Cheerio Cereal Bars
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Only 4 ingredients create these easy no-bake Cheerio Cereal Bars with peanut butter to make a great snack.
Cereal bars are perfect for breakfast and after school snacks with a little extra protein. I like to make them for soccer team snacks! This recipe is made in the microwave which saves time.
Cereal Bar Recipe
The rich nutty peanut butter flavor enhances this classic whole grain cereal and mixes with marshmallows to sweeten these Cheerio Bars. Sometimes we like to mix a few M&Ms into the bars or sprinkle them on top.
The kids eat cereal for breakfast, after school and bedtime snacks. My husband eats granola bars. We all look forward to a good cereal bar because it’s a cross between a bowl of cereal and a granola bar. The first time we made was when we had a toddler which meant plenty of Cheerios in the cupboard.
We take cereal seriously in our house, so we have several recipes we make on repeat. Our favorites with crispy rice cereal are Chocolate & Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats and Oreo Cookie Treats.
This is the first cereal bar recipe that I’ve ever made in the microwave and I love how much time this method saves. These Cheerio Peanut Butter Bars are ready in ten minutes!
Ingredients Needed
- Cheerios – use a new, unopened box for best results.
- Mini Marshmallows – fresh soft marshmallows will melt and coat the cereal the best.
- Butter – margarine works fine too, but we prefer the richer flavor of butter.
- Peanut Butter – creamy is the best option and most kid friendly.
How to Make Cheerio Bars in the Microwave
Place butter and marshmallows in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave for one minute.
Quickly stir in peanut butter and remaining ingredients in the order listed.
Add Cheerios and mix.
Use clean, wet fingers to press into a greased 9 x 13 pan.
Allow the bars to set up for 20 to 30 minutes.
We find that using a board scraper to cut the bars is much easier than using a butter knife.
Store in an airtight bag or container. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Have all ingredients measured out before starting and be prepared to work quickly because the marshmallows will set up fairly quickly.
- Regular or Honey Nut Cheerios can be used.
- Make sure cereal is fresh, I may have used slightly stale cereal before which makes the bars taste stale.
- Store in an airtight container on the counter top for 2 to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
A Fun Variation
To transform to a kid-friendly dessert stir in and sprinkle some M&Ms into the cheerio bars.
Candy must be added and pressed down quickly before the marshmallows set up to stick together.
Other Easy No-Bake Recipes
- Best No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal Bars
- Cocoa Puffs Cereal Bars
- No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake
- Dessert Nachos from Take Two Tapas looks so fun to try!
Cheerio Cereal Bars
Author: JenniferIngredients
- 10 ounces mini marshmallows
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 5 cups Cheerios
Instructions
- Place butter and marshmallows in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave for one minute.
- Quickly stir in peanut butter and remaining ingredients in the order listed.
- Add Cheerios and mix well.
- Use wet clean, fingers to press into a 9 x 13 pan lightly coated with butter or non-stick cooking spray..
Notes
- Have all ingredients measured out before starting the microwave because the marshmallows will set up fairly quickly
- We like to reserve a few M&Ms to sprinkle on top, but they must be added and pressed down quickly to stick
- Regular or Honey Nut Cheerios work well in this recipe
- Make sure cereal is fresh, I may have used slightly stale cereal before which makes the bars taste stale
- All cooking appliances and conditions are different, so you should test these times and guidelines first in your own appliance to determine what adjustments may be needed!
Recipe originally shared on November 13, 2019 with updates made on September 5, 2024.