The Crunchy Ingredient Addition To Boost Your Chocolate Chip Cookies

Dessert for breakfast is a surefire way to make your mornings sweeter, but there's a variation on this theme that you may not have thought of yet: cereal-infused chocolate chip cookies. It may sound a little out there at first, but any excuse to turn cookies into breakfast food is a win in our book. Plus, we already know we like a little crunch in our chocolate chip cookies – toffee chips, hazelnuts, and chopped pretzels are prime ways to upgrade your batch. And with the high sugar content in many delicious cereals (34.28 grams of sugar in 100 grams of Fruity Pebbles, for example), it's practically begging to be a dessert mix-in.

This addition is as customizable as it is tasty. Feel free to experiment with your favorite yummy cereal, or mix and match different kinds to achieve your desired flavor and texture. Some types, however, are a little more proven to work than others — a small crispy variety like Rice Krispies creates the perfect amount of crunch, while Corn Flakes provide a salty, sweet, crispy combination when paired with melting chocolate chips. If you can't decide between a fruity or chocolatey dessert, get the best of both worlds by adding Fruity Pebbles to your dough. Or, if you want to double down on chocolate, throw in some Cocoa Pebbles or Cocoa Puffs.

If you're looking to add a crunchy cereal to your chocolate chip cookies, there are a few different ways to do it. One option is to toss in your cereal as the last step in your dough-mixing process, along with chocolate chips and any other mix-ins you're adding. If you're using a variety that breaks easily with vigorous stirring (like Corn Flakes, perhaps), try gently folding it in along with the chocolate chips. Then, you can proceed with scooping balls of dough onto a baking sheet like normal. Another option is to crush your cereal ahead of time, then stir it in along with your dry ingredients like flour and baking soda. The latter method will yield a different result, as the crunch and flavor will be mixed in throughout the dough, but you'll still get an elevated cookie.

For the most aesthetically pleasing results possible, and to quickly let others know what type of cookie you've made, save a little extra cereal to scatter on top. Some varieties, like the marshmallows in Lucky Charms, will blend into the finished cookies and may not be as pretty to look at, so an added sprinkle will make them pop.