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-like 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 at home and sold as a popular snack in Taiwan. After widespread popularity there, it also went viral in China and beyond. In other words, this treat has 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 can be 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 adaptation 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 into three to use. All told, it takes only an extra 10 minutes to brown the butter and it is well worth it!

That said, I’ve written the recipe for each batch with their standalone amount of butter in case you want to make just one or two of the variations. Note there is no need to fill up an entire pan because they hold whatever shape you press them into.

🎥 Watch video for Marshmallow Nougat Snowflake Crisps

*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 if you have a question, drop it in the comments below - 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 nougat-like base. Avoid vegan marshmallows which gets too stiff very quickly after melting and is difficult for mixing.
Butter - different from the original treat, I brown the butter to add a gorgeous nutty aroma.
Milk powder — essential for creating the soft and chewy texture and milky flavour.

1.CLASSIC FRUIT & NUT ADD-INS:

Gala crackers — Slightly savoury with a light texture, these create a light crispness to the treat. Maria biscuits are another popular choice.
Freeze dried strawberries — Adds pops of fruity brightness and beautiful colour.
Dried cherries or cranberries — Adds another dimension of tart flavour and satisfying bits of chewiness.
Pistachios — Adds savoury nuttiness and crunch. Feel free to sub almonds or other nut(s) of choice.

2. 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.

3. 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. I love them in this!
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 in 2 to 3 additions, stirring well to ensure fully incorporated.

Stir in mix-ins while marshmallow nougat is still warm. Keep “folding” the nougat over the ingredients until everything is evenly distributed. I like using two spatulas to fold. You can use your hands too as soon as it’s cooled a touch — it isn’t too sticky.
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

You can brown all the butter at once to save time

Since this recipe makes 3 variations, I recommend browning all of the butter (a stick and a half of it in total) and divide into three. It cuts prep time down significantly — only an extra 10 minutes to brown the butter instead of 30 minutes if done separately. Another upside is the risk of burning the butter is lower when dealing with a larger quantity.

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.

Can I substitute milk powder to make it dairy-free?

Yes. Use plant-based milk powder of your choice — oat, coconut, soy milk powders are available online and in health food stores.

Use low heat

Be sure to melt the marshmallows over low heat to avoid overcooking which can result in them becoming too stiff. Add the powdered milk a bit at the time (3 additions) mixing constantly to dissolve and incorporate before adding more. Be patient with this process.

Work quickly to fold the add-ins

Have all your add-ins measured and ready before starting to cook. Work quickly when folding the add-ins while nougat base is still warm and pliable. As long as the recipe is followed (i.e. use regular non-vegan marshmallows, add milk powder gradually, cook over low heat), the marshmallow nougat will be thick but still quite pliable and stretchy. Use two spatulas and a folding technique to incorporate add-ins, folding the mixture over onto itself repeatedly 5 to 6 times or until even. For larger mix-ins like Oreo cookies, I switched to using my hands to fold, sometimes stretching it out to make it easier to fold over. The mixture is warm but not too hot to touch (test it first) and a little sticky on my bare ungreased hands but totally manageable but you can use gloves or lightly oiled hands.

Make all or only one or two variations

I intentionally wrote the recipe for each batch with their standalone amounts of butter, marshmallow and milk powder. This allows the option to make just one or two of the variations if you don’t want to make all three. There is no need to fill the entire pan because they hold whatever shape you press them into.

Marshmallow Nougat Snowflake Crisps

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!

Marshmallow Nougat Snowflake Crisps