Cereal Bars
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Published Oct 12, 2021, Updated Oct 23, 2023
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These no bake cereal bars are the perfect combo of chewy and crunchy. They hold together well so they’re portable and make a delicious, healthy whole-grain snack!
Like trail mix in bar form, these cereal bars are packed with nutrient-dense superfood seeds, cereal with whole grain and dried fruit. They’re held together with a blend of almond butter and honey so they’re nutty, sweet and perfectly chewy with a little crunch from the cereal.
Plus, they’re so quick and easy to make. I’ve already made two batches in the past couple of weeks and I can easily see them becoming a weekly staple around here. Isaac loves snacking on them while out and about and they’ve quickly become a daily afternoon snack for me.
Are Cereal Bars Healthy?
It’s fair to say that not all cereal bars are healthy… there are some store-bought versions that are basically candy. But my version is definitely healthy! They’re packed with fiber, healthy fats and protein thanks to the seeds, oats and nut butter. These bars are only sweetened with honey so they’re much healthier than cereal bars you’d find in the grocery store that are typically loaded with added sugars and oil.
Why I Love Whole Grains
With the paleo and grain-free food trends, I think grains have gotten a bad reputation but it’s important to remember that whole grains (like oats, rice, corn, sorghum, spelt, wheat, rye, barley, etc) are whole, real foods and unless you have an allergy or intolerance, they’re really good for you.
Whole grains provide key nutrients in our diets like vitamins, minerals and fiber. Studies also show that eating more whole grains may reduce the risk of some chronic diseases like heart disease. And it’s crazy because 95% of Americans do not get enough whole grain in their diet! When you make these bars you’re packing in a good amount. Now that is something you can feel good about.
Here’s What You Need
- Cheerios – I like using original Cheerios as a base for these bars. You could also use a flavored variety like honey nut or pumpkin spice (check out these pumpkin spice cereal bars) for more flavor!
- old fashioned oats – my fave brand of oats is Bob’s Red Mill. They have a gluten-free oats if needed too!
- unsweetened coconut flakes – just look for unsweetened coconut (without any added sugar).
- dried cranberries – try to find unsweetened berries if you can or cranberries that are only sweetened with fruit juice. Goji berries, dried cherries, raisins, dates, figs or dried blueberries would all make for good alternatives to the dried cranberries if needed.
- seeds – I use a combination of pepitas (aka pumpkin seeds), sunflower seeds and chia seeds.
- almond butter – natural creamy almond butter works best! Make sure it doesn’t have any added ingredients and is just almonds and salt. You can also use peanut butter, cashew butter or sunflower seed butter.
- honey – this is the natural sweetener I like to use for these bars because it’s sticky and keeps the bars together. I don’t think maple syrup will hold the bars together as well.
- vanilla extract – a flavor enhancer.
- salt – salt helps all of the flavors come together.
How to Make Cereal Bars
Start by mixing all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
In a small saucepan, heat the almond butter and honey over low-medium heat. Stir frequently to make sure the mixture doesn’t burn. The longer you heat, the harder the final cereal bar will be! If your mixture comes to a boil you will have a pretty firm cereal bar. When the mixture is smooth, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and sea salt.
Pour the liquid mixture over the cereal mixture and toss to coat everything.
Line a baking dish with parchment paper and pour the mixture into the lined pan. Press down firmly with a spatula or your hands. This step is key! You want to really pack these bars into the pan. If you don’t, your bars might not stick together.
After the bars are fully pressed into the pan, place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes to set. Remove from the freezer, cut into bars or squares and enjoy!
How to Store Leftovers
These bars store really well! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or store in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you store them in the freezer, I recommend letting them thaw in the refrigerator before enjoying them.
