Stir your way to crunchy, chocolaty cookies in just minutes — and without turning the oven on!
In these hot summer months, the thought of turning on the oven to bake cookies isn’t on my agenda — like at all. Actually, if I could grill cookies, maybe I would consider making them (and that’s the truth).
Whoever invented the no-bake cookie is a pure genius. Simple pantry ingredients combined in a pot on the stove top and dropped into mounds on a cookie sheet to cool. Of course that is if you can wait that long.
Traditionally, no-bakes have a mixture of oatmeal and coconut, but have you ever thought to try substituting cereal? Like just pick a box of cereal, but maybe leave out the fruity ones, and mix the cereal into the ooey-gooey chocolate cookie base?
- Well I did. My cereal of choice? Hershey’s Cookie ‘n’ Creme cereal. My husband is a big fan of pretty much anything that has “cookies and cream” in the title and my girls were all thumbs up about the idea, naturally.
- Start by measuring and adding the sugar.
- Then unsweetened cocoa powder.
- And salted butter.
- Then pour in the whole milk.
- Bring all of those ingredients to a boil over high heat, and then set a timer for a minute and thirty seconds while stirring briskly.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add in the real vanilla extract.
- Carefully, so you don’t splash the hot chocolate mixture onto yourself, add the creamy peanut butter. Mmm.
- Stir until the peanut butter has completely melted into the chocolate. It really smells amazing from this view!
- Finally add in 5 cups of the Hershey’s Cookies ‘n Creme cereal.
- Mix the cereal gently into the chocolate mixture to combine.
- Quickly spoon mounds of the cereal mixture onto the lined, rimmed baking pans.
- Pop the pans into the fridge so they can set up.
- And…that’s it!
These no-bakes are super fun. The texture reminds me of a candy bar that has the puffed rice in it because when the hot chocolate mixture touches the cereal it will soften the cereal a bit. But when you pop them in to the fridge to cool, they’ll harden and hold their shape. They’re crazy easy and kids of all ages will love ‘em!
No-Bake Cereal Cookie Clusters
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 5 cups Hershey's Cookies 'n' Creme Cereal
Directions
- Line two rimmed cookie sheets with parchment or a non-stick baking mat.
- In a medium saucepan; add the sugar, cocoa, butter and whole milk. Stir and bring to a rolling boil. The moment it reaches a boil, set a timer for a minute and thirty seconds while you continue to whisk.
- When the time is up, remove the pot from the stove and add in the vanilla and peanut butter. Stir until the peanut butter is melted and mixed thoroughly.
- Add the cereal and stir gently to combine.
- Use a spoon to drop mounds of the mixture onto prepared pans. Place the pans into the refrigerator until set (about 15 to 20 minutes). Enjoy!
Recipe and Photo credit:tablespoon / CC BY-NC-ND
