These No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars are a dream come true for anyone craving a quick, easy, and utterly delicious dessert. Combining the classic flavors of peanut butter and chocolate with the satisfying crunch of Cheerios, these bars require no oven time and are perfect for a snack, lunchbox treat, or last-minute dessert.

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars

Ingredients:

Instructions:

1. Step 1: Prepare the Pan Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal later.
2. Step 2: Make the Peanut Butter Mixture In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup honey (or corn syrup), and 1/2 cup sugar. Stir constantly until the mixture is smooth and the sugar has completely dissolved, which should take about 3-4 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
3. Step 3: Mix in the Cheerios Pour the warm peanut butter mixture over the 4 cups Cheerios in a large mixing bowl. Stir gently but thoroughly with a spatula until all the Cheerios are evenly coated with the peanut butter mixture.
4. Step 4: Press the Mixture into the Pan Pour the coated Cheerios mixture into the prepared baking dish. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to press the mixture down firmly and evenly into the pan, creating a compact layer.
5. Step 5: Melt the Chocolate In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter (if using). Melt in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring well in between each interval, until the chocolate is smooth and fully melted. Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate on the stovetop using a double boiler for a more controlled melt.
6. Step 6: Top the Bars with Chocolate Pour the melted chocolate evenly over the pressed Cheerio mixture in the baking dish. Use a spatula to spread it smoothly to the edges.
7. Step 7: Chill the Bars Place the baking dish in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or until the bars are fully set and the chocolate topping has hardened completely.
8. Step 8: Slice and Serve Once the bars have set, remove them from the refrigerator. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the entire slab of bars out of the pan onto a cutting board. Slice the bars into squares or rectangles of your desired size, and serve.

Cook Notes

• Peanut Butter: For the smoothest texture, creamy peanut butter works best. However, if you enjoy an extra textural element, feel free to use crunchy peanut butter.
• Honey: You can easily substitute honey with an equal amount of corn syrup or maple syrup if you prefer a different flavor profile or have it on hand.
• Chocolate Topping: If you are a serious chocolate lover and desire a thicker, more decadent layer of chocolate on top, you can increase the amount of chocolate chips to 2 cups.