Chinese New Year is approaching and it’s time to bake some festive cookies to share with your loved ones. Last year, I made my favourite pineapple rolls which may be considered tedious and time consuming by some. So, for a change, this year I picked a super-easy, kids-friendly cornflake cookies recipe for sharing. These cookies are not only popular among Chinese during Chinese New Year but also among Malays during Hari Raya celebration. Kids who love cornflakes will definitely fall for these tiny treats.
I adapted the recipe from Baking Made Easy by Agnes Chang (蓝赛珍,轻轻松松学烘焙) but modified slightly the methods used based on the techniques I learnt when making coconut butter cookies. As long as you do not overwork the cookie dough or over-bake it, this recipe produces buttery cookies that are crunchy outside but soft inside. The hidden raisins add a pleasant surprise to the cookies. You can substitute raisins with dried cranberries or dried blueberries for a variation. The mini paper cups make these cookies look prettier and not messy to handle. However, you can still bake them without these paper cups. They will turn out good as well.
These cookies are delightful snacks for your little ones, and also perfect as Chinese New Year cookies. It’s another great recipe that you and your kids can bake together. Let them have fun and share the spirit of this festive celebration!
I’m submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #3: My Favorite CNY Cookie (Jan 2011).
>>>> Click on PAGE 2 BELOW for Cornflake Cookies Recipe………………….
These are so cute in the little paper cups! The raisins in them sound great too. I’m looking forward to celebrating Chinese New Year with friends this year.
Lisa: Thanks! I’m looking forward to this festival too. 😉
Yea, cornflake cookies are CNY cookie classic! I’ve always thought of them as butter cookies but with a crunchy cornflake coating.
Enjoy this festive season!
Pei Lin: Yes, you’re right! Hope you have a wonderful festive season too. 😉
thanks LK! these cornflakes cookies are a smash my favorite as well!
j3ss kitch3n: Thanks for your kind comment. Can’t wait to see the round-up. 😉
I love cornflakes cookies and it is a must to make it every year 🙂
Anncoo: Looking forward to see your post! 😉
I love these crunchy looking cookies. Pretty styling, too!
Xiaolu: Thanks!! 😉
These are so cute! I love cornflakes and this just gives me an excuse to buy a box 😛
Joanne: Thanks! Don’t have to buy as this recipe is super-easy for you. 😉
Lovely cornflakes cookies. I want one, can I? 🙂
So glad that your PC is back.
Christine: Thanks! Yeah, it’s a great relief! Yes, sure you can. 😉
The crisp and crunch definitely make the cookies worth many bites 🙂
Tigerfish: Yes, you’re right! 😉
Loved it!
Ching (LCOM): Thanks! 😉
Oh, CNY cookies! Looks good…
Alice: Yes, a great treat for your son! 😉
this gems look so cute!!!
Myasiankitchen: Thanks! A great treat for your daughter! 😉
Mmmm…I remember eating these….very crunchy and delicious!
Mary: Yes, you’re right. 😉
your mini cornflake cookies look so precious hehe I am sure they must be so crunchy too! Definitely a must for CNY!
Jen (TOH): Thanks! Yes, a must for CNY especially kids. 😉
so far i’ve only eaten once these cornflakes cookies, it was given to me by a friend. yeah, I think it would be nice to add in some cranberries as well, a little red in the cookies will look pretty too.
Lena: Yes, red is a popular colour for Chinese New Year too. 😉
Yummy, I like CNY cookies! Juz can’t resist them. May I know why only egg yolk is added?
Evelyn: Me too! Need to watch out my waistline now. Hehehe! I have no idea why only egg yolk is added. This is also the same for my cheesy cookies too. Maybe it doesn’t want the cookies to rise too much. Just my guess.
Haven’t baked cornflake cookies for a long while….those look irresistible.
Angie: Thanks! Maybe it’s time to do it this year. 😉
I keep the corn flakes packaging box with corn flakes recipe printed on it. I have no time to bake it yet. The smell of the cookies must be very inviting when it’s fresh from the oven.
