No-Bake Coconut Caramel Pecan Chews
I know you're probably cookied and candied out by now, but on the off chance that you still need something to serve or bring to a New Year's shindig or just want a super easy and irresistible sweet little "something", these no-bake caramel treats are right up your alley. The truth is I made them last week and didn't get a chance to blog them and I can't in good conscience share them in the beginning of January when we're all starting our New Year's resolution diets and so this recipe will get lost like others I've held off of and who knows when it'll resurface so...please...indulge me. Make these now and enjoy them before the post-holiday partying guilt kicks in. Quick, you only have a couple of days left!!
A friend recently tried these and remarked that "they taste like Rice Krispie treats on crack!". Yup. My husband came upstairs after finding a tin of these in the fridge and said, "Don't be mad, but I ate 2 of those little chewy candy things-what are they? They're amazing! Am I not allowed to eat them? " Aah...I've trained him well--he fears the ramifications of eating-food-that's-intended-for-a-special-occasion-wrath! My daughter commented, "Mom, these are so good. We can't keep them in the house!". No matter what, people are going to have something to say about them--they call out to the inner caramel emptiness we all have inside!
And they're crazy easy to put together! All you do is melt a bunch of caramel candies with some half-and-half or light cream.
While that's melting you combine corn flakes, crisp rice cereal, shredded coconut and chopped pecans.
Then all you do is mix it all together--
And drop onto a waxed paper lined baking sheet and chill until they harden.
These are sticky, chewy, sweet, crunchy and finger-lickin' good! Messy but fun to make with kids (except for the melting of the hot caramel of course) and you can change up or add any mix-ins you like. All your favorite little crunchies mixed into one convenient little treat. So make these now--remember, time is ticking away!
No-Bake Coconut Caramel Pecan Chews
Yields 3-4 dozen depending on how large you make them
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Chill Time: 2-3 hours or until they're really set
Ingredients
36 store-bought caramels, like Kraft's, unwrapped
3 tablespoons half-and-half or light cream
1 cup corn flakes
1 cup crisp rice cereal (I used Rice Krispies)
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans (or any nut you prefer)
The Recipe
1. Place the caramels and half-and-half or cream in the bowl of a double boiler set over simmering water. Do not let the water touch the bowl. Melt the caramels completely, stirring frequently.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the corn flakes, rice cereal, coconut and pecans. Add in the caramel mixture and mix well, using a wooden spoon. Mixture will be thick and sticky.
3. Rip off a length of waxed paper and drop the mixture by heaping teaspoonfuls onto the paper. Let set for about half an hour and then transfer to an airtight container, layering them with waxed paper between the layers, until chews are completely firm. Chews will keep for at a couple of weeks stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from Cookies-Food Writers' Favorites by Barbara Gibbs Ostmann and Jane Baker.