More Snack Bar Recipes to Try
- Apple Granola Bars
- Chocolate Chip Almond Granola Bars
- Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars
- Cranberry Coconut Granola Bars
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars
- Fruit and Nut Bars
- Coconut Chocolate Chip Larabars
- Tahini Fig Bars
- Peanut Butter Protein Bars
- Banana Oatmeal Bars
- No Bake Chocolate Energy Bars
- Nut Free Granola Bars
The Most Popular No Bake Recipes
- No Bake Cookies
- No Bake Energy Balls
- No Bake Protein Cookies
- 5-Ingredient No Bake Brownies
- No Bake Almond Cookies
- No Bake Pumpkin Pie Bars
- No Bake Chocolate Coconut Nests
- Crispy Chocolate Rice Cake Bars
- No Bake High Fiber Bars
- No Bake Peanut Butter Crunch Bars
No Bake Cereal Bars
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Cheerios
- ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
- ¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- ¼ cup dried cranberries or goji berries
- ¼ cup pepitas, aka pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ½ Tablespoon chia seeds
- ½ cup natural creamy almond butter
- ½ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Line a square baking dish with parchment paper.
- Place Cheerios, oats, coconut flakes, dried cranberries, pepitas, sunflower seeds and chia seeds in a large bowl. Toss to combine.
- In a small saucepan, heat almond butter and honey over low-medium heat, stirring frequently until the mixture is completely smooth. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and sea salt.
- Pour over the cereal mixture and gently toss to coat everything.
- Pour into lined pan and press mixture down firmly with a spatula or your hands.
- Place bars in the freezer for about 30 minutes to setup. Remove from freezer, cut into bars or squares and serve.
- Store leftover bars in a sealed container in the refrigerator. They should last about 1 week.
Video
Notes
- Mix-ins: Feel free to customize these bars by changing up the mix-ins. You can easily swap the cranberries for another dried fruit like raisins and the seeds can easily be swapped too!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Fantastic! Super photos too 🙂
Rxx
http://www.peppermintdolly.com
I have almost all of the ingredients needed for these! We have the GF Multigrain Cheeriors that I plan to use. I just need to get almond butter, and we’ll be set. Thank you!
Yummm this would be a perfect snack!!
Oh these would be so good with dried cherries too! I love this idea!
Yes!! Dried cherries would be a delicious addition.
Oh my goodness these look so fantastic! YUMMM. My husband would love these too!
Thanks so much Mackenzie. Isaac loves these so I’m sure your hub will too!
Do you think adding protein powder would affect how the bars hold together?
I love the idea to add a little protein powder and I don’t think it will affect the bars holding together. If the mixture seems too crumbly, just add more almond butter and/or honey! Let me know how they turn out.
Chewy and crunchy? Sold! Can’t wait to try them.
What an awesome snack to send the kids to school with! I love all of the protein packed ingredients you loaded in these. They look and sound so yummy!!
Thanks Katie! Totally agree, they are perfect as a back to school snack.
These are delicious!! They are a snap to make. I just got back from a bike ride and was very happy to have one of these for a snack. I happened to have almond butter, but as it’s pricey, I tend to have its poor cousin peanut butter more often. I suspect these would be just as good with peanut butter —
Yay! I’m so excited that you liked the recipe, Kristen. And yes, these bars would be just as delicious with peanut butter instead of almond butter.
These look great for my kids’ lunch boxes. Do you think it would work to substitute sunflower seed butter for almond butter? Their school is nut-free.
Yup! I think sunflower butter will work great. Oh and I have another recipe for Sunbutter Backpack Kisses that you might like as well.
Making these now with my daughter. What size baking dish should we use?
Thanks!
Hi Katia. I hope you got my email, but I used a 8×8 square baking dish.
These turned out AMAZING! Everyone in my family loved them and we shared them with friends who immediately asked for the recipe. One friend said she thinks it’s more delicious than a chocolate bar. That’s pretty extreme, but they are really really good. We subbed sunflower seed butter for almond butter to make them safe for my kids’ nut-free school. This probably added a bit of sugar but I didn’t want to skimp on the honey because I was worried that they wouldn’t hold together if I reduced any of the “sticky stuff.” We also subbed raisins for goji berries because they were what we had on hand. The recipe was easy and fun to make with the kids. Will have to make these again soon because they went very quickly. Thanks for the great recipe and for your quick responses to my questions. 🙂
Yay!!! I am so glad to hear this, Katia! I love that your whole family enjoyed them and that the kids got involved with the cooking! 🙂
I LOVE these…. Do you think I could add flax and brewers yeast to these for lactation?
