Cornflake cookies are an easy no-bake treat made with creamy peanut butter and crunchy cereal. You’re going to love this family favorite dessert recipe.
Cornflake cookies are one of our go-to summertime desserts for those days when it’s too hot to turn on the oven. We love the sweet, creamy peanut butter mixed with the crunch of cornflake cereal. This recipe always goes over well at potlucks, summer barbecues and family parties.
These cornflake cookies have the most delicious chewy texture that will have you reaching for seconds. They are a classic case of “less is more.” Just the perfect, simple combination of textures and flavors!
I just love a good no-bake cookie and this one is definitely one of the best!
To make these delicious cornflake cookies, you only need these four ingredients:
Ingredients
- Corn Flake Cereal
- Light Corn Syrup (aka Karo Syrup)
- White Granulated Sugar
- Peanut Butter
Then it’s just a bit of heating up and stirring really and you’ll have these tasty treats:
One quick tip for making these cookies: If you cook the mixture too long, the final cookie won’t be as soft. Warm the sauce together just until everything is smooth and incorporated, then remove the pan from the stove. You don’t even need to “cook” it really— just enough gentle heat to get the sugars to dissolve and incorporate. If you overcook the sauce, your cookies will be hard instead of chewy… so sad!
Variation Ideas
- I like to drizzle my peanut butter cornflake cookies with just a bit of melted chocolate after they’ve set up. Peanut butter and chocolate are always a winning combination!
- You can make these cookies with other types of cereal. Kix, Cocoa Puffs, Rice Krispies, Cheerios, Honey Bunches of Oats… use whatever sounds good to you! I’ve even heard of people making them with Fritos chips for a sweet and salty treat.
- If you like an added crunch, feel free to throw in 1/2 cup of chopped peanuts.
- After the cookies are placed on wax paper to dry, decorate them with colorful sprinkles. Just make sure to do this part while the sauce is still wet so the sprinkles have something to stick to.
- Add 1 cup of mini marshmallows to the mix before spooning them onto the wax paper.
Cornflake Cookie Recipe Video
Are you a Nutella lover? Try my Nutella Cornflake Cookie recipe!
Cornflake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Karo syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 6 cups corn flake cereal
Instructions
- Pour Karo syrup and sugar into pan and heat just until sugar dissolves. This will only take a minute or so. If you cook the mixture too long, the final cookie will be rock hard.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in peanut butter until mixture is smooth. Measure cereal and place in a large mixing bowl. Pour sauce over cereal and mix until evenly combined.
- Place scoops of the mixture onto wax paper to harden. Store in an air-tight container.
Notes
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Comments & Reviews
Can you use Splenda instead of sugar?
I don’t know, I’ve never tried. But if you want a low-sugar dessert, this recipe is probably not your best bet since it has granulated sugar and corn syrup.
Can the sugar be left out if using sweetened cereal?
No, unfortunately… the sugar helps to make the sauce the right consistency. If you leave it out, the cookies won’t stick together.
Yes. Cooking Splenda.
Dizzel
melted milk chocolate chips on top
I make this with Special K and put it in a 9 by 13 pan and melt chocolate and butterscotch chips for the top.
YUM!
Can you use almond or other nut butters? We are allergic to peanuts.
I am not sure because I haven’t personally tried it, but I THINK it would work?
Sunbutter works amazing! Also the classic puppy chow recipe u can barely tell :))
Almond butter worked really well. So does WOW butter (soy)
Can i use honey instead of corn syrup
Honey might work, but I can’t vouch for it since I haven’t tried it. You can always try it though and see!
We use honey instead of corn syrup. Works great. Also we dont use the sugar if we dont care if they set up as hard. We always eat over half before it sets up anyway.
Could I use honey instead of corn syrup? I’m allergic to corn syrup…
Honey might work, but I can’t vouch for it since I haven’t tried it. You can always try it though and see!
Marissa, you can always try agave syrup… That’s what I’m going to do 🙂
Have you tried with crunchy peanut butter?
That would be delicious!
I make mine with crunchy peanut butter.
I have always made this with extra crunchy peanut butter and it is delicious
I use crunchy pb
Can u use regular corn syrup instead of Kero, cant find this in stores anywhere.
Yes, regular corn syrup IS Karo syrup… Karo is just a brand name.
I just mixed Karo with peanut butter, and combined with Frosted Flakes. Next time, I will cook the karo for a very short time. They do not set up well, but are delicious. Plenty sweet with Frosted Flakes and no sugar.
Can’t you do this, but instead of cornflakes use rice krispies?
Yes! I think rice krispies would work well!
We made these at Christmas using the Chocolate Frosted Flakes, they were a huge hit. I learned to make these in Home Ec in High school so making about 25yrs….lol
You can use Cheerios, it’s really good to. I’ve made this for years. Always a favorite.
Butter, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, and even rolled oats tastes good too.
Can you give us the measurements?
They are written at the bottom of the post in the recipe card. It even has a button that says, “Print” so you can easily print a paper copy to use while you’re cooking.
