Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars

These peanut butter Cheerio bars are so easy to make. You only need four simple ingredients and there is no baking required!

I’m a huge fan of cereal bars and that includes these peanut butter Cheerio bars. My husband came home from Costco the other day with two huge boxes of Cheerios. My kids actually call them “mini donuts” which is super cute and obviously way healthier than actual donuts. After having Cheerios for breakfast for along time, I knew it was time to do something different with our supersized boxes!

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I love that these peanut butter Cheerio bars are gluten free. There was a time when rice cereal was gluten free but I think now, the ingredients have changed and only certain brands are gluten free. Cheerios are still gluten free though which is nice.

Last time, I made this recipe I made a huge batch. They’re so easy to make since it’s a no bake recipe with only four ingredients. I made some for my crew and also for my BFF who was super pregnant at the time. One of her step daughters is on a strict gluten free diet so I wanted to make a treat that everyone could enjoy.

Why I love this recipe

These cereal bars are great for so many reasons. They’re wonderful if you want to do something different with that box of cereal in your pantry, they’re a great gluten free treat, they’re easy to make since no baking is involved, and they’re great for breakfast on the go or a snack.

What ingredients are needed to make these cereal bars?

These peanut butter cheerio bars are easy peasy to make. They’re easily made with just four ingredients:

• Butter: You’ll want to use unsalted butter for these treats.
• Mini marshmallows: Fresh is best when it comes to marshmallows.
• Peanut butter: You’ll want to use smooth peanut butter for these cereal treats
• Cheerios: The star of this recipe.

What type of pan do I need for this recipe?

For this recipe you’ll need a 9 x 13 pan. I also like to use two of the above brownie pan for perfectly square treats.

Tips for making this recipe

• This is optional but try using a brownie pan like this one. This pan is great for making Rice Crispy or Cheerio treats because it makes your treats perfectly square. I also use this pan when making banana pudding brownies and cookie butter cereal treats. You’ll need two of the pans to make this recipe, or cut the recipe in half. Don’t have a brownie pan? No worries, you can also use a 9 x 13 pan.
• Don’t press the cereal too firmly. Press just enough to get the cereal in the pan. Pressing too much can make the treats hard.
• Use fresh marshmallows. Don’t be tempted to use those expired or stale marshmallows.
• Stir the butter, peanut butter, and marshmallows frequently on low. Stir, stir, and stir!

How to make this recipe

To make these cookie butter rice crispy treats, first gather your ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons of butter (unsalted)
• 1 bag of mini marshmallows (about 10 ounces)
• ½ cup of peanut butter
• 5 cups of Cheerios

Add the butter to a large pan and begin to heat it on low heat. While the butter heats, spray a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick spray.

Add the peanut butter and marshmallows to the butter on low heat while continually stirring to avoid burning the mixture. Stir the peanut butter, marshmallows, and butter constantly so that it becomes evenly melted.

You’ll want to keep stirring the butter, marshmallows, and peanut butter mixture on low until it is completely melted and mixed together. You may be tempted to turn up the heat to make the process go faster, but don’t! The key is to keep stirring while it cooks on low.

Add the cereal to the mixture and then pour everything into the 9 x 13 pan. Use a spatula to spread the mixture out evenly and let cool for an hour before cutting into squares.

If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy:

• Cookie Butter Rice Crispy Treats
• Strawberry Crunch Covered Strawberries
• Oreo Crumble Chocolate Covered Strawberries
• Cake Mix Oatmeal Cookies

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