Growing up, Honey Nut Cheerios were a pantry and breakfast table staple.
I recently bought an economy-sized box that was on sale and needed to make something with them or else we were going to be eating them until Christmas.
These fast, easy, bars cost just a fraction of storebought bars to make, they’re healthier, and they’ve got fun, bright colors.
In the past I’ve used Golden Grahams, Special K, Chex, Rice Krispies and many others in recipes, but never the classic O’s until these.
I have many other microwave and no-bake granola bar recipes. See the Related Recipes below. These Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars (no-bake, vegan, GF) are my favorites for something that has the texture of a Quaker Chewy Granola Bar and are a cinch to make, while still staying in the healthy realm.
I wanted these to be a snack bar or breakfast bar, on the healthier side, while branching out from recipes I’ve already made or tried.
Normally I use corn syrup in my microwave bars because it’s cheap, and it makes an excellent glue to bind ingredients. Very little can escape it’s tacky grip.
However, for these I used honey to play up the honey flavor from the cereal. I will be honest, honey does not make as good of a glue as corn syrup. If I were to remake them, I’d use corn syrup.
At room temperature, the bars do get soft and loose, and you’ll need to store them in the fridge.
I stirred in raisins for extra texture, flavor, fiber, chewiness, and oomph. I know some people don’t like raisins, so feel free to omit them or use dried cranberries, apricots, or another dried fruit.
The recipe is very flexible and you could also stir in honey-roasted peanuts, sliced almonds, or a handful of your favorite trail mix.
I topped them with chocolate-covered sunflower seeds. If you have a Trader Joe’s in your area, don’t buy them unless you have really good self-control. They’re crunchy, chocolaty, and one step away from eating chocolate candy-coated sprinkles. So good.
They give a fun, bright pop of color to otherwise boring brown bars, and since I knew I was putting these in my 6 year old’s lunch box, I wanted them to be cheery. If you can’t find them in your area, no biggie. Just use another small seed, nut, or omit.
Between the honey, cereal, raisins, and chocolate-covered seeds, the are were on the sweet side. A sprinkling of Kosher salt cuts that and plays up the salty-and-sweet aspect.
I wish the Cheerios I ate as a kid were this fun to look at.
Pin This Recipe
No-Bake Honey Nut Cheerios Snack Bars
These fast, easy, bars cost just a fraction of storebought bars to make, they’re healthier, and they’ve got fun, bright colors. They’re a texture lover’s dream between the cereal, dried fruit, and chocolate covered sunflower seeds. Use what you have on hand and enjoy. Almsot any dried fruit, nut, or seed can be substituted. The bars are perfect for quickie breakfast or snacks on the go.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup creamy unsalted butter (half of one stick)
- 1/4 cup honey (light-colored corn syrup may be substituted and will keep the bars firmer at room temp than using honey)
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups Honey Nut Cheerios
- 1 cup raisins, optional (1 cup honey-roasted peanuts, 1 cup chopped almonds, or 1 cup trail mix may be substituted)
- about 1/2 cup chocolate-covered sunflower seeds, optional (I used Trader Joe’s)
- pinch sea salt or Kosher salt for sprinkling, optional
Instructions
- Line an 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil leaving overhang, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine butter, honey, brown sugar, and heat on high power for 1 minute to melt.
- Stop to stir. Mixture will be on the granular side, this is okay.
- Return bowl to microwave and heat for 1 more minute on high power. Stop to stir
- Return bowl to microwave and heat for 1 more minute on high power. Stop to stir. On this third and final burst, mixture will become quite bubbly and foamy; use caution when removing from micro because this is boiling hot caramel and can cause burns.
- Stir in the vanilla using caution because mixture could bubble up.
- Stir in the cereal.
- Stir in the optional raisins (or nuts).
- Turn mixture out into prepared pan, packing it down firmly with a spatula and smoothing the top.
- Optionally, sprinkle evenly with sunflower seeds and salt (the salt cuts some of the sweetness and I recommend it).
- Cover pan with a sheet of foil (to prevent fridge smells), and place pan in fridge to set up for at least 2 to 3 hours, or overnight, or until bars are completely set before lifting out with foil overhang, slicing, and serving.
