5 Desserts Made from Your Kids’ Favorite Cereals

Fruity Pebbles are my favorite cereal of all time. There’s something about those fruity little shards of cereal goodness. When I was in high school, some days I’d come home after school and eat several bowls of cereal before I tackled my homework. Best. Decision. Ever. Maybe that’s the secret to getting straight As? Let’s just go with that. In my first book, Out of the Box Desserts, I made a similar cheesecake to this one, only with toasted marshmallow flavors and a cocoa cereal crust. This version is nice and fruity, and guaranteed to please!

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients for Crust

6 cups Fruity Pebbles or similar cereal
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for glass
One 10-ounce bag miniature marshmallows
Cooking spray

For Filling & Topping

One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
One 7-ounce jar marshmallow fluff
One 8-ounce tub frozen whipped topping, such as Cool Whip, thawed
1 cup cherry pie filling (about ½ [21-ounce] can)

Directions

1. Prepare the crust: Pour the cereal into a large, heatproof bowl and set aside. Melt the butter and miniature marshmallows together in a saucepan over medium heat until smooth. Pour the hot marshmallow mixture over the cereal and toss until fully coated.
2. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Press the cereal mixture into the prepared pan. I think it’s easiest to use the buttered bottom of a glass to help press and compact the cereal crust in the pan and up the sides. Let set for 20 minutes.
3. Prepare the filling: Cream together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, for 1 minute or until creamy. Beat in the marshmallow fluff until combined, then fold in the whipped topping until combined completely.
4. Pour the cheesecake filling into the cereal crust and smooth out the top. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Just before serving, top with the cherry pie filling.

My love of cinnamon comes from my mom, who basically taught me that the only way to eat toast is with copious amounts of butter and about ½ cup of cinnamon sugar per slice. I put cinnamon on just about everything, which makes it not surprising when I say that Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal is one of my favorites! There’s something so intoxicating about those crispy squares that has me craving it at least once a week. If you like cinnamon (hi, we’re now best friends), you’ll flip for these cookies! 

Makes 34 cookies

Ingredients for Cookies

16 tablepoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon milk powder
1 box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup Cinnamon Toast Crunch or similar cereal, finely crushed

For Glaze

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners; set aside.
2. Cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, until creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in the baking soda, salt, flour, milk powder, and vanilla pudding mix until a soft dough forms. Beat in the crushed cereal.
3. Drop rounded tablespoon-size balls of dough 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time to ensure they’re evenly baked. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets.
4. Once the cookies have cooled, prepare your glaze: Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle over each cookie and allow the glaze to set, about 10 minutes, before serving.

Even though I loathe camping (I actually prefer getting flu shots over camping...by a lot), I love s’mores. They just remind me of snuggling up by a cozy fire...indoors, of course. Although I rarely eat an actual s’mores, I love making other desserts that taste like s’mores without the fire-setting business. These cookie bars taste just like a good old-fashioned s’more but in an easy, portable bar. And bonus: you can eat them indoors.

Makes 15 bars

Ingredients

Cooking spray
6 cups Golden Grahams or similar cereal
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
One 10-ounce bag miniature marshmallows
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Lightly spray a 9-×-13-inch rectangular pan with cooking spray. Place the cereal in a large, heatproof bowl and set aside.
2. Melt the butter and miniature marshmallows together in a saucepan over medium heat until smooth. Pour the hot marshmallow mixture over the cereal and toss to coat completely. Press the cereal mixture into the prepared pan. Let set for about 1 hour at room temperature or 30 minutes in the fridge.
3. Microwave the chocolate chips and cream together in a small microwave-safe bowl on high for 30 seconds. Stir, then microwave again in 15-second increments until melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate mixture evenly over the bars, spreading to cover to the edges. Let the chocolate set for about 20 minutes in the fridge before cutting into bars.

My mom never made crispy rice treats while I was growing up. Her reason (and it wasn’t to torture me)? She hates getting messy. Ribs, wings, and these treats are all off the table because of the stickiness that surrounds them. For that reason, I was deeply deprived of my favorite treat. The only time I ever had a chance to sink my teeth in that gooey, crispy bar is when my mom bought the premade ones that, let’s face it, aren’t the same. I knew I had to create a crispy rice treat–inspired goodie for this book, and this tart— which combines chewy, crisp cereal, marshmallows, and peanut butter cups—certainly delivers!

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

Cooking spray 6 cups
Rice Krispies or similar cereal 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, plus more for glass
One 10-ounce bag miniature marshmallows
1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup heavy cream
One 11-ounce bag Reese’s Miniature Peanut Butter Cups or similar candies, chopped

Directions

1. Spray a 9- or 10-inch round tart pan with cooking spray. Place the cereal in a large, heatproof bowl and set aside.
2. Over medium heat, melt the butter and miniature marshmallows together in a saucepan until smooth. Pour the hot marshmallow mixture over the cereal and toss until fully coated. Press the cereal mixture into the tart pan. I think it’s easiest to use the buttered bottom of a glass to help press and compact the cereal mixture into the tart pan. Let set for 20 minutes.
3. Microwave the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and cream together in a medium microwave-safe bowl on high for 30 seconds. Stir, and then continue to microwave in 15-second increments until smooth and melted.
4. Pour the chocolate mixture over the surface of the tart. Immediately top with the chopped peanut butter cups. Let set for 20 minutes, and then cut into slices.

Pudding pies are one of the easiest recipes you can make. Simply fold together the pudding, milk, and whipped topping and you’re ready to go! This pie’s extra-special because it’s flavored just like Lucky Charms! The last time I went to New York City, I stopped at a place called Milk Bar. Milk Bar is known for its cereal milk soft-serve, which gave me the idea to infuse cereal milk into the pudding mixture. This totally ramps up the cereal flavor and makes it extra-creamy, rich, and delicious.

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

1 ½ cups milk
1 ½ cups Lucky Charms or similar cereal
1 box instant vanilla pudding mix
One 8-ounce tub frozen whipped topping, such as Cool Whip, thawed
One 9-inch graham cracker crust 1 cup cereal marshmallows (see Note) Additional whipped cream for topping pie (optional)

Directions

1. Mix together the milk and cereal in a medium bowl and refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour to absorb the flavors. After an hour, strain the cereal from the milk. You should now have about 1 cup of milk.
2. Whisk together the pudding mix and cereal milk in a large bowl until thickened, about 2 minutes. Fold in the whipped topping to combine.
3. Spread the mixture on the prepared graham cracker crust and smooth out the top. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
4. Just before serving, spread the cereal marshmallows around the edges or on the top of the pie. Garnish with additional whipped cream, if using.

Note: You can find cereal marshmallows (the exact Lucky Charms marshmallows, minus the cereal!) online or in specialty food stores.

Excerpted with permission from Two in One Desserts by Hayley Parker.