Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies

Spark a little nostalgia with these peanut butter cornflake cookies that turn simple cereal into a sweet and crunchy no-bake treat. Crispy cornflakes are coated in a smooth stovetop mixture of peanut butter, sugar, and a little butter to give the cookies their creamy, caramel-like chew. The small batch makes one dozen cookies that are an old-fashioned favorite, no matter the age!

My Small Batch Take on Cornflake Cookies

I have an appreciation for why Grandma always made these cornflake cookies. Crunchy cereal encased in sticky peanut butter syrup is more than enough to keep the kids occupied.

They also showed up again at Christmas, often covered in sprinkles. Which makes sense because during cookie-making marathons, I respect throwing in a cookie that doesn’t need the oven.

When I decided to make my own small batch recipe, I tweaked a few things in testing. I added vanilla and salt to balance the sweetness. And I added a little butter, which makes the peanut butter coating richer and creamier, much like it does in my maple caramel sauce. And it keeps the sugar syrup from setting too brittle.

While technically cookies, they have a candy-like quality. The sticky coating has a soft chew, while the cornflakes underneath keep their crunch. And peanut butter shows up in plenty of our cookie-candy favorites (I’m talking about you, gooey peanut butter blondies).

The hardest part is waiting for them to set. The sugar and corn syrup need only a quick boil, followed by an even quicker portioning before the coating gets too thick. From there, choose your occasion — even if it’s just a regular weeknight.

How To Make Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies

First, choose a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Even with a smaller batch, sugar heats more evenly in a sturdy pan. Bring the corn syrup and sugar to a boil. Once the mixture turns translucent, remove the pan from the heat.

Have the creamy peanut butter ready to go and whisk it into the syrup along with the vanilla, salt, and butter. The syrup is hot, so stir gently to avoid hot splatters.

The peanut butter syrup will look creamy and smooth. Pour it over the cornflake cereal in a back-and-forth motion rather than dumping it all in one spot.

Use a silicone spatula to gently toss the cereal flakes in the peanut butter syrup. It thickens pretty quickly, so work fast to make sure all the flakes get a light, even coating.

At this point, the syrup should have cooled enough to handle. I use two soup spoons to scoop and gently form the mixture into mounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use the spoons to press in any loose flakes.

BONUS: If you’re making these no-bake cookies for a holiday or special occasion (ahem, Christmas), sprinkle the tops while the coating is still sticky. Otherwise they’ll just fall right off.

Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies

Sweet and crunchy peanut butter cornflake cookies made with crispy cereal coated in a smooth peanut butter and sugar mixture for a creamy,caramel-like chew. This easy no-bake recipe makes a small batch of 12 old-fashionedcookies.

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by Erin Cernich

Yield12 Cookies

Prep15 minutes minutes

ChillCool30 minutes minutes

Total Time45 minutes minutes

Equipment

• ▢
  Small Heavy Duty Saucepan

Ingredients

• ▢ ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup light corn syrup
• ▢ ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
• ▢ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 pinch salt
• ▢ 1 ½ cups cornflakes
• ▢ sprinkles (optional)

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Instructions

 

• ▢
  Add the cornflakes to a small mixing bowl.
  1 ½ cups cornflakes
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  Add the sugar and corn syrup to a small heavy-duty saucepan. Whisk as it heats over medium-low heat and the sugar dissolves and the mixture just starts to boil. This can take about 2 minutes, and the sugar syrup will be translucent.
  1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• ▢
  Remove the syrup from the heat and immediately add the peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.
  1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 pinch salt
  
• ▢
  Pour the peanut butter syrup over the cornflakes and use a sturdy silicone spatula to mix until the cornflakes are well coated.
  
• ▢
  Use a tablespoon to portion the mix into 12 cookies, and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Work quickly, as the syrup will start to thicken and firm as it cools. Cover with sprinkles (if using) and let the cookies sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to set.
  sprinkles
  
My favorite method for portioning the cookies is to use two spoons. This keeps your fingers from getting sticky and helps keep the cornflakes intact. Skip the cookie scoop — the mixture is more likely to stick inside the scoop and break up the flakes.
• ▢
  Store the cookies in a covered container for up to 5 days. If stacking, place a piece of parchment between layers.

Notes

• Serving Size – This small batch recipe is easily doubled.
• Peanut Butter – I recommend regular creamy peanut butter, like Jif or Skippy. Nut butters that need to be stirred are too oily and can make the sugar syrup oily. 
• Sprinkles – If using, add them while the sugar syrup is still tacky so they stick.
• Freezing – I don’t recommend freezing these cookies because the cornflakes can lose their crunchy texture when frozen and thawed. 

Nutrition Estimates

Calories: 90kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 37mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 92IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is calculated by a third-party and should only be considered an estimate and not a guarantee.