A Sweetheart of a Treat for “You’re Bacon Me Crazy” Movie Night
The Hallmark Channel “You’re Bacon Me Crazy” movie premieres in one month, on April 4th. The movie, adapted from my Scholastic middle-grade novel, You’re Bacon Me Crazy, promises just as much foodie fun and romance as the book.
Make this recipe for “You’re Bacon Me Crazy” Bacon CocoaNut Crackles for your own foodie movie marathon. They’re the perfect combination of crisp-crackling crunch, peanut butter-chocolate sweetness, and savory bacon bits! Here’s how you make them:
Ingredients
6 cups crisped rice cereal
4 Tbsp butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 bag mini-marshmallows
1 Tsp vanilla extract
Some cooking spray or 1 Tbsp extra butter for greasing your pan
1 cup candy-coated chocolates (like M&Ms)
1 cup candy-coated peanut butter treats (like Reese’s Pieces)
2 10-oz bags semi-sweet or dark chocolate morsels
1 cup chopped bacon
Directions
First, make sure you have some cooked and cooled bacon on hand. For extra crispy bacon, I microwave slices on a plate between layers of paper towels. I heat them on high for 4-5 minutes. You can also skillet cook them.
Now, your bacon is cooked and cooled. Crumble it into small bits.
Next, grease a 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray or butter and set aside.
In a large pot, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Stir the butter constantly so that it doesn’t burn.
Pour in your mini-marshmallows.
Marshmallow Peanut Butter Bonanza
Then, add in your peanut butter. Stir, stir, stir! You don’t want anything to burn.
Once the marshmallows and peanut butter are melted, pour in your crisp rice cereal. Stir to combine.
Candy Craziness
You’ll need to do this next part quickly while the mixture is still very soft and warm.
Add in your candies and stir. Check out these fun, pastel-colored candies!
Pour your crispy mixture into your greased baking pan.
Cover your hands in cooking spray or butter. After that, press all of that crispy deliciousness into your pan. It’s okay if some of your candy breaks! Smashed candy tastes just as yummy!
Everything’s better with bacon and chocolate
Now that your CocoaNut Crackle mixture is in the pan, you can prepare the chocolate and bacon top layer.
In a medium saucepan, melt two bags of chocolate morsels. Don’t forget to keep stirring!
When the chocolate is completely melted, carefully pour it evenly over the CocoaNut Crackles. Use a spatula to spread it evenly.
Lastly, sprinkle bacon bits over the chocolate.
Place the finished Bacon CocoaNut Crackles in the refrigerator for about an hour.
Do Not Go Bacon This Heart
Once the top chocolate layer hardens, cut your Crackles into fun shapes! I cut mine into hearts.
At last, you have delicious Bacon CocoaNut Crackles for a “You’re Bacon Me Crazy” movie night! Snuggle up with a Crackle, some fellow Hallmark Hearties, and a blanket to watch Cleo and Tessa’s food truck adventures!
Check out my other bacon-themed recipes, like “You’re Bacon Me Crazy” cupcakes, to create an entire bacon treat buffet for even more movie fun. Enjoy reading the other foodie books in this series, too!
