Description
Christmas Cornflake Crackle is a delightful holiday treat featuring crunchy cornflakes coated in a buttery, sweet syrup, baked to perfection, and dipped in rich semisweet chocolate. This festive snack is perfect for sharing during the holiday season and offers a delicious balance of textures and flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Cereal
- 3 level cups cornflake cereal
Syrup Mixture
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Chocolate Coating
- 12 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Cornflakes: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread out the cornflake cereal evenly on the prepared baking sheet to create a single layer.
- Make Syrup Mixture: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter and brown sugar together, stirring continuously to prevent burning. Once completely melted and combined, continue stirring for 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
- Coat Cornflakes: Pour the butter and sugar mixture over the cornflakes on the baking sheet and gently stir to coat all the cereal evenly. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to spread and press the cornflakes into a compact rectangle shape, pressing them together gently to help them hold.
- Bake the Coated Cornflakes: Bake the coated cornflakes in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and gently press the cereal again around the edges and center to compact it further. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- Cool and Break Up: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cornflake crackle cool completely on the parchment paper. Once cool, break the large rectangle into chunks or bite-sized pieces.
- Melt Chocolate: Place the chopped semisweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt it in 30-second increments, stirring between each session until smooth and fully melted.
- Dip Cornflake Chunks: Dip each cornflake crackle chunk into the melted chocolate, fully coating it and gently shaking off any excess chocolate. Place the coated pieces back onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Set the Chocolate: Allow the chocolate-coated crackles to rest at room temperature until the chocolate sets and hardens. For enhanced flavor, sprinkle a pinch of salt on top while the chocolate is still soft, if desired. Serve and enjoy your Christmas Cornflake Crackle treats!
Notes
- Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Pressing the cornflakes firmly before baking helps them stick together and creates bars instead of loose clusters.
- To melt chocolate smoothly, avoid overheating by stirring frequently during microwaving.
- You can substitute semisweet chocolate with dark or milk chocolate depending on your preference.
- Sprinkling a pinch of salt on top enhances the chocolate flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain crispness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
