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When you need a no bake treat with serious crunch, try these! These Cornflake Cookies have a sticky peanut butter coating that is so good in these dense, crunchy cookies. Just 5 ingredients and 20 minutes until theyโre ready!
Deliciously Crunchy Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies
Youโre looking at one of my favorite cookies from my childhood. I love the way the peanut butter and honey smell when it heats up in the pan, and I love the sound of the crispy cornflakes rustling into the warm pot. Move over Rice Krispies treats, these cornflake cookies are the superior cereal treat.
Thereโs another no bake cookie recipe that is much more common than these cornflake cookies. Maybe you know the ones Iโm talking aboutโthey have chocolate and have lots of oats in them. I donโt have a recipe for those on my site because theyโre just not good. The oats never quite soften all the way the way and I donโt love the texture.
But texture is exactly what these cornflake cookies have going for them! You coat the super crunchy cornflakes in a sticky honey peanut butter mixture. This helps them clump together, and when you bite into them, you can still get the crunch.
If youโre familiar with this old fashioned cornflake cookies recipe, it usually has light (or clear) corn syrup in it. I replace corn syrup with honey because I always have honey in my pantry for tea. Typically, I only have corn syrup on hand for making homemade marshmallows. If you have corn syrup, you can use an equal amount in place of the honey, if you prefer.
How are these different from the old fashioned cornflake cookies?
The original old fashioned cornflake cookies recipe was just 3 ingredients: peanut butter, corn syrup and cornflakes! We have updated this recipe to use honey instead of corn syrup, and you will love the flavor honey brings! We have also added a pinch of salt and vanilla to balance flavors.
The Ingredients
- Cornflakes. We need 3 cups of fresh cornflakes cereal. Do not use stale cereal here, or the texture wonโt be right. Measure it out first and have ready in a large bowl, because this recipe comes together quickly.
- Honey. One-half cup of your favorite honey. You can use light corn syrup, if you prefer. Use a plain neutral honey, not one with a strong flavor (like buckwheat honey). I use orange blossom honey.
- Sugar. Just one-third cup of granulated sugar. While the original recipe for cornflake cookies has an equal amount of corn syrup and sugar, I find it way too sweet. Plus, honey tastes sweeter to our tongues than corn syrup, so it can be overwhelming. Use a level one-third cup of granulated white sugar for the perfect balance.
- Salt. Do not skip the salt here because it balances the sweetness. Use one-half teaspoon of fine sea salt. You can also sprinkle salt on top of each cookie after scooping, if you like.
- Peanut Butter. One-half cup of creamy peanut butter. You can use chunky peanut butter, if you want chunks in your final cookie. You can use regular peanut butter, or a natural stir one, just make sure it isnโt overly drippy and runny.
- Vanilla. One teaspoon of vanilla makes these cookies fragrant and sweet.
How to Make Crispy Cornflake Cookies
1. First, measure out the cornflakes and have them ready in a large bowl. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, wax paper, or a silicone mat and set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the honey, sugar and salt.
2. Cook the honey mixture, while stirring, until the sugar dissolves and bubbles start to appear around the edge of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.
3. Pour the mixture over the cornflakes and stir gently. Itโs important not to crush the cornflakes too much, so stir gently but quickly before it sets.
4. Use two spoons to scoop 16 mounds of cornflake cookies onto the prepared pan. Use the spoons to push each cookie together and shape it quickly before it cools. Let cookies sit for about 20 minutes, and then serve.
Tips For Making Corn Flake Cookies
- Use your favorite peanut butter here. It can be natural, regular, chunky or smooth! Make these cookies your own.
- Ensure your cornflakes are fresh and crispy for the best texture in your cookies.
- Donโt skip the vanillaโit adds so much depth of flavor.
How to Store Cornflake Cookies
Store these cookies in air tight containers at room temperature. Place pieces of parchment or wax paper between the layers, if needed, because they are very sticky. They last for at least 5 days due to the high sugar content, but are best within 2-3 days for the maximum crunch of the cereal.
Cornflake Cookie Recipe
Crispy cornflake cookies are entirely no bake!
Ingredients
- 3 cups cornflakes
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Measure out the cornflakes and have ready on the side. Place a piece of parchment or wax paper on a cookie sheet or counter.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the honey, sugar and salt. Bring to a bubble over medium heat, just until small bubbles start forming on the edge of the pan.
- Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour over the cornflakes and stir gently.
- Use two spoons (or a cookie scoop that you spray with coking spray between each scoop) to scoop out 16 cookies onto the parchment or wax paper.
- Let the cookies set for about 20 minutes, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 115Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 143mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 1gSugar: 14gProtein: 2g
Christina could you sub cheerios, rice krispies or a combination of the 2? No cornflakes but want to try this recipe. Thanks!
Dana
Yes, great question! I havenโt tested it, but it sounds like it would work, especially the cheerios.
Hi Christina! I know you always test and retest recipes and am curious if you tested this one with no added sugar, to make a less sweet version? I wonder why add the extra white sugar especially if the original recipe included only 3 ingredients and if honey tastes sweeter? I always appreciate hearing your thought process! Great job modernizing this good โol fashioned recipe.
Great question! So, I think you could do all honey no sugar here, but you might need the help of the fridge to keep them together? The only โfirmingโ ingredient would be the peanut butter. The original recipe, as Iโm sure you know, is sugar + corn syrup. I was really just trying to replace the corn syrup because I hardly keep it in the house. I actually reduced the sugar from 1/2 cup to 1/3 cup. I would take it down to 3 tablespoons and see how it goes? The crystalline structure of the sugar is what helps hold everything together at room temperature tooโฆbest of luck :)
Hi. โ just read this recipe for corn flake cookies. My mom used to make something similar she called corn flake chewies. She put the entire recipe into a 9 X. 12 pan and then cut them a little later. She added coconut and chopped pecans to the recipe however. What do you think of those additions? She is gone now and i have been looking for the recipe for years. Yours seems to be the closest yet. Thank you so much!
Um that sounds DELICIOUS. I love the idea of making bars. I definitely think thereโs enough โgooโ for your additions. If you want to use the original formula for these cookies to make your bars, itโs light corn syrup instead of honey, and equal parts corn syrup and sugar. For me, that was wayyyy too sweet, so I reduced the sugar.