Need a quick, no-bake treat that’s allergy-friendly and perfect for breakfast on-the-go or for a lunchbox snack? Then try these maple and oat cereal bars. They’re a great breakfast option for those hectic mornings, are nut-free and are quick and easy to make.
Nut-Free and Safe for School
Finding a snack that is school-safe, nut-free, and lower in added sugar is a win for busy families. These homemade cereal bars check all those boxes, and you can feel good knowing exactly what goes into them. Use pantry staples like cereal and oats, or mix in different cereals for variety. For extra fiber and protein, add oats or a little dried milk.
Ingredients You’ll Need (and Why)
Cereal – Rice Krispies and Cheerios work best, but any cereal you have on hand works, too.
Quick or Rolled Oats – oatmeal adds fiber and additional texture to the cereal bar.
SunButter – nut-free and school-safe, SunButter acts as a binder that holds the ingredients together.
Maple Syrup – a less processed sweetener, maple syrup adds some sweetness and flavor to the cereal bars. Honey can also be used.
Vanilla – pure vanilla extract is better for enhancing the flavors in no-bake treats, but imitation vanilla extract works, too.
Nonfat Dry Milk – add protein and vitamins with instant, non-fat dry milk.
Chocolate Chips – used as a decorative element to the cereal bars, chocolate chips add a touch of flavor and richness. A nut-free chocolate candy coating can also be used.
Helpful Baking Tools
Measuring Cups and Spoons – use dry measuring cups for all dry ingredients, like the cereal and oats and a liquid measuring cup for the wet ingredients, like maple syrup. Use measuring spoons for smaller ingredients, like vanilla.
Mixing Bowls/Saucepan – use microwave-safe mixing bowls for melting ingredients and stainless steel bowls for mixing the ingredients. Or, skip the microwave and use a small one-quart saucepan to melt ingredients.
Whisk/Spatula – use a whisk or spatula to stir and mix ingredients together.
Bar Mold/Baking Pan – shape bars easily with a cereal bar mold or line a 13×9 baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal and cleanup.
Cutting Board and Knives – protect your counter with a cutting board and cut bars evenly with a large knife. Use kid-safe nylon knives for younger bakers to cut with.
Tips for Making Nut-Free No-Bake Cereal Bars
Once you make cereal bars from scratch, you may never buy them from the store again. Follow these tips for success.
- Use enough binding ingredients. The SunButter and maple syrup are the ingredients that hold the ingredients together. Without enough, the bars may crumble and not hold their shape (although they’re still delicious and can be used as a yogurt topping instead).
- Press down firmly. Pack the mixture tightly into the mold or pan so the bars hold their shape. If the mixture is sticky, wet your hands slightly to press it down.
- Chill the bars. Let bars chill for at least one to two hours before removing or cutting.
- Wrap bars. Keep cereal bars fresh by wrapping individually in plastic wrap.
How To Make Maple and Oat Cereal Bars
These maple and oat cereal bars come together with just a few simple steps. See the recipe card for detailed instructions, including exact ingredient measurements used.
1. Place the cereal and oats in a large bowl.
2. Melt the SunButter and maple syrup together.
3. Pour SunButter mixture over the cereal and coat.
4. Press firmly into bar mold or lined baking pan.
5. Melt chocolate. Drizzle over the bars and chill.
6. Once firm, wrap bars individually.
Maple & Oat Cereal Bar Variations and Allergy-Friendly Substitutions
These cereal bars are easy to customize. Use SunButter and maple syrup as your base, then try one or more of these variations:
- Change Cereal Flavors – create a new flavor by using different flavored cereals, like Chocolate Cheerios or Cinnamon Chex.
- Add Chocolate – there are a couple of ways to add chocolate to these bars. Mix in ¼ cup of mini chocolate chips, use Chocolate Cheerios, or blend about ¼ cup of melted chocolate into the SunButter mixture.
- Add Warm Spices – try adding about ½ to 1 teaspoon of warm spices, like cinnamon, ginger or pumpkin spice to the dry ingredients for a seasonal flavor.
- Add Dried Fruit or Seeds – add about ¼ cup of chopped fruit, like raisins, craisins or dried apricots to the dry mixture. Or, add sunflower, chia or flax seeds for extra texture and fiber.
Allergy-Friendly Substitutions
If avoiding a certain allergen, consider the following substitutions. I suggest trying one swap at a time since this recipe has not been tested with any of these substitutions.
- Dairy-Free – replace the milk powder with a soy or rice milk powder and use dairy-free chocolate to drizzle on top of the bars.
- Gluten-Free – use certified gluten-free cereal and oats in a one-for-one swap.
- Sugar-Substitute – swap maple syrup for sugar-free maple syrup, honey or agave syrup.
Storing Cereal Bars
Cereal bars are the perfect make-ahead breakfast or snack option that, when stored properly, will remain fresh. Make sure cereal bars are completely cooled and individually wrapped before storing.
- Use Airtight Containers. Place individually wrapped cereal bars into an airtight container or a storage bag for added freshness.
- In the Fridge. Wrapped cereal bars are best when stored in the refrigerator, keeping them firm and fresh. Refrigerated cereal bars are best consumed within one week. Freeze for longer storage.
- In the Freezer. Freeze wrapped bars for up to one month. Wrap bars individually and store in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature before eating.
More Bars and Nut-Free Treats
These allergy-friendly, no-bake maple and oat cereal bars are quick and easy to make. For other school-safe, nut-free breakfasts, try making a batch of Nut-Free Granola Bars or try my Easy Baked Oatmeal which can be made in cupcake form for another grab and go breakfast option. Or, give these Nut-Free Energy Bites a try for a delicious after-school snack. If you try any, leave a rating and let me know what you think.
Maple & Oats Cereal Bars
Ingredients
- 3-1/2 (98g) cups cereal (a mix of Rice Krispies and Cheerios were used)
- 1/2 (50g) cup quick oats
- 3/4 (194g) cups sun butter
- 1/2 (161g) cup maple syrup
- 1/2 (2g) tsp vanilla
- 1/2 (50g) cup instant nonfat dry milk
- 1/4 (38g) cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
Instructions
- Mix the cereal and oats together in a large bowl and set aside.
- Using a microwave-safe bowl, combine the SunButter and maple syrup and heat in 30 second increments, stirring and repeating until smooth. Or, use a saucepan and heat the SunButter and maple syrup together in a saucepan on a low flame; stir together until smooth.
- Once mixture is heated through and smooth, stir in the vanilla and the instant dry milk.
- Pour the melted mixture over the cereal and oats. Mix to coat well.
- If using a cereal bar mold, take about ¼ cup of mixture and press into each cavity until all are filled. If you don’t have a mold, press the mixture into a 9x13 pan.
- Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips or candy melts. Drizzle over the bars.
- Allow cereal bars to firm up in the refrigerator for about one hour. Once firm, remove bars from the mold or from your baking pan. Cut into rectangles if a baking pan was used.
- Individually wrap each bar and store in the refrigerator for up to one week for a quick grab-and-go breakfast.
Notes
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These look good. Usually the recipes I see have a million ingredients I never heard of or have on hand. These are regular, though I would use peanut butter probably instead of sun butter. I’m always looking for ways to get my picky eater to eat and school lunches are the hardest. Thanks for the recipe.
These look so good! I love that there are minimal ingredients, it makes life so much easier.