Homemade Cereal Bars
Start your day on a wholesome and delicious note with these easy Homemade Cereal Bars, a perfect no-bake snack packed with nutritious ingredients! Made with rolled oats, crispy rice cereal, and your choice of chopped nuts and dried fruits, these bars are sweetened naturally with honey and held together with creamy peanut butter or almond butter. A touch of vanilla and a pinch of salt enhance the flavors, while optional semi-sweet chocolate chips add a decadent twist. With just 15 minutes of prep time, these customizable, kid-friendly cereal bars are ideal for breakfast on the go, post-workout fuel, or an afternoon pick-me-up. Enjoy them fresh for up to two weeks when stored properly—your new favorite grab-and-go snack awaits!
Log this recipe in SnapCalorie
Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup crispy rice cereal
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cup peanut butter (or almond butter)
- 1 cup chopped nuts (such as almonds, walnuts, or pecans)
- 1 cup dried fruits (such as cranberries, raisins, or chopped apricots)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
Prepare an 8x8-inch baking dish by lining it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, crispy rice cereal, chopped nuts, and dried fruits.
In a small saucepan, add the honey and peanut butter, and heat over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until the mixture is smooth and fully combined, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in the vanilla extract and salt into the warm honey-peanut butter mixture.
Pour the warm liquid mixture over the dry ingredients in the large bowl. Use a spatula to mix everything together until all the dry ingredients are evenly coated.
If using chocolate chips, let the mixture cool slightly, then gently fold in the chocolate chips to prevent them from melting.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and press it firmly into an even layer using a spatula or the back of a spoon. For compact bars, you can press down with a small piece of parchment paper or your hands.
Place the baking dish in the refrigerator to set for at least 1 hour.
Once set, lift the cereal bars out using the parchment paper overhang and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 12 equal bars.
Store the cereal bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
5057 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 228.1 g | 292% | |
| Saturated Fat | 50.2 g | 251% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 2422 mg | 105% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 684.4 g | 249% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 56.0 g | 200% | |
| Total Sugars | 382.2 g | ||
| Protein | 123.8 g | 248% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 528 mg | 41% | |
| Iron | 37.6 mg | 209% | |
| Potassium | 4450 mg | 95% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
