If you are a fan of Little Debbie’s Star Crunch cookies, you will absolutely love this recipe. This copycat recipe takes the beloved no-bake treat to a whole new level. With a yummy mix of Rice Krispies, caramel bits, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and mini marshmallows, these cookies are a perfect blend of chewy, crunchy, and gooey.
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Why You’ll Love These Star Crunch Cookies
- No-Bake Convenience: There’s no need to turn on the oven, making this recipe perfect for hot summer days or quick treats.
- Quick and Easy: From start to finish, these cookies take less than 30 minutes to make.
- Simple Ingredients: This recipe uses pantry staples that are easy to find at any grocery store and probably already on hand.
- Better Than Store-Bought: Enjoy a homemade version of this popular treat that’s fresher and way more flavorful than the original.
Ingredients: Here’s What You’ll Need
How To Make Star Crunch Cookies: Step-by-Step
- To make this simple recipe, I started by adding butter, caramel bits, mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, and milk to a large saucepan.
- I heated the mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally, until everything was melted. This took about 15 minutes, with the caramel bits taking the longest.
- Once everything was melted, I added the mini marshmallows. I stirred the mixture occasionally over low heat until the marshmallows were melted. This took another five minutes or so.
- After the marshmallows were melted and the mixture was smooth, I removed the saucepan from the heat and added the Rice Krispies.
- I gently folded the Rice Krispies into the chocolate mixture until they were well coated.
- I used a ¼ cup scoop to scoop the cookie mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- After letting the cookies cool for about five minutes, I flattened them with the palm of my hand. The cookies were quite pliable, so I also used my fingers to shape them a little bit better.
- I let the cookies cool completely on the parchment paper. Even cool, the cookies were still quite sticky, so I carefully lifted them from the parchment paper and turned them over so the bottom was exposed to the air.
I ended up with 22 amazing Star Crunch cookies that were chewy, crunchy, gooey, and full of flavor. When I compared them to the store-bought version, there was no comparison. The store-bought version had a nice texture but was totally without flavor.
So there you have it—a delicious, no-bake Star Crunch cookie recipe that’s sure to become a family favorite. Whether you’re looking for a quick dessert, an after-school treat, or a fun project with the kids, these cookies are always a hit. Enjoy the perfect chewy, chocolaty, and crunchy blend in every bite. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
Other crispy rice cereals or even cornflakes can be substituted for the Rice Krispies in this recipe. The cookies, however, will have a different texture but still be delicious.
Salted butter works fine in this recipe.
I used the mini chocolate chips because that’s what I had in my pantry. Regular semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips will work fine in this recipe.
I’ve found that leaving the cookies “drying” on parchment paper for several hours significantly reduces the stickiness.
If stored in an airtight container, these cookies should stay fresh for up to a week.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- When melting the ingredients, do so slowly to avoid burning the chocolate. It took 15 minutes on my stove before the chocolate and caramel bits were fully melted, but this could vary depending on your stove’s setting.
- These cookies remain soft and chewy. Once you’ve portioned them onto parchment paper and they’ve cooled a bit, you can easily correct the shape with your fingers.
- Because of the texture of these cookies, I like to package them in individual plastic treat bags once they are no longer sticky.
Other No-Bake Treats
If you want to beat the heat with other no-bake treats, look no further.
Recipe
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No-Bake Star Crunch Cookies: Better Than the Original
Equipment
- 2 half sheet pans
- Parchment paper
- ¼ cup ice cream scoop
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter (See Tip 1)
- 11 ounce package of caramel bits (See Tip 2)
- 10 ounce package of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (See Tip 3)
- ¼ cup milk
- 10 ounce package of mini marshmallows
- 6 cups (6 ounces, 170 grams) Rice Krispies
Instructions
- Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Add the butter, caramel bits, chocolate chips, and milk to a large saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until all ingredients are melted, about 15 minutes.
- Add the mini marshmallows. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mini marshmallows are melted and the mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the Rice Krispies. Gently stir until the Rice Krispies are well coated.
- Scoop ¼ cup of the cookie mixture onto the prepared sheet pans. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Then, press the cookies with your hand to form a disc. Use your fingers to smooth the cookies into a round shape.
- Allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to a week. (See Tip 4)
- Yield: 22 Star Crunch Cookies.
Video
Tips/Notes
- May substitute salted butter for the unsalted butter.
- Unwrapped caramels may be substituted for the caramel bits.
- You may substitute regular semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips for the mini semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- The Star Crunch cookies tend to be sticky. To help minimize the stickiness, gently turn the cookies over after about an out to allow them to “dry” in the air.
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