With only three ingredients, this simple cocoa puff cereal bars recipe is a quick, fun way to have an easy treat that is perfect for a chocolate lover, a school snack, or a bout of childhood nostalgia.
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These cocoa puff cereal bars are one of the quickest and easiest no bake desserts.
They are relatively inexpensive to make, travel really well, and are a quick snack that’ll satisfy your sweet tooth.
Ingredients
This cocoa puff cereal bars recipe only has three ingredients.
Cocoa Puffs Cereal
This chocolate cereal makes the best crispy treats.
It handles the gooey marshmallow well, so the cereal bars maintain their satisfying crunch while also being chewy, gooey, and delicious.
For more cereal recipes, check out:
- Fruit Loops Bars
- Fruity Pebbles Cookies
- Fruity Pebbles Bars
Marshmallows
I highly recommend using FRESH Jet-Puffed Mini Marshmallows.
I have had terrible experiences with old and store-brand marshmallows.
Jet-Puffed Mini Marshmallows are different. They always melt quickly and smoothly.
Butter
I like to use salted butter in this recipe to balance and enhance the flavors of these no bake bars.
Optional Additions
- Melt chocolate chips and drizzle the chocolate on top of the bars for an extra chocolate-y treat.
- Or melt peanut butter and drizzle that on top. Peanut butter is a great addition to anything chocolate.
- You could even mix some peanut butter chips (about a 1/2 cup) into the marshmallow mixture.
How to Make Cocoa Puff Treats
These cereal treats are made like traditional rice krispie treats.
First, melt the butter in a medium-large pot on the stove over medium-low heat.
Add the marshmallows. Stir frequently until melted.
Once melted, remove from heat and add the cereal. Stir until all of the cereal is coated in the melted marshmallows.
Pour the cereal mixture into a prepared pan. (I used a 9 inch pan for the treats pictured.)
You can gently press the mixture into the pan. But, don’t press too hard though. That can create compact, hard treats. For the BEST cocoa puff treats, be gentle.
Allow to cool completely, slice, then serve!
Are cocoa puff cereal bars gluten free?
Unfortunately, cocoa puff cereal bars are not gluten free.
The box of Cocoa Puffs, by General Mills, says it may contain wheat ingredients.
Post Cocoa Pebbles is a gluten-free chocolate cereal though!
You can use Cocoa Pebbles instead of Cocoa Puffs in this recipe for a special treat that is gluten free and still full of chocolate flavor!
Most popular brands of marshmallows in the United States are gluten free, but I’d still check the labels.
As I said above, Jet-Puffed Mini Marshmallows are the best marshmallows to use in this cocoa puff cereal bars recipe. They’re also gluten free.
How many calories are in a cocoa puff cereal bar?
This recipe, when made in a 9” x 9” baking pan, yields about 16 squares (depending on the size you cut them).
Which means there are about 125 calories in one cocoa puff cereal bar square.
How long do these cereal treats last?
When stored in an airtight container at room temperature, these cocoa puff treats can last up to 5 days.
Cocoa Puff Cereal Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp Butter salted
- 10 oz Mini Marshmallows
- 6 cups Cocoa Puffs Cereal
Instructions
- Prepare a 9” x 9” baking pan with cooking spray, oil, or parchment paper.
- In a medium-large sauce pan, melt butter over medium-low heat.
- Add marshmallows. Stir frequently until melted.
- Once melted, remove from heat.
- Add cereal. Mix until completely coated.
- Pour cereal mixture into the prepared pan. Gently press mixture into the pan.
- Allow to cool completely.
- Slice into squares and enjoy!!
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