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You are here: Home / recipe / No-Bake Stovetop Peanut Butter Special K Cookies

No-Bake Stovetop Peanut Butter Special K Cookies

July 15, 2011 by Suzie the Foodie 75 Comments

Special K Cookies

Get Recipe!

It is summer and I wanted a treat that I did not have to bake that used up my giant box of Special K cereal so I made these cookies. Part of stretching a buck is using what you already have. I make a Christmas breakfast once a year that I top with Special K. Then the box sits there on top of my fridge, mocking me and taking up space for like, forever…

I made my own version of these cookies but you can find the original recipe here.

Special K Cookies

I am not a fan of using the microwave oven I decided to make a stovetop version instead. In a medium sauce pan I added 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of white corn syrup (actually only 75% was white, I ran out and topped it off with some regular corn syrup), 1 tsp of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. I brought it to a boil and then turned down the heat a little.

Special K Cookies

Oh yeah, this is like candy-making OK so be careful! Have ice water nearby just in case (which I of course didn’t do because it was at this point I realized I could be in trouble). Simmer for two minutes.

Special K Cookies

Carefully add 1 1/3 cup of peanut butter. Stir to melt into the mixture.

Special K Cookies

Add four cups of Special K cereal and stir to combine.

Special K Cookies

At the last second I decided I wanted a hint of chocolate so I threw in a handful of chocolate chips and stirred until just melted.

Special K Cookies

Acting quickly, I got out my ice cream scoop that I greased ahead of time and scooped out the cookies onto parchment paper. Again, be very careful! Let cool.

My scoop was quite large so the cookies were on the verge of being too big. Next time I would use a smaller scoop.

Special K Cookies

Get Recipe!

Lightly crispy, peanut buttery with a hint of chocolate… these were quite a wonderful treat! I was very dubious that I would like them but I really did and was happy to share them with very dear old friends who were visiting last weekend which was good because this recipe is generous. It makes a lot. Although high in sugar, these treats are not super high in saturated fat which makes me very happy.

Made my way, I give these cookies four out of five wooden spoons.

We are back to cold and dark weather here… Sigh… So my need to make bake-less cookies is not great but I know there are many people out there melting this summer. I hope this quick, easy and minimal-heat-producing cookie makes your weekend all that more delicious!

~ Suzie the Foodie

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Filed Under: baking, chocolate, cookies, peanut butter, recipe Tagged With: cookies, no bake, peanut butter, Special K, stovetop, Suzie the Foodie

Comments

  1. Medeja says

    July 15, 2011 at 10:26 am

    Lovely cookies! I guess really sweet and good. They sound very tempting.

    Reply
  2. Debra She Who Seeks says

    July 15, 2011 at 12:07 pm

    They look great and “no bake” is always good in the summer!

    Reply
    • Debby& my husband! says

      February 7, 2018 at 5:28 pm

      I use Special K cereal in my chicken recipe’s too. Enjoy no bake cookies , now my MS keeps me house bound until the weather allows outside, then my walker can get me outside!

      Reply
      • Suzie the Foodie says

        February 8, 2018 at 1:36 pm

        Yes! It makes a good coating, doesn’t it? I hear you on being housebound Debby but am glad that the walker helps you get outside once the weather improves.

        Reply
      • Melanie says

        July 3, 2020 at 10:12 pm

        This looks amazing. I also have MS. I love recipes like this easy but you tried 😉

        Reply
        • Suzie the Foodie says

          July 22, 2020 at 3:32 pm

          Hope you enjoyed it!

          Reply
  3. manda says

    July 15, 2011 at 12:12 pm

    I have been waiting for you to post these! My husband did groceries the other day and randomly bought a box of special k. Thanks for making a stove top version, we don’t even own a microwave because I hate how they cook things. I’m so going to make these today!

    Reply
  4. AvaDJ says

    July 15, 2011 at 3:13 pm

    They look so yummy and nice touch adding the chocolate, can’t ever have too much chocolate! My daughter begged me to buy Special K once and I found it dreadfully bland on it’s own. I could totally eat it this way for breakfast though…haha!!!

    Reply
  5. Heidi says

    July 15, 2011 at 5:07 pm

    Oh my, those look amazing. I’m going to have to try these at some point. Perfect for the heat when I don’t want to turn on the oven but need something sweet. You say it makes a lot, I wonder if I can half it.. We’ll see I guess. 🙂

    Reply
  6. Emily Malloy says

    July 15, 2011 at 5:40 pm

    This looks so delish!

