Cheerio Praline Clusters

Every now and again you stumble across an idea that’s so delectable, so crunch, so sweet, so sticky, so delicious, that you can’t help but share it. This is that recipe! 

What is a Cheerio Praline? 

I’ll be honest, I deliberately didn’t type this phrase into google because I didn’t want to know if anyone else had ever tried it. 

The idea came to me while working on my Old-Fashioned Cornflake Candy post. I loved the ease of that recipe—combining sugar, corn syrup, and peanut butter and pouring it over cereal. 

But this time I wasn’t feeling the whole “peanut butter” part. I wanted something I love even more: caramel. 

I scoured my pantry and found a bag of caramel chips, and that’s when the idea solidified in my mind: convert the cereal candy idea into a praline. 

I honestly had no idea if it would work. In fact, I doubted it would. But I took pictures of the process just in case and I’m awfully glad I did. 

Delicious Caramel Pecan Clusters . . .with Cheerios!

These ooey-gooey, caramelly clusters are (truly) on my top ten list of sweet treats I’ve made since starting this blog. 

And, other than the “forming them into clusters” part (a sticky process!) they were among the easiest candies I’ve ever made. 

I’m thrilled and delighted to share this recipe with you guys. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! 

Cheerio Praline Cluster Ingredients

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick peek at what you’ll need to make these delicious, chewy candies! 

• white sugar (or brown sugar, for deeper flavor)
• white corn syrup
• caramel chips
• vanilla extract
• Honey Nut Cheerios
• roughly chopped pecans

That’s it! Just a handful of simple ingredients you probably have on hand right now!

How to Make Cheerio Praline Clusters

These come together so easily! As I mentioned above, the only hiccup involved the formation of the clusters, which was kind of a messy process. 

That said, they were deliciously simple!

Prepare a couple of cookie sheets with wax paper or parchment paper. You’ll want to spread a thin layer of butter on the paper. 

Pour dry cereal and pecans in a large bowl and set aside. 

In a medium saucepan combine sugar and white corn syrup.

Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and gentle bubbles appear on the surface. 

Now it’s time to add the bag of caramel chips. Dump in the full bag (all 11 ounces). 

As the caramel melts, stir the mixture. Once it has completely melted, add the vanilla and stir again. Make sure the liquid mixture is smooth and creamy. 

Pour caramel mixture over the cereal and pecans. 

Mix well. 

While still hot, scoop out clusters. Depending on the size of your clusters, this recipe should make 36 or more. 

Small spoonfuls of the candy will more than satisfy your sweet tooth.

I started with a cookie scoop but even eventually switched to a spoon. As I said above, this is a sticky process, so buttered utensils and fingers should help! 

Let clusters firm up on wax paper. Once they are solid, store them side-by-side in an airtight container. 

What to Expect from these Cheerio Pecan Clusters

Y’all, I hardly know where to begin. This idea came straight from my imagination and now I owe my imagination big-time! 

The crunch of the cereal with the chewy caramel mixture? Perfection! And the addition of those pecans? I simply can’t say enough about the combination. 

The hardest part is not eating too many of these!

I’m definitely planning to make these for my family’s Easter gathering. I’m thinking the kids will love these great tasting treats! 

Oooh! Great Idea! I think I’ll shape them into eggs for our Easter egg reunion. Perfection! 

One final note about the wax paper idea: I tried it both ways: buttered wax paper on one cookie sheet and no paper on the other (buttered) sheet. Guess what? The un-papered ones were easier to get off of the tray. 

Variations on this recipe:

These creative snacks are unique and sure to be a hit at your next gathering. I’m already thinking of ways to vary them next time around.

Popcorn in place of cereal. These are slightly reminiscent of old-fashioned popcorn balls, so why not? Add 4 cups of (unsalted) popcorn and two cups of nuts (any nuts, your choice). 

Chex cereal: Any flavor you like would be good. Just use it in place of cheerios. (You’ll find all sorts of Chex cereals on the cereal aisle.)

Macadamia nuts: These would be a lovely addition, along with (or instead of) pecans. 

Sea Salt: Sprinkle the top of each praline with a bit of sea salt.

Melted chocolate: Melt chocolate chips and drizzle over the top of these cheerio clusters. (Delicious!) Chocolate lovers are sure to enjoy these. Use any type of chocolate you like. You might even add a dollop of dark chocolate (melted) to the tray before dropping the praline cluster down. (Chocolate on bottom? Yes, please!)

Coconut flakes: Looking for more sweetness and crunch? Add coconut flakes to the liquid portion before mixing with cereal and pecans.

Breakfast cereal of your choice: Don’t care for Cheerios or Chex? Use any cereal you enjoy!

Seeds: Sprinkle the tops of your cheerio pralines with sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or other seeds of your choice. This will give them a salty twist and add to the crunchy texture.

Serve alongside a bowl of ice cream. The flavors will be perfect together!

Other sweet treats from Out of the Box Baking

Easy Homemade Turtles: If you love the combination of caramel, chocolate, and pecans, have I got an easy treat for you! These classic Turtles are a no-bake recipe. In fact, they’re easy that the kids can help you!

Easy Fruit Loop Puppy Chow: If you love the fruity flavors of this delicious cereal but you’re in the mood for a sweet treat everyone will enjoy, I’ve got the perfect recipe for you! This fruity puppy chow is easy to make and perfect for sharing with friends and loved ones!

Easy Almond Joy Truffles: If you love the crunch of almonds and coconut but the richness of a chocolate truffle, have I got a treat for you! In this post I’m going to show you how to make easy homemade Almond Joy Truffles, loaded with flavor and texture.

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That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoyed this unique, crunchy praline recipe!

See this recipe at

Full Plate Thursday 

Weekend Potluck

Busy Monday

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About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.