Vegan chocolate cornflake cakes are one of those recipes that feels almost too easy to be real, but somehow they work perfectly every single time. You know those afternoons when chocolate cravings hit but complicated baking just isn’t happening? This is the answer. No mixer, no oven, no fuss—just five ingredients that are probably already sitting in the pantry.
These work brilliantly for school bake sales, last-minute gatherings, or simple weeknight treats. Kids love them for the crunch factor, adults appreciate the proper chocolate-to-cereal ratio. They’re quick enough for busy days but look impressive enough that nobody needs to know how little effort went into making them.
Why Everyone’s Obsessed With These No-Bake Bites
✾ Genuinely quick: Fifteen minutes from start to fridge. That’s faster than ordering takeout.
✾ Five ingredients, seriously: Dark chocolate, golden syrup, coconut oil, cornflakes, salt. Nothing weird or hard to find.
✾ No oven required: Perfect for summer when you can’t face turning on the heat, or when your oven is already full.
✾ Works for everyone: Vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, and easily made gluten-free with the right cornflakes.
✾ Kids can actually help: There’s no hot oven or sharp knives involved. Just stirring and spooning.
✾ Freezes like a dream: Make extra and stash them for emergencies. Future you will be grateful.
Before You Start: You’ll find more explanation here than a basic recipe. That’s intentional—the aim is to educate, not just instruct.
Here’s Everything You’ll Need (It’s Surprisingly Simple)
Makes 12 cakes:
• 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa) – This is the foundation, so use something decent. Check it’s vegan—many dark chocolates are, but some sneak in milk powder. Brands like Lindt’s 70% Excellence bar or supermarket own-label dark chocolate usually work perfectly. The 70% cocoa gives you proper chocolate flavor without being too bitter or too sweet.
• 3 tablespoons golden syrup – This sticky stuff holds everything together and adds that signature sweetness. Can’t find golden syrup? Maple syrup works, or even agave if that’s what you’ve got. Just don’t use honey if you’re keeping things vegan.
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil – Helps the chocolate stay glossy and gives the cakes that satisfying snap when you bite into them. Go for refined if you’re not into coconut flavor. Regular vegetable oil sort of works, but coconut oil really does make them better.
• 100g cornflakes – Plain ones, not frosted or honey-coated. Just the basic cereal. If you need gluten-free, check the label—most cornflakes have malt flavoring which contains gluten, but gluten-free versions are easy to find these days.
• Pinch of flaky sea salt – Totally optional, but it makes such a difference. That little bit of salt makes the chocolate taste more… chocolatey? Hard to explain, but trust me on this one.
Quick Note: These live in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week. Or freeze them for up to three months—just layer parchment paper between them so they don’t stick together.
Let’s Make These Crunchy Chocolate Beauties
1 Get your setup sorted first
Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Or if you don’t have one, just use a tray with parchment paper and make free-form mounds. Having this ready before you start means you won’t be scrambling for cases while your chocolate mixture sits getting cold. Trust me, been there.
2 Melt everything together gently
Break up your chocolate into smallish pieces—doesn’t have to be perfect—and chuck it in a heatproof bowl with the golden syrup and coconut oil. Set it over a pan of simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water, or it’ll get too hot). Stir now and then until everything melts into one smooth, glossy mixture. Takes about 3-4 minutes. If you’re using a microwave instead, do 20-second bursts and stir between each one. Chocolate burns fast, so keep an eye on it.
3 Let it cool down a bit
This is the step people skip and then wonder why their cornflakes went soggy. Take the bowl off the heat and just let it sit for 2-3 minutes. You want it warm enough to coat the cornflakes, but not so hot it steams them into mush. Stir in your salt now if you’re using it.
4 Add the cornflakes carefully
Tip the cornflakes into the chocolate and fold them in gently with a big spoon. You’re trying to coat every flake without crushing them all to bits. It’s sort of like folding in whipped cream—gentle, deliberate movements work better than aggressive stirring. Work reasonably quickly here, but don’t stress about it.
5 Get them into the cases straight away
Spoon the mixture into your prepared cases, aiming for about 2 tablespoons each. Don’t pack them down hard—you want them a bit loose and messy-looking. They’ll firm up perfectly on their own. Pressing too hard squashes all the air out and you lose that crunch.
6 Add toppings if you fancy
This is your chance to get creative. Chopped almonds, dried cranberries, extra sea salt flakes, whatever sounds good. Just press them gently onto the surface so they stick when everything sets.