    Reply
  7. Shannon Riley says

    July 15, 2011 at 9:19 pm

    Delicious! I want one right now so badly! 😀

    Reply
  8. Mom says

    August 1, 2011 at 9:44 pm

    Try using Cocoa Krispies! They are wonderful!!

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      January 10, 2016 at 10:44 pm

      Cocoa Crisps sound great!!

      Reply
  9. Leah @ Beyer Beware says

    August 2, 2011 at 10:25 pm

    What a great, easy recipe. Can’t wait to try.

    Reply
  10. Jenn says

    August 3, 2011 at 1:27 am

    These are my all time favorite cookies!!!!! I can’t make them too often because I want to eat them all!! TFS!!

    Reply
  11. Mary says

    August 17, 2011 at 7:04 pm

    this recipe looks like the old special K recipe for “o’Henry bars” which are really wonderful!

    Reply
  12. proverbs200430 says

    August 24, 2011 at 5:11 am

    I have had these before. Except to keep it easy to pass along we say 1 cup sugar syrup peanut buter and s. Ks 1ts vanilla. They are my fav. Of anything sweet but I could eat the whole thing of them. Oh and they are not as sweet as they sound.  everyone should try these once.

    Reply
  13. sara says

    September 10, 2011 at 11:05 pm

    These look SO GREAT! I am confused about one thing though…the cereal looks like puffed rice (ie rice crispies), but the recipe say special K…I thought Special K was flakes of grain, not puffed grain. Am I missing a new type in the store?

    Reply
    • Pinhead says

      October 14, 2012 at 1:35 pm

      Special K in Canada looks like Rice Krispies here in the US – I was so confused the first time I saw that! I think this recipe would work with both types of cereal.

      Reply
  14. Suzie Ridler says

    September 10, 2011 at 11:42 pm

    So glad everyone is enjoying this post! Looks like a fav for many, which rocks. They were new to e.

    Sara, I know, it’s so weird, this is actually the Special K that I have. I just checked, it says “Original” and when I looked at it, it’s just like Rice Crispies except they are kind of scoopy. So weird. I guess you could always use Rice Crispies instead.

    Reply
  15. Gwen says

    October 23, 2011 at 10:06 pm

    My mom used to make these, and the Special K was like this. Then they started making it into flakes, so she stopped ,aking them. Glad to hear they are making the “original” again!

    Reply
  16. Cathy says

    November 9, 2011 at 10:04 pm

    Yum! These look delicious!

    Reply
  17. Kaitlyn says

    February 10, 2012 at 10:37 pm

    YUMMO! I just made these while I was cooking lunch, Fantastic. It only took a few minutes and they cool relatively quick.

    A few tweaks I made:

    I halved the recipe since I wasn’t sure how they would turn out- 1/2 batch made about 9 ‘cookies’, plenty for me and my husband.

    I didn’t use Chocolate because I didn’t have any…

    Also, I used Honey Bunches of Oats with Pecan Clusters instead of the Special K. I didn’t want to buy an entire box of cereal I wasn’t going to use again, so I just used what I already had, and it turned out just fine! The peanut butter flavor covers up just about everything else, so I figure any basic cereal would be fine…

    Reply
  18. Suzie Ridler says

    February 13, 2012 at 2:11 pm

    I have recipes all the time Kaitlyn, very wise for a first attempt! Oh my sister love that cereal, best that would work so well, thank you so much for the idea!

    Reply
  19. thatch1 says

    March 23, 2012 at 6:27 am

    This is the same recipe I use for Rice Krispy bars, except that these are made w/ Special K and the chocolate is mixed in. For a touch of chocolate, I mix 1/2-1 cup of chocolate chips melted w/ the same amount of butterscotch chips. Drizzle or spread on top of cereal mixture. We’ve always called them chocolate scotcheroos.

    Reply
  20. Monica says

    September 15, 2012 at 12:07 am

    Saw these on pinterest. They look so yummy!

    Reply
  21. Monica says

    September 15, 2012 at 12:08 am

    Saw these on pinterest. They look so yummy!

    Reply
  22. Tiffany Temple says

    October 15, 2012 at 5:03 am

    Okay so I was up late needing a sweet fix and found your post. I used what I had on hand…sugar, light corn syrup, salt, vanilla, honey nut chex and chocolate cheerios. It hit the spot! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  23. Suzie Ridler says

    October 15, 2012 at 12:17 pm

    Pinhead, yes, I know, so confusing! To me too. Tiffany, so glad it took care of that sweet fix. 🙂 Nice rendition of the recipe, love it!

