Peanut Butter Chews

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My addictive Peanut Butter Chews will be your new favorite sweet snack! You’ll adore this no-bake recipe, that is so quick and easy you’ll be whipping up batch after batch. I’m all about easy recipes for kids, so this is right up my alley. I used smooth peanut butter, but if you like the texture of crunchy, feel free to use it. The cereal is customizable; substitute Rice Krispies or any other plain cereal, and just use the same weight as the cornflakes. I do recommend consuming these within two days, as they can soften as they sit.

Making cornflake peanut butter chews is a fun, low-stress family activity. The grown-ups can heat the ingredients, while little ones can help spoon the mixture onto a baking sheet. You don’t have to wait long to enjoy these goodies! For more kid-friendly holiday recipes, check out my 3 Easy Christmas Cookies to Bake with Kids, Buttery Jam Thumbprint Cookies, and Gingerbread House Log Cabin.

• 5-ingredients: This is a true pantry recipe (plus it’s gluten-free and has no eggs!).
• Sweet and salty: How do you make peanut butter even better? Blend it with honey and vanilla!
• Budget-friendly! You can make these tasty treats for less than $3.
• Three simple steps: Heat, mix, set. That’s it!
• Just 13 minutes hands-on! And these treats only need 30 minutes on the counter to firm up.

Table of Contents

• What are Peanut Butter Chews?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Substitutes
• How to Make Peanut Butter Chews
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Quick Holiday Recipes

What are Peanut Butter Chews?

Peanut Butter Chews are nutty, creamy, crispy no-bake cereal clusters. The peanut butter mixture coats the cornflakes, creating a treat that tastes like a candy bar! This type of no-bake, cereal-based snack that was created by creative, thrifty homemakers in the mid-20th century. They’re great for holiday gatherings, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve.

Tools You Need

• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Glass measuring jug
• Kitchen scale (optional)
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper or wax paper
• Medium saucepan
• Spoon

Key Ingredients and Substitutes

Honey

• Importantly, sticky honey binds the mixture in a cluster and adds chewiness.
• Additionally, honey adds sweetness and a floral note to this peanut butter chews recipe.
• Substitute: You can use an equal amount of maple syrup (the clusters might be slightly softer), golden syrup, agave syrup, or corn syrup (which will add sweetness, but not much additional flavor, and the clusters will be firmer).

Granulated sugar

• Granulated sugar (white sugar) sweetens the chews.
• Importantly, simmering the sugar with the honey thickens the mixture.
• Substitutes: If you prefer, use an equal amount of brown sugar (note that the clusters will be softer) or coconut sugar.

Salted peanut butter

• Salted peanut butter gives these cookie treats wonderful creaminess.
• Additionally, it provides the primary nutty, rich flavor to these peanut butter cornflake chews.
• Substitute: You can use an equal amount of almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter.

Vanilla extract

• Vanilla enhances each ingredient and rounds out the flavor beautifully.
• Substitute: You can use an equal amount of Vanilla Bean Paste instead of the extract.

Cornflakes

• The cornflakes form the structure of the clusters. They give these treats chew and crunch.
• Additionally, the cornflakes give the Peanut Butter Chews toasty, malty sweetness.
• Substitute: You can use the same amount of different cereals, such as Rice Krispies or Cheerios.
  • Or, you can use the same amount of another crispy ingredient, like pretzel pieces or broken, ridged potato chips.

How to Make Peanut Butter Chews

1. Prepare to make the chews: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Heat the sugar mixture: In a medium heavy saucepan, bring the honey and sugar to a gentle simmer until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes.

3. Add remaining ingredients: Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract, then fold in the cornflakes.

4. Portion out: Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the prepared sheet pan and let set for about 30 minutes.

FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW! 

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• Yummy mix-ins: For some added texture and flavor, you can stir in ½ cup (2 ½ oz/71 g) of chopped salted or honey-roasted peanuts or ½ cup (3 oz/85 g) mini chocolate chips or butterscotch chips.
  • You can also melt chocolate chips, let cool slightly and mix in with the peanut butter, cornflakes, and vanilla.
  • Add to the flavor by drizzling with melted chocolate (bittersweet, semi-sweet, milk, or white chocolate.
• Make bars: Simply double the recipe and press into a parchment-lined 8-inch (20 cm) square pan. Once set, cut into 16 bars.
• Switch out the peanut butter: Use almond butter, sunflower butter, or cashew butter.
• Homemade tip: You can use my Homemade Peanut Butter in this recipe, but the mixture might not come out as thick. To increase the thickness, stir well before using, and add 1 extra teaspoon of honey and a dash of salt.
• Bigger batch: Make more pieces than the original yield by making smaller clusters.
• Tell-tale sign: The PB chews are set and ready to eat when they hold their shape and are no longer sticky to the touch.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

Make-ahead tips

• You can make my peanut butter chews with cornflakes ahead of time and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.

How to store leftovers

• Storing of cookies: Place them in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

FAQs

How do I make sure my cornflake peanut butter chews have the perfect consistency?

• To make sure your conflake peanut butter chews have the perfect consistency, keep an eye on timing and temperature.
  • To ensure that the peanut butter chews aren’t too hard, heat only until the sugar dissolves and the mixture gently simmers (use low heat rather than medium heat), and do not let the mixture fully boil), and then remove from the heat.
  • And to make sure that your chews aren’t too soft and prone to falling apart, gently simmer the sugar-honey mixture for 3 minutes until the sugar is dissolved.

Can I make this cornflake snack nut-free?

• Yes, you can make this conflake snack nut-free.
  • Instead of peanut butter, use an equal amount of sunflower seed butter instead.

Is this peanut butter snack gluten-free?

• Corn itself is gluten-free, but added ingredients in cornflakes could contain gluten. Be sure to look for brands that are labeled “gluten-free.”
• Additionally, please make sure that your other ingredients are gluten-free.

More Quick Holiday Recipes

• No-Bake Rum Balls
• Christmas Sugar Cookie Truffles
• 3 Christmas Mug Cookies
• Microwave Orange and Chocolate Fudge
• Candied Cherries

Try These Recipes!

Homemade Peanut Butter Eggs (Reese's Eggs)

Whiskey Truffles

Eggnog Truffles

Whiskey Balls (No-Bake)