Cheerios Bars (plain, chocolate peanut butter, apple cinnamon)

Whip up a batch of yummy Cheerios bars using the traditional gluten-free toasted whole-grain oat cereal or Apple Cinnamon Cheerios with dried apples or Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios with melted Reese's Cups for a snack this afternoon.

I've had so much fun creating cereal bars using a variety of kid's cereals including Cap 'n Crunch Treats, Fruity Pebbles Treats, and Fruit Loops Bars. There are so many cereals to choose from when making marshmallow cereal treats and today I'm excited to share this Cheerios cereal bar recipe with you.

Adding melted butter and gooey marshmallows to the toasted oat cereal creates a wonderful cereal treat that adults and kids will love. 

The bars are crunchy and chewy and nicely sweet but not overly sweet. 

Unlike traditional Rice Krispie treats which are made using small crisp rice cereal, these treats made using the larger O-shaped Cheerios have much fewer cereal pieces to blend with the marshmallows, so you need to change the ratio of our very best Rice Krispie Treat recipe of ingredients slightly. 

You'll need to use 6 cups of Cheerios cereal instead of the 4 ⅔ cups of Rice Krispies that we use. 

How to make Cheerios Bars with Marshmallows

You'll Need:

• 4 tablespoons of European-style salted butter (this will give you the absolute best flavor)
• 10 ounces Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows (store brand marshmallows might be even stickier, so you may need to add more cereal if you use store brand marshmallows)
• 6 cups Cheerios Cereal
• 8-inch or 9-inch pan (well-buttered or sprayed with non-stick baking spray)

Large batch:

If you want to make a larger batch of these Cheerios Bars in a 9-inch by 13-inch pan use the ingredients listed below. You will notice these treats are really thick. You can also simply make the recipe using the ingredients above in the larger pan if you prefer thinner treats. 

• 6 tablespoons salted butter
• 16 ounces marshmallows
• 9 cups Cheerios Cereal

Quick Instructions:

• Melt 4 tablespoons of European-style salted butter with 10 ounces of Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows.
• Pour it over 6 cups of Cheerios Cereal and stir until incorporated.
• Gently press into a well-buttered 8-inch or 9-inch pan square pan.

Stovetop method:

• Combine the butter and marshmallows in a saucepan and heat on low heat, stirring often, until about 75% of the marshmallows are melted.
• Remove the pan from the heat and continue to stir, smashing the marshmallows using a rubber spatula or the back of a wooden spoon, until the marshmallows completely melt and become smooth.
• Stir in the Cheerios Cereal.
• Pour into a well-buttered 8-inch or 9-inch square pan.
• Allow them Cheerios treats to cool for at least 1 hour before cutting into rectangles or squares.

Microwave Method:

• Combine the butter and marshmallows in a large microwave-safe bowl.
• Heat on high power for 1 minute then remove and stir until the melted butter blends with the marshmallows.
• Keep stirring until the marshmallows melt. Stir, smashing the marshmallows, and stir again. It's best to get the marshmallows broken down and melted at this stage, so you do not overheat them. 
• If needed, reheat for 15-second increments, stirring after each, until the marshmallows are fully melted.
• Stir in the Cheerios Cereal then spread into a well-buttered 8-inch or 9-inch square pan.
• Allow the treats to cool for about an hour before cutting them into squares. I like to remove the treats from the pan then cut them on a cutting board. 

Pro Tips

• Do not overheat your marshmallows.
  • If marshmallows get too hot, the sugar will begin to caramelize, thereby making your treats hard and crunchy instead of gooey.

Other Cheerios Cereal Bar Flavors

Apple Cinnamon Cheerios Treats

• Chop 4 ounces of apple rings into small pieces. 
• Pour the apples and 6 cups Apple Cinnamon Cheerios Cereal into a large bowl.
• Melt 4 tablespoons salted butter with 10 ounces of marshmallows.
• Stir the melted marshmallows into the apples and cereal, then spread into an 8-inch or 9-inch pan. 
• Allow the treats to cool for at least an hour before cutting them into squares. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios Bars

• Pour 6 cups Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios cereal into a large mixing bowl.
• Chop 8 Reese's Cups into small pieces.
• Melt 4 tablespoons salted butter with 10 ounces marshmallows then pour over the cereal.
• Stir until combined.
• Toss in the chopped Reese's Cups and stir until blended.  
• Spread into a buttered 8-inch or 9-inch pan.
• Allow the treats to cool for at least an hour before cutting them into squares.

More Cheerios Bars Recipe Ideas

Cheerios have come out with so many different flavored cereals and they all can make delicious cereal bars. Here are a few suggestions:

• Make Honey Nut Cheerios Bars and toss in 1 cup chopped almonds.
• Add 2 tablespoons lemon zest to bars made using Blueberry Cheerios.
• Stir in ½ cup of ground freeze-dried strawberries and use Very Berry Cheerios to make these bars. 
• Create peanut butter Cheerios bars by adding ½ cup peanut butter to the recipe made using plain Cheerios. 

You can find Cheerios cereal at your grocery store but they are also available on Amazon. I earn a small commission if you use the links below, at no extra cost to you. 

Printable Recipe

Cheerios Bars

Beth Klosterboer

Marshmallow cereal bars made with toated oat Cheerios are easy to make using just 3 ingredients. Use other flavors of Cheerios and add mix-ins to create more delicious cereal treats.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 16

Calories 120 kcal

Equipment

• 8-inch or 9-inch square pan

Ingredients

  

• 4 tablespoons of European-style salted butter (this gives the treats the best flavor)
• 10 ounces Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows*
• 6 cups Cheerios Cereal
• *store brand marshmallows tend to be stickier, so you may need to add more cereal if you use store brand marshmallows

Instructions

 

• Combine the butter and marshmallows in a saucepan and heat on low heat, stirring often, until about 75% of the marshmallows are melted.
• Remove the pan from the heat and continue to stir, smashing the marshmallows using a rubber spatula or the back of a wooden spoon, until the marshmallows completely melt and become smooth.
• Stir in the Cheerios Cereal.
• Pour into a well-buttered 8-inch or 9-inch square pan.
• Allow them Cheerios treats to cool for at least 1 hour before cutting into rectangles or squares.
• To make Cinnamon Apple Cheerios bars use Cinnamon Apple Cheerios and add 4 ounces of chopped dried apples.
• To make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios Bars using Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios and stir in 8 chopped Reese's Cups.

Notes

• To make the treats using the microwave, heat the butter and marshmallows on high power for one minute then stir vigorously until melted. Only heat for additional 15 seconds if you really need to. 
• Do not overheat your marshmallows or your treats will be hard instead of soft and chewy.
• Store Cheerios bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Keyword Cheerios bars, marshmallow cereal treats

Can I make these cereal treats ahead?

• This recipe produces sweet, sticky, cereal treats that are always best if eaten the day they are made but they will stay fresh for up to a week if stored in an airtight container set at room temperature.
• If you wrap the treats well in non-stick tin foil then place them in a zip-top bag you may freeze the treats for up to a month. To thaw set the treats on your counter for at least 1 hour before un-wrapping the treats.

If you enjoy these recipes for Cheerios treats, you might also like these other cereal bars recipes...

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