- Bars will keep airtight in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. I recommend storing them in the fridge rather than room temp because they soften and get loose.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 411Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 801mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 4gSugar: 23gProtein: 10g
Related Recipes
No-Bake Samoas Cookie Granola Bars (vegan, GF)
Snickerdoodle Cookie Granola Bars (no-bake, vegan, GF)
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Granola Bars (no-bake, vegan, GF)
Sunflower Seed Butter Granola Bars with Chocolate Drizzle (no-bake, vegan, GF)
No-Bake Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cereal Bars (GF)
Cinnamon Oatmeal Date Bars with Chocolate Chunks (no-bake, vegan, gluten-free) – (no-bake, vegan, GF) – Taste like cinnamon oatmeal
Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Coconut Oil Protein Bars (no-bake, vegan, GF) – Recipe from early 2010
Pumpkin Spice Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Granola (vegan, GF)
Browned Butter Rice Krispies Treats (GF) – The best RKTs I have ever had. Double the butter and it’s browned, for great flavor and soft, buttery, chewy bars
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Are you a Cheerios or cereal fun?
Followed this recipe exactly. Kids loved it and the chocolate-covered sunflower seeds!
Glad the kids loved it!
I’m doing a kindergarten no-bake class and I’m wondering if this could be done with 10 K kids in 45 minutes if I put in the freezer instead of fridge and cut at the last minute. Do you think they will harden up enough?
I really don’t know since I’ve only tried it the way I wrote it. I would test it out at home, no kids, and see what you think and if it’s do-able given all the parameters with the kids’ ages, the timing, etc.
Can you make these without the brown sugar? You mentioned they ended up on the sweet side, so I am wondering if I can cut the sugar so I can keep the chocolate :)
I haven’t tried them that way so can’t say for sure how things will turn out. LMK how it goes if you try it!
I’m going to switch few things to make the bars gfdf and a lot of other frees, but I think that replacing the honey with pureed medjool dates would solve the softening at room temperature issue. I’m going to try a 1/4-3/4 mix….and dark organic chocolate chunks to avoid the dyes, organic cranberries and blueberries… cashews! What a yummy recipe!! I can switch it around to accommodate the dietary restrictions in our house and still have grab’n’go healthier sweet snacks!
thank you!
Can I omit the granulated sugar?
I haven’t tried it that way so can’t say for sure how things will work out.
Can I replace the honey with agave nectar? How well do you think it would work?
You could try it but I haven’t personally tested it so cannot really comment.
Hi Averie! I tried these and they came out wonderful! They are a lot better than the store bought ones…and so easy and quick to make! Love it! :)
Thanks for trying this recipe, Monica, and glad you loved them and they came out wonderfully for you. That’s great to hear and as you said, homemade always trumps storebought :)
I made these last night with corn syrup so that they would hold together, but even this morning after they sat in the fridge they are still falling apart so bad, it’s not even a bar really. Now I just have a bunch of goopy cheerios :/ Any suggestions on next time making the bars more solid – and even better yet, what can I make out of these goopy cheerios because I hate wasting food?
You could pop the pan in the oven and bake them for 10 mins or so to help them set up – maybe that would work. Sorry that they didn’t set up for you!
Thanks Averie! Baking them once more didn’t help. I added lots of chocolate chips and baked again and they finally held! Don’t know what I did wrong :-/
Not sure without being there or seeing photos where things took a wrong turn for you – sorry!
My boys would love these-We will have to make them! Thanks for sharing :)
My brother loves honey nut cherries, he’d flip for these!
I’ve been totally digging no-bake stuff lately – it’s just so much simpler! And when it’s done like this, the results are just as, if not more, rewarding. Love those chocolate-covered sunflower seeds!!
These are so fun, so cute, so colorful! I could just gobble them up all day long!
You are seriously the master of homemade cereal bars!!! I love these, and am dying over how bright and cheery these are!! Great way to start any day!
I love how colorful these are! Wish there was a Trader Joe’s here. These are so perfect for snacks and lunch boxes! :)
These are so darn cute, cheery, and bright! I love those chocolate covered sunflower seeds. I haven’t bought them in awhile because I usually end up eating the entire container within an hour. Yeah – zero self control. Honey nut cheerios are the perfect match for them. And raisins! I love raisins. What a fun little snacky treat. I know exactly why Skylar loved these! The taste, the colors, and the fact that her mommy cut them so perfectly of course. Seriously, they look awesome.
I used to love honey nut cheerios, too. To me they were the “real” kind. Who would want the dry stuff? Now I prefer “adult” cheerios, but honey nut are awesome for snacks like these. I love how colourful these bars are, so cute!
