These Homemade Star Crunch Cookies are a cross between Rice Krispy Treats, cookies, and candy and are made after the famous Little Debbie Star Crunch! Gooey, chewy, and super chocolaty, they’re bound to be a hit!
My childhood can be summed up with the following words: swimming, freeze tag, Barbies, Legos, Cartoon Network, and Little Debbie.
During the summertime, my parents had to go to work during the day, so we were sent to my grandma’s house down the street. We’d go swimming for hours in her pool, then take a break for lunch at McDonald’s or Carl’s Jr. Afterward, we’d plop on the couch in the sweet air-conditioning and watch Scooby Doo for a few hours while building some Lego masterpiece. And when we would jones for something sweet, we’d army-crawl from the den to the kitchen where my grandma kept a stash of goodies in her bottom cabinet by the soup. We’d army-crawl because grandma would only let us have one treat or so… but she was in the next room, separated by a giant kitchen wall watching her soap operas and was known to fall asleep randomly. The army crawl was for good measure so we wouldn’t get caught. 🙂
Opening the cabinet was like a portal to Narnia, if Narnia were a very dark cabinet that happened to be filled with a random assortment of Little Debbie snack cakes and treats. We had our pick of the litter: oatmeal creme pies, Nutty Bars, Star Crunch, and Zebra cakes were the usual suspects. My little brother would frequently request Nutty Bars, and I would enjoy those, too… but there was something about Star Crunch that enticed me with its siren song.
If you’ve never had Star Crunch, it’s a fun cross between Rice Krispy Treats, cookies, and candy. I know that sounds weird, but let me explain its anatomy! It starts with a gooey caramel/marshmallow/Rice Krispy cereal mixture that you form into a little puck shape. Once it has set, you coat the entire thing in a creamy bath of milk chocolate. So it’s like caramel candy mixed with Rice Krispy Treats that’s formed like a cookie. Get it?!
So making these was like a plane ticket back to my childhood. Chewy, gooey, sticky, chocolaty goodness. What’s not to love?
Whether you’re new to Star Crunch or you’re a veteran to Little Debbie products like I am, give these a try!
Homemade Star Crunch Cookies
Ingredients
- 11 ounces (One 11-ounce bag) Kraft caramel bits
- 1/4 cup butter
- 10 ounces (One 10-ounce bag) miniature marshmallows
- 5 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- One package chocolate CandiQuik or chocolate candy coating
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner. Meanwhile, pour the caramel bits in a large microwaveable bowl,and microwave on HIGH power for 30 seconds. Stir, then heat for another 30 seconds or until melted or almost melted. Add in the butter and mini marshmallows. Continue microwaving on HIGH for 30 second increments, stopping to stir until melted and smooth. Pour in the cereal and stir to combine.
- Working quickly and being careful as the mixture is hot, grab a 1/4 cup-size handful of the caramel cereal mixture and form it into a puck shape. Place on the baking sheet and repeat with remaining cookies. I find it is easiest to grease my hands with cooking spray before grabbing the cereal mixture! Allow the cookies to set and cool, about 20 minutes.
- Melt the candiquik according to package directions or until smooth. Working with one cookie at a time, dunk the cookie into the melted chocolate and use a fork to cover the cookie on top and the sides with chocolate. Gently lift the cookie out of the chocolate bath and allow excess to drip off. Return the cookie to the baking sheet and repeat with remaining cookies. Allow chocolate to set, about 10-15 minutes. If you have any leftover chocolate, drizzle it over the cookies for a pretty look.
I hope you love these cookies as much as I do!
Have a super sweet day!
xo, Hayley
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