    Reply
  24. Kathleen Angell says

    November 29, 2012 at 5:58 am

    How many dozen did this make in total? I’m trying to figure out recipes for a cookie exchange I’m participating in I need to make between 12 and 15 dozen cookies

    Reply
  25. Suzie Ridler says

    November 29, 2012 at 12:36 pm

    Kathleen, that would depend on the size, these were quite big and made (if I remember right) two dozen? I would suggest making them smaller and make it a few times. That’s a lot of cookies!

    Reply
  26. bianca voss says

    January 2, 2013 at 11:14 am

    Can one use Golden Suryp?

    Reply
  27. bianca voss says

    January 2, 2013 at 11:15 am

    or honey?

    Reply
    • stephanie says

      April 2, 2015 at 4:50 pm

      Honey will work, and you won’t need as much. I make these but with oatmeal, peanut butter, chocolate chips and honey

      Reply
      • Vanessa says

        June 25, 2015 at 12:14 am

        How much honey & oatmeal(& which kind)did you use? That sounds better than sugar!

        Reply
  28. Suzie Ridler says

    January 3, 2013 at 5:59 pm

    Bianca, golden syrup should be fine, not sure about honey though. I would stick with the syrups, just to be safe.

    Reply
  29. Karen @ Bibi Lane says

    February 12, 2013 at 3:54 am

    These look yummy! So….what’s the Christmas morning recipe topped with Special K?

    Reply
  30. Suzie Ridler says

    February 19, 2013 at 12:08 am

    Karen, my Dad’s wife Julie makes this cheesy bread pudding with ham and tops it with Rice Crispies and butter, LOL. A cholesterol bomb! But it is so good. I don’t make it often but will share it one day.

    Reply
  31. Anonymous says

    November 16, 2013 at 9:11 pm

    My husbands grandmother made these and i became addicted! Thanks for the great recipe! Headed to walmart now! 🙂

    Reply
  32. Suzie Ridler says

    November 18, 2013 at 4:38 pm

    Awesome! So glad you like them, yay!

    Reply
  33. Kathy Smith says

    June 13, 2014 at 8:57 pm

    Made with corn flakes. that’s what I had on hand. Didn’t add the chocolate. They were great! Can’t stop eating them.

    Reply
    • Suzie Ridler says

      June 16, 2014 at 5:36 pm

      I am thrilled you liked them and yes, addictive!!!

      Reply
  34. Diane J says

    June 18, 2014 at 1:01 pm

    My family has made these for years. They are a must at Christmas. They are also good with coconut and with crunchy peanut butter. 🙂

    Reply
    • Suzie Ridler says

      June 18, 2014 at 1:58 pm

      Oh wow, coconut and crunchy peanut butter Diane? That sounds awesome!

      Reply
  35. Jim Stemler says

    September 20, 2014 at 4:46 pm

    Hi Susie. These look fantastic. Kathleen

    Reply
  36. Anonymous says

    October 29, 2014 at 8:46 pm

    I make these into bars using chunky peanut butter, adding 1 cup of salted peanuts and no chocolate. Yummy!!! Also use 6 cups of Special K. I have to stop myself from eating the whole pan…

    Reply
  37. Debra says

    February 10, 2015 at 3:51 pm

    I used Coco Krispies instead of the chips .

    Reply
  38. Ron says

    February 10, 2015 at 4:43 pm

    You are SO SILLY! Cookie can NEVER EVER be TOO BIG! lol. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply
    • suziethefoodie says

      February 11, 2015 at 1:00 am

      That is totally true Ron, good point!

      Reply
  39. Lora Gilmore says

    February 13, 2015 at 10:54 am

    You can’t imagine how much I love peanut butter. I can eat peanut butter every single day. Thank you so much for this recipe! It looks delicious, healthy and also easy. Regards! Brimsdown Carpet Cleaners Ltd.

    Reply
  40. Liesa says

    February 19, 2015 at 10:21 pm

    I just made these and you better move fast when scooping and mine looked real dry. I used rice Kristie and light corn syrup is this why they set fast? Not sure but they taste good and only took me 10 minutes start to finish. I like that thanks.

    Reply
    • suziethefoodie says

      February 20, 2015 at 5:40 am

      Hi Liesa! It could be that they were a little too hot. That can result in harder and drier cookies. Next time, keep the temperature a little lower and hopefully that will help.

