3-Ingredient Easy Peanut Butter Cereal Breakfast Bars
Take breakfast on the go with these super easy 3-ingredient cereal bars! Flavored with peanut butter and sweetened with honey, they’re a fantastic way to start your day.
These easy peanut butter cereal breakfast bars are the perfect snack, sweet treat, or breakfast on the go! You can whip these up in about 5 minutes and enjoy them all week, making them perfect for meal prepping or busy mornings. These are even toddler-friendly, so they’re an easy breakfast idea the whole family can enjoy.
The best thing about these bars, though, is the taste! They’re a gorgeous combination of sweet and salty, with a fun little crunch from the Cheerios. They’re also super versatile — you can take the base recipe and add customization like a little vanilla extract, sunflower seeds, fresh fruit, or other healthy ingredients to get a bar that’s perfect for you!
What’s in homemade cereal bars?
These peanut butter cheerio bars are made completely from pantry ingredients. You might have these simple ingredients sitting in your pantry right now!
- Honey Nut Cheerios: These are the base of your bars. If you don’t have Honey Nut Cheerios at your grocery store, you can sub with plain Cheerios or any off-brand option.
- Peanut Butter: Any creamy peanut butter will work in these bars. Natural peanut butter works great: just make sure to stir it well before measuring! You can also sub your favorite nut butter nut butter, like almond butter or cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter for the peanut butter if you have allergy issues. I do not recommend crunchy peanut butter as it doesn’t mix in with the Cheerios as well.
- Honey: This recipe uses honey as a natural sweetener. Maple syrup can be subbed for the honey, as can agave nectar or brown rice syrup.
Making 3-Ingredient Cereal Bars
Step 1 | Mix It Up
Start this simple recipe by mixing your peanut butter, honey, and cheerios in a large mixing bowl. This takes a little bit of elbow grease. If you’re having a hard time, you can microwave your peanut butter mixture for about 15 seconds, then continue stirring until all the cheerios are covered with peanut butter and honey.
Step 2 | Spread It Out
Once you’ve got everything mixed, you can prep your pan. Line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper. Then, drop your cheerio mixture into the prepared pan and press it into all the corners. I use a spoon with a spritz of cooking spray on the back to press the sticky cheerios down without getting my fingers all sticky.
Step 3 | Refrigerate
Cover your cereal bars with foil and place them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or even up to overnight. This will help them set up and minimize the stickiness.
Step 4 | Cut and Enjoy
Once your bars have set up in the fridge, you can pull them out and cut them. I like to cut them into bars, but you can do squares or whatever you like! These are best served cold; it keeps them from falling apart and getting sticky again.
Variations
This base cereal bar recipe is super versatile. You can add tons of mix-ins and make a few substitutions to create a variety of delicious and even healthy cereal bars! Here are some of the best cereal bars variations we’ve tried.
- Cherry Almond Vanilla Cereal Bars: Sub almond butter for the peanut butter, add 1 tsp vanilla, and add 1/2 cup dried cherries to the mix for a healthy and delicious option that’s full of good fats!
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Cereal Bars: Make the recipe as directed but add 1/2 cup chocolate chips to the peanut butter mixture. If you’re looking for a peanut butter chocolate granola bar recipe, I’ve got one!
- Raspberry White Chocolate Bars: Add 1/4 cup dried raspberries and 1/4 cup chocolate chips to the peanut butter mixture.
- Peanut Butter Protein Bars: Add 1 scoop of protein powder to the peanut butter before mixing everything together. Make sure its smoothly mixed into the peanut butter so you don’t get any lumps!
More Easy Breakfasts
FAQs
To maintain freshness, store the cereal bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If you prefer a firmer texture, refrigerate them.
Yes, these cereal bars freeze well. Once they’re completely cooled, wrap them individually in plastic wrap or parchment paper, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature before enjoying.
Certainly! You can add various ingredients to tailor the flavor to your liking. Some popular additions include chopped nuts, dried fruits like raisins or cranberries, chocolate chips, or shredded coconut. Just be mindful of the proportions to maintain the bar’s structural integrity.
Absolutely! If you have allergies or simply prefer a different nut or seed butter, feel free to substitute peanut butter with almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, or any other alternative you prefer. Just ensure it has a similar consistency to peanut butter.
3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cereal Bars
Ingredients
- 3 cup Honey Nut Cheerios
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup honey
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix all ingredients well.
- Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper.
- Press the peanut butter Cheerio mixture into the prepared pan.
- Cover and place the bars in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes.
- Remove bars from fridge and cut into 8 pieces.
I love such easy, fuss free recipes. This one is the perfect on-the-go snack!
Thank you!