These Reese's Puffs Cereal Bars have just a few ingredients and come together in minutes! The crunchy peanut butter cereal and smooth chocolate topping is a match made in snack-time heaven!!
From the classic Rice Krispie bars to the ever-so-popular Iowa Scotcheroos, no bake cereal bars are a snacktime staple. They're super quick, have few ingredients and are full of different textures and flavors.
Although many no bake cereal bars are made with Rice Krispies, why not venture out beyond the standard?! Some of my favorites are made with different cereals, such as No Bake S'mores Bars and the tasty recipe I'm sharing today for Reese's Puffs Cereal Bars!
These make for the best after school snacks, tailgate grub, potluck treats, bake-sale bars and so much more. You'll have everyone asking for the recipe and they'll be so happy to find out how quick and easy these truly are!
How long will these Reese's Puffs Cereal Bars last?
Well, if it's anything like our house, not long!! 🙂 I'm not the only one in the family with a raging sweet tooth, so these types of treats tend to go quickly! But, I do have some recommendations on how long to keep them if they're not gone....
I kept a few of these bars in a container for a few days the last time I made them. The flavor is just as good on days 3, 4, and 5 as they are right away, but the texture does change a bit. The bars are at their optimal texture the first two days.
After that, they just get a little more chewy rather than super crispy. Not necessarily a bad thing, just different! We will also toss them in the freezer for a week or two if we don't think we'll finish them in time.
What other cereal can I use if I don't have Reese's Puffs?
I love the Reese's Puffs cereal for a couple reasons. First off, Mom never bought us delicious sugary cereal like this one, so it's a special treat for me! 😉 And second, I love the peanut buttery flavor and crunchy texture! However, if you don't have any, here are a few other recommendations...
- Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch - Also peanut buttery and delicious!
- Peanut Butter Puffins - Same concept, different brand
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios - Great flavor, different texture and look (although equally as tasty!)
- Cocoa Puffs - The bars will be a little less peanut buttery (without the peanut butter in the cereal) but the extra chocolate can't be bad either!
Tips for making the best no bake cereal bars:
I did a big experiment with scotcheroos and my findings could be used on many no bake cereal bars.
The most important thing, if you want soft and pliable bars, is to be careful how long you cook the mixture. When the sugar boils, it is likely to harden when it mixes in the cereal and cools. And if that's what you like, hey, go for it!
Work quickly once the mixture is done on the stovetop. As the mixture cools, it'll thicken and make it more difficult to coat all of the cereal. However, if you work quickly, there won't be any issues at all!
Last but not least, when melting the chocolate chips for the topping, you'll want to melt them low and slow. I like to use the "melt" feature on the microwave and stir the chips every 30-45 seconds. If they're melted at too high of a temperature, the chocolate will burn and look grainy with little shine. It won't hurt anyone, but certainly doesn't look as pretty!
Some of my other favorite no bake desserts include:
Best Ever Scotcheroos - Rich chocolate and butterscotch covers the creamy, crispy, peanut-buttery base layer making for the perfect quick and easy no bake dessert! These are truly the best ever scotcheroos!!
No Bake S'mores Bars - These No Bake S’mores Bars will remind you of a classic s’mores, but with a whole lot less mess!! Bring these simple bars to potlucks, family get together, and of course, the last minute birthday treats!!
Fried Ice Cream Pie - It’s like the fried ice cream you get at your local Mexican restaurant….but in pie form and without all that oil!
And here's the recipe you've been waiting for...Reese's Puffs Cereal Bars! Enjoy! 🙂
Reese's Puffs Cereal Bars
Ingredients
- 1 c sugar
- 1 ⅓ c light corn syrup
- 1 ⅓ c creamy peanut butter
- 1 11.5 oz pkg Reese's Puffs cereal* (about 8 cups)
- 1 ½ c chocolate chips
- ½ c creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- Grease a 9x13" pan and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, add the sugar and corn syrup and combine.
- Turn the stovetop on low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. DO NOT let the mixture come to a boil.
- Once the sugar is dissolved, remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Stir in the 1 ⅓ c peanut butter.
- Stir in the cereal until the puffs are well-coated.
- Pour into the prepared pan and pat into place.
- In a microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate chips and peanut butter.
- If you have the "melt chocolate" microwave setting, use that to melt the chocolate chip and peanut butter mixture. If not, cook on high in 20 second intervals, stirring after each interval until the chips are melted.
- Spread over the cereal mixture and let cool before cutting into bars.
Notes
- Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch - Also peanut buttery and delicious!
- Peanut Butter Puffins - Same concept, different brand
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios - Great flavor, different texture and look (although equally as tasty!)
- Cocoa Puffs - The bars will be a little less peanut buttery (without the peanut butter in the cereal) but the extra chocolate can't be bad either!
Nutritional Disclaimer
“Dance Around the Kitchen” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Recipe added to the Weekend Potluck and Meal Plan Monday.
Donna B says
I have found in making the scotcheroos, to make them a little more chewier/softer is cut back on the cereal by 1/4-1/2 cup. I make them every year at Christmas to put in my boxes of treats I give to family and friends. I have pinned this recipe to try also.
Kristin Maxwell says
Making Scotcheroos with Reese's Puffs is a brilliant idea! Adding this to our holiday baking list!!
Kelsey says
Thanks Kristin!!! Isn't holiday baking the best?! 🙂