These No Bake Peanut Butter Cereal Bars are ideal for anyone who loves peanut butter. They’re loaded with peanut butter cereal, creamy peanut butter, and topped with peanut butter chips for extra richness.
It’s the first Thursday of May, and for the Peanut Butter Bash this month I made these no-bake peanut butter cereal bars. The theme was peanut butter and cereal, so I reached for one of my favorite cereals: peanut butter crunch. I’m not much for milk, so I enjoy this cereal straight from the box by the handful.
These bars are one of several cereal-based treats I’ve made. Others include maple bacon rice krispies treats and cookies & cream rice crispy treats. What sets these apart is how peanut-butter-forward they are. Because the cereal pieces are round, I crush some of them to add texture and reduce empty pockets in the bars.
The peanut butter ganache on top is optional but highly recommended. It adds shine, a finished look, and another layer of peanut butter flavor. It also helps hold the little mallow bits on top. If you prefer a simpler bar, you can skip it, but I think more peanut butter is always better.
No Bake Peanut Butter Cereal Bars
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Ingredients
Ganache
- 10 oz. peanut butter chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup mallow bits
Bars
- 3 cups peanut butter crunch cereal, crushed
- 3 cups peanut butter crunch cereal, whole
- 10 ounces regular marshmallows
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, sliced
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Instructions
Ganache
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Place the peanut butter chips and heavy cream in a medium glass bowl. Microwave for 1 minute and stir. If needed, microwave an additional 45 seconds and stir until smooth.
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Let the ganache rest about 20 minutes until it thickens. When stirred, ripples should remain instead of smoothing out immediately.
Bars
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Spray a 7×11 baking pan with non-stick spray.
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Place 3 cups of peanut butter crunch cereal in a large resealable bag and crush some of it. You want a mix of crumbs and larger pieces for texture.
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Combine the crushed cereal with the remaining whole cereal in a large bowl and set aside.
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In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the marshmallows and butter, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat.
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Stir in the peanut butter until fully combined.
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Quickly pour the marshmallow mixture over the cereal and stir to coat thoroughly. Work fast—the mixture will begin to set.
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Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Use wax paper sprayed with non-stick spray to press it down without sticking.
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Once the ganache has thickened slightly, spread it over the top of the bars with an offset spatula and tap the pan on the counter to level it.
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Sprinkle the mallow bits over the ganache.
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Chill in the refrigerator until set.
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Cut into bars and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)