Little Inbox: Oh yes, you’re right. I had tried the recipe printed on the box which was purely cornflakes. It’s delicious too. 😉
This is one of my favourites!!! Gorgeous photographs.
Pigpigscorner: Thanks for your compliments!! 😉
Forget about the kids – I would love these cookies and your photos are beautiful!
Marla: Thanks so much for your wonderful comment. 😉
They look so cute and pretty! perfect snack for CNY =)
Noobcook: Thanks! They are yummy too! 😉
Cute and delicious, best of both worlds!
Quay Po Cooks: Thanks for your sweet comment. 😉
Thanks for your recipe. May I ask if I could replace milk powder with fresh milk?
Eve: It’s my pleasure to share. I haven’t tried milk powder for this recipe. But in my personal opinion, it is not advisable to substitute dry ingredient with wet one as it will make the cookie dough too wet and soft. Hope it helps. 😉
Thanks for your reply! May I know is it okay for me to leave out the milk powder then? Once again, thanks!
Eve: You’re always welcome! I’m not sure what the outcome is without milk powder. If you are keen to give this recipe a try, maybe you can substitute the amount of milk powder with plain flour rather than omitting it. But please bear in mind that this substitution may not warrant you to achieve the best results. Hope it helps and happy trying!! 😉
Hi,
First of, thank you for sharing these wonderful recipes! I’ve tried the mango pudding & butter cake with much success! My husband normally doesn’t like sweets, but he gave me the thumbs-up for both attempts!
I’ve been looking to replicate this butter cookie I’ve beening buying from a local confectioner & chanced across this recipe. I have 2 questions:
1. Can I omit the raisins & cornflakes & just bake it as a butter cookie by piping the cookie dough?
2. What milk powder are you referring to? Can I use my son’s Enfagrow formula? Or is it some special milk powder for baking?
Thanks!
Alex: Thanks for your wonderful compliments and kind feedback! Below are my answers for your questions:
a) I haven’t tried before but you can give it a try. If you’re looking for a butter cookie recipe, why not try out these 2 recipes in my blog: coconut butter cookies (https://food-4tots.com/2010/11/04/coconut-butter-cookies/) and almond butter cookies (https://food-4tots.com/2011/01/27/almond-butter-cookies/, just omit the almond).
b) This milk powder is used specially for baking and different than the one we consume. You can get it from any local baking supply ingredient stores.
Hope it helps and happy trying!
Thanks for the replies! I’ll head out to my baking supply shop to check out the milk powder.
The other recipes I researched for butter cookies also used cornflour with the plain flour mix, that’s why I was more inclined to try the cornflake cookie recipe. I’ll give it a shot & see how it turns out!
By the way, where can I buy the 2 books you recommended: Baking Made Easy by Agnes Chang & 100 homemade cookies by Zhaoqing Meng(Is this all in Chinese??)From Popular Bookstore?
Thanks again =)
Alex: You are most welcomed! Cornflour will make the cookies crumbly. I also use it in my pineapple rolls recipe. For the books, you can get them in Popular. Besides Popular, you can try PageOne and Kinokuniya. Hope it helps! 😉
Ah…that’s good to know! I was wondering what was the purpose of the cornflour! I tried the recipe last night & they turned out not too bad! But I feel it was a tad too sweet for me & I would like it to be more buttery & perhaps more yellow like the ones that I purchased. Do you know if I can reduce the sugar to 60g, increase the butter to 150g & maybe add 1 more egg yolk without messing up the balance of the ingredients?
Thanks for again for your input =) Will check out the books next time I’m at Popular!
Alex: You mean you had tried the cornflake cookies without raisins and cornflakes? I don’t think your suggested modification will yield a good butter cookie. That’s why my recipe had included cornflakes and raisins to balance the overall taste of the end products. Baking is all about chemistry. You must include certain things to have the chemical reactions. So sorry, I’m not an expert in this field. Which brand did you use for your butter? I strongly recommend Lurpak as I use it for all my baking and cooking. It gives a very buttery taste to your bakes. I am not sure why their cookies are more yellowish than mine. It maybe due to different brand. Try the coconut butter cookies or almond butter cookies. They taste more like butter cookies than this modified cornflake cookies. Hope it helps.
