Crispy, crunchy no bake peanut butter cereal bars are simple to prepare with just 6 ingredients. A delicious treat that you can prep ahead.
While baking is a great stress reliever, sometimes you just don't want to turn on the oven. Enter the no bake treats: granola bars, energy bites and more.
These no bake peanut butter cereal bars are definitely more a 'dessert' than a 'snack'. With peanut butter, Rice Krispies, and Corn Flakes mixed together with brown sugar and corn syrup and drizzled in a crunchy chocolate layer.
Simple to prepare for delicious treats through the week!
Reasons to ♡ peanut butter cereal bars
- the texture is unbelievable: crispy and crunchy
- peanut butter and chocolate is a classic combination that can't be beat
- they do not require an oven and are made using 6 simple ingredients
Ingredients you'll need
- peanut butter- for this recipe you can use all natural or a processed nut butter; I recommend creamy
- brown sugar- you can use dark or light brown sugar
- light corn syrup- necessary to bind the ingredients together
- Rice Krispies- or rice cereal, this adds a light-as-air crispy texture to the bars
- Corn Flakes- adds the crunch to the bars
- chocolate chips- melted until silky smooth, then spread over the peanut butter cereal layer
Prepping the bars
Start by lining a 9 x 9 inch baking pan with foil (grease with spray oil) or parchment paper and set it aside. This step is essential as it helps you get the bars out of the pan after cooling.
Next, combine the peanut butter, brown sugar and corn syrup in a pot and heat gently, stirring until they are completely combined. Stir in the cereal, then scrape the mixture into the pan, pressing firmly with a spatula to flatten.
The chocolate layer
To avoid scorching the chocolate, I advise melting in a double boiler rather than in the microwave. If you've never done this before, here's a video that shows you exactly how to do. it.
If you need to melt the chocolate in the microwave, heat in 10 second increments only, stirring in between. Go slowly.
Once chocolate is melted and smooth, pour it over the peanut butter cereal base and smooth the top with a spatula.
Recipe tips
- chill peanut butter cereal bars in the fridge for at least 1 hour to set
- cut into 20 bars, or as many as you'd like
- store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days
- add 1 teaspoon of shortening or coconut oil to the chocolate if you want it to be slightly soft to bite into
More tasty desserts
- Fudgy Black Bean Brownies
- Lemon Meringue Pie Bites
- Cream Cheese Swirl Blackberry Coffee Cake
- Healthy Lemon Blueberry Bread
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
No Bake Peanut Butter Cereal Bars
Ingredients
Bars
- 1 cup peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
- ½ cup brown sugar (dark or light)
- ½ cup corn syrup (light)
- 1 ½ cups Rice Krispies
- 1 ½ cups Corn Flakes
Chocolate Topping
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
Bars
- Line a 9x9 inch pan with foil and spray with oil to coat.
- In a large pot, heat peanut butter, brown sugar and corn syrup over medium heat, stirring frequently until mixture is completely combined and slightly melted.
- Stir in the cereal until completely coated with peanut butter mixture.
- Press firmly into the prepared pan.
Chocolate Topping
- Melt chocolate in a double boiler (or microwave if you can manage it), until completely smooth.
- Spread evenly over the peanut butter crunch bars, being extremely gentle if bars are still slightly warm.
- Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour, before slicing into 20 bars.
Tips:
- store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days
Nutrition Information
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Recipe adapted from BHG
liz klotz says
Turned out rock solid , anyway to soften them a bit?
Patricia Parker says
I was introduced to this snack by a friend who brought them to my house, I so had to make some, they tasted like Reese peanut butter cups only better. My friend had brought home about a half dozen of them home or so and by the next day, they were gone. I decided I had to know the recipe, I made up a batch and invited one of my daughters over who adores her chocolate, sorry but she renamed it "Crunchy Crunch" I had made a batch and while texting her I was making another, this was just last night, she came over, I sent her home with 4 and today there are about 4 left out of 2 batches, this is my new go to snack for the house, thank you.
Denise says
I think I should rename this recipe to Crunchy Crunch! What a great name. Thanks so much for reporting back, Patricia!
Beryl says
I use to make these for my son years ago he is now almost 50. My original recipe came from Woodward's grocery store in BC Canada