Healthy Breakfast Cereal Bars That Actually Keep You Full (and Taste Like a Treat)
These cereal bars are chewy, naturally sweetened, and packed with oats and nut butter. One bowl, 35 minutes, and they hold together perfectly. Perfect for meal prep and kid-friendly.
Equipment
- 8x8-inch Baking Dish
- Parchment Paper
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Small saucepan
- Spatula
- Sharp chef's knife
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)
- 1 cup crispy brown rice cereal
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (or almond butter)
- 1/3 cup honey (or maple syrup)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil (or unsalted butter)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dried fruit (chopped dates or dried cherries)
- 1/4 cup mix-ins (chocolate chips, seeds, chopped nuts) (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper so it hangs over two sides — this is your handle to lift the bars out later.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, brown rice cereal, dried fruit, mix-ins (if using), and salt.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the peanut butter, honey, and coconut oil together. Stir until smooth and fully combined. Remove it from heat the second it gets glossy — don't let it simmer.
- Pour the warm peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients. Add the vanilla. Stir with a spatula until every oat and cereal piece is coated. It'll look a little sticky and that's exactly right.
- Transfer the mixture to the lined baking dish. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or a second piece of parchment to press it down firmly and evenly. This step is important — if it's loose, the bars will fall apart later.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the edges are just barely golden. The center will still look slightly soft and underdone — that's what you want. If you bake until the center is firm, they'll be too hard the next day.
- Let the bars cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Then use the parchment handles to lift the block out onto a cutting board. Use a sharp chef's knife to cut into 12 bars. A serrated knife works best to get clean edges.
Notes
Press the mixture firmly into the pan — a loosely packed pan leads to crumbly bars. Let them cool completely before cutting; the bars set as they cool. Chop dried fruit into small pieces to prevent weak spots. For storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, in the fridge for 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months. If bars get too hard, microwave for 10 seconds to soften.