39 Genius Ways to Use Breakfast Cereal
Updated: Nov. 24, 2023
Cereal isn't just for breakfast anymore! From snacks and desserts to buttery casserole coatings, these recipes take the morning mainstay to new heights.
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Peanut Butter, Krispies and Chocolate Sandwich
This crispy, chocolaty sandwich is like a Saturday-morning cartoon cereal without the bowl. —James Schend, Dairy Freed
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Easy Crunch Berry Pie
This is a fresh, simple approach to making a company-worthy pie. The playful Cap’n Crunch cereal crust is fun to bite into, and it’s the perfect complement to a mixed berry no-bake filling. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Sweet & Salty Peanut Butter Bites
My son Micah and I love peanut butter cups, so we made them into a new treat. We entered these peanut butter no bake cookies in a creative baking contest and won first place! —Autumn Emigh, Gahanna, Ohio
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Cereal & Milk Ice Cream Sandwiches
Go ahead and buy those sweet cereals you normally stay away from. This is dessert! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Caliente Christmas Cheese Crisps
To fire up the crowd, I pack these homemade crackers with bacon, pumpkin seeds and French-fried onion rings. Dunk them in picante sauce. —Jeanne Holt, Mendota Heights, Minnesota
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Fruity No-Bake Cookies
Keep your kitchen cool with these freezer cookies made with fruity cereal. They're extra sweet and even more fun for kids to help make.—Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Pumpkin Pie Tartlets with Maple Pecan Crust
After discovering I had multiple food sensitivities, I began developing holiday recipes that would be safe for me, but enjoyable for others, too. These tarts are delicious—with no gluten, eggs or dairy! —Chantale Michaud, Guelph, Ontario
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Really Good Snack Mix
I grew tired of my family picking through a snack mix for their favorite ingredients and leaving the rest. So I experimented using only their most-loved mix-ins and came up with this recipe. Now there's never any left! —Lori Genske, Waldo, Wisconsin
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Chocolate Marshmallow Peanut Butter Squares
I combined a couple of recipes to create these crunchy, chocolaty bars that burst with peanut butter flavor, marshmallows and pretzel pieces. The bars could also pass for fudge! —Dawn Lowenstein, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
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Peanut Butter-Banana Yogurt Parfaits
For a lightning-fast breakfast, I layer vanilla yogurt with bananas, peanuts and multigrain cereal. It’s crunchy, easy and perfect for kids.—Teresa Miller, Hamilton, Indiana
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Breaded Ranch Chicken
A crunchy coating of cornflakes and Parmesan cheese adds delectable flavor to this zesty ranch chicken. The golden, crispy chicken is a mainstay dish I can always count on. —Launa Shoemaker, Landrum, South Carolina
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Nutty Rice Krispie Cookies
My mom and I used to prepare these Rice Krispie cookies for Christmas every year. Making them with just the microwave means they're super easy and fun to mix with the kids. —Savanna Chapdelaine, Orlando, Florida
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Fudgy S'mores Brownies
I combined the perfect summer snack with my favorite brownie recipe to get these s'mores brownies. They're sure to wow at your next big party. —Judy Cunningham, Max, North Dakota
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Not Your Mama's Seven-Layer Bars
The addition of dulce de leche makes this a decadent new take on traditional seven-layer bars. You can cut this recipe in half and make it in an 8x8-in. pan. —Andrea Barlow, Hot Springs, Arkansas
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Ice Cream Cone Treats
I came up with this recipe as a way for my grandkids to enjoy Rice Krispies treats without getting sticky hands. You can also pack the cereal mixture into paper cups and insert a wooden pop stick to create cute pops. —Mabel Nolan, Vancouver, Washington
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Cheese Crispies
For years I’ve taken these crispy, crunchy snacks to work. They get high marks from everybody in the teachers lounge. —Eileen Ball, Cornelius, North Carolina
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Peanut Butter Cereal Treats
Kids will love these colorful, crunchy bars. They’re a fun twist on the traditional marshmallow crispy treats…and because they’re so easy, older kids could whip up a batch on their own! —Christie Porter, Shipshewana, Indiana
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Gobbler Cakes
I watched a chef make crab cakes and decided to try it with turkey and stuffing. Now the kids request them year-round, so I buy cooked turkey. —Suzee Krebs, Brielle, New Jersey
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Cornflake-Coated Crispy Bacon
I've loved my aunt's crispy-coated bacon ever since I was a child. Now I've shared the super simple recipe with my own children. We still enjoy a big panful every Christmas morning—and on many other days throughout the year! —Brenda Severson, Norman, Oklahoma
