Homemade Double Chocolate And Peanut Butter Cereal Bars Recipe

Sure, granola bars are delicious, but sometimes you're craving something with a bit more crunch. If that's the case, these homemade double chocolate and peanut butter cereal bars, made by recipe developer Catherine Brookes, are just what you need. Blending rich chocolate, creamy peanut butter, and crunchy cereal, this recipe is a real crowd-pleaser. These bars can absolutely pass as a breakfast, whilst being sweet enough to enjoy for an afternoon snack or dessert too.

Rather than using soft, stodgy oats, we use a mixture of honey hoops and crisp rice cereal here. Since there's no baking required for this recipe, the cereal retains its satisfying crunch, giving the bars a light and airy texture. This crispy combo is combined with smooth peanut butter and enhanced with the warmth of vanilla and the richness of cocoa powder. And the chocolatey goodness doesn't stop there. These bars are also topped with a generous layer of melted dark chocolate. Yum!

You can prep this easy recipe in just 20 minutes before it's ready to pop in the fridge to set. Once sliced up, the bars will keep well at room temperature for up to five days. So, these are great to make in advance for grab-and-go treats throughout the week.

The base of these cereal bars is made with a mixture of honey hoops and crisp rice cereal. This combination works wonderfully, but you can always use just one or the other, or switch these out for your favorite variety of crunchy cereal if desired. Then, for that delicious coating, you'll need unsalted butter, peanut butter, honey, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, and salt. For melting and drizzling on top, grab some dark chocolate chips too.

Add the butter, peanut butter, honey, vanilla, cocoa powder, and salt to a saucepan.

Heat on a low-medium setting, stirring until everything has melted together into a smooth mixture.

Toss the honey hoops and rice cereal in a large mixing bowl.

Pour in the peanut butter mixture and stir to coat the cereal.

Press the mixture into a parchment-lined 8x8-inch baking tin.

Melt the chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave.

Drizzle the melted chocolate all over the top of the pressed cereal mixture in an even layer.

Chill for one hour.

Slice into bars and enjoy.

With the base of these bars being a simple blend of two cereals, it's easy to customize the recipe to suit your taste or use up ingredients in your pantry. There are plenty of ways to add new flavors and texture to the bars, whilst retaining that all-important crunch.

Firstly, adding nuts and seeds is an excellent way to introduce extra protein and nutrients into the cereal bars. Try tossing chopped almonds, walnuts, pecans, or sunflower seeds with the cereal before stirring through the peanut butter mixture. Alternatively, dried fruit is fantastic for bringing a chewier element to the bars. Mix in dried cranberries, raisins, or even chopped apricots, prunes, or dates for extra sweetness. Freeze-dried strawberries are amazing for packing in more fruity flavor, too.

If you're looking to amp up the indulgence factor of these double chocolate cereal bars, you could even mix through some mini marshmallows, crushed pretzels, butterscotch chips, or toffee bits. To go all out and turn these into triple chocolate bars, the addition of white or milk chocolate chips would also be a delicious idea. Essentially, if you'd add it to a batch of Rice Krispie treats, you can also add it here!

If peanut butter isn't your thing, or you're catering to dietary restrictions, there are a range of alternatives that'll work just as well in this recipe. First up, we have almond butter, which has a slightly milder, nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with chocolate. It's a one-to-one substitute for peanut butter and keeps the bars rich and creamy. Other nut butters can also be used here, such as cashew, hazelnut, or pecan butter.

For a nut-free version of these bars, sunflower seed butter is another fantastic choice. It's rich, smooth, and has a subtle flavor that works wonderfully in these bars. For a more adventurous twist, try tahini (sesame seed paste). This will add a unique earthy depth that pairs surprisingly well with the chocolate, though the overall flavor will be slightly less sweet.

To transform the taste of these bars further, you can also try switching the peanut butter for another sweet spread, such as Nutella or cookie butter. Just keep in mind that if the substitute is significantly sweeter than peanut butter, you might want to adjust the honey slightly to maintain the balance of flavors.