If you love an easy dessert that’s crunchy, sweet, and nostalgic, peanut butter cornflake cookies are a great recipe to keep on hand. These chewy cookies have the perfect combination of creamy peanut butter and crunchy cornflakes, and they come together with just a few simple ingredients. They’re a delicious treat to make any time of year and always a favorite with kids and adults alike.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This is one of those easy cookies that every home baker should keep in their back pocket. The cookie mixture comes together on the stovetop in minutes, and you don’t even have to bake cookies in the oven.
The end result is a nice crunch from the cornflakes paired with the sweet, peanut buttery flavor. Plus, these cookies set at room temperature, which means you can skip the oven altogether.
I’m not sure where the original recipe for cornflake cookies came from, but I found this one in an old church cookbook.
How to Make Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies
This peanut butter cornflake cookie recipe is simple and foolproof. Here’s a quick overview of the process before you jump to the recipe card below for full details.
- Step one: Place cornflakes in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Step two: Heat sugar and light corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat until boiling.
- Step three: Remove from heat, stir in creamy peanut butter, salt, and vanilla until smooth.
- Step four: Pour mixture over the cornflakes and stir to coat.
- Step five: Using a cookie scoop, drop scoops onto wax or parchment paper and let on set at room temperature on your cookie sheets.
Reminder: The full ingredient list and printable instructions are available in the recipe card below.
Ingredients
Here’s what makes this bake recipe work so well:
- Cornflakes – The base of the cookies. They add the best crunchy texture and a nice crunch in every bite.
- White sugar and light corn syrup – When heated together, they form a sticky sugar mixture that binds the cookies without needing much flour.
- Creamy peanut butter – Adds flavor, richness, and chewiness. Natural peanut butter or almond butter can be substituted, but for best results use regular creamy peanut butter.
- Vanilla extract – Just a little bit gives these cookies a warm, sweet flavor.
- Salt – I like to balance the sweetness in these drop cookies by adding a bit of salt.
All of these simple ingredients combine to make a winning combination that’s loved by kids and grownups alike.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use almond butter or natural peanut butter for a slightly different flavor.
- Drizzle melted chocolate over the top for a chocolate-peanut butter twist.
- Swap the cornflakes for rice krispies if you want a crunchier cookie with a lighter texture.
Crissy’s Cornflake Cookies Tips
- Stir the sugar and syrup gently, making sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.
- If you’re making a double batch, use a large bowl so the cornflakes get coated evenly.
- If you want a crispier cookie, let them sit out a little longer before transferring to storage. For chewier cookies, keep a closer eye on the set time.
- When scooping the mixture, use a circular motion to shape uniform cookies on the baking sheet or wax paper for even results.
How to Store Cornflake Cookies
Once the cookies have cooled and set, place cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
If you’d like to keep them longer, place them in a freezer-safe container with wax paper between layers. Thaw at room temperature before serving. There’s no need to refrigerate these cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use natural peanut butter?
Yes, just stir it well before using to make sure the oil is fully incorporated.
Can I bake these cookies?
This is a no-bake treat! The sugar and corn syrup mixture sets the cookies as they cool.
Can I make a double batch?
Absolutely. Use a large bowl and a measuring cup to pour the mixture evenly over the cornflakes so everything gets coated.
Can you make cornflake cookies with Frosted Flakes?
Yes, you can substitute Frosted Flakes for regular cornflakes. Just keep in mind they’ll make the cookies sweeter, so you may want to reduce the sugar a little if you prefer less sweetness.
Why are my cookies too sticky?
This usually happens if the sugar mixture didn’t boil long enough. Make sure it reaches a rolling boil before removing it from the heat so it sets properly.
Can I freeze peanut butter cornflake cookies?
Yes. Place them in a freezer-safe container with wax paper between layers. Thaw at room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Can I use other nut butters?
You can use almond butter or other nut butters, but the flavor and texture will change slightly. Creamy peanut butter gives the best classic result.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
Cornflake Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups Cornflakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add the 4 cups of Cornflakes to a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan combine the sugar and the syrup. Over medium-high heat, while stirring, bring the mixture to a boil. Remove for the heat and add the peanut butter and the vanilla and stir until blended.
- Pour the mixture over the Cornflakes and stir until all the Cornflakes are coated.
- Drop by round tablespoons (I used a medium cookie scoop) onto wax paper.
- Let sit at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes.
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Nutrition
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OMG! I have been looking for this recipe for a long time ! I tried these for the first time when I was around 5 years old at school! I am so glad I found the recipe and of course I made them with my little ones , they enjoyed them as much as I did , they asked to make a new batch when the last one was gone! THANK YOU FOR THE RECIPE!
My mother used to make a cookie similar to this back in the 1950s or 1960s. I remember helping her make a shortbread crust which got baked, then melting butterscotch morsels over the crust and spreading this cornflake mixture over it. Do you happen to have a recipe for this? It was printed in the Sunday Parade magazine as I recall. Thanks.
They’re great when you throw them in the freezer once a harden up.
They are delicious, easy and so Awesone, thank you
Hi! I have dark Karo syrup and honey in my pantry. Which one would you recommend as a replacement for the light syrup?? Thank you! Can’t wait to make these!!
Just in case anyone else is wondering this same question…I only had dark corn syrup as well and they came out just as good as when I’ve used light corn syrup!
Super easy, and super good! A little too good, perhaps… I can’t seem to stop eating them. I had to put them up in the cabinet so they wouldn’t tempt me every time I walked in the kitchen.
Rachel, I totally know what you mean! These bad boys are GOOD! Glad you loved them and thanks so much for leaving a review. :)