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Frozen Banana Cereal Pops
When we want a healthy snack, we dip bananas in yogurt, roll 'em in cereal, then freeze. Ta-da! —Scarlett Elrod, Newnan, Georgia
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Christmas Crunch Candy
Treat family and friends to a yummy brittle for the holidays. Made with cashews and Rice Krispies, it's loaded with crispy-crunchy goodness. —Amanda McLemore, Maryville, Tennessee
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Crispy Peanut Butter Balls
I make more than 40 different types of treats during the holidays for friends and family. These crispy peanut butter balls with crispy rice cereal are one of my favorite candies to give away as gifts.—Liz David, St. Catharines, Ontario
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Fried Ice Cream Dessert Bars
Fried ice cream is such a delicious treat, but it can be a hassle to make individual servings. This recipe gives you the same fabulous flavor in an easy and convenient bar form. —Andrea Price, Grafton, Wisconsin
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Chocolate Malt Crispy Bars
These chunky, chewy squares are a feast for the eyes. Malted milk flavor coats this treat from top to bottom. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Scalloped Sweet Corn Casserole
This is my Grandma Ostendorf's corn recipe I grew up enjoying. Now a grandmother myself, I still serve this comfy, delicious side as a family classic. —Lonnie Hartstack, Clarinda, Iowa
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Crispy Pretzel Bars
I often make a big batch of these peanut butter-flavored cereal bars on days that I don't want to heat up the kitchen. Kids especially love them, so they're great for picnics, potlucks and school bake sales. —Jane Thompson, Eureka, Illinois
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Fish and Fries
"Tuck in" as if you're in a traditional British pub. These oven-baked, moist fish fillets have a fuss-free coating that's healthy but just as crunchy and golden as the deep-fried kind. Simply seasoned and also baked, the crispy fries are perfect on the side. —Janice Mitchell, Aurora, Colorado
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Pear Raspberry Crisp
We grow our own luscious red raspberries and feast on them fresh and freeze them for winter. This recipe combines the berries with fresh pears and a crunchy cereal topping. —Fancheon Resler, Bluffton, Indiana
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Ham Balls with Brown Sugar Glaze
These smoky-sweet meatballs are a Pennsylvania Dutch specialty. I like setting them out when folks come to visit. —Janet Zeger, Middletown, Pennsylvania
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French Toast Sticks
Keep these French toast sticks in the freezer for an instant filling breakfast. Their convenient size makes them ideal for a breakfast buffet. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Fudge Sundae Pie
My son always asks for this guilt-free frozen yogurt pie for his birthday. Complete with peanut butter, fudge topping and nuts, it tastes ice cream parlor–good … but it's healthier. —Margaret Hanson-Maddox, Montpelier, Indiana
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Cauliflower Casserole
To dress up cauliflower, Mom used a delightful mixture of a cheesy sauce, bright red and green pepper pieces, and crushed cornflakes. We enjoyed this casserole so much that leftovers were rare. -Linda McGinty, Parma, Ohio
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars
My twist on rice crispy bars includes crunchy crushed pretzels. Then I top them with a creamy peanut butter coating and rich chocolate topping. Garnished with peanuts and even more pretzels, I don’t think I'd ever go back to plain old bars again. —Sherri Melotik, Oak Creek, Wisconsin
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Chocolate Almond Drops
So much rich, chocolaty flavor, so little time! My trufflelike cookies are deceptively easy to make and look so elegant on a party tray. —Betsy King, Duluth, Minnesota
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Christmas Brunch Casserole
No one leaves the table hungry when I serve this savory casserole. In fact, folks rave about it! What I like as much as the taste is that I can prepare it ahead of time. —Mary Eckler, Louisville, Kentucky
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No-Bake Cookie Butter Blossoms
Chewy and sweet, these easy treats mix Rice Krispies, cookie spread and chocolate kisses in an unforgettable spin on an old favorite. —Jessie Sarrazin, Livingston, Montana
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
These chewy bars are the perfect no-fuss contribution to a potluck or bake sale. I’ve discovered the trick is to get them into the refrigerator so the chocolate can set before they disappear! —Lorri Speer, Centralia, Washington
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Favorite Meat Loaf Cups
My family enjoys meat loaf, but sometimes I can't spare the hour or more it takes to bake in the traditional shape. A quick alternative is to divide the meat mixture into muffin cups for individual servings that are ready in less than 30 minutes. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Originally Published: March 03, 2020