7 Fridge time
Stick them in the fridge for at least an hour until they’re completely solid. If you’re impatient (no judgment), 30 minutes in the freezer gets you there faster. They’ll go from shiny and soft to matte and firm—that’s when you know they’re ready.
8 Keep them cold
Once they’re set, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll stay crispy and delicious for about a week. Don’t leave them out at room temperature for ages, especially if your kitchen is warm—they’ll get soft and lose their shape.
Tiny Tweaks That Make a Big Difference
✾ Buy chocolate you’d actually eat on its own. The chocolate is doing all the heavy lifting here flavor-wise, so don’t cheap out with the really rubbish stuff. A decent 70% dark chocolate makes these taste like proper treats, not just sweet cornflakes.
✾ That cooling step isn’t optional. Seriously, wait the 2-3 minutes after melting the chocolate. Hot chocolate makes soggy cornflakes, slightly cooled chocolate keeps them crispy. This one thing makes or breaks the recipe.
✾ Speed matters once the cornflakes go in. The longer they sit in the warm chocolate before you portion them out, the softer they get. Mix and spoon quickly—don’t stop to answer texts or check on the dog.
✾ Adjust sweetness to your taste. Prefer them less sweet? Use 85% chocolate and cut the syrup down to 2 tablespoons. Want them sweeter for kids? Stick with 70% or add an extra spoon of syrup.
✾ Silicone cases are your friend. If paper cases stick (and sometimes they do), silicone muffin cases peel off cleanly every time. Plus they’re reusable, which is nice.
What’s Inside (Because You’ll Definitely Eat More Than One)
Serves: 12 cakes
• Calories: 145
• Carbs: 16g
• Protein: 2g
• Fat: 9g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 10g
• Sodium: 45mg
✾ Nutrition info is estimated and will vary depending on the specific brands and ingredients you use.
Your Questions, Answered (Before You Even Ask)
➲ Can I use milk chocolate instead?
Yeah, you can, but heads up—they’ll be way sweeter and won’t set as firmly. Milk chocolate has more sugar and less cocoa butter than dark chocolate, which makes them softer. If you go this route, definitely keep them in the fridge and expect a different texture. Not bad, just different.
➲ How do I make these gluten-free?
Most regular cornflakes have malt flavoring in them, which comes from barley and contains gluten. You’ll need to buy cornflakes specifically labeled gluten-free—most supermarkets stock them now, and they work exactly the same way. Everything else in the recipe is naturally gluten-free anyway.
➲ Do these freeze well?
Absolutely. I always make a double batch and freeze half. They’ll keep for three months in the freezer if you layer them between parchment paper in an airtight container. Thaw them in the fridge for a few hours, or eat them straight from frozen for a firmer, almost truffle-like texture.
➲ What if my cornflakes went soggy?
The chocolate was probably still too hot when you added them, or they sat in the mixture too long before you portioned them out. Next time, let that chocolate cool for a full 2-3 minutes, then work faster getting them into the cases. It’s genuinely the most common mistake with this recipe.
Simple, Crunchy, Chocolatey — And Always a Win
These vegan chocolate cornflake cakes are exactly what simple baking should be—quick, reliable, and actually delicious. No pretending they’re “just as good as” something else, because they’re brilliant in their own right. Five ingredients, minimal effort, zero oven stress, and a batch of chocolate-covered crunch that everyone loves.
If you’re into easy no-bake recipes like this, you’ll probably love these:
✾ Fudgy Gluten Free Zucchini Brownies in 35 Minutes
✾ Homemade Gluten Free Graham Crackers in 30 Minutes
✾ Vegan Blueberry Muffins With Crumble That Fool Everyone (30 Min!)
✾ Homemade Gluten Free Bagels in 2 Hours (Finally!)
Made a batch already? Drop a comment and tell me how they went—especially if you added something creative on top. And if they worked out well, rate the recipe so other people know it’s worth making. Save it to Pinterest while you’re thinking about it, because you’ll definitely want to make these again.
Now go eat some chocolate cornflake cakes. You’ve earned it.
Vegan Chocolate Cornflake Cakes Kids Actually Love
Ingredients
- 200 g dark chocolate 70% cocoa, vegan
- 3 tablespoons golden syrup
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil refined or unrefined
- 100 g plain cornflakes
- Pinch of flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
- Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Break chocolate into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl with golden syrup and coconut oil.
- Set bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in salt if using. Add cornflakes and fold gently until fully coated. Work quickly but carefully to avoid crushing the flakes.
- Spoon mixture into prepared cases, using about 2 tablespoons per cake. Don’t press down too firmly.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until completely firm. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
