These deliciously crunchy honey joys (honey crackles) are a classic Australian treat! Made with crunchy Corn Flakes, honey and butter, this simple recipe is a staple for birthdays, parties and lunchboxes. And they only take 10 minutes to prepare!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Quick and easy – 4 ingredients and 10 minutes of oven time is all you need!
- Texture – they are the perfect combination of crispy and chewy. Crunchy Corn Flakes are held together with a sticky, chewy glaze; it is impossible to stop at one!
- Make ahead – if you’re short on time, they can be prepared ahead and stored for up to 7 days.
- Simple ingredients – you’ll only need 4 basic pantry ingredients here; butter, sugar, honey and Kelloggs Corn Flakes.
- Retro – an old-fashioned Aussie favourite. Once you take that first bite, you are instantly reminded why they are a classic party staple! So good!
- Perfect for any occasion – they are the perfect party food, lunchbox filler or to take for a picnic.
- Easily multiplied – this recipe makes 12 serves, but can be easily multiplied to feed a crowd.
Need some more easy treats and slices? Try these Corn Flake cookies, Mars Bar slice and Rice Bubble slice!
Ingredients you will need
** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. This photo is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!
- Corn Flakes – readily available in supermarkets, Corn Flakes are the star ingredient (along with the honey, of course!). I use Kelloggs Corn Flakes, but any alternative flaked corn cereal can be used. Just make sure it is a freshly opened bag, for the best texture and crunch. If you require gluten-free honey joys, simply swap for gluten free corn flakes. Alternatively, you can swap for Rice Bubbles or Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes for something a little different!
- Butter – I use salted butter to add a little balance to the sweetness, but salted or un-salted butter can be used. Use real butter, rather than margarine or butter substitutes, for best results.
- Honey – 2 tablespoons of honey gives the honey joys their signature flavour and helps to create the sticky glaze that binds the mixture together. Choose a quality brand of honey that you know and love; I love to use honey from my local farmer’s market, but any brand will work.
- Caster sugar – I use caster sugar (superfine sugar) to make the glaze, as it dissolves quickly into the glaze. But granulated white sugar will work too. Just make sure it has dissolved before adding the glaze to the Corn Flakes.
Step by step instructions
Full recipe quantities and instructions can be found in the detailed recipe card below.
1. Melt the butter, sugar and honey together in a small saucepan.
2. Heat until frothy.
3. Pour the hot honey mixture over the Corn Flakes and mix well.
4. Scoop the mixture into a lined cupcake tray.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, until golden.
6. Cool – they need to cool completely on a wire rack (at least an hour is best) to set. Otherwise, they will fall apart.
Expert tips
- Boil the honey mixture until foamy/frothy. This helps to dissolve the sugar and bind the honey joys.
- Use fresh Corn Flakes rather than a previously opened bag, for maximum crunch and texture.
- Work quickly – once the honey mixture becomes foamy, pour it over the Corn Flakes immediately. Don’t let the mixture cool, or it will become harder to stir.
- Measure the ingredients accurately, for best results. Too many Corn Flakes will make them fall apart. As will too little sugar.
- They need to cool completely before eating. When removed from the oven, honey joys haven’t yet set and will fall apart if handled too much. The honey mixture will harden and set as it cools, holding everything together.
- Save dishes by mixing the Corn Flakes directly into the saucepan containing the melted honey mixture, if preferred.
- Be careful – the honey mixture is extremely hot when it is ready. Take care pouring it over the Corn Flakes.
- Don’t overcook them – 10 minutes in a 150 °C oven is all they need. They should be lightly golden, but not browned. Overcooking them will make them too crisp and brittle.
- This recipe makes 12 serves of honey joys. But it can be easily multiplied to make a double or even triple batch for parties.
FAQs
Honey joys are best eaten fresh in the first 1-2 days, but will keep for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container in a cool pantry. Or, keep them in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Honey joys can be stored at room temperature in a cool, dark place for up to 5 days and are softer to eat this way. However, if your house is hot or you want to make them last a little longer, they can be refrigerated. They will harden in the fridge, but can be left at room temperature for 20 minutes to soften again. They do not have to be refrigerated.
Honey joys can crumble and fall apart for a few reasons;
If the ingredients are not measured correctly, there may have been too many Corn Flakes in the mixture, or not enough sugar in the glaze. Both of these factors can cause the honey joys to fall apart. Measure the ingredients accurately to ensure they hold together properly.
Make sure the honey mixture has boiled and become foamy before adding it to the Corn Flakes. This will ensure that the sugar dissolves and help the glaze set properly.
Honey joys are also very crumbly when first removed from the oven and need to cool properly to set. Allow at least an hour for them to harden and set before eating.
I don’t recommend freezing honey joys. They lose their crunch and texture when thawed.
Related recipes
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Easy Honey Joys
Ingredients
- 4 cups Corn Flakes 150 grams
- 80 grams salted butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup caster sugar
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 150°C/302 F. Line a 12-hole cupcake tray with paper cupcake cases.
- Place the Corn Flakes in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Place the butter, honey and sugar in a small saucepan and melt over medium heat, stirring if needed.
- Continue to heat until the mixture has completely melted and starts to boil. Continue to gently boil until the mixture becomes frothy/foamy.
- Working quickly, carefully pour the hot honey mixture over the Corn Flakes and stir until completely combined.
- Spoon the Corn Flake mixture into the paper cases, dividing the mixture evenly to make 12 honey joys.
- Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly golden.
- The honey joys will be soft and crumbly when removed from the oven. Carefully place them onto a wire rack to cool completely and store in an airtight container if not eating immediately.
Video
Notes
- Boil the honey mixture until foamy/frothy. This helps to dissolve the sugar and bind the honey joys.
- Use fresh Corn Flakes rather than a previously opened bag, for maximum crunch and texture.
- Work quickly – once the honey mixture becomes foamy, pour it over the Corn Flakes immediately. Don’t let the mixture cool or it is harder to stir.
- Measure the ingredients accurately, for best results. Too many Corn Flakes will make them fall apart. As will too little sugar.
- They need to cool completely before eating. When removed from the oven, honey joys are not set and will fall apart. The honey mixture will set as it cools, holding everything together.
- Save dishes by mixing the Corn Flakes directly into the saucepan containing the melted honey mixture, if preferred.
- Be careful, the honey mixture is extremely hot and sticky when it is ready. Take care pouring it over the Corn Flakes.
- Don’t overcook them – 10 minutes in a 150 C oven is all they need. They should be lightly golden, but not browned.
- This recipe makes 12 serves of honey joys. But it can be easily multiplied to make a double or even triple batch for parties.
- Storage; Honey joys are best eaten fresh in the first 1-2 days, but will keep for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container in a cool pantry. Or, keep them in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- Please note that the nutrition information is based on the mixture being divided into 12, with one honey joy being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the cookies.
- This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Any reference to cups or spoons in this recipe is in Australian metric. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.
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