Easy Copy Cat Star Crunch Cookies
October 19, 2023
super easy
Little Debbie was a staple during the 90’s in most kids lunch boxes. One of my favorite treats to get was on of the Little Debbie Star Crunch Cookies. The chewy cookies in the center, gooey caramel, creamy milk chocolate, and crispy rice cereal that gave it the iconic crunch was the perfect pick me up before recess. I have turned this classic recipe into a no bake recipe with very simple ingredients. These are perfect for lunches or an after school treat!
The best thing about this recipe copycat recipe is the ingredients are much cleaner than the store bought version! I don’t know if you have ever turned over a box of these star crunch cookies but the ingredients are about a mile long. They are still a treat but you don’t need to eat 15 different preservatives to enjoy it. This uses ingredients you can pronounce and can feel better about putting in your kids lunches. I made a big batch of these one morning and stored in an airtight container for over a week, they tasted amazing!
The Little Debbie version has a soft cookie in the center of star crunch, surrounded by caramel, and dipped in melted chocolate. To make this an easy recipe, I use marshmallows to give some of that added chewiness you would expect from the star crunch. Milk chocolate is the traditional chocolate coating used here but feel free to use semi-sweet chocolate chips or even dark chocolate chips work great here too. You can buy your favorite brand of caramel sauce to use in this sweet treat but I highly recommend trying our easy 3 ingredient caramel! No need for a candy thermometer, the caramel flavor is excellent, and it comes out perfectly every single time!
This homemade little Debbie Star crunch cookie is ready in under 15 minutes and I love that you don’t have to turn on your oven! You can store these at room temperature or you can make ahead and freeze the extras and take them out as needed. Just pop in their lunch boxes in the morning and by lunch they will be ready to go! These are the perfect way to satisfy any sweet tooth!
This nostalgic cookie has everything you could ever want in a lunch box treat!
Ingredients
- 10oz mini marshmallows ( I love Dandies brand)
- 10oz chocolate chips ( I prefer milk chocolate but use what you have! )
- 1/4 c butter
- 6-8 cups of crispy rice cereal ( I love the organic 365 brand)
- 12-16oz caramel (can use jarred or our fail proof 3 ingredient homemade caramel)
- 1 tsp salt
Make Copy Cat Star Crunch
To make these, you will need a large stock pot or Dutch oven will work too. You will also need parchment paper or a silicone mats for when you scoop. Wax paper will also help if you don’t have either of the first two, use what you have on hand!
In the large stock pot, add the unsalted butter and the bag of mini marshmallows. You’ll want to mix over medium heat until marshmallows are ooey gooey! Don’t walk away though, the marshmallows can burn quick so keep stirring, it will only take a few minutes. Once melted, turn the heat off and add in the chocolate chips, caramel, salt, and the crispy rice cereal. You’ll want to mix right away until all ingredients are incorporated. Grab your parchment-lined baking sheet (or whatever you line yours with).
You can use tablespoons here to scoop or I like to use 1/4 cup scoops for shaping the chocolate mixture. A large cookie scoop would also work great if you have one. This will be a tad loose while its warm, but don’t worry! As it sets it will harden after about an hour of sitting at room temperature (or about 10-20 minutes in the refrigerator!
After I scoop, I like to kind of smoosh them together a bit to ensure once they are cooled they are one cookie. And that’s it!
These star crunches will last about a week in an airtight container, if you can resist them that long! I froze or refrigerated mine as well and that lets them last about a month or so! Just use an airtight container, Tupperware, or freezer bag to store cookies. One recipe, many weeks use! My favorite kind.
This recipe is the perfect treat for all those star crunch addicts of the 90’s! This sweet snack packed in your kids lunch will be a sure fire pick me up to get them through the rest of their day and something you can feel better about giving them. Next time you are tempted to buy a box of those crunchy cookies from the store, give these homemade star crunch cookies a try! They are out of this world (lol).
Homemade Caramel
https://healthierhomemade.co/recipe/simple-caramel-sauce/
Easy Copy Cat Star Crunch Cookies
Ingredients
- 10 oz mini marshmallows I love Dandies brand
- 10 oz chocolate chips I prefer milk chocolate but use what you have!
- 1/4 c butter
- 6-8 cups of crispy rice cereal I love the organic 365 brand
- 12-16 oz caramel can use jarred or our fail proof 3 ingredient homemade caramel
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
Make Copy Cat Star Crunch
- To make these, you will need a large stock pot or Dutch oven will work too. You will also need parchment paper or a silicone mats for when you scoop. Wax paper will also help if you don’t have either of the first two, use what you have on hand!
- In the large stock pot, add 1/4 c butter and 10 oz mini marshmallows. You’ll want to mix over medium heat until marshmallows are ooey gooey! Don’t walk away though, the marshmallows can burn quick so keep stirring, it will only take a few minutes. Once melted, turn the heat off and add in the 10 oz chocolate chips, 12-16 oz caramel, 1 tsp salt, and the 6-8 cups of crispy rice cereal. You’ll want to mix right away until all ingredients are incorporated. Grab your parchment-lined baking sheet (or whatever you line yours with).
- You can use tablespoons here to scoop or I like to use 1/4 cup scoops for shaping the chocolate mixture. A large cookie scoop would also work great if you have one. This will be a tad loose while its warm, but don’t worry! As it sets it will harden after about an hour of sitting at room temperature (or about 10-20 minutes in the refrigerator!
- After I scoop, I like to kind of smoosh them together a bit to ensure once they are cooled they are one cookie. And that’s it!
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