snowflake Crisps (scroll down to recipe card for full printable recipe)
Brown the butter until nutty and fragrant.
Add marshmallows, stirring continuously over super low heat until melted.
Add milk powder.
Stir in mix-ins while marshmallow nougat is still warm. Keep “folding” the nougat over the ingredients until everything is evenly distributed.
Press into lined baking pan to fill 1/3 of it.
Repeat for Matcha Strawberry batch (mix matcha with milk powder before adding):
Repeat for Oreos & Potato Chips batch:
Cool and cut each batch into 24, for a total of 72 bite-sized pieces.
Tips & FAQs
Avoid vegan marshmallows
Normally I am a fan of Dandy’s vegan marshmallows but my experience is that it seizes and stiffens very quickly making it nearly impossible to fold the mix-ins. Once cooled, the nougat is hard — not soft and chewy. For this recipe, I recommend regular, non-vegan marshmallows. Mini size makes it easier to melt but full sized marshmallows are perfectly good too provided you use scissors to cut them up in 2 or 3 for quicker melting.
You may also like these recipes:
Marshmallow Nougat Snowflake Crisps
Marshmallow Nougat Snowflake Crisps
Soft and chewy marshmallow nougat studded with add-ins like crackers or Oreo cookies, freeze-dried strawberries or dried cherries, pistachios or peanuts, matcha or plain — every combo guarantees a chewy yet light crisp bite that will have you reaching for just one more.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Line an 8” x 8” square baking pan with parchment with overhang. Measure out all the add-ins because you need to stir them in quickly as soon as the nougat base is ready and still warm. For the Matcha Strawberry batch, whisk matcha powder into the milk powder and set aside.
- Brown the butter:
- Optional (recommended) à Brown the butter for all 3 batches at once and divide it by 3 to use. It’s easier to brown a larger amount of butter without burning it. The total amount of butter for all 3 batches is 12 tablespoons (1½ stick or ¾ cup). After browning, you should have about 140g or 150ml. Pour into a measuring cup and use 50ml for each batch.
- To brown the butter, place it in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Melt until foaming and sizzling subside, smells nutty, and there are brown bits at the bottom of the pot when you swirl and tilt the pan. Stir or swirl the pan occasionally and keep a close eye on it to prevent burning. This step takes about 7-8 minutes total time for the full 1½ sticks of butter (if browning all of it at once) and less time if browning 4 tablespoons. Immediately reduce heat to low.
- Make marshmallow nougat base:
- To the brown butter, add marshmallows and melt over very low heat, stirring constantly. Make sure to keep heat low to avoid overcooking marshmallows (may cause them to get too stiff for stirring or too hard when nougat cools). Once marshmallow is melted, add milk powder in 3 additions. Stir to incorporate before adding more.
- Stir add-ins – repeat for each batch:
- Off-heat, mix add-ins (cookies, freeze-dried and dried fruit, nuts) until evenly combined and coated in marshmallow nougat. Transfer to parchment lined baking pan. Use a bench scraper (or something with straight edge) to push the mixture snugly into the pan to form into a rectangle that takes up 1/3 of the pan. Repeat with other two flavours to fill the pan fully. Cool to room temperature. Unmold onto cutting board and cut into cubes.
Notes
Storage:
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or freeze in freezer-safe container for up to a month (thaw to enjoy).
Avoid using vegan marshmallows. I've tried with Dandy's marshmallows which seizes and gets too stiff to properly mix the add-ins.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
120Fat
7 gSat. Fat
3 gCarbs
13 gFiber
1 gNet carbs
12 gSugar
7 gProtein
2 gSodium
97 mgCholesterol
11 mgDisclaimer: nutritional information is auto-generated and should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this recipe? Please consider leaving a comment below or star rating on the recipe card to let me and other readers know how it went. I appreciate it!