Create festive delights resembling mini Christmas wreaths with this Christmas Wreath Cookie recipe. Crafted from straightforward ingredients and requiring only 20 minutes of your time, this effortless recipe yields the perfect addition to your holiday cookie trays this Christmas season!
These cute traditional Christmas cookies are like rice krispie treats, made with just a handful of ingredients like cereal, marshmallows, butter, and candies!
Cornflake Wreaths are easy no-bake cookies, that are ready in no time.
This fun recipe is perfect to get little hands involved in making Christmas treats for your holiday parties, and cookie exchanges.
You can even make them to go on Santa's cookie plate on Christmas Eve - just don't forget a carrot or two for the reindeer!
These delicious little cornflake cookies are a simple but impressive addition to any holiday cookie tray or dessert table at Christmas time.
For other no-bake Christmas recipes, check out my Nutter Butter Reindeer Cookies, Christmas Church Stained Glass Window Cookies, Reindeer Poop Cookies, and No-Bake Pretzel Wreaths!
Ingredients for Cornflake Christmas Wreath Cookies
Wet Ingredients. Butter, Vanilla Extract
Dry Ingredients. Cornflake Cereal, Marshmallows
Extras. Red Hot Candies or Mini Red M&M's, Green Food Color
How to Make Cornflake Wreath Cookies
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then gather and measure the individual ingredients and set these aside. Slice the butter into 1 tablespoon pieces in a microwavable large mixing bowl and top with 35 large marshmallows.
- Place the bowl in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds. Remove the bowl and stir the melted butter and marshmallows together. Return to the microwave and heat for an additional 30 seconds, then stir again until smooth and fully combined. If this amount of heating time has not melted marshmallows fully then heat for a further 15 seconds and stir, repeating as often as needed.
- Stir the vanilla extract and green food coloring into the melted marshmallow mixture until fully combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to get an even green color across the mixture.
- Carefully stir the Cornflakes Cereal into the marshmallow mixture.
- Keep mixing until the cornflakes are fully coated.
- Spray a ⅓ cup measuring cup with nonstick cooking spray and pack the cornflake mixture into the cup until it is full. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Poke a hole in the center of the mixture and form it into a wreath shape. To help prevent sticking, wet your fingertips or spray your hands with baking spray first.
- Place Red Hots or Red Mini M&M's on top of the wreaths to resemble holly berries. The candies will only stick to the marshmallow mixture while it's still warm so try to work quickly.
FAQs
Corn flakes typically contain malt flavoring, which is not gluten-free. However, you can find gluten-free cornflakes in some stores to use in this recipe.
Absolutely, these cookies are great for making ahead. Just store them in an airtight container after they've cooled and set.
Freezing is not recommended as the corn flakes can become soggy when thawed. They're best enjoyed fresh or stored at room temperature.
Storage & Freezing
Storage: Store the festive wreaths in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days. If you're in a particularly warm climate, you may want to refrigerate them as the marshmallows could melt slightly and become sticky. If you're stacking the cookies, place a sheet of parchment paper between layers to prevent them from sticking together.
Freezing: These cookies don't freeze well due to the moisture in the marshmallows and the tendency for cornflakes to become soft when thawed.
Substitutions & Variations
- Use different marshmallows. I use plain, large marshmallows that are white, but mini marshmallows or other sizes, flavors, or colors will work too. You'll need to measure out the equivalent amount in cups, which is around 10 ounces. The microwaving time needed to melt them may vary also, so be careful not to burn them.
- Try other candies for the holly berries. You don't have to use red cinnamon candies or red M&M's - any red candies or red chocolate candies will work well as holly berries. You can even use Christmas candy sprinkles with shapes like stars and snowflakes instead if you prefer.
- Use a different cereal. Use Chocolate Corn Flakes, Frosted Flakes, Special K, or Bran Flakes in order to keep the leafy shape of the wreaths. Rice Crispies, Fruity Pebbles, or Cocoa Pebbles would be an easy substitution. Most cereals will work, but you may need to crush some first in order to get the right shape and consistency.
- Try a different color. Green wreaths are the iconic look to these cereal treats, but you can give them a different look if you want to. Make them a festive white by using white food coloring or by leaving out the coloring and sprinkling the cookies with powdered sugar once they are set. You can invert the colors by using red food coloring with green candies and sprinkles. Use cocoa powder or melted chocolate chips in the marshmallow mix to make brown wreaths which would work for either Christmas or Thanksgiving. Or go wild with purple, blue, or pink food coloring!
