Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies
All you need is 4 ingredients to make these quick and easy no-bake peanut butter cornflake cookies. They’re simultaneously sweet, nutty, crunchy, and ridiculously addictive.
Many of you may remember these deliciously chewy peanut butter cornflake cookies from your childhood. This is an old-fashioned recipe that my husband’s grandmother used to make for him. If they don’t immediately ring a bell, the first bite might fix that! They are super easy to make and a nice break from your standard cookie as they are made on the stovetop.
All you need is cornflakes, peanut butter, corn syrup, and white sugar. The instructions are as simple as the ingredients. We’re just going to slowly combine them on the stovetop until we have a cookie mixture. Then we shape them into cookies, let them cool completely, and then they’re ready to serve.
There’s so much to love about this peanut butter cornflake cookie recipe:
- It’s so quick and easy. They take about 15 minutes to make and then you just have to wait for them to cool.
- You only need 4 ingredients.
- This one recipe makes 60 cookies! But they’ll still be gone in the blink of an eye…
- These cookies are perfect for sweet and savory fans. You’ve got sweet and salty nutty notes combined with chewy crunchy cereal. What more could you want?
I’ve convinced you now, right? Let’s make some peanut butter cornflake cookies!
Recipe Ingredients
- Granulated sugar
- Light corn syrup (usually sold as Karo), light-colored honey, or maple syrup.
- Creamy peanut butter
- Cornflakes
How To Make Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies
Tear off two large sheets of waxed paper (about 12 x 16 each) and spray them lightly with cooking spray. Set aside on a table or countertop.
Place sugar and corn syrup (or light honey/maple syrup) in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Stir constantly as it comes to a boil. As soon as it comes to a boil, remove it from the heat.
Immediately stir in peanut butter until smooth.
Pour the entire box of cornflakes in and stir rapidly until coated.
Like this.
Drop spoonfuls of the cornflake mixture onto the greased waxed paper and allow them to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.
These are so chewy and good!
All of your peanut butter lovers will flip and those who remember these from their childhood might even tear up a bit after the first bite.
Enjoy!
Storage
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- You can also store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the fridge or at room temperature before serving.
Recipe Notes
- If you crave more sweetness, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract when you add the creamy peanut butter.
- They only need about 20 to 30 minutes to cool before serving.
- You can make them as big or as small as you like. You can use an ice cream scoop for bigger cornflake cookies.
- I prefer using creamy peanut butter, but you can use crunchy peanut butter instead. You can really use any nut butter, like sunflower butter or almond butter (just not natural peanut butter).
- You can adapt this recipe and use any kind of flaky cereal, like Chex, Crispix, or Rice Krispies.
- For chocolate peanut butter cornflake cookies, you can either drizzle melted chocolate on top or mix in some mini chocolate chips.
- Add a pinch of salt to enhance the peanut butter flavor.
Recipe FAQs
How do you make gluten-free cornflake cookies?
Use either gluten-free cornflakes or Rice Chex cereal for gluten-free peanut butter cornflake cookies.
What mix-ins can I add to my cornflake cookies?
Here are some mix-in suggestions that you can add with the cornflakes:
- Mini chocolate chips
- Butterscotch chips
- Peanut butter chips
- Sweetened coconut flakes
- Sprinkles
- Mini M&Ms
- Chopped nuts (or candied pecans)
- Crushed pretzels
- Crushed Twix or any candy bar like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
What can I substitute for corn syrup in cornflake cookies?
Instead of corn syrup (a.k.a karo syrup), you can use honey, maple syrup, or even mini marshmallows. Mini marshmallows will melt down like corn syrup for the same effect.
You may like these other no-bake recipes:
Low-Carb Chocolate No-Bake Cookies
Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookie Bites
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar or Swerve
- 1.5 cups clear karo syrup, honey, or maple syrup
- 2 cups smooth peanut butter
- 1 12-ounce box unsweetened cornflakes
Instructions
- Tear off two large sheets of waxed paper (about 12 x 16 each) and spray them lightly with cooking spray. Set aside on a table or countertop.
- Place sugar and syrup in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir constantly as it comes to a boil. As soon as it comes to a boil, remove it from the heat.2 cups granulated sugar or Swerve, 1.5 cups clear karo syrup, honey, or maple syrup
- Immediately stir in the peanut butter until smooth. Pour the entire box of cornflakes in and stir rapidly until coated.2 cups smooth peanut butter, 1 12-ounce box unsweetened cornflakes
- Drop spoonfuls onto the greased waxed paper and allow them to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.
Nutrition
The greatest generation was formed first by the Great Depression. They shared everything – meals, jobs, clothing.
~Tom Brokaw
Thank you.Hope to make this for grandchildren.
I hope you get the chance to Sandra, they will love them!!
This is one of my favorite sayings , children put such a smile on our faces and love in our heart.
“Children leave footprints on your heart that last a lifetime!”
*”Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty- they merely move it from their faces to their hearts.” (reminds me of my beautiful step-mom)
*”Don’t let the Devil steal your joy!” *”Go the extra mile, it’s never crowded.”
*”If you don’t like your station in life – build a service station on it.” Corrie Ten Boom
*”Be somebody who makes everybody feel like somebody.”
*”It’s always too early to quit.” Norman Vincent Peale
*”Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Psalms 30:2-5
Merry Christmas Jordan Family!
Oh, Christy, I just watched your first episode of “Adventures in Boiling Water” and totally cracked up!! Maybe you could write a cookbook for college students and give them all the same information and lessons you will be giving Brady and his friends. I’m sure every university book store would sell out every year!! BTW, his bacon looks just like my first try at baking spare ribs – there was no difference between the meat and the bones!!
Congratulations on Brady successfully completing his first semester in college!! One of my daughters just sent me a text showing me she has graduated with her Master’s degree with a 3.967, while starting her 12th year of being active duty in the Army. So very proud of her, just as you are of Brady. The seasons do change in our life and our attitude towards that change certainly makes a difference. I used to tell my high school students that the world was a mirror and what they gave to the world is usually what they would get back. I didn’t want to have to deal with attitudes all the time!! I love this recipe and wish I could find peanut butter with no sodium!!
I can relate to the “end of first college semester” thing. I’ve been through it with all three of mine. We all lived through it. Then came the granddaughters—as disappointed as I was, college was not for either of them. Next thing is the great-grands. I have 2–siblings, 11 mos. apart. We will attempt working together with Mommy (granddaughter) on Monday. This recipe is on my list plus the corn flake wreaths. Grammie’s patience isn’t what it once was, so we will see how things go.
MERRY CHRISTMAS and Happy Holidays for this special time of the year. The babe in the manger (and His Father) have been my best friends since I was 9 yrs. old. Could not make it without them.
I’ve laughed & laughed. I have an 18 & a 19 year old college age grandson. One lived with me this semester, the other is at the University of Arkansas. I too have tried to teach them to cook since they were born. Both crawled all over the counter getting in to stuff while making cookies, but mostly eating cookie dough. Both have been like Brady, not interested in learning to cook, they only want to eat what someone else has cooked. So far they aren’t wanting to learn yet, one told me he could make toast, the other one knows how to pour cereal. I pray they will soon be like Brady & be interested in learning. I’m sure they don’t know what a baking sheet is either.
Hey, knowing how to pour cereal totally counts! (Brady has become a pro at college). I love this! I know your grandsons will know exactly where to go when they get ready to learn but I guess I can’t blame them, somedays I’d like to just eat good homecooking someone else made, too!