Cereal Bars

Make these homemade easy cereal bars for a quick and healthy breakfast or snack recipe your whole family will love!

Best place? Only 3 Ingredients Needed for the recipe!

Seriously, these portable crunchy cereal bars are super easy to make from scratch and can be customized for endless delicious flavor ideas.

Pack healthy bars in your school lunch box, take them with you for breakfast on the go, or grab them as a healthy fiber-packed afternoon snack.

Also try this chocolate mug cake

Watch the step-by-step cereal bar recipe video above.

homemade cereal bar flavors

Chocolate cereal bar: Add 1/4 cup cocoa powder and 2.5 teaspoons pure vanilla extract. Dip the finished bar into the melted chocolate.

Nutella Snack Bar: Make a chocolate version of the recipe above, substituting an equal amount of store-bought or homemade Nutella for the nut butter.

Cookie dough bar: Use cashew butter, add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, then stir everything.

Strawberry cereal bar: Stir a third cup of freeze-dried strawberries into the cereal. Drizzle the bar with melted coconut butter or white chocolate chips, if desired.

Peanut butter cereal bar: Use smooth or crunchy peanut butter and optionally mix in a third scoop of crushed peanuts or peanut butter chips.

Marshmallow bar: Cut mini marshmallows or vegan mini marshmallows into half cups.

Other cereal bar flavors you can make include snickerdoodle, birthday cake batter, frosted lemon, caramel, chocolate peppermint, raspberry, or pumpkin pie. Try maple and brown sugar, crispy coconut, or s’mores.

As you can see, the flavor possibilities are endless.

Trend of the Week: Applesauce Muffins

best cereal bar ingredients

Here’s what you need to make an easy breakfast recipe. Dry cereal of your choice, liquid sweetener, nut or seed butter, and optional salt and protein powder.

Agave, honey, or brown rice syrup are all suitable for this recipe. If serving your bar to vegan guests, use the agave or brown rice syrup options instead of honey.

Pure maple syrup is a thinner sweetener. Adding peanut butter to compensate for the difference in thickness works to ensure the bars still hold together.

Feel free to use your favorite nut butter. I like peanut butter cereal bars, but almond butter, cashew butter, macadamia butter, or even nut-free sun butter works too.

*For a lower calorie option, you can technically put the nut butter back in half a cup if you prefer. .

What type of cereal do you use in your 3-ingredient cereal bars?

Choose small flakes or shaped cereals such as Cheerios, Fruit Loops, and Rice Krispies. Vegans should often look for natural branded alternatives to Kellogg’s or General Mills cereals that contain vitamin D3.

Cheerios, or bars made with similarly shaped cereals, are about 160 calories each.

I have not tried Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Golden Graham, Frost Flakes, Special K, Cocoa Puffs, Trix, Fruity Pebbles, Lucky Charms, or their vegan counterparts.

If you try a cereal other than the above, or a grain free keto cereal, please report your results!

How to make breakfast cereal bars

Start by lining an 8-inch pan with wax paper or parchment paper.

If the nut butter is not yet soft and cannot be easily stirred, heat gently in the microwave or stovetop until it can be easily stirred.

Stir all cereal bar ingredients in a large mixing bowl until even. Transfer cereal mix to prepared pan. Place a second sheet of parchment on top and press the mixture evenly into the pan.

(Be sure to press down on the mixture very hard to prevent it from falling apart after cutting the cereal bars later.)

Remove the second sheet of parchment if necessary. Refrigerate or freeze homemade cereal bars until firm enough to slice into bars.

Cover leftovers and store in the refrigerator or on the counter in a cool, dry place. Leftover bars can also be frozen.

The recipe is based on these homemade 4-ingredient protein bars and my Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats and Strawberry Oatmeal Bars.

How to make milk and cereal bars

If you grew up a fan of packaged grab-and-go milk and cereal bars, here are three ways to achieve a similar look and flavor at home.

The first option is to pour half a cup of melted coconut butter or white chocolate chips over the bar before slicing. Cool to harden the coating.

For a healthier coating on milk and cereal bars, stir 2/3 cups of Greek yogurt with 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil or butter and 3 cups of powdered sugar or powdered erythritol. Spread on a frying pan and cool.

healthier breakfast options

healthy blueberry muffin

cranberry orange bread

avocado smoothie

tofu scramble

blender muffin

chocolate banana bread