Yes, I tried the cornflake cookie recipe w/o the raisins & cornflakes. I used the slightly salted Lurpak butter, but it seems not butter enough still.
Sigh, I wish I knew all about the chemistry of the ingredients so I can tweak the recipe, but alas I don’t! I’m not fond of coconut & almond tastes, but mebbe I can try leaving the coconut/almond out.
Thank you SO MUCH for your advice anyhow =) Maybe I’ll just have to end up spending $9/tub on those butter cookies after all!
Alex: It’s my pleasure to share. I think almond butter cookies recipe is quite close to what you want. It used more butter and less sugar. For the flour, you can use 120g cake flour with 30g cornflour if you want your cookies to have crumbly texture. Just my guess. Remember, do not overbake your cookies and weigh your ingredients with a digital scale (for more accuracy, do not estimate!). Your cookie will taste more buttery after it has completely cooled down. The best is to try it overnight. Give it a try and let me know how it turns out. 😉
Will do =) After I gobble this current batch of cookies. This is not good for my waistline! I’ll let you know how it turns out 😉
Alex: The best solution is to share your cookies with others. That’s what I am doing now. So, you can speed up the process to find your “perfect” butter cookies. I just wonder whether the yellow colour on the cookies is due to the egg wash. Happy trying!! 😉
Heh heh, I’m actually quite happy to eat them myself! Out of 50 cookies, I’ve got 4 left 😉 With my sons’ help of course!
No, not the egg wash, it’s a matt-looking cookie that was just generally more yellow. It was slightly more crispr & lighter in texture too. I wish I could buy their recipe!
Alex: Wow! So fast!!! I must go to take a look (maybe get a tub) at these “perfect” butter cookies. Don’t mind to provide me the details of this local confectioner?
I’ve gotta sweet tooth 😉 Sure! It’s Galicier Confectionery at Blk 55 Tiong Bahru Road #01-39 (Tel: 6324-1686). Their Kueh Bangkit ($15) & Pineapple tarts ($12) are to die for!!! But I absolutely love the butter cookies ($9) which they only did let out to me that it contains milk powder. It’s the swirl one with glace cherries on top. Lemme know how you like them!
Alex: Can’t wait to check it out!! Thanks!! 😉 Btw, have you tried the cookies sold at The Cookie Museum? I heard that they are very very nice (S$30/tin). 😉
Cookie Museum?! Nope…haven’t heard of it & at $30/tin, I think I won’t be trying! I tried the almond cookie recipe on Friday, but it wasn’t quite it either 🙁 Turned out too cake-y & soft. Not crispy…I think the cornflake cookie recipe was closer. Well, if u ever have a chance to try the Galicier one, do let me know how you think the recipe can be tweaked!!!
Alex: Sorry to know that the end product didn’t meet your expectation. If you prefer crispy cookies, then you need to bake the cookies slightly longer ie another 5 minutes. Alternatively, make smaller size or flatten the cookies before baking. I think I have to try out Galicier cookies before I can suggest further. Will definitely keep you updated. 😉
Looking at the pictures makes me very hungry, if i have the butter, i think i will just make it right away and just ley my 26 months old boy crying….ha ha
Just 2 question,
1) What is the reason we cannot mix the flour i circular motion?
2) Why do we need arrnage the paper cups 3cm apart?
Thanks
Linda: Thanks for your wonderful compliment!! Below is my answer to your questions:
a) This is to prevent the gluten to be developed and it will affect the texture of the end products.
b) With this small gap, the heat will be able to spread evenly to the cookies during baking.
Hope it helps to clarify your doubts.
Hi, I am planning to bake these for CNY but i am unsure how long can these be kept in those Red Lid Plastic bottles.
