Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Aug. 28, 2024
These Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars are easy and perfect for a healthy breakfast, a high-energy snack on the go, or a lunchbox treat. They are protein-packed, naturally sweetened, and so deliciously crunchy and chewy!
In This Article
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Why This Recipe Stands Out
We all love a good, easy, and healthy snack, and that’s exactly what these Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars deliver. Here’s why you’ll love this recipe:
- Easy and Quick: This recipe requires no baking and comes together in just a few minutes, like our 5 Ingredient Protein Bars.
- Healthy Option: These bars are packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats. They’re the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth while feeling good.
- Make it Your Own: You can easily switch out the type of nut butter, dried fruit, or nuts to make this recipe your own. Just like our Healthy Cookies (Nut-Free), this recipe can be adjusted to accommodate allergies and preferences.
- Make-Ahead: Make a batch of these bars on Sunday and enjoy them for breakfast or snacks throughout the week.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Toasted Oats Cereal – The base of our bars, toasted oats cereal provides a hearty, crunchy texture that stands up well to the other ingredients.
- Honey – We use pure honey to sweeten and bind the bars together.
- Creamy Peanut Butter – This adds a flavor, protein, and also acts as a binder for the bars.
- Honey Roasted Peanuts – These add a crunchy texture and a sweet-salty flavor that takes the bars to the next level.
Substitutions And Variations
Here are our favorite substitutions and variations:
- Nut Butter: If nut allergies are an issue, we think these would be just as tasty with SunButter (our non-nut butter addiction.) You can also check out our gluten-free, nut-free Protein Granola Bars.
- Nuts and Seeds: The peanuts in this recipe can easily be substituted with sunflower seeds or other nuts/seeds of your choice.
- Fruit: Feel free to mix in different types of dried fruit, like blueberries, chopped dried apricots, or cranberries. Or try out our Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Bars recipe for a change of pace.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- Grease an 8-inch square pan. In a large bowl, combine cereal, dried berries, and peanuts.
- Whisk honey and peanut butter in a pot over medium heat until smooth. Remove from heat and let it cool for 3-5 min.
- Pour the peanut butter mixture over the dry cereal mixture and toss well to coat. Press the mixture firmly into the prepared pan.
- Chill in the fridge for several hours before cutting into bars.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How To Prep Ahead
Take a look at our favorite prep ahead tips and strategies:
- Make it in Advance: This recipe is perfect for making in advance. Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. This is great for meal prep or for making snacks for the week ahead.
- Prep the Ingredients: You can also prepare the ingredients in advance. Toast the oats cereal, measure out the dried berries and honey-roasted peanuts, and you’re all set.
Commonly Asked Questions
What type of oats cereal can I use for this recipe?
You can use any toasted oats cereal for this recipe. Cheerios work best but you can also use rolled oats, or any other similar cereal will work well.
Can I use a different type of nut instead of honey-roasted peanuts?
Yes, you can. If you’re not a fan of peanuts, you can substitute them with any other type of nut, such as almonds, cashews, or even a mixed nut blend. Make sure to chop them into smaller pieces if they’re not already bite-sized.
Why do I need to let the peanut butter and honey mixture cool before pouring it over the dry ingredients?
It’s important to let the peanut butter and honey mixture cool slightly so that it doesn’t melt the other ingredients. If it’s too hot, it can make the cereal and nuts soggy. Cooling it for 3-5 minutes will keep it pourable and smooth while preventing it from being too hot.
How long do Homemade Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars keep?
These bars can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If you want to keep them longer, you can store them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Did you make this?
Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!
Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars (No Bake)
These Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars are easy, healthy, and perfect for healthy breakfast or high energy snack on-the-go!
Ingredients
- 4 cups toasted oats cereal
- 1 cup dried berries, cranberries, blueberries, etc.
- ½ cup honey roasted peanuts
- ⅔ cup pure honey, a bit more if needed
- ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- Lightly grease an 8 inch square pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine cereal, dried berries, and peanuts. Mix well.
- In a pot over medium heat, use a hand whisk to constantly stir honey and peanut butter until completely smooth and fully incorporated, about 1 min.
- Remove from heat as soon as mixture turns smooth and silky. Do not let it boil or become overcooked, as the peanut butter may "seize" and lose its ability to stick well. Let mixture cool 3-5 min.
- Pour peanut/honey mixture over the dry cereal mixture, tossing to coat well.
- Press mixture firmly into prepared pan. Press down hard so mixture adheres; firmly press down the sides and corners also. Cover and chill in fridge several hours before cutting into bars.
Notes
- When combining the cereal, dried berries, and peanuts, mix them well to ensure that each bite of your peanut butter cheerio bars has a good balance of flavors and textures.
- When heating the honey and peanut butter,keep stirring with a hand whisk. This will help the ingredients to combine smoothly and prevent the peanut butter from seizing.
- After heating the honey and peanut butter, allow the mixture to cool for 3-5 minutes before pouring it over the dry ingredients. This will make it easier to handle and also prevent the cereal from getting too soggy.
- Don’t be afraid to use a little elbow grease when pressing the mixture into the pan. Press hard to ensure that the ingredients stick together and that your bars hold their shape.
- We’ve made these bars using various brands of peanut butter, all with nice results. If using peanut butter with no sugar added, feel free to bump up your honey amount to 1 cup if you like your bars a bit sweeter.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 139mg | Potassium: 298mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 167IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 3mg
More to Cook And Eat
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars – These 5-ingredient, No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars are ridiculously easy to make. They can easily be made ahead of time, chilled, and served when you need them.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Crispy Bars – The name says it all. Bite into a chewy, crispy bar loaded with peanut butter and nestled under a dreamy layer of chocolate.
- Crispy Cereal Bars with Peanut Butter – Cereal bars are the perfect on-the-go breakfast for busy adults and kids alike. These Coconut Peanut Butter Cereal Bars pack a nutritious punch for the morning or afternoon pick-me-up.
- S’mores Peanut Butter Crispy Bars – These s’mores peanut butter crispy bars are super easy, amazingly yummy, and so fun to make. They keep well and will satisfy all peanut butter lovers.