Bocaditos de Corn Flakes y Leche Condensada (Corn Flake Clusters) Recipe

Burnt sugar adds nuance and complexity to these irresistible no-bake morsels.

Overhead view of Dulces Bocaditos (Corn Flake clusters) on a white plate.

Serious Eats / Maria Del Mar Cuadra

Why It Works

  • Cooking the caramel syrup until it begins to smoke tempers the sweetness of the condensed milk.

My cousins and I would scamper down from the tangled banyan tree and run in from a sweaty day of frolicking in the heat to plead for the keys to the pantry. My aunt would fish them from the depths of her pocket and ask that we lock up behind us and return the rattling, janitor-worthy keychain as soon as we had gathered our ingredients.

The pantry always smelled a bit humid, as if a damp gym sock had been forgotten somewhere behind the bags of tiny red kidney beans. There was a hint of farmyard smell, no doubt from the burlap sacks of white rice, and floating over everything, the astringent, fake floral whiff of cheap, nationally produced Bayclin floor cleaner. Mostly, the mix of odors smelled of summer vacation, the freedom of childhood, and the intoxicating promise of secrets lurking behind any door that always lies under lock and key.

What we were there to get: one large box of Kellogg's Corn Flakes and one can of sweetened condensed milk. Someone sprinted to the living room to return the keys while someone else fetched a stool. Yet another would rattle and rummage for a large pot and a long-handled wooden stirring spoon. I would fill a bowl with water while baking sheets were set up in the dining room. This was a house of seven children, though some were too young to participate, and I loved the buzz of activity and the sense that everyone had a task, much like Cinderella's mice.

Finally, we were ready. Huddled around the pot, we'd see the sugar slowly begin to pool, then clump, then melt into an ever-deepening amber slick. A thin wisp of smoke would unfurl and we could smell the sharp, bitter bite of caramel.

Quickly! Quickly! Pats of butter were tossed in while the lead cook stirred furiously. Next, the moment of glory: the ribbon of thick, sweet, rich, delectable condensed milk fell heavily in—we'd all get a lick of whatever clung to the can afterwards.

Golden crunchy flakes of cereal, usually so dull and unexciting at the bottom of a breakfast bowl, became the main attraction, as they rustled out of the bag and tumbled into the dark golden, sticky swamp we'd brewed in the generous pot. Much stirring and slapping of hands went on then—we all wanted to snatch a taste, even at the risk of burning our fingertips.

The pot was carried to the dining room, a line of greedy, giddy kids trailing in its wake. All hands—hopefully scrubbed clean, but who knows?—plunged into the bowl of water and the shaping of nubby, unruly nests of delight began. I don't know if we ever got the yield expected or whether we allowed them to set properly because we kept licking our fingers and nibbling on the bocaditos.

Parents would stroll in to check on the rumpus, but their ulterior motive was to eat!

Instead of Rice Krispies treats, many Latin Americans grow up eating these (no-bake!) clusters of cereal, sugar, and sweetened condensed milk. At a glance, the recipe appears too sweet, but the burnt sugar adds nuance and complexity to these irresistible morsels.

January 2012

Recipe Details

Bocaditos de Corn Flakes y Leche Condensada (Corn Flake Clusters) Recipe

Prep 10 mins
Cook 10 mins
Active 30 mins
Cooling Time 30 mins
Total 50 mins
Serves 36 clusters

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

  • 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 7 cups corn flakes (from an 18-ounce box)

Directions

  1. Line 2 baking sheets with foil. Lightly spray with cooking spray. Fill medium bowl with cold water.

  2. Melt sugar in large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until it becomes deep amber and just begins to smoke, about 8 minutes. Add butter and salt, and stir with wooden spoon until completely incorporated. While constantly stirring, add sweetened condensed milk. Stir until completely incorporated, then remove from heat.

  3. Stir in cornflakes. With a soup spoon, scoop mixture out into approximately 2-tablespoon-sized balls. Dampen fingers and lightly press clusters together. Dip hands in water whenever they become sticky.

  4. Allow clusters to set at room temperature about 30 minutes. Serve.

Special Equipment

2 rimmed baking sheets, foil, large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, wooden spoon

Make-Ahead and Storage

Bocaditos may be stored for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerated. They will stick to each other if they touch.

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
100 Calories
3g Fat
18g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 36
Amount per serving
Calories 100
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 3%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 8mg 3%
Sodium 88mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 7%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 2mg 8%
Calcium 43mg 3%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 65mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)