Healthy breakfast bars

A plate of breakfast bars arranged in a burst pattern with strawberries alongside

4.29 from 7 votes

Healthy breakfast bars are so delicious and just 4 ingredients, with no baking needed. These wholesome bars are whole grain, naturally sweetened and perfect in the morning or as a snack for fueling a busy day!

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Total Time40

Yield: 10 bars

Ingredients

1 cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup honey (or sub maple syrup)
Splash of vanilla (optional)
2 cups Bob's Red Mill old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups O-shaped cereal
¼ cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, heat the honey and peanut butter over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring until smooth and well combined. Turn off the heat.
Add the vanilla, if using, then the oats and cereal. Stir well until everything is coated.
Mix in the mini chocolate chips, if using.
Transfer the mixture to a greased 8x8 pan and press down into an even layer. (The mixture will be sticky so it helps to slightly wet your hands before you press it down.)
Let cool then cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to set up, about 1 hour.
Cut into squares or rectangles and enjoy! Store extras, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

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Notes

The recipe calls for old-fashioned rolled oats. You can choose organic or certified gluten-free oats if you prefer (Bob’s Red Mill has all of these options). Quick cooking oats would work here too, I think, but I don’t recommend using steel cut oats.

Creamy peanut butter is our go-to, but I think you could substitute almond butter if you wanted to make a peanut-free version of these bars.

The vanilla and mini chocolate chips are optional, but they add great flavor and a little fun, so I’d recommend adding them if you have them.

Be sure to choose a certified gluten-free O-shaped cereal if you need this recipe to be gluten-free.

You can also easily make these vegan-friendly by using maple syrup instead of honey. (Either leave off the chocolate chips or use a dairy-free/vegan version.)

You can cut these into 10 rectangles, as shown here, or make more or fewer bars by cutting them in a 3x3 (for 9 square bars) or in a 3x4 or 4x4 pattern for smaller rectangles.

Nutrition

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