Chocolate-Coconut Rice Crispy Treats

Ingredients:
8 C cocoa cereal – I like the Malt-O-Meal brand (Cocoa Dyno-Bites) and the Safeway brand (Cocoa Nuggets), but the name brands, like Cocoa Krispies or Cocoa Pebbles will work just fine, if you want to pay more.
2-3 C Sweetened Coconut - untoasted
1lb bag jumbo marshmallows
½ C Butter/Margarine

Directions:
1. Measure out the cocoa cereal into a big mixing bowl.

2. Spray a large 13x18” Jelly-Roll pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Or you can spread the mixture between 2 9X13” pans.

3. Gently toast the coconut in a 10” sauté pan set on medium heat. Stir frequently, being sure to move the coconut around. During the first few minutes of this process, the coconut is actually losing its liquid, so that it can dry and toast. Once it starts browning up, stir and move the coconut around more frequently, to prevent burning. You want the coconut to get nice and toasty brown, but not burnt. There will still be some white parts in the pan, but you’re looking for more of a medium to dark brown look to the majority of the coconut. Once you’ve reached that point, taste it. If it crunches and tastes good to you, turn the stove off and dump the coconut directly on top of the cocoa cereal.

4. Melt the marshmallows and the butter together in a large saucepan until the marshmallows are melted and the butter is mixed in well. It helps to spray a rubber spatula with cooking spray while you’re working with the marshmallows.

5. Pour the marshmallow mixture over the cocoa cereal and coconut in the large mixing bowl. Mix well and transfer to the prepared pan(s). Using greased hands, pat the treats down evenly into the pan(s) and allow to cool.

(Thank you Stacie A. for sharing this yummy recipe!)