Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars
Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars are my go-to, quick and easy after school snack. This cereal bar recipe is no-bake and only requires three ingredients.
With only a few weeks left before it’s time for back-to-school, I am busy planning lunch ideas and stocking up on snacks and treats. Last year I had a hard time finding foods my kiddos would eat and not just come back home with the majority of everything I packed still in the lunch box.
So this summer we spent a lot of time in the kitchen (and the grocery store!) coming up with winning combinations together. My girls are currently loving this Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Homemade Spaghettios, and Kid-Friendly Fruit Sushi.
Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars
I love creating recipes based on items that we keep stocked at all times, and peanut butter and honey are obvious pantry staples! My kids eat peanut butter by the spoonful, but we also use it in my Classic Peanut Butter Cookies and Peanut Butter M&M Cookies. I use honey in this savory Honey Chipotle Meatballs recipe and as a delicious Honey Lime Dressing with fresh fruit.
These Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars were a hit with all of my kiddos. Bonus: with only three ingredients they were easy enough for little hands to help make. Sometimes we like to trick this cereal bars recipe up and make these Chocolate Caramel Cheerios Bars.
I love brownies and bars for a special lunch box treat because they’re generally low mess, don’t require utensils, and are easy to transport. These Salted Caramel Blondies might be my all time favorite! Cookies, like these Classic Peanut Butter Cookies or this No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies, are another great option!
Ingredients
- 3 cups Cheerios cereal
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup honey
Instructions
- Line an 8x8in pan with parchment paper.
- Combine peanut butter and honey in a large saucepan and set over medium heat.
- Heat until mixture just starts to simmer, about 2-3 minutes, stirring.
- Remove from heat and stir until mixture is smooth.
- Stir in cereal until evenly coated.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Cut into bars.
Nutrition
This post was published October 12, 2017 and updated August 9, 2019.
Added finely chopped craisins (i use all natural dried cranberries – very tart) to offset the sweet and some mini chocolate bits (because I love chocolate). I put the cranberries in with the cereal while stirring and added the mini chips on top. I think next time I’d chill the choc bits and put them in the mix at the last minute to mix them in a bit more rather than sitting on the top of the bars. I’d also like to try adding chopped pecans for a bit more protein on the next batch.
If I don’t have parchment paper what else can I use
Are these gooey and/or soft? Peanut butter and honey are soft at room temp, so I was wondering if the treats turn out solid like marshmallow treats would.
Is this recipe made with processed or natural peanut butter? Also how are they best stored, room temp or in the fridge? Thanks!
Just made these. I used honey bunches of oats. They turned out absolutely amazing! Haven’t had them cooled but 5 mins but just the scoop out of the pan (as we all do ;)) was great!
Could this be made with Sunbutter or Almond Butter instead of Peanut Butter?
Hi Ariel, I haven’t tried this personally… but I believe in theory it should work fine. Please let me know if you do try it!
You can double the recipe for a 9 in X 13 in pan. Also, if you use honey nut O’s the honey can be decreased to 1/4C. The bars will still be sweet, but not too sweet. I love making this easy cereal bar recipe!
@Susan, Thank you for the tips. I would love to make a 9 by 13 pan of these. Perfect treat to take to work around the holidays
Love this recipe. Easy and healthier than using marshmallows. I used crunchy peanut butter and it worked fine. Thanks.
Easy and delicious!
How long do these keep for ?
I wonder if i can freeze these?
I cant wait to make these!! YUMM!
We (I mean my kids) will be making these asap! Perfect after school snack.
I love that these don’t include marshmallows-no sweet treat item and no gooey melting and mixing! These are easy, healthier, nutritious and delicious! Thank you for better cereal bars!
These are excellent! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I have been looking for a healthy option besides store bought energy bars. I am going to experiment with these and add chia seeds and maybe some ground flax seeds.