Ingredients
Scale
- 6 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
- 10 ounces mini marshmallows (one standard bag)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup boiled apple cider (apple cider concentrate)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup dried apple chips, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides for easy removal. Lightly grease the parchment with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Measure out your Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and chopped dried apples into a large mixing bowl so they are ready to go as soon as the marshmallow mixture is melted.
- Place the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Melt the butter, whisking occasionally, until it begins to foam and turn a golden brown color with a nutty aroma. Watch it closely, as butter can go from browned to burnt very quickly. This step adds a rich, toasty flavor that complements the cinnamon cereal perfectly.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the mini marshmallows to the browned butter, stirring constantly until they are almost completely melted and smooth. Remove the pot from the heat. Quickly stir in the boiled apple cider concentrate, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Stir until the mixture is uniform and fragrant.
- Pour the marshmallow mixture over the cereal and dried apples in the large bowl. Use a greased spatula to gently fold the cereal into the marshmallow goo. Work quickly but carefully to ensure every piece of cereal is coated without crushing the squares too much. The mixture will be very sticky!
- Transfer the mixture into your prepared baking pan. Use the back of your greased spatula or a piece of wax paper to press the mixture down gently. Do not pack it too tightly, or the bars will be hard to bite into. You want them just firm enough to hold their shape.
- Let the bars sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour until they are completely cool and set. Do not refrigerate them, as this can make the cereal soggy. Once set, lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment overhang and cut them into 12 even rectangles with a sharp knife.
- Cook Time: 25 minutes