Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 8 minutes
I LOVE those coconut and caramel Girl Scout cookies (so much so that my husband brought along a box when he proposed. I liked the ring better, but only by a small margin).
This puppy chow recipe has all the flavors of those cookies, and, thanks to the rice cereal, the same satisfying crunch that those cookies have. I've tried a lot of Caramel deLite®-inspired recipes in my time, and I think this is the best one I've ever had.
It's perfect for snacking on while watching a family movie, or packaging up to give as holiday gifts to neighbors and teachers.
by Janssen Bradshaw
What you'll need
- 9 cups Chex® rice cereal
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 8 Tablespoons butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Helpful Tip:
I pour the melted chocolate chips into a plastic baggie, then snip open one of the bottom corners and drizzle it from that opening. It's easier to control the distribution and makes for quick clean-up!
How to make it
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the coconut on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until toasted golden brown, about 5 minutes. Check on it every 2 minutes and shake the pan gently to keep it from burning. It'll go from toasted to burned very quickly, so keep an eye on it. Pour the Chex® into a large mixing bowl and stir in the toasted coconut. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and corn syrup and bring to a boil, cooking for 2 minutes, after it starts boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. The caramel will change color slightly and foam up a bit. Quickly pour it over the cereal and coconut mixture and stir until it's evenly coated.
- Spread the mix onto the baking sheet you toasted the coconut on. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl (microwave them for 30 seconds, then stir, then microwave for another 30 seconds, repeating until they're melted and smooth) and drizzle the chocolate evenly over the caramel, cereal, and coconut mix. Refrigerate until the chocolate sets, then break it up into pieces and serve!
