Puffed Wheat Squares
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Chocolate puffed wheat squares with marshmallows are just the dose of Canadiana you didn’t even know you needed! They are a deliciously chocolatey, chewy treat that will have you coming back for more!
We all remember the toilet paper shortage of 2020, right?
Ok, well in 2021, the shortage was Rice Crispies. Of all things, freaking rice crispies.
But you know what I did find?
PUFFED WHEAT!
Heck yes to that! Puffed wheat squares are better than rice crispy squares any day of the week!
This puffed wheat square recipe is dedicated to being short!
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Tips + Tricks
No. 1 –> Use the same measuring cup for both the butter and the corn syrup – but do the butter first. It will grease the cup and allow the corn syrup to slide out of the measuring cup much easier!
No. 2 –> If you absolutely cannot wait to dig in to your puffed wheat squares after they’re made, you can do like my girlfriend and eat them with a spoon while warm. Or toss them in the fridge to set up more quickly. No shame in either.
No. 3 –> Landed here cause you searched puffed wheat cake? We Canucks clearly have too many different names for things. Puffed wheat cake = puffed wheat squares = delicious = get in my belly.
No. 4 –> Part of the absolute charm of these puffed wheat squares is the gooey, chewy, chocolatey texture. The most important part of maintaining that texture is avoiding over-boiling the chocolate. Boil it for exactly 60 seconds once it hits a rolling boil then remove from heat immediately after! Over boiling can lead to rock hard treats that are tough to eat.
Key Ingredients
Cocoa Powder: Generations of people have made this recipe with regular old baking cocoa. Me, personally, I prefer it with dutch process cocoa powder. Dutch-process cocoa is less acidic and has a smoother, more mellow flavor profile.
Brown Sugar: Brown sugar, even the light stuff has molasses in it. The molasses increases the moisture content and results in a lovely chewy square!
How To Make Puffed Wheat Squares
Make the chocolate caramel:
- Grease a 9×13″ baking dish and set aside. Add 10 cups of toasted puffed wheat to a large bowl. Bigger is better here, this recipe can go Swedish Chef in a hurry if your bowl is too small!
- Combine 1 cup of brown sugar, 2/3 cup unsalted butter, 2/3 cup golden or dark corn syrup, and 1/2 cup cocoa powder in a medium-large heavy bottomed sauce pan. Err on the side of caution here too, the chocolate mixture bubbles up a bit when boiling.
- Bring the chocolate mixture to a boil over medium-low heat stirring occasionally. Once it reaches a rolling boil, set a timer for 60 seconds.
Mix it up:
- After the chocolate has boiled for 60 seconds, immediately remove from heat and pour over puffed wheat.
- Toss the puffed wheat in the chocolate sauce until completely coated, then add in 1 cup of mini marshmallows and toss to combine.
Make the squares:
- Pour the chocolatey puffed wheat into the greased baking dish and press down firmly to pack. Use a greased spatula or rub a bit of butter on your hands before pressing to avoid sticking.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of mini marshmallows around the top of the puffed wheat and allow them to melt slightly before spreading the marshmallow goo!
- Allow the gooey puffed wheat squares to cool and set up in the baking dish at room temperature for at least 60 minutes before slicing into squares.
Batch + Storage
Batch:
One recipe fills a 9×13 baking dish. The yield of the baking dish depends on your willpower! I usually get about 24 or so good sized squares out of a 9×13.
Storage:
These puffed wheat squares can be kept at room temperature for up to 4 days. If they’re not going to last that long, wrap them in plastic wrap and pop them into a freezer-friendly bag or container, they’ll keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To enjoy your frozen puffed wheat squares, remove from freezer and set out at room temperature for 30-45 minutes until completely thawed.
Freezing puffed wheat squares in individually wrapped portions makes for a great lunch box snack!
Variations + Substitutions
There are so many ways to make this recipe your own.
- If you’re a puffed wheat purist, it’s ok, you can omit the marshmallows, but I’m here to say the marshmallows add some marshmallow-y goodness that you just can’t beat.
- Big caramel fan? Omit the chocolate for a blonder, caramel flavored puffed wheat square.
- Can’t get enough chocolate? Stir in some chocolate chips or chunks while mixing the puffed wheat and the chocolate sauce.
- No butter? No problem! Toss in margarine instead. Canadians are forgiving, and so are our recipes!
- Want a crispier bar? Swap out the brown sugar for granulated sugar.
- Get nutty! Sub out some of the puffed wheat for peanuts!
More Treat Recipes To Love!
Recommended Equipment
This recipe does not require any special tools, candy thermometers or pots! It’s a quick, easy, and totally delicious chocolatey treat that will keep you coming back for more!
📖 Printable Recipe
Puffed Wheat Squares With Marshmallows
Ingredients
- 10 cups toasted puffed wheat
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- ⅔ cup butter unsalted
- ⅔ cup golden or dark corn syrup
- ¼ to ½ cup dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups mini marshmallows divided
- butter for greasing.
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13" baking dish and set aside. Add 10 cups of puffed wheat to a large bowl.
- Combine 1 cup of packed brown sugar, 2/3 cup unsalted butter, 2/3 cup light corn syrup, and 1/4 – 1/2 cup cocoa powder (1/4 for less intense chocolate and 1/2 cup for more chocolate flavor) in a medium-large heavy bottomed sauce pan.
- Bring the chocolate mixture to a boil over medium-low heat stirring occasionally. Once it reaches a rolling boil, set a timer for 60 seconds.
- After the chocolate has boiled for 60 seconds, immediately remove from heat and pour over puffed wheat.
- Toss the puffed wheat in the chocolate sauce until completely coated, then add in 1 cup of mini marshmallows and toss to combine.
- Pour the chocolatey puffed wheat into the greased baking dish and press down firmly to pack. Use a greased spatula or rub a bit of butter on your hands before pressing to avoid sticking.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of mini marshmallows around the top of the puffed wheat and allow them to melt slightly before spreading the marshmallow goo!
- Allow the gooey puffed wheat squares to cool and set up in the baking dish at room temperature for at least 60 minutes before slicing into squares.
Notes
Batch:
Storage:
These puffed wheat squares can be kept at room temperature for up to 4 days. If they're not going to last that long, wrap them in plastic wrap and pop them into a freezer-friendly bag or container, they'll keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. To eat frozen squares, remove from freezer and allow to thaw at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before enjoying. Freezing puffed wheat squares in individually wrapped portions makes for a great lunch box snack!Recommended Equipment + Ingredients
Nutrition
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Oh man, the addition of marshmallows in this recipe officially makes it my new favourite square!
Made these yesterday. Added all the marshmallows rather than spreading on top, also 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/4 tsp Cinnamon. Good but still prefer Rice Krispies squares 😂
HA! You sound like my husband! He will eat puffed wheat squares but prefers Rice Krispies lol
What brand of cereal do I buy? Honey smacks? or a different brand that is not sweetened?
Thank you,
Annie
Hey Annie, you’re looking for something unsweetened! Here in Canada it’s just called puffed wheat, and I can find it in the cereal aisle.