Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cereal Bars

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cereal Bars made with all gluten-free ingredients. A healthier twist on a scotcheroo bar meets rice krispie treat meets peanut butter cup!

Vegan peanut butter cereal bars

These chocolatey peanut butter crunchy cereal bars are absolutely delicious. They’re made with just a handful of simple ingredients that you likely have on hand – and they taste SO good. I love making these with my kids because they love snacking on the ingredients as we go and they live for anything peanut butter related (they are my kids after all!).

The stickiness in this recipe that helps bind it all together is the mix of maple syrup and peanut butter. I used it instead of corn syrup like a traditional scotcheroo. And you don’t need any fancy tools to make these. They’re easy to whip together and once the bars set – you will be in chocolate peanut butter heaven!

TIP: These are made gluten-free, vegan and egg-free. And you’d never know they’re “healthier” either!

What ingredients are in these chocolate peanut butter cereal bars:

• Maple syrup – if you prefer honey here you can use that as well!
• Coconut sugar – I haven’t used another sub for the sugar here but you can also omit if you don’t want it too sweet
• Peanut butter – creamy peanut butter with no other ingredients in it works best (no added oils or sugars!)
• Coconut oil – just spoonful to help melt the ingredients down
• Flakey cereal of choice – you can use brown rice crisps or a flakey cereal, anything with a crunch that goes well here flavor wise
• Dark chocolate chips – high quality dark chocolate melts best

How to make peanut butter cereal bars:

1. Add maple syrup and coconut sugar to small sauce pan and warm over medium low heat
2. Stir consistently then when sugar is dissolved, remove from heat
3. Add in peanut butter and coconut oil and stir well to combine
4. Add the cereal to a large bowl then pour peanut butter mixture on top
5. Line and grease an 8×8 baking dish well then add peanut butter cereal batter and press down firmly to form bars
6. Melt chocolate in microwave in 30 second increment until melted (if needed add a teaspoon of coconut oil to chocolate)
7. Once melted mix in peanut butter then pour on top of cereal bars and spread across
8. Add the peanut butter cereal bars to fridge to set until firm then gently slice and enjoy!

What’s the best way to store these cereal bars?

In an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days! Or you can freeze them in a freezer bag like a ziplock, reusable freezer bag or tin foil too. I love giving these to friends when they come over as a sweet surprise to snack on

Best tips for success making these:

• If you don’t use a natural peanut butter, it won’t turn out as good. Peanut butter with no added oils or sugars work best. I like peanuts and sea salt for ingredients in my peanut butter
• If your peanut butter mixture is too thick, add in a little more maple syrup and oil. Warm over the stove on low heat too if needed
• When you melt dark chocolate, microwave it in 30 second increments and stir well between each. It took me about 90 seconds total
• Grease the baking dish well and use parchment paper under! This helps to easily remove the bars when they set

A few other healthier dessert recipes to make:

Gluten-free Birthday Cake Banana Bread Skillet

Healthy Flourless Brownies (nut-free + gluten-free)

INSANE Gluten-free Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Epic Browned Butter Funfetti Rice Crispy Treats