Cornflake Caramel Peanut Bars
PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and the company may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here.
You’re craving something sweet, but you don’t feel like pulling out all the stops. Enter these cornflake caramel peanut bars from Benjamina Ebuehi’s new cookbook, A Good Day to Bake. They’re a step above a no-bake cookie, but no less foolproof.
“These are for the days when you want to bake without actually baking,” she writes. “We used to make cornflake ‘cakes’ all the time at school. Mixing up the cereal with melted chocolate and putting them in cute cupcake cases would always make you feel like a proper chef. These versions have had a little facelift and bring a good sweet and salty vibe with added crunch from the nuts. If you are making with kids, then you’ll need to take control of the caramel steps, but they can do all the mixing!”
Recipe excerpted with permission from A Good Day to Bake by Benjamina Ebuehi, published by Quadrille, March 2022.
Ingredients
6¾ cups (170g) cornflakes
¾ cup (100g) salted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
1¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (180ml) heavy cream
¼ teaspoons flaky sea salt
Scant ½ cup (100g) peanut butter
Directions
1. Line an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper.
2. Mix the cornflakes and peanuts in a bowl and set aside.
3. Heat the sugar in a medium saucepan until it begins to melt. Swirl the pan every so often to help it melt evenly. Once the sugar starts to turn a deep amber color, give it a stir with a spatula or wooden spoon to get rid of any lumps. Be very careful here, as the sugar is extremely hot. Add the butter. The sugar will bubble up, but keep stirring until it calms down. Slowly pour in the heavy cream, stirring as you pour. The caramel will bubble up again, so be careful not to touch it. Let the caramel boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
4. Stir the salt and peanut butter into the caramel until smooth. Pour the caramel into the cornflakes and mix until evenly coated.
5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, pressing it firmly into all the corners. Allow it firm up in the refrigerator for 1 hour before slicing into squares or bars.
474 calories
27g fat
55g carbs
8g protein
36g sugars