I like the ‘adult’ kind now too and honestly in these bars, there is enough other sweet stuff going on, you could probably get away with just the plain Cheerios!
I would have happily eaten these bars anyway, but the chocolate covered pumpkin seeds are like catnip to me. These are irresistible!
I eye those chocolate-covered sunflower seeds every time I walk into TJ’s (aka at least 3 times a week), but I never buy them because I have zero self-control with any of their chocolate treats. Dark chocolate bars, chocolate-covered pretzels, chocolate-covered raisins, chocolate chip brownie & oat bars (my personal favorite!)… But they add the prettiest, perfect pop of color to your bars!
Their entire store of snacky stuff that you just mentioned…I have to go there not hungry and with a mission. Or all of it ends up coming home or I have these mental power struggles where I put into and out of my cart, like 4 times. Lol
I’m so glad I’m not the only one! I try to plan ahead and stick to my list, but on bad baking days where the cookies fail to spread or the brownie edges burn… Well, it’s harder to stay strong and keep those things out of my cart!
Amen girl. I was just in there today. Twice. Forgot something and had to go back. It was like torture, twice, b/c I was having a want-to-snack-all-day kind of day!
Ahhh that’s the worst!! What do you normally snack on when days like today hit? And I hate forgetting stuff at the grocery store. I’ve had to go back 3 times in a day, and I want that to stay my max!
Juice!! http://instagram.com/p/es6ne1xsTR/ Or I wouldn’t be able to fit thru the doorway! :)
You’re so smart! I never think to DRINK when I’m feeling snacky or hungry. I’m definitely keeping that in mind for future snack-attack days! And no way would you balloon up wider than a doorway. Even with all of your decadent cookies, you have way more self-control with sweets than me!
These look so fun and colorful :)
What a fun treat! Great recipe Averie, they look fantastic :)
I loved HOney Nut CHeerios growing up! They were my favorite of the “healthy” cereals, anyway. When I got to college, I alternated between those and Frosted Mini Wheats for morning cereal, and the sugary PB Cap’n Crunch/Lucky Charms for my lunch and dinner cereal. There were many days I’d eat cereal for every meal. Many.
These look delicious and the colors!?! PERFECT.
We are twins, right down to our college eating habits. I used to do tons and tons of cold cereal. For breakfast, lunch, dinner, and post-bar. Along with Triscuits with PB on top. I lived on that for like…10 years? H.S., college, early 20s :)
There were many days I’d eat cereal for every meal. Many. <--- I also think that's growing up where we did with Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, and Gen Mills HQ's being right there. Cereal is just so...rampant! Maybe that's why I make so many cereal bars. lol
These happy bars just brightened up my Thursday! The coloured sunflower seeds are like healthy funfetti. :)
healthy funfetti = LOVE THAT! Yes!!:)
I’m dying over these. love the colours is so beautiful to eat.
These are so colourful. I love it
I love your no bake bars, Averie, and these look so fun and delicious! Pinning.
thanks for pinning, Marcie!
The colors from those sunflower seeds are just amazing on these bars!!
I thought there were fun, too. Thanks Angie!
Averie, these are so gorgeous! I’m trying to read but the images are bomb barding my eyeballs with all of this awesomeness!
I love your tip on how you use the corn syrup when you go the microwave route. Already pinned!
Thanks for pinning and yes about the corn syrup. When I use it, I get the occasional ‘ it’s so unhealthy’ or ‘can I use honey instead’ to which I’d reply, “don’t care” and ” use at your own risk” LOL
Ooooh these take me back to childhood snacks in such a good way. Thanks for the nostalgia Averie!
I’m glad. They did the same for me too!
Oh.my.gosh. I LOVE honey nut cheerios and have been wanting to put them in some sort of cereal bar for forever! I love your addition of sunflower seeds (they make it so fun!) and how easy this is. This is my dream cereal bar (and I’ve made some of your peanut butter chocolate rice krispy ones and they were incredible) Thanks Averie! Cannot wait to try!
Ok if you make these, I would strongly recommend corn syrup if you’re used to my other bars b/c otherwise these will seem super soft to you. Glad you’re loving the others and thanks for trying them!
Look great! Do you know the calorie count?
No but plug in the data yourself into an online calculator and come back and share the results with others here in the comments if you’d like!
How cute!!! These would be great for Easter because of the colors!
You’re right! Or like Mother’s Day or something in the spring. Didn’t think about that but you’re right!
They look so colorful and delicious and they remind me of my childhood!
M.