Since I eat gluten free, I’m going to use a GF cornflake cereal. I’m also going to substitute the Karo for agave syrup. I still have to decide if I’m going to use a GF peanut butter, or if I’m going to try almond butter 🙂 Wish me luck
And they’re called Peanut Butter Chews, not “cornflakes cookies”
where did you get this recipe? these were sold in our high school cafeteria made by one of the lunch ladies in the 70’s and 80’s. Peanut Butter Chews. they are more a candy then a cookie
These have been around for years; I use to make them for my children when they were little and I am 80 years old!! Good recipe
I made this and it turned out, but I struggled with the conflicting directions to “heat until the sugar is dissolved” and “this should only take a minute or two.” It took way longer than a minute or two. You didn’t specify what temperature to heat it on; perhaps I had it too low.
Is there a way to make these sugar free
Not in a way that would taste good.
Yes I would try Swerve, and it is sugar free but taste like sugar with no after taste it measures like sugar and bakes like sugar..!!!
Our family has made these for ears no holiday is complete without them we have use the smooth PB and crunchy PB.. I would love to try Almond butter this yr
It looks good but as a diabetic, I can’t use sugar or corn syrup. I know I can use the spenda in place of the sugar but what can replace the corn syrup?
I’m not very familiar with substitutions for diabetics. I would probably just not make this recipe… it really is FULL of sugar.
You can make your own version. 2 cups granulated Splenda, 3/4 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon cream tartar, pinch of salt and boil covered for 3 minutes. Use or store in mason jar at room temp.
My husband likes the chocolate frosted flakes, he suggested using those. I’m hoping they will be good also, kind of like a Reeses pnut butter taste
Where I’m from their called peanut butter chews. I love this dessert.
As old as this recipe is ,by now you can call it what ever you want to. I like ” No bake Peanut Butter Flake cookie”
As far as diabetics go,there are plenty of dessert recipes that accommodate you. Don’t try to modify a very sugary dessert. You will be disappointed and feel sick.
I have been making these for 30 years but I call them p-nut butter balls or corn flake balls. I roll them in small balls. Over the years I have tried making them with less sugar and more fiber so they are not so sweet. I use bran flakes , light Karo syrup, and peanut butter. I do not use any sugar.
Has anyone tried using molasses instead of corn syrup?
You can use honey instead of the corn syrup. It is so much better for you and it works just as well.
This recipe reminds me of an old TV show in the late 1960’s called That Girl with Marlo Thomas. There was an iconic episode where her neighbors and friends crash her cozy New Year’s Eve with her boyfriend and it becomes a giant party. They run out of food and drinks so as a last resort she puts peanut on cornflakes and serves them as an appetizer and everyone loves them.
Just wanted to share, I make my Rice Krispie treats this way because I hate marshmallow. So add corn flakes and Rice Krispies flatten on cookie sheet that add pound of melted chocolate. It’s my families favorite
We call these June Bugs 🙂 They are very addictive!
I made these cookies today, with a few variations. Instead of corn flakes, I used Special K Vanilla Almond cereal. I also added a few extra sliced almonds. Because the cereal is already sweetened, I cut the sugar in half. The cookies are awesome. I will keep this recipe to make again. AND I will probably be doing other varieties. ❤️😃
I spread them in a greased cookie sheet and pour melted chocolate chips over them. After setting I cut them into bars. We call them O Henry Bars.
I’ve made these for many years and we call them cornflake doodles!
These cookies are delicious! I remember my grandmother making them many years ago. She was a cook in an elementary school and she made them for the children. Also, she DID call them cornflake cookies! (Not sure why people care what you call them.) I have made them using different types of cereal, but corn flakes and cheerios are my favorite. I have also used brown sugar rather than white. I’ve tried using honey, but after reading the comments, I might. I might also try using Swerve rather than sugar. Thank you, Jennifer!
I hate even reading the posts when instead of saying thank you for the recipe there is always that person who has to be anal about it and criticize. I don’t give a hoot what you call it..it is a good recipe. Thanks Jen.
I put a tab of butter also. I also jar of pb to measure out sugar and syrup as u just need equal parts. Then just toss.
Has anyone tried freezing them?
Has anyone tried using Monkfruit Sweetner in place have granulated sugar? Really excited to try this but was curious if I could make it a little “healthier” (for lack of better word). Thanks in advance!
How long do you heat the sugar and corn syrup? Plan on making these
Just until it comes together. When all the sugar is melted and everything looks smooth, pull it off.
Pour Karo syrup in saucepan first, then add sugar on top. Heat slowly and stir. When just starts to simmer, remove from heat and add peanut butter. Mix. Pour on cornflakes. Stir to coat flakes and drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.
Will be making these for Christmas because they seem so good and quick
I love simple recipes. I’m going to try this next weekend with family and friends. Thank you
Thank you for posting this! I made these way back in 5th grade and lost the recipe years ago, been thinking about them ever since🤔. Making them as I type this, thanks again doll!
Well, these are delicious. Hot humid day and I was looking for something to bake for my husband.
A no bake sounded ideal. So.
I made it up, squished them into 9×9 pan, drizzled it with chocolate and bam! Perfectly yummy. My husband loves the PB and chocolate combo, so these are going to disappear quick. I will definitely make again. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I always knew this recipe with Fritos. It’s a nice sweet/salty mix. My kids loved them growing up. They now make them for their kids.