This no-bake, old-school Chocolate Cracknell recipe is an easy, crunchy treat that requires roughly 20 minutes of your time, with just 5 ingredients from your kitchen and less than two dishes to clean up afterwards.
Chocolate Cracknell is perfect as a dessert, snack and for picnics. I also like to pack them in my children's lunch boxes.
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I love these crunchy Chocolate Cracknells, they look like a sweet chocolaty dessert from the outside. Once nibbled at, though, it's a crackling surprise of cornflakes inside. Keep reading to find out how to make them.
What Is A Chocolate Cracknell?
When cornflakes are dunked in sweet chocolate syrup before they're laid out on a baking pan, refrigerated and cut into squares – these square treats are called Chocolate Cracknells!
The best part about making these delights is that you need few ingredients and even lesser expertise in cooking.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- An easy, no-bake treat.
- Perfect for picnics and lunch boxes.
- Only 5 ingredients recipe.
- This recipe is customizable. Use your favorite chocolate, or add nuts or dried fruits.
What's In The Chocolate Cracknell Recipe?
These quick treats require only 5 ingredients:
- Cornflakes: Just whichever ones you have at home.
- Golden syrup: This is a sugary syrup used in many baking recipes, and you can get it at any grocery store.
- Cocoa powder: The one that you trust with all your chocolaty delights.
- Butter: Preferably unsalted, but whatever you have at home will work.
- Pinch of salt: Because little contrast is needed to enhance the taste of the dessert.
“See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.”
Variations & Substitutions
This dessert recipe is highly customizable. I have listed some of my top variations below:
- Is cornflakes not your preferred choice of cereal? Don't worry; you can switch out cornflakes for other cereals. For example, Rice Krispies make for great Chocolate Cracknells as well! If you try any other cereal, let us know in the comment section below, we'd love to know.
- You can also add your choice of dry fruits to your cracknels. Crushed almonds, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans or even raisins! You can also make this recipe entirely out of nuts rather than cornflakes – it'll make for a power-packed snack!
- Suppose you don't like the square shape of your Chocolate Cracknells. In this case, you can also line a baking tray with a bunch of cupcake liners or use a cupcake tray if you have one. Take a spoonful of the mixture from the saucepan and place it inside the cupcake liners. Place it in the refrigerator, and serve as usual.
- Along with the cereal, you can also add chocolate chips or chocolate chunks to the mixture. You can choose between your favourite white, brown or dark chocolate.
- You can also replace some golden syrup with a few teaspoons of peanut butter for a nutty flavour.
- Once ready to serve, garnish your Chocolate Cracknells with drizzles of chocolate syrup.
- You can also shave the zest of an orange and add that to the cracknel mixture for a pinch of tang.
How To Make Chocolate Cracknells?
Before you start whipping, ensure that you lay out all your ingredients on the kitchen counter beforehand. This is so that everything is at room temperature, especially the butter, so you can easily mix everything together.
One: The first thing you want to do is line a 20cm baking pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
Two: Now, take a saucepan large enough to fit all your ingredients. In this saucepan, add butter and golden syrup over low heat. Stir the two together to a boil (photo 1).
Three: Afterwards, turn off the heat and stir in the cocoa powder (photo 2).
Four: Following the cocoa powder, stir in the cornflakes and salt as well. Continue to stir and mix with a spatula until the cornflakes are well coated in the chocolaty syrup (photo 3).
Five: Finally, grab the 20cm baking pan that we had set aside earlier, and press the mixture into it. Using a spatula, flatten and mould the mix to fit the baking pan. Place the baking pan in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Once out of the fridge, cut into squares and serve (photo 4).
Ta-duh! Your Chocolate Cracknell recipe is ready. Now, with this simple and easy recipe, your midnight cravings will never go unsatisfied.
Expert Tips!
- When you're transferring the mixture from the saucepan to the baking pan, it may seem too much at first. However, that's because the cracknell batter hasn't totally been compressed yet. Work with the back of a spatula or spoon to really flatten the mixture before you think about whipping a bigger baking pan!
- Use cornflakes right out of the box; make sure they're not stale or soft.
- Simmer the golden syrup and cocoa powder on low to medium heat for the best flavour. High heat can possibly ruin the taste and flavour.
Serving Ideas
These Chocolate Cracknells are perfect as they are. Just make a batch and store them so they're ready for when the cravings call! Though, here are a few ways you can fancy things up:
Side your Chocolate Cracknells with a scoop or two of Honeycomb Ice Cream or Red Velvet Ice Cream and let the crunchy sweetness explode in your mouth.
Oh, and I forgot to mention kids love Chocolate Cracknell surprises in their lunch boxes. Additionally, you can always hide plenty of raisins and nuts in this dessert to make sure your kids are getting some great micronutrients.
Recipe FAQs
If you can't get your hands on golden syrup, then you can substitute it for maple syrup, liquid corn syrup, or honey. However, please note that the flavour and texture of the recipe for the cracknels will vary based on the type of syrup you use. In this case, it's best to taste the mixture as you go. Then, you can check for consistency, level of sweetness and so on.
Not very long, if you've got a sweet tooth! However, if you do plan on making bigger batches and storing them, then it can last for two weeks if it's kept in a nice air-tight container. If you were to place the same air-tight container in the freezer, though, it will last you a long time of 3 months.
Very! You can fill the mixture up with your choices of nuts, chocolate chips, and even granola. Depending on the ingredients you choose, it can be a crackling dessert or a power-packed snack that offers you a boost of energy in every bite. So yes, it is highly customizable to your needs. Let us know how customized your Chocolate Cracknells in the comment section down below.
There isn't a difference, really. Bob Cakes and Cracknells have the same concept. Sometimes they're made of cornflakes, other times crushed biscuits, or sometimes milk powder. Another name you might have heard people call these are Chocolate Haystacks. They're pretty popular for being served in British and Australian schools in the 70s.
Easy No-Bake Treats
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Recipe Card
Chocolate Cracknell Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 100 g golden syrup
- 30 g cocoa powder
- 135 g cornflakes
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Line a 20cm baking pan with parchment pepper.
- In a saucepan, add butter and golden syrup over low heat, stirring to a boil.100 g unsalted butter, 100 g golden syrup
- Turn off the heat and stir in the cocoa powder.30 g cocoa powder
- Stir in the cornflakes and salt until the cornflakes are well coated.135 g cornflakes, Pinch of salt
- Press the mixture into the baking pan and flatten with a spatula.
- Refrigerator for 1 hour. Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
- When you're transferring the mixture from the saucepan to the baking pan, it may seem too much at first. However, that's because the cracknell batter hasn't totally been compressed yet. Work with the back of a spatula or spoon to really flatten the mixture before you think about whipping a bigger baking pan!
- Use cornflakes right out of the box; make sure they're not stale or soft.
- Simmer the golden syrup and cocoa powder on low to medium heat for the best flavour. High heat can possibly ruin the taste and flavour.
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