No Bake Cereal Bars
No Bake Cereal Bars are a delicious combination of Cheerios, almond butter and honey. After one bite of this quick and easy sweet treat, you’ll be hooked. Kid-friendly, no bake, and great for an on-the-go breakfast, snack or dessert!
No bake cereal bars are a classic and delicious dessert bar made with a combination of almond butter, crispy Cheerios cereal, and sweet and gooey honey. My whole family just can’t stop with this chewy, addictive treat!
This recipe is a go-to after school snack or even quick breakfast at our house because it’s so easy to make. The only cooking you need to do is on the stovetop. The rest is just mixing the ingredients. They come together in less than 20 minutes, so whether you enjoy them as an afternoon snack, a dessert at a potluck or a lunch box surprise, Cheerio cereal bars are definitely going to become your favorite treat too!
I substituted Cascadian Farm organic Purely O’s, organic cashew butter for the almond butter, and Lily’s Extremely Dark Chocolate (chopped) for the mini chips. This recipe was simple to make, healthy, and absolutely yummy!
— Juli
Reasons you’ll love this recipe
- Versatile: This snack bar recipe is a favorite because you can make it in so many ways! Use different types of Cheerios and nut butter. You can even make these nut free by using sunflower seed butter.
- Easy: You only really need 3 essential ingredients (if you’re leaving the chocolate drizzle off) and these are ready in less than 20 minutes!
- Delicious flavors and texture: The sticky chewiness along with the combination of chocolate and almond butter will keep you coming back for more!
Ingredients you’ll need
The ingredients needed to make this cereal bar recipe are simple and wholesome! You may even have them all in your pantry! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements.
- Cheerios: Any variety of Cheerios cereal works and the regular Cheerios are now made gluten-free, so everyone gets to enjoy!
- Honey: This is for irresistible sweetness and the sticky factor that will hold the ingredients together.
- Almond butter: Adds healthy fats, so this snack is super satisfying.
- Chocolate and coconut oil drizzle: The drizzle of chocolate over the top is optional, but highly recommended to really give these bars some extra deliciousness. Add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt over the top for that sweet salty combo we all love.
Variations/substitutions
- Cereal: Experiment with different flavors of Cheerios. The chocolate or chocolate peanut butter would be a great way to mix things up!
- Nut butter: Any favorite nut or seed butter can be substituted. Peanut butter and sunflower seed butter are great alternatives. Use crunchy or creamy and try to stick with an all-natural option. My Snickerdoodle Almond Butter is the one I typically use. Nutella would also be amazing!
- Sweetener: Instead of honey, brown rice syrup would also work, but I don’t think pure maple syrup is quite sticky enough.
- Chocolate: I like using semi-sweet chocolate but you can use milk chocolate if you prefer. You can also use chocolate chips or chunks. You could even try using white chocolate chips!
- Add nuts: For extra texture, you can add in about 1/3 cup chopped toasted almonds or another favorite nut.
How to make this recipe
Follow these easy step-by-step instructions for a quick snack the whole family will love!
Step 1: Prepare an 8×8-inch pan with non-stick spray or line with parchment paper or wax paper; set aside.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, add 3 cups of Cheerios. Set aside.
Step 3: In a medium-sized pot, heat honey over medium heat. Stir for about 5 minutes and until honey is thin and warm. Remove the honey from heat and add in almond butter, stirring until smooth.
Step 4: Pour the honey/almond butter mixture over the cereal and stir until cereal is well coated.
Step 5: Transfer cereal to the prepared baking dish. Use damp hands to press the cereal mixture into dish.
Step 6: If using, add chocolate drizzle over the top. Place pan in the freezer for 15 minutes to help cool bars and harden the chocolate.
Helpful tips
- To make the chocolate drizzle: Place chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl and heat on high 30 seconds. Stir. If chocolate hasn’t melted completely place in microwave again in 10 second intervals and stir until melted.
- For drizzling: I like to spoon the melted chocolate into a ziplock bag with a very small slit cut out of one corner and drizzle chocolate over bars. You can also just dip a spoon into the chocolate and then drizzle over the top.
- To set the bars: Place the pan of bars in the freezer for 15 minutes to help set and cool the bars and harden the chocolate. Thaw a bit, if necessary, before slicing and serving.
Frequently asked questions
Making homemade cereal bars is the way to go for a healthier cereal bar! You can keep the sugar low and use simple, more nutrient-rich ingredients. See the recipe card for more nutrition facts.
For this particular recipe, the honey combined with the almond butter is what really holds all of the ingredients together. Many cereal bars contain marshmallows to help keep them together.
Whether or not cereal bars are satisfying will depend on the ingredients. With the almond butter (healthy fats) in these bars, they are definitely more filling than most.
Storage recommendations
These chewy cereal bars can be stored after making or even frozen so that you can have some for later!
- Storing leftovers: Place the bars in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap. Store the bars at room temperature for a few days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- In the freezer: Place the bars in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, put them in the freezer, and let the bars freeze until firm. Once the bars are frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or airtight freezer bag. Don’t forget to label it with the date. They should last about 2-3 months.
More delicious sweet snacks
If you try this recipe, leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
No Bake Cereal Bars
Ingredients
- 3 cups Cheerios cereal*
- 1/3 cup honey, local and raw is best
- 1/2 cup almond butter**
For the optional chocolate drizzle:
- 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
- 1/4 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Prepare a 8×8-inch baking dish with non-stick spray or line with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add 3 cups of Cheerios and set aside.
- In a medium-sized pot, heat honey over medium heat. Stir for about 5 minutes and until honey is thin and warm.
- Remove the honey from heat and add in almond butter, stirring until smooth.
- Pour the honey/almond butter mixture over the cereal and stir until cereal is well coated.
- Transfer cereal to prepared baking dish. Use damp hands to press the cereal mixture into dish.
- To make the chocolate drizzle, place chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small microwave safe bowl and heat on high 30 seconds. Stir. If chocolate hasn't melted completely place in microwave again in 10 second intervals and stir until melted. Place chocolate drizzle in a ziplock bag with a very small slit cut out of one corner and drizzle chocolate over bars.
- Place pan in the freezer for 15 minutes to help cool bars and harden chocolate. Thaw a bit if necessary before slicing and serving. Cut into 16 squares. Store at room temperature or in the fridge. Enjoy!
Notes
**Any nut butter or seed butter will work.
Did you make this recipe?
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I substituted Cascadian Farm organic Purely O’s, organic cashew butter for the almond butter, and Lily’s Extremely Dark Chocolate (chopped) for the mini chips. This recipe was simple to make, healthy, and absolutely yummy!
Sounds delicious! So happy you enjoyed!