Momofuku Milk Bar’s Cornflake Cookies
Craving the legendary Momofuku Milk Bar Cornflake Cookies at home? This copycat recipe nails every buttery, crunchy, gooey bite — marshmallows, chocolate chips, and that iconic cornflake crunch included.
Okay, so the first time I tried Momofuku Milk Bar’s Cornflake Cookies, I genuinely had a minor life crisis because I couldn’t stop eating them. They’re crispy, chewy, salty-sweet, and absolutely packed with texture — and yes, I immediately went home and figured out how to make them myself. Spoiler: it’s totally doable, and your kitchen is going to smell incredible.
Table of Contents
What Makes These Cookies So Special
These aren’t your average drop cookies. Momofuku Milk Bar’s Cornflake Cookies are the brainchild of pastry genius Christina Tosi, and they’re basically everything you didn’t know you needed in a cookie.
You’ve got buttery cornflake clusters baked into crunchy little nests, gooey mini marshmallows, melty chocolate chips, and a dough that’s been creamed for a full seven minutes — yes, seven — so it’s impossibly light and rich at the same time.
Think of it as a cereal-milk dream wrapped in cookie form. It’s a copycat baking recipe worth every single step.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Unsalted butter, room temperature | 1 cup (2 sticks) |
| Granulated sugar | 1¼ cups |
| Light brown sugar, packed | ⅔ cup |
| Large egg | 1 |
| Vanilla extract | ½ tsp |
| All-purpose flour | 1½ cups |
| Baking powder | ½ tsp |
| Baking soda | ½ tsp |
| Salt | 1½ tsp |
| Cornflake Crunch (recipe below) | 3 cups |
| Mini chocolate chips | ⅔ cup |
| Mini marshmallows | 1¼ cups |
Cornflake Crunch
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cornflakes | 5 cups |
| Malted milk powder | ½ cup |
| Granulated sugar | 3 tbsp |
| Salt | 1 tsp |
| Unsalted butter, melted | 9 tbsp (1 stick + 1 tbsp) |
Makes 15–20 cookies
Let’s Make the Cornflake Crunch First
Trust me, you want to start here. The Cornflake Crunch is the secret weapon in this whole recipe, and it needs time to cool before it goes into the dough.
Step 1: Crush and Coat
Preheat your oven to 275°F. In a large bowl, use your hands to crunch the cornflakes into smaller pieces — you want a mix of tiny crumbles and slightly bigger clusters, not full dust. Add the malted milk powder, sugar, and salt, then pour in the melted butter and toss everything together until it’s coated and clumping.
Tip: Don’t skip the malted milk powder. It adds this deep, toasty, almost caramel-y flavor that makes the crunch taste like something from a fancy bakery.
Step 2: Bake the Crunch
Spread the clusters on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 20 minutes until they’re golden, fragrant, and getting properly crunchy. Let them cool completely before using. You’ll have leftover crunch — this is not a problem. Eat it on ice cream. You’re welcome.
This can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container, which makes the rest of the recipe feel much more manageable.
Now For the Cookie Dough
Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar — For Real This Time
Line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), combine the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Cream them together for a full 2–3 minutes until it’s pale and fluffy. Scrape down the sides.
Add the egg and vanilla, then crank it up and mix for 7 minutes. I know that sounds like a lot, but this step is non-negotiable for that pillowy-yet-chewy Milk Bar Cornflake Cookie texture. Set a timer and don’t rush it.
Step 4: Add the Dry Ingredients
Slow the mixer to low and add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined — stop the second you don’t see dry streaks. Overmixing here will make your cookies tough, and nobody wants that.
“Just combined” really means just combined. A few turns of the paddle is all you need.
Step 5: Fold In the Good Stuff
Still on low speed, add the 3 cups of Cornflake Crunch and the chocolate chips. Mix until just incorporated. Then fold in the mini marshmallows by hand — they’re delicate and you don’t want them torn apart by the mixer.
The dough at this point is going to look absolutely chaotic in the best way. Chunks of cornflake, little pockets of chocolate, fluffy marshmallow bits — it’s a beauty.
Step 6: Scoop and Chill (This Part Is Important)
Using a 2-oz cookie scoop or about ⅓ cup of dough per cookie, scoop the dough onto your prepared baking sheets leaving about 4 inches between each one. Gently pat the tops flat with your palm.
Wrap the tray tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to a full week. This chilling step is what keeps the cookies from spreading into flat puddles and gives the flavors time to develop. It’s worth it — promise.
Step 7: Bake
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the chilled cookies for 9–10 minutes, just until the edges are starting to turn golden. They’ll look slightly underdone in the center — that’s exactly what you want.
Let them cool completely on the pan before moving them. As they cool, the marshmallows will set into gooey little puddles and the cornflake crunch will crisp back up. Magic.
Expert Tips, Variations & Troubleshooting
Make It Your Own
These marshmallow cookies are incredibly flexible. Swap the mini chocolate chips for white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips for a different vibe. Add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top before baking for an extra salty-sweet punch. If you love copycat baking recipes, you can also try toasting the marshmallows slightly under the broiler after baking for a s’mores-style finish.
What If My Cookies Spread Too Much?
This almost always means the dough wasn’t cold enough. Make sure you’re baking straight from the fridge, not after the dough has been sitting at room temp. Also double-check your butter was truly room temperature (soft, not melted) before creaming.
Can I Make Smaller Cookies?
You can, but scale down the baking time. Start checking at 7–8 minutes for smaller scoops. The Milk Bar original is a big, generous cookie, though — I’d encourage you to go full size at least once.
