Easy No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cheerios Bars

Course: Snack

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 3

chill in the freezer: 1

Total Time: 1 13

Servings: small squares (or 8 large bars)

Calories: 207kcal

Author: Marvellina

A perfect snack for when you crave for some crunch and a little sweet snack, but not overly so. They are no-bake and easy to put together.

I use dry-roasted unsalted peanuts from the store. If you use raw peanuts, roast them in the oven at 350 F (180 C) for 5 minutes until they are fragrant and let them cool down
You can also use other mixture of nuts such as hazelnuts, pecans,walnuts, pistachios, almonds, etc. Please make sure to cut them into small pieces. They stay together much better when you cut them
I use plain Cheerios so I can control the amount of sweetness. You can also use honey-nut Cheerios or other flavors. Just take note that these varieties have been sweetened
Please make sure the peanut butter you use is smooth and creamy.

Line a 8 x 8 inch square pan with aluminum foil. Spray with some non-stick spray on all sides. You can also use an oversized cling wrap to line the pan. You don't need a non-stick spray if you use the wrap
Put peanut butter, honey, and salt in a non-stick pan over low heat and stir until the honey has loosened a bit and has a runnier texture. It shouldn't take long, about 2-3 minutes. We just want to warm them up. Remove from the heat. Alternatively, you can microwave them on high for 30 seconds or so. It shouldn't take long. Stir in the vanilla to combine
Add the cheerios and finely chopped nuts and stir to combine. When I know the mixture is not warm anymore, I add the chocolate chips because I don't want them to melt
Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and use a spatula to help you spread evenly. Cover the surface with a piece of cling wrap and gently press the mixture down with your palms to make sure you pack the mixture down and fill up any gaps, so they stay together and won't fall apart when you cut them

Put the pan in the fridge for 2 hours or in the freezer for 1 hour before cutting. Do not skip this step. The mixture needs to be cold to make sure they stay together and won't fall apart

Once it has been properly chilled, cut into the size you like, 10-12 smaller pieces, or 8-9 larger pieces. They are delicious served cold straight from the fridge.
If you plan to bring this out on the go, make sure they have been chilled before in the freezer so they can last longer and won't lose their crunch. Definitely don't leave them in a hot car, as they will fall apart and the chocolate chips most likely will melt

These bars have to be kept in the fridge. Please don't store them at room temperature. The cold keeps the bar together and the cereal stays crispy. I store them in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2 weeks without problem. For longer storage, I store them in the freezer. They froze very well. They can be kept in the freezer for 3 months.
If the bars have been kept frozen, leaving them at room temperature for about 5 minutes (depending on how warm where you are, it may not need that long) and they are ready to be eaten. You can also thaw them in the fridge overnight