Make your own delicious cereal bars with your favorite whole grain cereal for a quick snack. These are delicious after school, pre or post workout and to curb your appetite until the next meal!

Cereal Bar

Cereal bars are a convenient snack for after school, between meals or anytime you want to curb your appetite.

I think every cereal manufacture now has a pre-packaged bar to purchase, and they’re not cheap!

It’s more economical to make your own, plus you can add any ingredient you want like coconut, chocolate chips, or your favorite nuts.

Easy No Bake Cereal Bar Recipe

The base for these Cereal Bar Snacks is a high protein & fiber cereal. They’re easy-peasy to make, and if you’ve avoided the “healthier” cereals because they can be bland and “twiggy” tasting, these homemade bars will change your mind!

Honey and brown sugar forms a light shell around the cereal, so you will get your dose of sugar. Just not as much as some of the pre-made bars out there!

I tried experimenting with honey and peanut butter, but the bars didn’t hold together as well as the honey/sugar combo.

Go figure 🙂 I bet a peanut butter, brown sugar and honey combo would be a winning threesome!

What Other Cereal Can I Use For This Cereal Bar Recipe?

For this recipe I bought the Whole Foods brand of Protein & Fiber Cereal and added cranberries and almonds.

The following are also good choices for this recipe, but make sure you pick low sugar, whole grain and organic ingredients if possible;

O’s cereal like Cheerios
Puffed rice cereal similar to Rice Krispies
Puffed kamut cereal (whole grain cereal)
Oat flakes like Kashi whole grain flakes brand

Some cereals already have the dried fruits added, so adjust the recipe to your preference.

no bake cereal bar recipe in a baking dish

Can I Freeze Cereal Bar?

Yes! These bars are a great snack to have on hand and can be frozen in airtight containers for up to three months.

I recommend cutting the bars and individually wrapping each bar in plastic wrap before freezing.

Grab one in the morning and enjoy in the afternoon!

How Can I lower The Sugar Content In This Cereal Bar?

To lower the sugar content in this recipe, first make sure the cereal you pick is not already coated in sweetener. If the first ingredient listed is corn syrup or something similar, skip that brand.

Second, replace the brown sugar with a sugar-free alternative like golden monk fruit.

For this recipe I wouldn’t replace the honey because that sticky texture is what holds the ingredients together.

However, you can always form clusters and use sugar free maple syrup (I haven’t experimented yet) in cupcake liners in place of bars.

Maple syrup will will yield a soft texture. Still delicious I’m sure, but to be honest, if you have wiggle room in macronutrient allotment, then stay true to the recipe!

cereal bar clusters in a baking liner placed in a plastic container

Dessert Bar Recipes

If you looking for a dessert bar, then check out these recipes:

Cranberry Oatmeal Bars A little tart and slightly sweet. These can pass for breakfast on the go!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars – Cookie base laced with peanut butter, peanut butter chips for extra deliciousness, and swirled with some melted semi-sweet chocolate.
Lemon Bars – Gluten and sugar-free bars with fresh lemon juice. Perfect for low carb diet followers.

Cereal Bar Snacks

Cereal Bars made with your favorite whole grain cereal are are perfect after school, post or pre workout or between meal snack. Make these your own by adding your favorite ingredients.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cookie, no-bake, snack

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 6

Servings: bars

Calories: 133kcal

Author: Sandra Shaffer

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups cereal
1/4 cup roasted unsalted almonds
1/4 cup cranberries

Instructions

Line a 8 x 8 dish with parchment paper so that it hangs out of the pan.
In a large bowl, combine cereal, almonds and cranberries and set aside.
In a small saucepan melt butter, sugar honey, salt and cinnamon on medium-high heat until it reaches a bubbling boil. Continue to stir for 1 minute. The mixture will be frothy. Remove from heat and immediately pour over cereal mixture. Stir until well combined. Press the cereal mixture into the prepared pan using your dampened fingers or a piece of wax/parchment paper. Press mixture until it is even and flat. Let it cool and harden (10-15 minutes). Lift out parchment paper from pan, and cut into individual bars.
Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Watch the butter/sugar/honey mixture carefully and avoid over cooking. Otherwise, it will form a coat that will harden immediately, not allowing you to cover the cereal well.

Nutrition

Disclaimer

Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.

Adapted from Sarah Carey, Everyday Food. Watch her video here.