They remind me of mine, too!
AHHH!!! Those seeds are so cute! These like healthy LCMs (cereal bar we have in Aus) Those seeds must taste delicious!
I always wondered why people did not think of cheerios in a snack bars sooner, SO much more flavourful than rice bubbles and who can resist those little os?
SO much more flavourful than rice bubbles <---never heard them called bubbles. Love that! And yes, so true. Way more flavorful. They're a little 'bulkier' than the rice bubbles so the binder/glue is more of a consideration and I'd probably use corn syrup next time but the honey was adequate. And yes the seeds are SO GOOD. Dangerously good. One step away from eating sprinkles and I love them.
All the colors in these are so pretty! Even though the honey isn’t the best glue, I bet it tastes great!
It does taste great. You cannot beat the flavor despite it not glueing as well as corn syrup does but I guess it’s all a trade off :)
The colors on these are so fun! I love those sunflower seeds! I actually bought a huge box of cheerios a month ago with granola bars in mind, but they have yet to be made. This makes me really want to revisit my idea! These are perfect for healthy snacking, but they are still sweet enough to fill the sweets craving too! Love that! Awesome recipe, Averie! Pinned!
They turned out to be really sweet actually. The sugar, honey, honey nut cheerios (plain would be just fine!), raisins, plenty of sweetness :) And the seeds, love them. Not surprised you do as well!
And I bought that big box with these in mind and for years I’ve wanted to make crispy treats with marshmallows and cheerios but went with these instead. Thanks for pinning!
Oh love the idea of the honey to compliment the honey in the cereal. Jason has this thing for cheerios (honey nut or plain). I bet I’d score cereal bar points with these :-) I’m thinking my niece and nephew would love them too.
If he’s a Cheerios fan already, he will love them! Honey is a great flavor complement despite it being not a great glue/binder, but it tastes great. And your niece and nephew would definitely call you auntie of the year :)
LOVE how colorful these are with the chocolate covered sunflower seeds! And I mean, come on, how can you go wrong with honey nut cheerios… You just can’t :)
the seeds just rock – you have to try them if you haven’t already!
These are making me so nostalgic! Honey Nut Cheerios were one of my favorites (those and the frosted O’s of course), and I love the bright sunflower seeds. I want a pan for my “grown up” snack time :)
I made them for my daughter but ended up eating more than I thought I would for grown up snacktime :)
These would be the perfect mid-morning mid-afternoon snack! I cannot wait to try these!
LMK if you do!
Love me some honey nut cheerios. Takes me right back to childhood!
I used to buy the variety packs of cereal for my stepdaughter when she was your daughter’s age–Cheerios were usually in there. These bars are so bright and colorful with the candy coated sunflower seeds. I have seen tubes of them at a couple of different dept. stores and at a specialty cake/candy making supply store. I have resisted buying them because I know they would probably go down easier than M&M’s!
They do go down way easier than M&Ms. Paula they are SO GOOD. Knowing you, you would love them. They’re a blessing and a curse. Buy at your own risk :) 2 tbsp is on par with the stats of 2 tbsp of nut butter and they go down 10x faster than nut butter…
I’m a cereal nut. I love it partly because there are sooooo many types. And I don’t have a crunchy over soggy preference-the ideal bowl has a little of each:)
My ideal bowl has a little of each too! Must have a bit of sog, actually. It’s so good that way! Unless I am eating it dry by the handful.
Those sunflower seeds are brightening up my feedly! Seriously cheery snack bars! Lately, in the evenings before bed, I like to eat a mug full of Honey Nut Cheerios – no milk. (They make for great munching – I’m basically a toddler.) I suppose these snack bars would be a a more elegant evening treat. And I probably wouldn’t find Cheerios all over the place in the morning…
I am glad your feedly has been brightened! :)
And you’re up and you’re a bedtime eater/snacker. Oh that’s why we get along so well. ME TOO! Cereal is great, just behind popcorn sprayed down with coconut oil which is what I am about to make now :)
We get up VERY early in these here parts! Baker + Construction Worker = No Sleep {and lots of snacking}!
Oh wow, see I am usually just going to bed for a few hours about 4am-ish. Then I get up with my daughter at 730a for school for her and the day starts all over!
I used margarine instead of butter and they are too runny and won’t hold their shape, how can i fix this, please.
Margarine is made with water so yes, it’s not a substitute for butter in many recipes, and this is one of them. I don’t know how to fix it. Add more cereal?