My family loves this recipe so much that I made it three times in one week

Dessert is a hot topic for my family. Some people want the most decadent options available to them, and others prefer to believe (and repeat over and over again) that they don’t really like sweet things. So, at our last big gathering, I opted not to even ask for advice on my dessert plans. I decided what I was going to do and followed through. Fortunately, my choice was well received.

A new family favorite

I made peanut butter cornflake cookies. These no-bake cookies require just four ingredients: cornflakes, peanut butter, corn syrup, and sugar. One batch only makes about 12 cookies, which was ideal for our little family. I made a batch and we each got one and a half.

But after the first batch disappeared within a few minutes, I saw the side eyes moving in my direction. Soon they were wondering, “Do we have enough ingredients to make more?” “And we did, because a large box of cornflakes will make about four or five batches before you need to refill it, and as long as you have an infinite supply of peanut butter, corn syrup, and sugar (and we usually do), this is the cookie recipe that will keep on giving.

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My tips learned from creating batch after batch

The recipe is simple, so there isn’t much to add. Here are some thoughts I thought I’d pass on anyway:

• Bubble, not boil: My biggest suggestion would be to not overcook the sugar-corn syrup mixture. You will cook until everything is well combined and the mixture begins to bubble. I pushed it a little far once and couldn’t tell much difference, but I know from the chemistry of it all that if you bring it to a boil and let it cook too long, the final cookies might be hard and not soft.

• Move quickly: Once the sugar mixture is removed from the heat, you will add the peanut butter and quickly pour it over the cereal. The syrup will begin to cool as soon as it is poured, so you will need to move around to stir the cookie mixture.

• Don’t double: Since I made three batches, you would think I would learn and just make a double batch next time, but that won’t serve you here. Since the syrup mixture cools so quickly, you’ll probably have trouble getting the cookie mixture thoroughly stirred before it hardens too much.

• Store with waxed paper: Even when cooled, these cookies remain a little soft and pliable. Store leftovers in an airtight container with wax paper between layers so they don’t stick to each other.

A final touch

For a final addition (not included in the original recipe), I added a pinch of Maldon salt. (You can use flakes or kosher salt.) Despite the peanut butter and cereal flakes, the final cookie is a little sweet and I like the balance provided by the salt. My family did it too because they asked me to put it on every batch from now on.

Read the original article on Southern Living