      Reply
    • Anonymous says

      May 27, 2015 at 12:25 pm

      Liesa, I’ve been making these cookies for years, & my recipe says after seeing the first bubble let boil for 1 minute only & remove from heat immediately. Try that instead of simmering for 2 minutes. If I leave more than the 1 minute, they get hard & dry. THEY ARE DELICIOUS!

      Reply
  41. Irene H. says

    March 18, 2015 at 2:20 pm

    What happened to your fettuccine and shrimp soup recipe? I just keep getting peanut butter cookies!

    Reply
    • suziethefoodie says

      March 18, 2015 at 3:58 pm

      Hi Irene! You can find that recipe here: http://www.suziethefoodie.com/bitchin-kitchens-fettuccine-rose-with-shrimp/

      Reply
  42. Kery says

    May 4, 2015 at 9:47 pm

    I make these also but I use “cinnamon toast crunch” cereal then butter a cookie sheet with butter spread on there and cut into squares. My kids and husband love them.

    Reply
  43. barbara says

    May 9, 2015 at 10:59 pm

    Looking for the chocolate peanut butter oatmeal cookies similar to this with NO milk, do you have one?

    Reply
  44. Joyce says

    May 18, 2015 at 5:32 pm

    Perhaps I’m missing something, but why in the world would these ave been added to a “Diabetic Stuff” board?

    Reply
    • suziethefoodie says

      May 19, 2015 at 4:26 am

      Woah! They really wouldn’t be in a diabetic stuff board Joyce! Not sure who did that. Diabetics should stay away from this recipe.

      Reply
  45. Ina says

    May 19, 2015 at 6:24 pm

    Suzie,

    at first, everything went fine, until I stirred the peanut butter into the syrup/sugar mixture – suddenly the whole thing turned into a sand-like mess. Dry, cumbly, no candy-making-feeling.
    They looked so great and the recipe sounded very easy, I just had to try it immediately.
    What did I do wrong?

    Ina

    Reply
    • Anonymous says

      May 27, 2015 at 12:32 pm

      Ina, sounds like you cooked them too long. I realize this recipe says to simmer for 2 minutes, but I’ve been making these for years & my recipe says after seeing first bubble, then let it cook for 1 minute, then remove from heat immediately. Try that and I think you’ll have much better cookies.

      Reply
    • suziethefoodie says

      May 27, 2015 at 7:15 pm

      Thanks Anonymous and yes, maybe it was too long or too high. Undercooking is better than overcooking.

      Reply
  46. Betty says

    May 22, 2015 at 12:43 pm

    What happen to the artisan bread I pinned??? Cookies now??? Annoying

    Reply
    • suziethefoodie says

      May 27, 2015 at 7:18 pm

      Sorry Betty. I moved my blog so the pins are out of date. You can use the search engine on the top right hand of my site to find them again.

      Reply
  47. Rachel Page says

    May 23, 2015 at 8:11 am

    I’m so going to make these today! They look so yummy

    Reply
    • suziethefoodie says

      May 27, 2015 at 7:18 pm

      Hope you love them Rachel!

      Reply
  48. Aly says

    November 10, 2015 at 12:50 am

    These look amazing! Our family has made a chocolate peanut butter version of these for many years! Although we use quick oats instead of cereal.:)

    Reply
    • Suzie the Foodie says

      November 11, 2015 at 6:11 am

      Quick oats eh??? I may have to give that a shot, thanks Aly!

      Reply
  49. Sue says

    March 23, 2016 at 12:40 am

    Dear Suzie, always wondered how to make cereal treats. So glad i found your recipe. Thankyou so much.

    Reply
    • Suzie the Foodie says

      March 23, 2016 at 1:42 am

      So happy you found me here so I could help you Sue! 🙂 You are very welcome. Enjoy.

      Reply
  50. Jeremiah 29:11 says

    December 8, 2017 at 7:27 am

    Has anyone tried substituting Almond butter for the Peanut butter? I’m sure there would need to be some adjustments because of the difference in consistency. Also, we used to butter our hands and roll these into bite-size balls! They make a great addition to a cookie tray or packaging cookies for a Christmas gift. With the various kinds of cereals that were mentioned, I also thought about “crispies” that come in red & green (for Christmas), or pastels for Spring… lots of new ideas to enjoy these during every season! Thanks, everyone!

