The Breakfast Staple That Takes Chocolate Chip Cookies To A New Level

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why not incorporate it into your desserts? Cereal can be a game-changing addition to a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe, and provides limitless options for customizations.

The benefits of adding breakfast cereals to cookies are twofold: amplified taste and texture. Rice Krispies offer a great crunch that complements melted chocolate chips, while Frosties maintain their chew factor even when baked. Grape-Nuts have already found their way into New England-style desserts, so mixing them into cookie batter will almost guarantee good results. 

Most cereals can be added as-is into cookie batter, though the ratios will differ per cereal given each one's particular size and flavor profile. A good rule of thumb is half a cup to a full cup of cereal is plenty, and remember that crushed cereal may look like less, but the volume remains the same, so don't over-eyeball it. 

As for flavor, some cereals were made to be more muted, and won't overpower the chocolate, whereas others are bursting with flavor. Coco Pops can be mixed in with dark chocolate chips for that lighter contrast, while Fruity Pebbles can be paired with white chocolate chips for a brighter take on the classic cookie. For a slightly more nutrition-boosted option, combine some Raisin Bran with caramel chips.

With innovations like matcha overnight oats or protein-packed yogurt cookies, the line between breakfast and dessert blurs more and more each day. Cereal is a great option to try, beyond just cookies. 

Cereals are known to blend well with yogurts and fruits, so consider sprinkling crushed Cornflakes into a dessert parfait for a subtle but familiar crunch. These can be mixed in whole, and then crushed for toppings. Cheerios or peanut butter-flavored cereals can easily replace graham crackers for your next cheesecake crust, and they hold up just as well (plus, they can really enhance the flavor of the dessert without needing to alter the filling). You can create these the same way as with graham crackers, crushing them into a fine, coarse-powder texture and mixing them with melted butter. Some pie crust recipes require added sugar, but this step can likely be avoided due to the cereal's existing sugar content — so just add your butter in slowly to account for any ratio changes.

Lightly blend up colorful cereals like Fruity Pebbles and Froot Loops to stand in for sprinkles on ice cream sundaes. Most blending can be achieved quickly with a food processor, and this is also a great option if you're decorating an ice cream cake or need a hearty supply for multiple cones.