You might think my vice would be chocolate based on this blog, my eating habits/daily chocolate consumption, or any number of things I say that allude to chocolate holding a very prominent place in my heart and stomach.

I do love me some chocolate, but cinnamon is the secret (or not so secret) ingredient in the more than half of my favorite desserts. I can't even make coffee cake or cinnamon rolls with any frequency anymore because I will help myself to five servings without thinking twice. All self-control goes out the window.

So, let's talk about Cinnamon Chex. I'm not sure where Cinnamon Chex has been all my life, but I am rapidly making up for lost time. These Browned Butter Churro Crispy Treats are my new favorite recipe (Chex=Crispy, Rice Krispies = Krispy?).

I've probably made them 10 times in the past month. They are incredibly easy, and the flavor is something no one is expecting since it's reminiscent of Rice Krispies, but made with Chex and BROWNED BUTTER. It is the perfect, no-bake dessert to fix when you need something in a pinch and don't feel like turning on your oven or breaking out the mixer.

The only remotely difficult part is browning the butter, and I promise once you get the hang of it, browning butter won't be a deterrent in the least. The key is that you have to watch the butter. Do not multitask when making browned butter. Like all serial multitaskers, I like to think that because I multitask all the time I've mastered the art of it. Nope. We can put this in the long list of things that should not be multitasked. I've provided a few pictures and examples below, but there are also great tutorials here and here.

The last thing I will say about this recipe is that it nails the crisp to marshmallow ratio that is essential to any krispy/crispy dessert. Your treat should not crack in half when you break it apart. If this happens, you might as well be eating a cereal bar. It should bend. That said, eating these for breakfast is perfectly acceptable since they are, after all, made with cereal.

Enjoy!


Browned Butter Churro Crispy Treats
Recipe from Well Plated by Erin

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon Imperial Sugar Dark Brown Sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
10 ounces miniature marshmallows
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 cups Cinnamon Chex

Directions

1. Butter or coat with non-stick spray an 8-inch square pan.
2. In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Continue to heat until butter melts, then foams, then turns clear golden, then starts to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from bottom as you do. Watch it carefully, especially in last minute, to ensure butter does not burn. As soon as butter turns light brown, turn off heat, then stir in brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.
3. Add marshmallows and stir to melt. The heat of melted butter should be enough to melt marshmallows, but if necessary, turn heat on low and stir until marshmallows are smooth and no white streaks remain.
4. Remove pot from stove and stir in the cereal and salt. As soon as cereal is coated, spread it quickly into prepared pan. To spread cereal to corners, lightly coat a sheet of wax paper with cooking, then evenly press it into pan corners. Let cool 15 minutes, cut into bars and serve.

Note: The steps below show examples from various points the process. They do not correspond directly with each stage, but your butter will look like all of these during the process. I removed my butter shortly after the second to bottom image. When it starts to look like this keep stirring and keep a very close eye on it. It's almost done, and it goes from brown to burnt faster than you'd expect!

Exhibit A & B: Bend, No Snap

This is a perfect example of the kind of food I simply cannot have around my house. It's effortless, bite-sized and addictive. I have a theory for puppy chow: it is 10x better when you double the toppings and keep the amount of chex mix the same (it's truly a wonder that I'm not 400lbs by this point in my life). Still, if you want to make the best puppy chow around, try it out. No one likes digging around in the bowl for the pieces with the most topping.

This lemon puppy chow reminds me of lemon cooler cookies from the grocery store (their real name is escaping me). I'm enjoying them as a nice break from chocolate, but I will also be happy when the bag of them isn't tempting me in my kitchen. I've grabbed a handful pretty much every time I've been in there...and I'm in the kitchen a lot. If you're ever looking for something quick and easy to bring to a party, this is it. I'm the type to spend days coming up with what I will contribute to a buffet, but I'm also finally coming to the realization that it's often the easiest things that get the best reviews. Enjoy!

Chex Lemon Buddies
Recipe from Joyful Whimsy

9 cups Rice Chex cereal 
1 1/4 cup white vanilla baking chips 
1/4 cup butter or margarine 
4 tsp grated lemon peel 
2 Tbsp lemon juice 
2 cups powdered sugar

Measure cereal into a large mixing bowl and set aside. In a microwaveable bowl, microwave chips, butter, lemon peel and juice uncovered on high for 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 more seconds or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into a 2-gallon re-sealable food storage plastic bag. Add powdered sugar, seal bag and shake until all the cereal is well-coated.