Totally!! Maybe in place of the hemp and chia seeds?
I’ve been looking for a healthier treat for my kiddos that doesn’t use refined sugar, and these were a great hit! Of course they did smuggle a handful of chocolate chips into the mix. I have a flax/chia seed blend that I use and subbed in place of the hemp. I also toasted the pepitas for a few minutes on the stove top before adding, and wow, were they tasty. Such a great recipe! Easily doubled and patted down into a 9×13 pan. Thank you for this treat!
Amazing!! I’m so glad that you and your kids enjoyed this recipe. I’m sure the flax/chia seed blend was a great addition as well as the toasted pepitas. Thank you for coming back to leave a comment + star rating, Denise. The ratings are super helpful, so I appreciate it. <3
Love it! Made it and posted the photos on Instagram. My kids love them in their lunchboxes and husband enjoys them as snacks between his meetings. Very easy to make and so wholesome!
Yay! So glad these bars were a hit with your family. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it. 🙂
These are delicious. Toddler approved. Followed as written.I might add 1/4 C less honey next time but will for sure make it again. Thank you!
Hello, can’t wait to make these! Approximately how long would these last in the fridge? Can you freeze them at all? Thanks!
They should be fine to freeze! They’ll last about 7 days in the fridge.
These were absolutely perfect. Sweet enough and all wholesome ingredients. My teens ask me to buy those packaged “milk and cereal” bars 🙄 and I always say no but these are a huge YES!
Oh yay! This makes me so happy to hear, April. So thrilled these cereal bars were a hit. Thanks for the review!
Looks great! I can’t wait to make these.
Can I use maple syrup instead of honey?
Thanks Sal
Hey Sally – Yes, maple syrup should work just fine!
These were easy to make and they are SO good! I’m going to try and make these more frequently and not buy bars at the store so often. Thank you!
Woo!! Happy to hear these cereal bars were a hit, Brenda! Thanks so much for the review and star rating. It means so much to me!
Love this! Nothing I would think about changing. Thanks for this!
Yay!! So happy to hear this, Debbie. Thanks for the review. I really appreciate it!
Hello! I made this recipe as written (with the only sweetened ingredients being the Cheerios and the honey) and found it incredibly sweet – nearly inedible. What suggestions can you make to reduce/replace the amount of honey? Looking forward to your reply. Thanks and have a great day!
Oh no! So sorry to hear that. Where your Cheerios sweetened? You could try to reduce the amount of honey, but that’s what helps the bars stick together so I wouldn’t reduce the honey by too much.
Always a great find with your recipes! This one did not disappoint. I didn’t have all the seeds or coconut but they were still so good.
Yay! Happy to hear you enjoyed the cereal bars, Ronnie. Thanks for the review!
My daughter and I loved these. We made them for her to snack on at her swim meet. Perfect combo of healthy carbs and protein!
Oh yay! So thrilled to hear these cereal bars were a hit, Niki. Thanks so much for trying them out and coming back to leave a review and star rating. It means so much to me!
These were a big hit with my daughter! I used dried cherries and I added a few Lily’s chocolate chips which were a yummy touch. Next time I would wait to add the chocolate chips until the very end when the almond butter honey mixture has been tempered a bit (it was a bit of a melted mess 🙂 ). Will definitely be making these again!
So trilled to hear you enjoyed these cereal bars, Susan! Thanks so much for trying them out and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
I shared this recipe on FB because it was delicious! Thank you, again!
Love, love, love these! Everyone loves these! My husband is always happy when I make these and they don’t last long. I shared the link to this recipe with my Mum too. She and Dad love them also! Thanks for another awesome recipe!
Woo!! Happy to hear everyone is enjoying these cereal bars, Emily. Thanks for the review!
These were easy to make and came together quickly. Made as directed without any changes. We really enjoyed them but found them to be a bit too sweet for our palate. Next time I will reduce the honey to 1/4 cup and up the salt by a pinch.
Sorry they were a bit too sweet, Winter. Yes, definitely try to reduce the honey. Let me know if that helps!
