No Bake Cereal Ball Cookies

I'm always looking for ways to use up the leftover crumbs at the bottom of the shredded wheat cereal box.  These no-bake cookies are the perfect solution, and they're simple enough for anyone to make.  Just roll the dough into balls and coat with cookie crumbs.  Doesn't get much easier than that!

These cookies are great for lunch boxes or after school snacks, making them a hit with the kids, but the inclusion of Nutella, mini chocolate chips, shredded wheat, honey, and peanut butter mean they'll please almost anyone.  The recipe is fairly flexible as well - I've listed several ingredient substitutions below.

No-Bake Cereal Ball Cookies

makes 60 cookies

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Cookie Dough:

• 1 cup honey (or agave nectar)

• 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter (or any nut butter)

• 1/2 cup Nutella

• 2 cups dry milk powder

• 3 cups shredded wheat crumbs (or quick/instant rolled oats, or other cereal crumbs)

• 2 tablespoons wheat germ (or ground flaxseed, or ground nuts)

• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (or chopped nuts)

Coating:

• finely ground cookie crumbs (graham cracker crumbs, or ground nuts, or cereal crumbs)

Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients except the cookie crumbs together in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. 

2. The dough will be crumbly, but will become moldable as you work it with your hands. 

3. Squeeze the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls; then roll in cookie crumbs. 

4. Serve at room temperature or freeze in resealable snack bags for longer storage.

Another recipe for shredded wheat crumbs: Light and Crispy Shredded Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pretzel Rolls

I recently had an opportunity to sample a Pretzel Roll - Yummo!  I'd never heard of them before, but I wanted to make them at home so I found a recipe online at Epicurious.   This no-knead recipe goes together very quickly using your food processor.  The family loved the way they tasted. 

Pretzel Rolls

makes 8 rolls

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups bread flour

• 1 envelope quick rise yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

• 1 teaspoon fine salt

• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water (125F to 130F)

• 8 cups water

• 1/4 cup baking soda

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1 egg white, beaten (glaze)

• pretzel salt or coarse salt

Directions

1. In bowl of food processor, combine flour, yeast, salt, and 1 teaspoon sugar.

2. Turn processor on to combine ingredients and slowly pour the hot water down the feed tube.

3. Process until ball of dough forms; continue to process 1 minute to knead dough.

4. Remove dough from work bowl and place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, then a towel.

5. Place in a draft-free place to double in size (20-60 minutes depending on what kind of yeast you used).

6. Punch down dough and cut into 8 equal pieces.

7. Using your clean counter, cup your hand around one dough ball and using a circular motion, shape roll into a smooth ball.

8. Place rolls on a parchment lined sheet pan; space evenly.

9. Cover with towel and place in a draft-free location so they can double in size.

10. Preheat oven to 375F.

11. Bring water, baking soda, and 2 tablespoons sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan.

12. Using a slotted spoon, put one roll at a time into the boiling water and boil for 30 seconds per side.

13. Remove from water, drain, and place back on parchment paper lined half sheet pan.

14. Brush rolls with beaten egg white and sprinkle liberally with pretzel salt or coarse salt. If desired, you can use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to snip an "X" on top of each roll (I didn't make my Xs large enough).

15. Bake in a 375F oven for about 25 minutes.

16. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before eating. Best if eaten the day they're made.

Notes

• Depending on the yeast you use, this recipe will take 2-3 hours from start to finish.

• Although these rolls are really yummy when they're still warm, I find they taste most like a pretzel after they've been allowed to cool completely.

adapted from Epicurious

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