These 3-Ingredient Puffed Cereal Bars are simple, convenient, and so tasty. Made with just a few flavorful ingredients, you can try them with endless variations and make them ahead to save time.
Puffed Cereal Bars are the perfect snack. Chewy, sweet, and delicious, they can be grabbed to satisfy an on the go hunger pang or put in your kids' lunches. You can also just keep them in the freezer for whenever you'll need them. Made with healthy ingredients that are full of fiber, protein, and good fats, these are worlds better than the snack bars you get in the stores. Plus, there are no preservatives and you can tweak this recipe to fit your family's preferences.
These Puffed Cereal Bars are simple and easy, so you could make them in the morning and be enjoying them for lunch. But what I really love is how you can jazz up this recipe with your favorite nut butter, cereal, and the addition of some sweet ingredients. Check out the tasty options you can try below. But first, let's look at the ingredients that make these Puffed Cereal Bars so good.
Video Tutorial
What you'll need
- Puffed cereal. Any kind will work: quinoa, rice, millet, or oats.
- Almond butter. Or peanut butter if you prefer
- Maple syrup. Adds delicious sweetness.
- Optional. A touch of sea salt and vanilla extract for extra flavor
How to make it
1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Mix well.
2. Add the puffed cereal of your choice and mix again.
3. Line a 6x9 (or similar size) dish with parchment paper and transfer the cereal into it.
4. Press the mixture down with spoon or a cup, to make sure it sticks together nicely.
5. Refrigerate for about 2 hours and then cut it into squares. Enjoy!
Why are these bars so good?
- Healthy. Homemade is always better than store-bought and these bars have great wholesome ingredients that are good for you. They're sweet enough for kids, but you can be proud of what's in them.
- Convenient. They can be stored at room temperature, in the fridge, or in the freezer. You can make them ahead of time in double or triple batches for convenient snacking all month.
- Flavorful. These Puffed Cereal Bars are richly sweet with a deliciously chewy texture from the puffed cereal. If you choose to add the sea salt and vanilla extract, they're even yummier.
- Easy. The prep time for this recipe is super quick so you can whip this up fast and easy. Then it's into the refrigerator and you're done until you're ready to dig into these scrumptious bars.
Tips for the best Puffed Cereal Bars
- Mix in the puffed cereal last. Combining the other ingredients first makes it easier to fully mix it. The cereal should go in after everything is thoroughly combined for even distribution.
- Press the mixture into the pan. This step ensures that the Puffed Cereal Bars are dense and hold together. Otherwise, they'll break apart when you try to cut them.
- Don't skip the refrigeration. While you can eat them as is, the refrigeration will harden this snack so you can cut them into bar shapes for serving or wrapping for later.
Variations on this recipe
If you want to make these 3-ingredient Puffed Cereal Bars more elaborate, try any of these for a flavorful addition:
- Chocolate- Dark, white, or milk chocolate chips add extra sweetness.
- Nuts- Pecans, walnuts, almonds, or cashews for a nutty crunch.
- Fruit- Dates, raisins, cranberries, dried cherries, or others.
- Seeds- Chia, sesame, flax, or pepitas can be added.
How to Store Puffed Cereal Bars
These Puffed Cereal Bars can be stored in an airtight container, wrapped individually, at room temperature for about 3 days, or a week in the refrigerator. You can also freeze them in a container or ziplock freezer bag for up to 3 months. Just thaw them overnight in the fridge or on the counter before eating.
These 3-Ingredient Puffed Cereal Bars are a great snack to keep on hand and share with your family. They're convenient, easy, and super versatile. Make them ahead for easy snacking or enjoy them fresh out of the fridge. Either way, you'll love having these healthy bars at your fingertips.
More sweet & tasty recipes to try:
Puffed Cereal Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 cups puffed millet (or quinoa, rice, oats)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
- ⅛ tsp. sea salt
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Mix well.
- Add the puffed cereal of your choice and mix again.
- Line a 6x9 (or similar size) dish with parchment paper and transfer the cereal into it.
- Press the mixture down with spoon or a cup, to make sure it sticks together nicely.
- Refrigerate for about 2 hours and then cut it into squares. Enjoy!
Notes
Tips for the best Puffed Cereal Bars
- Mix in the puffed cereal last. Combining the other ingredients first makes it easier to fully mix it. The cereal should go in after everything is thoroughly combined for even distribution.
- Press the mixture into the pan. This step ensures that the Puffed Cereal Bars are dense and hold together. Otherwise, they'll break apart when you try to cut them.
- Don't skip the refrigeration. While you can eat them as is, the refrigeration will harden this snack so you can cut them into bar shapes for serving or wrapping for later.
Variations on this recipe
If you want to make these 3-ingredient Puffed Cereal Bars more elaborate, try any of these for a flavorful addition:- Chocolate- Dark, white, or milk chocolate chips add extra sweetness.
- Nuts- Pecans, walnuts, almonds, or cashews for a nutty crunch.
- Fruit- Dates, raisins, cranberries, dried cherries, or others.
- Seeds- Chia, sesame, flax, or pepitas can be added.
Have you tried any variations to make this sugar free? Like using a sugar free maple syrup? Do they still harden after refrigerating?
Hi Rita! No, I haven't tried those variations!
They are delicious but get stale really quick. I'll try wrapping them better next time. Overall- they are a huge hit!
Thanks for reporting back, Kathleen! I am glad you enjoyed them!
Just curious which brand of puffed cereal is your favorite to use in this recipe, and are the pictures above using quinoa, millet, oats or rice? Thanks!
Hi Jordan! My favorite brand is Arrowhead Mills. You can find them in many online stores (Amazon, Vitacost, Thrive Market, etc.) Let me know if you try this recipe!