Go Back
Easy No-Bake Cereal Cookies Recipe with Peanut Butter

Easy No-Bake Cereal Cookies

Sweet, chewy peanut-butter cornflake cookies made on the stovetop without an oven. This quick recipe yields about 30 to 36 cookies and sets at room temperature in 20 to 30 minutes.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 30 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1 cup Light corn syrup
  • 1 cup Creamy peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 5-6 cups Cornflake cereal

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or wax paper. Measure the cornflake cereal before beginning so it can be added quickly once the peanut-butter mixture is ready.
  2. Add the granulated sugar and light corn syrup to a large saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches a full boil.
  3. Boil the mixture for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Do not boil longer, because overcooking can make the finished cookies dry, hard, or brittle.
  4. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the creamy peanut butter and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined.
  5. Immediately fold in 5 cups of cornflakes, adding the remaining cereal if a firmer, more cereal-heavy mixture is desired. Stir gently to coat the flakes without crushing them.
  6. Drop rounded tablespoons of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets. Work quickly because the mixture thickens as it cools.
  7. Let the cookies stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, or until cool and set. Serve once firm.

Notes

Use 5 cups of cereal for softer, chewier cookies and up to 6 cups for a firmer texture. The one-minute boil is important; longer cooking can produce hard cookies. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.