Cocoa Puffs Cereal Bars

Crunchy, chocolatey cereal coated in sweet marshmallows makes these super easy Cocoa Puffs Cereal Bars into the perfect snack.

Easy Cocoa Puffs Cereal Bar Recipe

Great for school lunches, a quick breakfast or a portable snack making a pan of Cocoa Puffs treats mean you a homemade treat that lasts for several days. In less than 15 minutes this recipe with cereal is ready to serve.

Growing up anytime we needed a food for a school party, youth sports snack, or treat to share with friends my mom mixed up a batch of Rice Krispie treats.

I love being able to use the base recipe and substitute any type of cereal from Fruity Pebble Treats to Lucky Charms Bars or Captain Crunch Cereal Bars.

Using one and a half small boxes of cereal creates thick bars, where using a single box and decreasing the amount of mini marshmallows by a cup or two will create thinner bars when using a 9×13 pan.

I like to make these with my kids and invite them to press the mixture flat into the pan and help cut up the bars into their preferred shape of squares or rectangles.

Why This Recipe Works:

• So easy to make at home, this recipe saves money over buying the pre-made treats at the grocery store.
• Only 15 minutes of hands on time and Cocoa Puffs Bars are ready to enjoy.
• Store in a 9 x 13″ dish with a lid so you can grab one anytime or wrap individually in baggies.
• These are the type of treats that kids love to grab at a party – this recipe is always popular to share with others!

Ingredients Needed

• Cocoa Puffs Cereal – I like to use one and a half of the small 10.4 ounce boxes because I don’t have to take time to measure. You could also grab a family size or giant size box and estimate 15 ounces.
• Butter – Helps the marshmallows melt
• Marshmallow Creme – An optional ingredients that makes the bars even more sweet, sticky and fun to eat.
• Mini Marshmallows – Whether you melt them part way so they are still somewhat visible or fully this is the classic sweet flavor in cereal bars that helps them stick together.

What About Adding Peanut Butter?

Can easily add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of peanut butter and melt along with OR in place of the marshmallow creme. While this adds a little protein and a deeper flavor, I prefer the flavor of peanut butter to enhance Reese’s Puffs Cereal Treats.

Adding peanut butter to this recipe will change the marshmallow coating from white in color to brown in color.

How To Make Cocoa Puffs Cereal Bars

Do any prep work possible before melting the marshmallows. Once that step is underway you need to be prepared to move quickly.

Lightly coat a 9 x 13” pan with non-stick cooking spray. Open the boxes of cereal and have them ready to pour.

Melt the butter over medium heat, then add marshmallow creme.

Stir often until creme is nearly melted.

Then add a small bag of mini marshmallows.

Continue to stay close by the stove and stir often.

Once the marshmallows are almost melted things will happen fast.

Remove the pan from the heat and add one 10.4 ounce box of cereal. Use a stiff spoon with a long handle to stir well.

If your pot is big enough add another half box of cereal and keep stirring until the melted marshmallows are evenly distributed among the cereal.

My pot is 6 quarts. That is the smallest pot I would use to mix a box and a half of cereal.

Once everything is mixed pour into the greased 9 x 13 pan or two 9 x 9 square pans.

Take clean hands and run fingers under cool water. Press the cereal out until smooth on top.

Let rest until set-up, cut with a butter knife and enjoy!

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Prepare pan, measure cereal and have any other prep done before starting to melt the marshmallow products.
• The exact mixture of marshmallows, cereal and marshmallow creme can be adjusted to make the recipe sweeter and stickier with more marshmallows or more chocolatey with more cereal. 
• There’s no right or wrong way to make these cereal bars because they will be delicious and kids always love them!
• Always use fresh marshmallows – my kids tend to open a bag of marshmallows, grab a hand full, forget to seal the bag, some air gets in and then when I use them to make cereal treats the finished product has a noticeably decreased quality.
• Omit the marshmallow creme if you don’t have any – the Cocoa Puff bars will still taste great.

More Easy Snacks Recipes That Kids Love:

Salami Roll-Ups – A popular lunchmeat with a layer of cream cheese is a high protein.

Triscuit Pizza – Easy to make in the air fryer or oven for a quick snack or meal.

Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Stromboli – A tasty spin on a classic stromboli.

Celery & Peanut Butter – make a classic combination and a healthy snack.