JJB: I think if you keep them in a sealed plastic bottles, it can last for about 4-5 days. But it would be best to consume within 3 days. Happy trying! 😉
Hi,
Can I check,
(1) I followed the recipe you gave. The only difference is that I didn’t use milk powder but substituted with plain flour and I didn’t use raisins. Is that ok?
(2) My dough wasn’t sticky enough, my cornflakes didn’t seem to stick well. How can it be remedied?
(3) My final cookies don’t look golden brown/yellow. They look a little dull brown. Is there any thing I can do to make it look more golden brown? Was it due to the heat of the oven? For my oven, I used 190° C because at 170° C by 22 mins, the cookies were still not ready.
thanks so much in advance for your help and advices!
GL: Unlike cooking, not all the ingredients in a recipe can be substituted or omitted. For this recipe, it is not possible to omit the raisins. Alternatively, you can use other dried fruits such as cranberries as a substitution. The problem of your dough was due to the omission of raisins. How long had you baked your cookies with 190° C? What makes you think that they are not ready at the end of 22 mins? Is it based on the colour or the tasting? I suggest that you give this recipe a second try with the addition of the raisins, bake at 180° C and see how it goes. If you’re afraid that the cookies are not properly cooked, you can leave them in the oven for another 5 minutes (without power on) after the baking time of 22 mins. At the end of the baking, the inside of the cookies should be LIGHT golden brown (similar to the coconut butter cookies). Hope it helps!
thank you for your advice. I will try it out again. initially i thought my cookies were not ready coz the looked a little pale yellow that’s why i tried to raise the oven temperature
GL: You’re always welcome! Happy baking! 😉
Hello miss,
You are awesome for your willingness to share your baking recipes. I love conflake cookies & never thought that I can do it my own with you recipe. I’ve bought all the ingredients stated & is ready for the war tomorrow.
However, I’m a bit curious about one of the photos posted here with egg yolk. Are you using Omega-3 egg? The color of the egg yolk that you are using doesn’t look like an ordinary egg yolk. Could you please advise?
Thanks for your reply =)
Hi Adeline: Thanks for your kind words!! So glad to know about your preparation. I used Seng Choon carrot large eggs and don’t think they are Omega-3 eggs. Hope it helps! 😉
Hi! I tried this recipe using 170 degrees and 20 mins but cookies were abit overbaked. The cornflakes were a little brown. Wondering if I shd lower the temp or shorten the baking time?
Lily: Different oven has different temperature setting. Maybe you can lower the temperature to 160 degrees in your next attempt. 🙂
I just bought Rowenta oven , may I know what mode you use to bake cookies?
Adeline: Mine is the old Rowenta model. Can you point me to a link where I can take a look at your model? 🙂
HI!II tried making your cornflake cookies but my was not round when it came out of the oven it was flat do you know whats wrong with my cookies?
Veronica: Did you use any paper cup? Your dough could be too soft and melted due to the current hot weather. Next time, if this happens again, chill the dough for an hour to firm up.
Hi if I use dried cranberries instead of rasins do u still need to soak the cranberries?
Also is it possible to subsitute corn flour with all purpose flour?
Thanks
Jennifer: Yes, you can use cranberries. As cranberries come in dry form, the soaking is necessary to dehydrate the fruit. It is possible to use all for corn flour but the texture maybe slightly different (ie a bit harder).
Hi, can we omit milk powder?
Shaann: You can substitute the amount with plain flour but if you want the best result, it is good to follow the recipe. You can buy it from any local baking supply stores. Please also note that this milk powder is not the same as the one for infant. 🙂
I wonder if you can have a video to show how to do the cut, press and scrape mixing technique? I tend to go in a semi-circular motion. Thanks alot.
Soh: Sorry, I don’t have any video clip to share. You don’t need to follow any sequence when using these 3 techniques. Just make sure you avoid stirring, beating or kneading the mixture like what we do for making cakes and bread. 🙂