My Marshmallows Are Burning
If your marshmallows are browning too fast, your oven might run hot. Try dropping the temperature to 365°F and adding a minute to the bake time. Every oven is a little different.
Storage & No-Waste Kitchen Ideas
| Storage Method | How Long |
|---|---|
| Room temperature (airtight container) | Up to 5 days |
| Refrigerator (dough, unbaked) | Up to 1 week |
| Freezer (baked cookies) | Up to 2 months |
| Freezer (unbaked dough balls) | Up to 3 months |
Reheating: Pop a cookie in the microwave for 10–15 seconds to get that fresh-baked gooeyness back. Or warm it in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.
No-Waste Idea: Extra Cornflake Crunch is incredible scattered over vanilla ice cream, stirred into yogurt, or eaten by the handful. Leftover dough balls can go straight from freezer to oven — just add 2–3 minutes to the bake time.
Pair these with something cozy like our spring and summer dinner spread for a full seasonal feast, or serve them alongside something savory like cheesy spinach garlic meatballs for a dinner party that ends on the sweetest note.
Nutritional Information (Per Cookie, Approximate)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~340 kcal |
| Total Fat | 17g |
| Saturated Fat | 10g |
| Carbohydrates | 46g |
| Sugar | 28g |
| Protein | 3g |
| Sodium | 310mg |
Values are estimates and will vary based on exact ingredient brands and cookie size.
FAQs
Can I skip the chilling step?
Please don’t — the chill is what gives Momofuku Milk Bar’s Cornflake Cookies their signature thick, chewy texture. Without it, the dough spreads too fast and you lose all that beautiful structure. Two hours minimum, but overnight is honestly even better.
Where can I find malted milk powder?
Most grocery stores carry it in the baking aisle or near the hot cocoa mixes — Carnation is the most common brand. You can also order it online. Don’t skip it; it gives the Cornflake Crunch that signature bakery depth.
Can I make these marshmallow cookies without a stand mixer?
Yes! A hand mixer works perfectly fine. The seven-minute creaming step is a little more of an arm workout, but totally doable. Just make sure you’re scraping down the sides of the bowl regularly.
How close is this to the actual Milk Bar Cornflake Cookie?
Pretty dang close. This copycat baking recipe is based on the original Milk Bar recipe, so the flavors and textures are spot-on. If you’ve had the real thing, you’ll recognize it immediately.
Can I freeze the unbaked dough?
Absolutely — and it’s a great idea. Scoop the dough into balls, freeze them on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen at 375°F, adding 2–3 minutes to the bake time. Fresh cookies on demand? Yes please.
Go Make These Cookies!
If you’ve been on the fence about trying copycat baking recipes at home, let this be the one that changes your mind. Momofuku Milk Bar’s Cornflake Cookies are genuinely special — the kind of thing people ask about at parties, text you for the recipe, and talk about for weeks. They’re a little extra effort, but absolutely worth every buttery, crunchy, gooey minute.
Looking for more recipes to round out your baking adventures? Check out our Peruvian chicken and rice with green sauce for a savory weeknight win, or browse our teriyaki pineapple chicken stuffed peppers for a fun dinner idea that’s just as crowd-pleasing.
Now go bake them, share a photo on Pinterest, and drop a comment below — I genuinely want to know how they turned out for you!
Momofuku Milk Bar Cornflake Cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Large mixing bowl
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- 2-oz cookie scoop or ice cream scoop
- Plastic wrap
- Airtight container
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup Unsalted butter 2 sticks, room temperature
- 1¼ cups Granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup Light brown sugar packed
- 1 Large egg
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract
- 1½ cups All-purpose flour
- ½ tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- 1½ tsp Salt
- 3 cups Cornflake Crunch see recipe below
- ⅔ cup Mini chocolate chips
- 1¼ cups Mini marshmallows
Cornflake Crunch
- 5 cups Cornflakes
- ½ cup Malted milk powder
- 3 tbsp Granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 9 tbsp Unsalted butter melted (1 stick + 1 tbsp)
Instructions
- Make the Cornflake Crunch: Preheat your oven to 275°F. In a large bowl, use your hands to crunch the cornflakes into smaller pieces — aim for a mix of small crumbles and slightly bigger clusters, not fine dust.
- Add the malted milk powder, sugar, and salt to the crushed cornflakes. Pour in the melted butter and toss everything together until fully coated and small clusters begin to form.
- Spread the cornflake clusters in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden, fragrant, and crunchy. Let cool completely before using in the cookie dough. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
- Prepare the Cookie Dough: Line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, combine the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Cream together for 2–3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix on medium-high speed for a full 7 minutes. This extended creaming step is key to achieving the signature light, chewy Milk Bar Cornflake Cookie texture — don’t skip it.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined — stop as soon as no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- Still on low speed, add the 3 cups of Cornflake Crunch and the mini chocolate chips. Mix until just incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the mini marshmallows by hand using a spatula.
- Using a 2-oz cookie scoop, portion about ⅓ cup of dough per cookie onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 4 inches apart. Gently pat the tops flat with your palm.
- Wrap the baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 1 week. Do not skip this chilling step — it prevents spreading and deepens the flavor.
- Bake the Cookies: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the chilled cookies for 9–10 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. The centers will look slightly underdone — that’s perfect.
- Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring to an airtight container. As they cool, the marshmallows will set into gooey pockets and the cornflake crunch will crisp back up beautifully.
