Of course the Pioneer Woman has a perfect dessert idea for your next graduation party.
Ree Drummond Just Shared Her Recipe for ‘Graduation Cookies’
Published on May 16, 2025
Putting a graduation party together is about as stressful as event planning can get. You’ve got the decorations to pick out, party foods to prepare and the guest list to manage. Oh, and all of this is happening while you’re in your feelings about the fact that your kid is somehow old enough to be heading out into the world on their own. It can all be incredibly overwhelming.
Nothing seems to phase Food Network icon Ree Drummond, though. It comes as no surprise that she has come up with the perfectly homey, low-lift dessert idea for your graduate’s big event.
What are ‘graduation cookies?’
Ree revealed her recipe for what she calls her graduation cookies in a recent Instagram post. This treat couldn’t be simpler or more heartfelt—and it’s much more memorable (and almost certainly tastier) than the standard sugar cookie shellacked in fondant to look like a graduation cap.
To make Ree’s graduation cookies, simply follow your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. When it comes time to add the chocolate chips, add your graduate’s favorite cereal and candy instead. In Ree’s example, she appears to add mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, Cap’n Crunch cereal, pretzels and M&M’s to the dough before giving it one final mixing and putting it in the oven.
Once baked and cooled off, top the cookies with chocolate or vanilla frosting—whichever your graduating guest of honor prefers!—and sprinkle some more of your cereal and candy mixture on top.
Sure, it might be a little messy, but that’s how it’s done on the ranch! If I could turn back the clock some 15 years to my last graduation, I can see myself loving this, though I’m not sure how my favorite cereal (Frosted Flakes) and candy (Raisinets) would mix together. Maybe I’ll stick with Ree’s example instead.
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