For fans of a chocolate cereal, this Cocoa Pebbles chocolate cereal milk pie features a crunchy cereal crust, creamy chocolate cereal milk custard, and fluffy whipped cream. Sprinkle with Cocoa Pebble crunch for cereal flavor in every bite!
Equipment
- 10-inch Pie Dish
- Food Processor
- Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Spatulas
- Fine Mesh Sieve
- Pot
- Whisk
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
CRUST
- 2 ½ cups finely crushed Cocoa Pebbles cereal
- 1 tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter melted
CEREAL MILK FILLING
- 3 ¾ cups whole milk
- 3 cups Cocoa Pebbles cereal
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 6 tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter cubed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
COCOA PEBBLE CRUNCH
- 1 ½ tbsp unsalted butter
- ¾ cup Cocoa Pebbles cereal
- 1 tbsp flour
- Pinch of salt
- ½ tsp cocoa powder
WHIPPED CREAM
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ tbsp powdered sugar
Instructions
- Start by making your cereal milk. Combine the milk, cream, and Cocoa Pebbles in a bowl. Stir to make sure the cereal is coated in the milk/cream, and set aside in the fridge to soak for 60 minutes
- For the crust, stir together the finely crushed Cocoa Pebbles, cocoa, and salt, then mix in the melted butter
- Press your crust firmly into a 10-inch pie plate. I like to press the sides in first, before pressing the bottom into an even layer. Use a flat-bottomed cup to gently but firmly give the crust a final press so it’s nice and compact. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes
- Preheat oven to 325°F
- Bake for 10 minutes, remove from the oven, and cool completely
- Strain your cereal milk into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve, pressing gently on the cereal to extract flavor. Only keep 2 cups' worth and discard the excess (or drink it!)
- In a pot, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt
- Whisk in the 2 cups of cereal milk and egg yolks until smooth
- Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and starts to bubble (approx. 6-8 minutes). Once your mixture bubbles, whisk for another 10 seconds to fully activate that cornstarch so the pie sets properly
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time, and then the vanilla
- Pour into the cooled crust and press a piece of parchment paper directly onto the surface. Chill for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight
- Set your oven to 325°F
- For the Cocoa Pebble crunch, combine the cereal, flour, and salt.
- Melt the butter, pour it over the dry ingredients, and stir until evenly coated
- Spread the mixture in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, with the mixture touching
- Bake for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through
- Cool completely. It will crisp up and cluster together a little as it cools.
- Make your whipped cream by adding the cream and powdered sugar to a bowl and beating until it reaches medium peaks
- Remove your chilled pie from the fridge, take off the parchment paper, and top with your whipped cream
- Top with the Cocoa Pebble crunch right before serving so it stays crunchy. Store the rest in an airtight container with a paper towel until ready to use
Notes
*Omit the Cocoa Pebble crunch to make this pie gluten-free!
*You’ll need between 1 and 2 boxes of cereal for this recipe
*The Cocoa Pebbles will soak up the milk fairly quickly. Be careful not to soak the cereal in the milk/cream for longer than 60 minutes, or it will absorb too much, and you won’t have enough to make the custard
*When straining your cereal milk, if you have a little less than 2 cups' worth of liquid, just top it off with whole milk until you reach 2 cups. This shouldn’t happen, but if it does, it shouldn’t need much extra. Too much “top off” will dilute the cereal milk flavor!
*Don’t overcook your custard, or it will become stodgy. When whisking, you’ll notice the custard will start to thicken on the bottom first, then turn a bit lumpy before smoothing out. When it “boils,” you’ll just see 1-2 bubbles pop at a time. This is when you give a good whisk for 10 seconds and then immediately pull from the heat