    Reply
    • Suzie the Foodie says

      December 9, 2017 at 2:29 am

      Never worked with almost butter before Jeremiah but smart idea to put butter on your hands to roll out those balls!

      Reply
  51. Kay Smith says

    December 26, 2018 at 1:20 pm

    Suzie, you cannot begin to understand how surprised and delighted I was to see this recipe on the internet. Additionally, your narrative and photos are spot-on.
    I have never been a huge fan of PB with the exception of straight up off the spoon or these jewels of goodness. I first encountered the recipe for Special K & Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies about 1958 (yes I am that OLD!). We lived in the Rio Grande Valley of Deep South Texas. My Mom and Grandmother had a neighbor-friend May, who worked as the cafeteria manager at our local elementary school. Back in those days Schools received “commodities” such as bologna, butter, sugar, flour cheese, powdered milk, pasta and peanut butter to name a few. Every resourceful school cafeteria manager was on the lookout for inexpensive, new and different ways to put these commodities to use in a manner that was tempting to everyone. I doubt the schools were held to the strict nutrition standards as today’s schools. These little golden lumps of goodness were a treat we would find on our lunch trays every so often and they were a super favorite of most every kid and teacher alike. Our friend May passed this recipe to my Mom and grandmother.
    Regardless the venue, be it church or Scout Camp this recipe is a 5 star ***** go to. I never had to take any home from an event. More often than not, they are the first sweets to disappear. They are not only addictive; they stand up well in most any environments as well as being inexpensive and incredibly portable. I have tried a number of variations using other cereals none were as good as the original Special K. Additionally, I have tried a variety of add-ins like chocolate chips etc. but with little enthusiasm. Although, I have used Crunchy PB rather than Smooth and found them just as appealing. The recipe has now been passed on to my daughter and grandchildren and now it appears the WWW.
    Someone commented on using a microwave… We did not have microwaves back in my day so it never occurred to me to use one for this recipe. I am too old-fashioned to change methods now.
    Oh My, There is a Granny I My Kitchen!
    Love, Granny K.
    Aka: Crosspatch

    Reply
  52. Kay Smith says

    December 26, 2018 at 1:20 pm

    Suzie, you cannot begin to understand how surprised and delighted I was to see this recipe on the internet. Additionally, your narrative and photos are spot-on.
    I have never been a huge fan of PB with the exception of straight up off the spoon or these jewels of goodness. I first encountered the recipe for Special K & Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies about 1958 (yes I am that OLD!). We lived in the Rio Grande Valley of Deep South Texas. My Mom and Grandmother had a neighbor-friend May, who worked as the cafeteria manager at our local elementary school. Back in those days Schools received “commodities” such as bologna, butter, sugar, flour cheese, powdered milk, pasta and peanut butter to name a few. Every resourceful school cafeteria manager was on the lookout for inexpensive, new and different ways to put these commodities to use in a manner that was tempting to everyone. I doubt the schools were held to the strict nutrition standards as today’s schools. These little golden lumps of goodness were a treat we would find on our lunch trays every so often and they were a super favorite of most every kid and teacher alike. Our friend May passed this recipe to my Mom and grandmother.
    Regardless the venue, be it church or Scout Camp this recipe is a 5 star ***** go to. I never had to take any home from an event. More often than not, they are the first sweets to disappear. They are not only addictive; they stand up well in most any environments as well as being inexpensive and incredibly portable. I have tried a number of variations using other cereals none were as good as the original Special K. Additionally, I have tried a variety of add-ins like chocolate chips etc. but with little enthusiasm. Although, I have used Crunchy PB rather than Smooth and found them just as appealing. The recipe has now been passed on to my daughter and grandchildren and now it appears the WWW.
    Someone commented on using a microwave… We did not have microwaves back in my day so it never occurred to me to use one for this recipe. I am too old-fashioned to change methods now.
    Oh My, There is a Granny I My Kitchen!
    Love, Granny K.
    Aka: Crosspatch

    Reply
    • Peggy V says

      February 17, 2019 at 2:31 pm

      Granny K, I grew up in the RGV of south Texas, and when I found this recipe it reminded me of little treats that were occasionally served at school. I loved them so much that the cafeteria ladies would give me one during recess when I stuck my head in to say good morning. I wonder if it was May? I attended school in the mid-sixties in Comera or Combs, close to Harlingen. Thanks for sharing your story.
      And thanks Susie, I was so happy to find this recipe. I’ve made them several times. I like to substitute 1/4 cup of the corn syrup with maple syrup.

      Reply

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