These were easy and fun to make with my toddler as a morning activity. Delicious too!
Happy to hear you enjoyed these cereal bars, Sarah. Thanks for trying them out and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
good recipe. It’s much easier to use parchment paper to press the mixture down rather than utilizing your hands or a spatula.
That’s a great tip, Kathy! Thanks for making the recipe and coming back to leave a review and star rating, it means the world to me!
These came together so quick and were delicious! I think they’re going to be a weekly staple in my kids lunch boxes. I subbed the almond butter for PB and it was on the runnier side so I increased the amount of cereal and they turned out perfect! Great way to use up stale cheerios too 🙂
Woo! So happy to hear these are a hit, Nyssa. Thank you for sharing your experience, it helps others when they have questions. I appreciate it! 🙂
I made rhese following the directions and ingredients as written but the bars crumbled as soon as I tried to cut them (I pushed them into the pan by hand to ensure they would hold together). The flavor was wonderful. Hoping there’s a trick I missed!
Oh no! So sorry to hear that you had troubles with these bars. I wonder if maybe your nut butter wasn’t drippy enough? What brand did you use? Also, just confirming you let them set up in the freezer before cutting?
I used regular Sunbutter (avoiding nuts for my kids’ school) and did chill them in the freezer for about 45 minutes. Should the nut/seed butter and honey mixture boil for a certain amount of time or just until smooth?
Good question… I’d recommend letting the mixture boil for about 1 minute or so. Did you do that or just heat until the mixture was combined and smooth! I could see this being the issue!
I’ve made these countless times. I sub with regular Kraft peanut butter. Always turns out amazing!! Thanks so much for this recipe!! It’s very sub friendly. I sub with whatever cheerios I have on hand, and different nuts. Different dried berries, etc. cannot wait to try your other recipes 🙂
Woo! I am happy to hear that you are loving this recipe, Nikki. I love how you are able to mix up the ingredients in these bars, it keeps them so fun! Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it.
Thoughts on swapping pure maple syrup in place of the honey? Do you think it would be sticky enough and would you say o e for one swap as far as quantity?
Hi Milissa – Unfortunately I do not think that maple syrup will hold the bars together as well. So sorry. If you give this recipe a try, let me know how it turns out.
Hi, would love to try! but I was always told by beekeeper friends that heating honey turns it unhealthy and I should avoid it at all costs. Can I make the recipe without heating it up or replacing the honey for something else? Thank you!
Hi Yamil – I have never heard that heating honey turns it unhealthy. You could try maple syrup, but unfortunately I am not sure they will stick together as well, they might be a bit more crumbly. If you give this recipe a try, let me know how it turns out.
I’ve made these several times now, and we love them. But they don’t hold together, even with pressing down well, and freezing ( I forgot then once in the freezer overnight. easier to cut, but still didn’t stick together when defrosted)
The only thing I changed in the recipe is that I left out the coconut, which I don’t like. Any suggestions on how to make them stay firm? Thanks!
Hi Diane – Are you using creamy almond butter? How long are you heating the almond butter + honey mixture for? The longer you heat that mixture, the better your bars will hold together. Hope this helps!
Absolutely love this recipe!! I make these all the time and think they’re the perfect amount of sweet while still being healthy!
WOO! These are SO good, glad they are a hit, Angela. Thank you for your review + star rating, I appreciate it!
I substituted sun butter and dehydrated strawberries with 2x pepitas (no sunflower seeds) to make this recipe nut-free. They turned out beautifully for a special school lunch treat. Thanks!
Sounds amazing, Danyelle! I am so glad you are enjoying these bars and they turned out great for you. Thanks you for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
Can these be kept frozen ?
Sure! These can be frozen for up to 3 months. If you store them in the freezer, I recommend letting them thaw in the refrigerator before enjoying them.
I love these! I made these with coconut butter and used less honey the 2nd time I made them. I also added vanilla protein powder and a flax, chia, coconut blend. They are delicious!
YUM! This sounds amazing, Paula. I am so glad you found this recipe and gave them a try. Love your additions, they sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!