Chocolate cookies. Cereal. Butter. Marshmallows. Sound like items readily available in your pantry and fridge right now? Mine, too. Get in there and raid your pantry to make these easy and yummy treats right now! These Chocolate Cookie Cereal Treats are a twist on a classic, and you will make THIS version your new standard!
Cereal treats. You see them in every which way and form. In bars, squares, and rolled-up balls. Bite-sized to oversized, you can find varieties in coffee shops, at birthday parties, and office potlucks. Why are they so popular? Because you can make any version to fit your tastes, and use what you have in your pantry. Variety, the spice (or sweets) of life, right?
I came up with this combination out of necessity. I mean, aren’t a lot of our dishes created in that way at some point in time? The minute someone melted marshmallows & butter and mixed in dried cereal, a classic treat was born. And the variations have continued over the years. Chocolate candies, gummy bears, sweet tarts, dried fruit–I’m sure you’ve seen it all.
But lately I’m seeing a lot more folks reach for chocolate cookies as an additive to classics like this. So onto the bandwagon I went. And really, who doesn’t like a cookies & cream themed dessert? I’m not sure I can be friends with you if you don’t think THAT sounds good.
This super simple and quick sweet treat is a classic for a reason–simplicity and basic ingredients often make the biggest crowd-pleasers. This one is no different. The only thing I learned when whipping this up was that perhaps more butter or some marshmallows in the base would help the two layers stick together better. But that just means I have a reason to try these Chocolate Cookie Cereal Treats again (and again, and again).
Oreo Cereal Treats
Print Recipe
The next time you need a treat to send to school with your kiddos, raid your pantry! Use whatever dried cereal you may have in there, and get creative! Of course, you can't go wrong with this classic flavor profile of Chocolate Cookies & Cereal!
The next time you need a treat to send to school with your kiddos, raid your pantry! Use whatever dried cereal you may have in there, and get creative! Of course, you can't go wrong with this classic flavor profile of Chocolate Cookies & Cereal!
First off, RAID YOUR PANTRY! If you don't have toated oats in there, what other dried cereal do you have? Just about any option that isn't the sugary, candy-filled type will work.
Place the cookies in a ziptop bag. Use a rolling pin or meat mallet, crush the cookies until they are in very small pieces. Once crushed, they should measure approximately 2 cups (if it's a little more or less, no problem!).
Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Press the crushed cookies onto the bottom of the pan.
Melt the butter over medium low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until melted completely, about 7-10 minutes. Don't walk away! You don't want the mixture to boil over or burn!
Mix the marshmallow & butter mixture with the dried cereal. Be sure to mix thoroughly to coat as much of the cereal as possible.
Add the cereal mixture to the layer of crushed cookies. Using your hand (it really does work best!), flatten out the cereal mix to a dense layer.
See? You get two layers of goodness waiting for the final chocolate topping!
Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave on medium heat, 30 seconds at a time. Stir and repeat until you have a smooth mixture. Drizzle melted chocolate over the cereal layer in the pan. Allow to cool, and then refrigerate for 20 minutes. Slice and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
So you're wondering where the pictures are of the finished, sliced pieces, huh? Well, I sent this tray into work with my husband, and I didn't get that "money shot". While the layers needed a little more cohesive, gooey texture to keep them together, at the end of the day, these Chocolate Cookie Cereal Treats were a tasty bite for a Monday.
Time to make them again with more variety! What do YOU have in your pantry to add to these treats?
Greetings! I'm Dee Dee. Nonprofit escapee, military spouse, home cook, and purveyor of tasty goodness. My Midlife Kitchen is where I cook, blog, and give my not-so-humble opinions on topics big and small. Join me for a peek inside My Midlife Kitchen!
Cereal treats. You see them in every which way and form. In bars, squares, and rolled-up balls. Bite-sized to oversized, you can find varieties in coffee shops, at birthday parties, and office potlucks. Why are they so popular? Because you can make any version to fit your tastes, and use what you have in your pantry. Variety, the spice (or sweets) of life, right?
