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3-Ingredient, No-Bake Cereal Bars

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These healthy cereal bars are so easy to make with only 3 ingredients. Cheerios are combined with peanut butter and honey for an easy grab-and-go breakfast or snack.

This recipe is perfect for kids – pack them in their lunches or use as a to-go breakfast with a side of fruit or yogurt. These are great for adults too!

Cereal bars stacked on a plate with strawberries and blueberries.

Only 3 Ingredients

This EASY cereal bar recipe is quick and fast to make with no baking necessary.

  • Kids love this recipe as it uses three of their favorite ingredients.
  • Each ingredient can easily be substituted, I’ll share more details about that below.
  • If your child needs a nut-free alternative you can use Sunbutter and Oat Honey O’s.
  • It’s a budget-friendly snack that will cost less than any store-bought version and uses no unwanted preservatives.
  • It’s no-bake! Just melt the ingredients and mix them together, then chill to set.
Ingredients to make recipe in bowls, including bowl of Cheerios cereal, bowl of peanut butter, and bowl of honey.

Recipe Ingredients

CEREAL: Choose your favorite O-shaped cereal! There are many varieties out there. Cheerios have a few different flavor options, Nature’s Path has “whole O’s” and One Degree Organics has “honey oat O’s”. I used regular Cheerios.

PEANUT BUTTER: Any style of nut butter or seed butter will work for this recipe. Peanut butter is usually a popular option. Almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or even tahini will also work!

HONEY: Used to add sweetness and act as a glue to hold things together. Other ingredients you could substitute include corn syrup, maple syrup and rice malt syrup.

Four images showing steps to make recipe including glass bowl of cheerios, bowl with mixed cereal and peanut butter, ingredients dumped on a baking sheet, and ingredients formed into a square on baking sheet with a spatula beside.

How To Make Cheerios Bars

The best cereal bars are a little thicker and tightly packed together. This version is quick to make and needs a little time to chill before serving.

  1. Melt peanut butter and honey in a pot on the stove.
  2. Add cereal to a bowl, and top with melted peanut butter according to the full recipe instructions below.
  3. Pack tightly into a square on a baking sheet.
  4. Chill for 1-2 hours before slicing and serving.

Variations

I’ve made these as bars and balls. My daughter tends to prefer the ball shape. To make, just grab a spoonful of the mixture and form it into a ball with your hands.

Feel free to replace O-shaped cereal with any other favorites! Rice Krispies, puffed wheat, shreddies, Chex, and any other cereal with smaller shapes will also work for this recipe.

Close up of stack of cereal bars on a white plate.

Recipe Tips

  • Peanut butter and honey can be melted together in a pot on the stove or in the microwave. Just add to a bowl and microwave in 30-second increments until melted enough to stir together.
  • It will only take 2-3 minutes for the peanut butter and honey to melt on the stove. Once it’s melted enough to mix together, remove from the heat. It’s easy to burn the sugar from honey, so keep an eye on it and stir frequently.
  • Leftover bars can be stored in the fridge up to 5 days or the freezer up to 2 months. If freezing, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours. Then add them to an airtight container or bag to be fully frozen for up to 2 months.
  • Cereal bars are an easy addition to any bento box style lunches!
One homemade rectangular Cheerio bar with berries beside it.

More Easy Breakfast Recipes

Did you love these cereal bars? Be sure to leave a rating below!

3-Ingredient, No-Bake Cereal Bars

These healthy cereal bars are so easy to make with only 3 ingredients. Cheerios are combined with peanut butter and honey for an easy grab-and-go breakfast or snack.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Gently heat the peanut butter and honey in a pot on the stove until melted and mixed, 2-3 minutes.
    Two images of copper pot. First with ingredients dumped in. Second with ingredients melted and a spatula.
  • Add Cheerios to a large bowl. Pour in the peanut butter mixture and stir together.
    Two images of a glass bowl, first is bow with Cheerios, second is with added peanut butter mixed in.
  • Pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread into an even layer and form into a square shape with the sides of spatula. Place in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
    Two images of a baking sheet, first with cheerio mixture dumped on top, second image is smoothed into a square with spatula below.
  • Once chilled, slice into bars. Serve and enjoy! Keep leftovers chilled in the fridge until ready to serve.
    Cereal bars sliced with a knife beside them.

Recipe Notes:

  • Leftovers can be stored in the fridge up to 5 days or the freezer up to 2 months. If freezing, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours. Then add them to an airtight container or bag to be fully frozen for up to 2 months.
  • I’ve made these as bars and balls. My daughter tends to prefer the ball shape. To make, just grab a spoonful of the mixture and form it into a ball with your hands.

Nutrition

Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 115mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 208IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg

The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.

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