Was anyone else a fan of Rice Krispie Treats growing up? Honestly, they weren’t my favorite, but these certainly are! An adult take on the classic, these Peanut Butter Cereal Bars are seriously delicious. Plus, they’re vegan, gluten-free, and requiring no baking. Fool-proof!

As much as I love a good sugary dessert, sometimes something a little lighter makes me feel physically better. These cereal bars don’t contain a ton of added sugar, so they’re great to have as a snack, breakfast, or dessert that won’t cause your blood sugar to go wild. Again, I love me some sugar, but it’s nice to have options based on what your body is craving!

What Ingredients Do I Need?

You only need 6 ingredients to make these cereal bars! Here is what you’re going to want to have on hand:

All-natural peanut butter
Coconut oil
Maple syrup
Vanilla extract
Brown rice crisp cereal or Rice Krispies (I used the Brown Rice Crisps cereal from The Real Cereal Company)
Dark chocolate chips or a dark chocolate bar

Making the Cereal Bars

You only need one bowl to make these cereal bars! Start by adding the peanut butter, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the bowl. Mix until all the wet ingredients are combined.

Into the same bowl, add in your rice cereal, and mix until they’re all fully coated. The mixture won’t be firm or sticky like traditional cereal treats, but once you place it in the fridge, they’ll form into bars. If you’re using a chocolate bar, roughly chop it into small pieces, and fold them into the cereal batter. If using chocolate chips, add them in the same way.

Line a 9″x9″ square baking pan with parchment paper. I didn’t use any non-stick spray since the bars contain coconut oil. Pour the cereal mixture into the pan, and use a spoon to spread it around evenly. You can add any additional chocolate chips on top if you’d like before the bars set. Place the pan in the refrigerator for around 2 hours, or until the bars have hardened.

Once the bars have set, remove them from the refrigerator and slice into 16 even squares. Serve or store for later to enjoy!

Ways to Mix it Up

These cereal bars are great because you can add anything you like to them. Not a fan of chocolate? No problem. Here are some other ingredients that you can add into these cereal bars to make them totally your own:

Chopped nuts
Dried fruit
Crushed pretzels
Mini marshmallows
Peanut butter chips
Crushed candies or peanut butter cups

Storing Leftovers

After you’ve sliced the bars, you can store them in the refrigerator to stay fresh. They’ll stay fresh for up to one week in there. I haven’t tried freezing this recipe, but they should stay fresh in there for up to 3 months.

More Peanut Butter Recipes