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Peanut butter cheerio bars with chocolate on a white surface.
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5 from 1 vote

Cheerio Bars Recipe

Kids and adults alike will love these ooey gooey peanut butter cheerio bars! They have a dark chocolate base with a crispy layer of nutty cheerios and popcorn. Made with simple ingredients, they're the perfect salty and sweet on the go snack!
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cheerio bars with peanut butter, chocolate peanut butter crispy bars, peanut butter cheerio bars
Servings: 8 Bars
Calories: 365kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup peanut butter natural
  • ½ cup maple syrup or honey
  • 2 cups Cheerios
  • 2 cups popcorn
  • 1 ½ cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Add the peanut butter and maple syrup to a saucepan and heat over medium heat on the stove. Stir well until the maple syrup has melted into the peanut butter. The mixture will be thick but smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, toss together the Cheerios and popcorn. Pour half of the peanut butter mixture over top and mix to distribute with a spoon or spatula. Pour the other half of the peanut butter mixture into the bowl and mix again until all of the Cheerios and popcorn are coated.
  • Line an 8 X 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper and press the Cheerio mixture into the pan tightly. Make sure to press it into the sides and corners well. Set aside.
  • In a sauce pan, melt the dark chocolate chips. If needed, add a tablespoon of coconut oil to thin it out. Pour the chocolate over the peanut butter Cheerio bars. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to even out the chocolate. Place the pan in the fridge until the chocolate is just set (about 20 minutes). Try not to leave the pan in the fridge for too long or the chocolate will become too hard to slice. You want the chocolate to be slightly soft.
  • Once the chocolate has set, remove the peanut butter Cheerio bars from the pan and flip the entire thing upside down on a cutting board so the chocolate is on the bottom. Use a thin sharp knife to slice 8 bars out of the square and enjoy!

Notes

Peanut butter : Natural creamy peanut butter works best. If you use a no-stir peanut butter you will want to add about 2 tablespoon of oil when heating it with the maple syrup.
How to get clean slices : Only let the bars sit in the fridge until the chocolate has just set but is still semi-soft. This is the key to clean slices. Then use an extra sharp knife to cut the bars, cleaning the knife off after each cut.

Nutrition

Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 203mg | Potassium: 483mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 182IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 159mg | Iron: 3mg