- Use a different flavor extract. Completely change the flavor of the wreaths by swapping vanilla extract for mint, strawberry, toffee, or lemon extract.
Pro Tips
What makes a good cookie? Does it have a soft center and crispy edges, and is it chewy? Each of these makes a great quality cookie. To make perfect cookies every time here are some pro tips.
Weighing Ingredients.
Baking is a science and adding too much or too little of any of the ingredients will alter the recipe. Weighing and measuring dry ingredients properly makes a world of difference. Investing in a kitchen scale is ideal. When a kitchen scale is not available, make sure to stir and lift ingredients before scooping them into a measuring cup.
Cooling Ingredients.
The mixture will cool quickly once everything is stirred together. Make sure to have the baking sheet close by, so you can form the wreaths before the mix sets.
| Volume | Ounces | Grams | |
| All Purpose Flour | 1 Cup | 4½ Ounces | 120 Grams |
| Bread Flour | 1 Cup | 4½ Ounces | 120 Grams |
| Granulated Sugar | 1 Cup | 7 Ounces | 200 Grams |
| Brown Sugar | 1 Cup | 7½ Ounces | 213 Grams |
| Confectionary Sugar | 1 Cup | 4 Ounces | 113 Grams |
Cookie Scoop.
Using a cookie scoop keeps each ball of cookie dough the same size, which is essential for ensuring even baking.
Baking Sheets.
You can use an ungreased cookie sheet if you prefer. I like to use Parchment Paper to line baking sheets or a Silicone Mat for easy cleanup.
- Kitchen Scale. I use this for accuracy in measuring, and it's a lifesaver when it comes to consistent baking.
- Wire Rack for cooling cookies. I like to have at least two cooling racks.
- Mixing Bowls. A Large Mixing Bowl for mixing ingredients and small and medium mixing bowls for other ingredients.
- Cookie Sheet. Most recipes will take two batches to bake. It's great to have multiple baking sheets available.
- Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mat. Line the Cookie Sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- Cookie Scoop. A small #60 Cookie Scoop or a Medium Cookie Scoop #50 are great choices for uniform drops of cookie dough.
- Storage Container. An Airtight Container to store cookies or a Ziploc Bag works great too.
- Additional supplies. Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons along with a silicone spatula, are all helpful.
To find out more, check out my Pro Tips Guide for making the best cookies every time!
Have you tried this Cornflake Christmas Wreaths recipe?
Let me know what you think of this recipe! Tag @bestcookierecipes on social media so I can see how great your cookies turned out! I would also love to read your comments below. Let me know what you think of these cookies. It really does help!
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- Easy Chocolate Dipped Christmas Holiday Butter Cookies
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- 7 Layer Christmas Holiday Magic Bars
- Best Chocolate Peppermint Cookies with Andes Mint Pieces
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Christmas Wreath Cookies
Ingredients
- 5 cups Corn Flake Cereal
- 35 Large Marshmallows
- ½ cup Butter
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Candies Red Hot Candies or Mini Red M&M's
- Green Food Color
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then gather and measure the individual ingredients and set these aside. Slice the butter into 1 tablespoon pieces in a microwavable large mixing bowl and top with 35 large marshmallows.
- Place the bowl in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds. Remove the bowl and stir the melted butter and marshmallows together. Return to the microwave and heat for additional 30 seconds, then stir again until smooth and fully combined. If this amount of heating time has not melted marshmallows fully then heat for a further 15 seconds and stir, repeating as often as needed.
- Stir the vanilla extract and green food coloring into the melted marshmallow mixture until fully combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to get an even green color across the mixture.
- Carefully stir the Cornflakes Cereal into the marshmallows mixture.
- Keep mixing until the cornflakes are fully coated.
- Spray a ⅓ cup measuring cup with a nonstick cooking spray and pack the cornflake mixture into the cup until it is full. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Poke a hole in the center of the mixture and form it into a wreath shape. To help prevent sticking, wet your fingertips or spray your hands with baking spray first.
- Place Red Hots or Red Mini M&M's on top of the wreaths to resemble holly berries. The candies will only stick to the marshmallow mixture while it's still warm so try to work quickly.
Notes
Storage
- Store: Store the festive wreaths in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days. If you're in a particularly warm climate, you may want to refrigerate them as the marshmallows could melt slightly and become sticky. If you're stacking the cookies, place a sheet of parchment paper between layers to prevent them from sticking together.
- Freeze: These cookies don't freeze well due to the moisture in the marshmallows and the tendency for corn flakes to become soft when thawed.
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