My kids made me feel really good recently—they said my cereal cookies were the best!
That’s actually a compliment to my mom, because it’s her recipe. But trust us, these really are the best-ever cereal bars!
Cereal Bar Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 ½ cups peanut butter
- 6 cups Chex cereal
Directions:
- In a large pot, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and peanut butter. Stir frequently as you bring it to a boil.
- Once boiling, remove from heat and add the cereal. Mix to coat.
- Spread the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan.
- Top with melted chocolate chips.
If you don’t have a Measure All Cup by Pampered Chef, you need one! This is the best ever tool for measuring peanut butter, shortening, honey, etc. You get all of the sticky ingredients out with one push! It’s magic!
Tips for Cereal Bar Success
I like to use my Pampered Chef rubber spatula for this recipe. I just dump everything into a stock pot, turn on the heat, and stir while the ingredients warm up.
Make sure to stir constantly—this mixture can burn easily. If you notice any burning, either stir more or lower the heat. I usually wait until bubbles start to form in the center of the pot. If I get impatient, I’ll turn off the heat and leave the pot on the burner while I mix in the cereal.
I sometimes use Chex cereal, and other times I buy generic rice and corn cereals. When using generics, I mix 3 cups of each. One of the best things about this dessert is that it’s GLUTEN FREE!
When stirring in the cereal, I fold it in gently. That means taking the spatula to the bottom of the pot and lifting the peanut butter mixture to the top, repeating until all the cereal is coated. Be gentle—you don’t want to crush the cereal into crumbs.
Be sure the cereal is completely coated before transferring it to the pan. Once in the 9 x 13 pan, use the back of your spatula to spread the mixture evenly. I usually clean up the kitchen while the bars cool a bit. Then, with clean hands, I gently press the cereal mixture down to compact it—again, without breaking the cereal.
To top with chocolate, I eyeball a handful of chocolate chips and place them in a bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, then stir. Microwave again in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted.
My family prefers less chocolate, so I just lightly coat the top. My mom adds a lot more—it’s totally up to you!
You can eat them warm, but they’re much less messy if you let the bars set and allow the chocolate to solidify. Cut with a knife and enjoy!
Trust me, these will become a family favorite.
Fun Fact
The original recipe actually calls for Special K cereal instead of Chex. But Special K isn’t gluten-free!
Pin It!
