No Bake Cornflake Cookies
These no-bake cornflake cookies are great for the holidays, especially for dessert trays and cookie exchanges alongside avalanche cookies, as they’re no bake and take up no room in the oven!
On any other day of the year, they’re the treat you turn to when you’re just sitting there with a hankering for something sweet, and 20 minutes later, you’re indulging in a bite of heaven. Sweet and salty, chewy and chunky, easy peanut butter cornflake cookies!
It’s a classic recipe made with a few simple ingredients taken up a notch with chocolate drizzled over top.
They’re downright addicting. And if you love the chocolate and peanut butter combination, you’ll want to try Peanut Butter Blossoms, Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Balls, and Crockpot Peanut Clusters next!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Two combinations you’ll love: sweet and salty, and chocolate and peanut butter. ‘Nuff said.
- They’re no bake cornflake cookies that require just a handful of ingredients.
- You can make them ahead and freeze them for later.
- They’re easy to make and ready to eat in 20 minutes.
Helpful Tools
- Small Saucepan – I prefer nonstick & dishwasher safe (bc I’m lazy)
- Silicone Spatula – You need to stir the sugar and corn syrup until its dissolved so you need a heat safe spatula. I like one-piece ones that don’t come apart (or leave cracks for cleaning)
- Parchment Paper – You’ll scoop the cookies out onto parchment paper, which is non-stick and allows for easy cleanup.
- Medium Cookie Scoop – I use my cookie scoops SO often. They make portioning out these sticky cookies easy.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump- Cornflakes – I used original, “regular” cornflakes here, but I think there are different varieties (like chocolate) you could also use which would be fun.
- Light Corn Syrup – Karo syrup is used for a light sweet flavor, but also prevents the sugar from crystallizing and making your cookies rock solid. It helps to keep them nice and chewy.
- Sugar – White, granulated sugar for sweetness.
- Peanut Butter – I used Jif Natural because that’s what we keep on hand. Crunchy might be fun to try.
- Chocolate Chips – I used mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you could use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even white chocolate for something different.
- Vegetable Oil – Vegetable oil has a neutral flavor and helps to thin out the chocolate as it melts, while leaving a shiny finish.
How to make Cornflake Cookies
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Jump- Step One: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir the cornstarch and sugar for about 3-4 minutes until the sugar dissolves, but DO NOT let it boil.
- Step Two: Once the sugar dissolves, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the peanut butter until the mixture is nice and smooth.
- Step Three: Pour the sweet peanut butter mixture into a large bowl of cornflakes and gently stir until all the cereal is coated.
- Step Four: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to drop heaping dollops of cookie onto a parchment-lined baking tray. Let that cool for 30 minutes before drizzling with melted chocolate chips.
How to store leftovers
These will keep fresh on the counter for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container.
You could also store them a little longer in the fridge, for up to about a week.
Freezing Instructions
Transfer the cornflake cookies to a freezer bag, and stack them lined with parchment paper between the layers. This will help keep them from sticking to each other. Keep them frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw and enjoy when you’re ready!
Other No Bake Treats You Might Like
- No Bake Chocolate Lush
- Peanut Butter Balls (Buckeyes)
- PB Rice Krispie Balls
- Golden Oreo Sand Pudding
- Chocolate and Peanut Butter Eclair Dessert
Click here to view my entire collection of dessert recipes.
Cornflake Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 cups cornflakes cereal
- 1 cup corn syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
- ¼ teaspoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Line your countertop or a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- To a large bowl, add your cornflakes and set aside.6 cups cornflakes cereal
- To a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the corn syrup and sugar. Stir over heat until the sugar dissolves (about 3-4 minutes). Do not let it boil.1 cup corn syrup, 1 cup sugar
- Once your sugar is dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the peanut butter until smooth.1 cup peanut butter
- Pour the mixture over the cornflakes and gently stir together until all the cereal is coated.
- Use a cookie scoop (or spoon) to drop heaping tablespoons onto the prepared parchment paper and let cool for about 30 minutes.
- Once cooled, in a small microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate chips and vegetable oil. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat for 30 second intervals until melted and smooth.1/4 cup chocolate chips, 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil
- Drizzle the chocolate (I added it to a plastic bag and snipped the very tip) over the cookies.
- Let set up for about 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Don’t forget to line your baking sheet so they don’t stick.
- Using a cookie scoop helps to make sure they’re even-sized, but a tablespoon will work just as well.
- For a festive touch for the holidays, add sprinkles.
- Rice Krispies or Chex cereal can also be used.
- You can drizzle the chocolate over the cookies with a fork, or add the melted chocolate to a ziploc bag and snip the corner. Then, use it like a piping bag.
- Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Recipe from Untraditional Desserts by Allison Miller
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag me on Instagram @melissa_pplates so I can see!Did You Make This?
If you made this recipe, I’d love to know how it went in the comments section below.
You can also tag me on Instagram – @melissa_ppplates or share a pic in the Persnickety Plates Community Facebook group. I love seeing what you’ve tried!
Alli’s Untraditional Desserts cookbook would make a great holiday gift for a sweets lover in your life! You can find it on Amazon or at Barnes & Noble.
My blog friend, Alli of Tornadough Alli, wrote a cookbook and I’m so proud. I got it in the mail a couple weeks ago and read it cover to cover. [Do you read cookbooks? Just me?]
How she manages to maintain her site, raise her kids, make pretty videos for me & many others (like this Christmas Oreo Bon Bon video she recently made for me) and develop and photograph 100 recipes is far beyond me, but she makes it all look good!
The cookbook is called Untraditional Desserts: 100 Classic Treats with a Twist and its so fun! It’s full of delicious recipes and pretty pictures.
On my “to bake” list are: Peanut Butter Blossom Cupcakes, Salted Nut Roll Bars, and Monster Cookie Sheet Cake.
I have some Special K that needs to be used up, do you think I could substitute these in place of the corn flakes?
Yep, I think so. Same idea.
Great recipe but for those who don’t care for peanut butter, can you source a recipe for cornflake cookies and without corn syrup? My neighbour used to make cor flake cookies for us kids. We loved them. I haven’t a recipe for them.
Enjoying your recipes. Gives me a chance to enjoy my new Kitchenaid stand mixer.
Thanks very much, John
Hi John, happy to hear you’re liking the recipes! Most cornflake cookie recipes I’m finding have peanut butter, but I think this one fits your request!
Have yy out ever used frosted flakes
I haven’t but I feel like they might be too sweet (for me).
Excellent recipe for those of us with a sweet tooth but need gluten free!! Yum!
Thanks, Millie!