Cheerio Cereal Bars
on Feb 05, 2025
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Make these delicious and easy 3-ingredient Cheerio cereal bars in minutes! Made with honey, peanut butter, and Cheerios, they’re the perfect no-bake snack for busy days, lunchboxes, or a quick sweet treat.
If you have a bunch of Cheerios in your pantry that need to be used up, these cereal bars are calling your name! They’re a delicious balance of sweet, crunchy, and satisfying, making for a wholesome treat. The base is made with just cereal, peanut butter, and honey, but feel free to customize it with your favorite add-ins and toppings!
If you’re looking for more simple homemade bar recipes to try, you’ll love these chewy chocolate chip granola bars, soft-baked apple oatmeal bars, and strawberry jam crumble bars—perfect for breakfast or a snack!
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need to make these Cheerio cereal bars:
- Cheerios: The main base for these cereal bars. Make sure to use Cheerios that are unsweetened as honey will be mixed in for sweetness.
- Peanut Butter: Use natural peanut butter that is drippy in texture so that it binds well with the cereal. I love using the Kirkland brand from Costco, which contains just peanuts and salt as the ingredients.
- Honey: The main source of sweetness for these bars. Honey being sticky in texture also helps the bars to bind properly. I do not recommend using maple syrup as the texture is not sticky enough to bind the ingredients without falling apart.
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries: Optional for added sweetness and texture.
- Chocolate: Optional to drizzle on top of the bars for added sweetness.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Ingredient Substitutions & Additions
- Cheerios: Feel free to swap out Cheerios with any other type of unsweetened O’s cereal or plain cereal such as unsweetened Chex mix, unsweetened Rice Krispies, etc.
- Peanut Butter: The peanut butter may be replaced with any other type of natural nut butter or seed-based butter like sunflower seed butter.
Step By Step Instructions
STEP 1: Add the Cheerios, peanut butter, and honey to a bowl and mix until well combined and incorporated (Images 1 & 2).
STEP 2: Add the freeze-dried strawberries (if using) to the bowl and mix until combined (Images 3 & 4).
STEP 3: Pour the mixture into a parchment paper lined 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan and use the back of a spoon to press it firmly into the pan. You’ll want to firmly press the cereal mixture in so that it holds together well once chilled (Image 5).
STEP 4: If using, drizzle the melted chocolate on top of the mixture (Image 6). Place the loaf pan in the fridge for at least 2 hours to set. Once set, slice into 8 to 10 bars and serve.
Storage Instructions
Once set and sliced into bars, store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You may also freeze the bars, but allow them to set out at room temperature for a few minutes before serving so that they soften a bit and are easier to bite into.
Tips For Success
- Make sure to press the cereal mixture firmly into the loaf pan so that it all binds and sticks together well once chilled.
- If you’re in a pinch, you can pop the mixture into the freezer for about 20 minutes to set, but store the remaining bars in the fridge once sliced.
- Feel free to get creative with toppings-add ins and types of cereals! If you have different types of unsweetened cereals on hand, feel free to mix them together for a fun blend!
- If you prefer the bars to be less sweet, you can slightly reduce the amount of added honey but don’t reduce it by too much so that the mixture is sticky enough to bind.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! If you are doubling this recipe, use a 9-inch by 9-inch cake pan for the bar mixture.
These bars are best stored in the fridge until right before serving. If you’re packing them in a lunchbox, I recommend including a few ice packs to keep the bars cold so that they do not melt.
Mini chocolate chips, finely chopped nuts, and freeze-dried fruits are perfect add-ins for these bars! I don’t recommend using fresh fruit as they can add excess moisture that can affect how the cereal mixture binds when stored.
Other Peanut Butter Recipes You’ll Love
Peanut Butter and Banana Granola Bars
Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins
4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
If you tried these Cheerio Cereal Bars please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing from you!
Cheerio Cereal Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups Cheerios, or similar O's cereal
- ⅓ cup natural peanut butter
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup freeze-dried strawberries, optional
- ¼ cup chocolate chips, melted, optional
Instructions
- Line a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Add the Cheerios, peanut butter, and honey to a bowl and mix until well combined and incorporated.
- Add the freeze-dried strawberries (if using) to the bowl and mix until combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and use the back of a spoon to press it firmly into the pan. You'll want to firmly press the cereal mixture in so that it holds together well once chilled
- If using, drizzle the melted chocolate on top of the mixture. Place the loaf pan in the fridge for at least 2 hours to set. Once set, slice into 8 to 10 bars and serve.
Notes
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- Make sure to press the cereal mixture firmly into the loaf pan so that it all binds and sticks together well once chilled.
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- If you’re in a pinch, you can pop the mixture into the freezer for about 20 minutes to set, but store the remaining bars in the fridge once sliced.
-
- Feel free to get creative with toppings-add ins and types of cereals! If you have different types of unsweetened cereals on hand, feel free to mix them together for a fun blend!
- If you prefer the bars to be less sweet, you can slightly reduce the amount of added honey but don’t reduce it by too much so that the mixture is sticky enough to bind.
