Foodie Friday: Cheerio Cookies

Well, I would be remiss if I didn't share this recipe. In fact, I have been remiss for not sharing it sooner. I know how all you faithful readers love to see what delicious (and ALWAYS nutritious) recipe I have selected to share with you.

One thing I must point out, lest I confuse my readers across the pond…these are not “Hello!” cookies. Do you have Cheerios over there? I’m sure you do, even if they are known by another name. They are not that spectacular of a food that we must keep them a secret from the rest of the world.

In fact, I think that the main reason people have Cheerios on their homes is to give to toddlers who are learning how to feed themselves.

However, I do have some in my house. Cheerios that is…not toddlers. And three boxes to be exact. But I don’t really eat much cereal. I just buy it for the troops. They like to eat breakfast…every day no less. And the reason I have Cheerios is because, undoubtedly, they were on sale and I had coupons.

Anyway, this recipe is from back with my 12yo was about 2 years old; I had scored a deal at CVS and got 8 large boxes of Cheerios for something like $2-3. Of course I couldn’t pass that up (who in their right mind would?) and in spite of my best attempts, I knew my boys were not going to consume all that cereal before the “Best Buy” date (which is all a sham anyway…do you KNOW how much perfectly-good food is thrown out because people don’t understand what the dates mean on their food? Another story for another time perhaps…). 

So I went to my buddy Google and found a recipe to use up some of this cereal.

And even though I would surely be able to convince someone in this house to eat this cereal before it was past its prime (and with Cheerios, who can really tell, right?), I decided to go ahead and make some of these cookies this week. I had forgotten how tasty (and easy) they are and I knew, of course, that I had to share the recipe with you.

So here is the long, laborious recipe in all its sugary glory:

Cheerio Cookies

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup (so yes, that’s about 2 cups of sugar total…mmm, sugar. Say that in your best Homer Simpson voice, please)
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 6 cups Cheerios
• Butter to grease pan (or parchment paper to line pan)

Grease a 9x13 pan with butter (or line with parchment paper)

Boil sugar and syrup for one minute; remove from heat.

Add peanut butter and stir until smooth; add Cheerios and stir until well-coated.

Spread in pan. Let cool.

Cut into 1x2 inch bars (that’s my favorite part because it’s totally laughable).

That last line should read: Stand at the counter with a knife in one hand and a cold glass of milk in the other. Hack off pieces of cookie and eat while standing at the counter until a) you are sick from the sugar, or b) you run out of milk…really, it’s whichever one comes first. No judgment here.

NOTE: In discussing this recipe with my friend CB, she said the recipe could be IMPROVED upon (dare to dream, folks, dare to dream!) by adding melted chocolate chips to the top.

Follow me on Facebook!