Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios Granola Bars

This no-bake granola bar recipe uses Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios; a peanut butter, honey, and coconut oil mixture; and a little extra chocolate for good measure.

I’m the kind of person who has 93023 types of cereal in my cabinet at all times. The cereal aisle is probably my favorite aisle in the entire grocery store because it’s so huge and colorful and I never know what fun new brands and varieties I’ll find on the shelves. Which leads me to my serious cereal buying problem. I buy them, I try them, I sometimes create recipes with them, and then the half-full boxes sit in my cabinet until I decide to clean everything out and throw them away. Or my husband eats them. Whichever comes first.

But when I saw that Cheerios now has a Chocolate Peanut Butter variety, I knew that was one box that would not go to waste. A box that would be licked clean. If, um, you did that sort of thing to cereal boxes. Let’s just say that many bowls of this cereal will be licked clean because it is freaking good. In addition to eating it by the bowlful, I created these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios Granola Bars. Mainly because I wanted a way to bring this cereal out of the house and on the road with me. And you know, it’s generally looked down upon to be walking down the street carrying a bowl of cereal. But a granola bar? That’s A-OK.

Seriously, though… how has General Mills not had a chocolate peanut butter variety of Cheerios already?? It’s about time!

And yes, I had a nice big bowl of it before I started anything. And it was pretty much everything I dream about when I dream about the perfect cereal. It’s definitely more indulgent and dessert-like than any of Cheerios family. The perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter, but it also has a sort of powdery coating on it than packs it with more sweet flavor than any other Cheerios.

I made granola bars because I wanted to basically just be eating the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios in bar form. Of course, I did make a few additions, like oats to add some more substance. And mini chocolate chips and peanut butter chips to add even more fun (totally not necessary, but I still did it). I used a peanut butter, coconut oil, honey mixture to help hold everything together. These are no-bake granola bars, so you just need to bring the liquid mixture to boil in a saucepan, pour over the Cheerios and oats, press into a pan, and let cool.

Super easy and definitely worth the wait while they cool. Oh whoops, I almost forgot to mention that I drizzled a little melted milk chocolate over the top of the bars before slicing. Because why not?

I made these a couple times and found that using quick cooking oats helps hold the bars together more than using old-fashioned oats, so keep this in mind. You can definitely use old-fashioned, but the bars will be a little more crumbly and more likely to fall apart. No matter what, they’re delicate bars, as most no-bake granola bars are, so keep this in mind if you’re planning to grab and go (i.e. throw them in a bag in your purse and carry around all day, like I did).

These are the most perfect decadent snack and the next best way to enjoy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios, if you’re not doing so out of a bowl with milk.

I’m happy this is one box that won’t be clogging up my snack cabinet (yes, I have a snack cabinet and yes, it’s always packed full and is a disorganized mess), though I mostly see myself eating the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios as dessert or a snack over breakfast. Or in bar form when I need a little bit of a pick-me-up. But don’t worry because the Cheerios are actually pretty low in sugar considering (8 grams), are packed with whole grains (15 grams), and are made with real cocoa and peanut butter.

Now, excuse me while I go shove handfuls of Cheerios in my mouth.

Have you tried Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios yet and are you in as much love as I am?

If you’re looking for another fun Cheerios recipe, check out my Pumpkin Cheerios Marshmallow Treats 🙂