Description

These homemade cereal bars are a delicious and wholesome snack, combining the crunch of raw unsalted nuts and crisp rice cereal with the rich flavor of chocolate and natural sweetness from honey and golden syrup. Perfect for a quick energy boost or a healthy treat, they are easy to prepare and customizable with optional dark chocolate drizzle.

Ingredients

Scale

Nuts and Dry Ingredients

3 cups raw unsalted nuts (combination of cashews, pecans, peanuts, and slivered almonds)
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate (chopped)
2 cups crisp rice cereal (unsweetened, gluten free if necessary)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Wet Ingredients

3 tablespoons virgin coconut oil (melted and cooled)
3/4 cup honey (or a mix of honey and/or Lyle’s Golden Syrup, or all one or the other)

Optional Topping

2 ounces dark chocolate (chopped and melted for drizzling)

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a quarter sheet pan (a shallow rimmed 9 x 13-inch baking sheet) with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside to prepare for baking.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, place the raw nuts, chopped unsweetened chocolate, crisp rice cereal, and kosher salt. Mix these ingredients thoroughly, breaking up any large pieces of nuts or chocolate for an even texture.
Add Wet Ingredients: Pour in the melted and cooled virgin coconut oil, along with the honey and/or Lyle’s Golden Syrup. Mix well to combine; the mixture will become very thick and sticky, which helps hold the bars together.
Transfer and Press Mixture: Spread the sticky mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Cover it with another sheet of unbleached parchment paper and press firmly to compress the mixture into an even and cohesive layer.
Remove Top Parchment: Carefully remove the top sheet of parchment, keeping the compressed mixture intact in the pan.
Bake: Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the mixture is lightly browned and bubbling, indicating it is properly cooked and set.
Cool Slightly: Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool for approximately 10 minutes to slightly firm up before slicing.
Score Bars: Without removing the bars from the baking sheet, use a bench scraper or butter knife to slice the mixture into bars. Cut down the length in the center and then across into two rows of seven bars each, creating 14 bars total.
Chill Bars: Place the baking sheet with the sliced bars in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes or in the freezer for 5 minutes until completely chilled and firm.
Separate and Decorate: Once chilled, separate the bars along the scored lines. If desired, drizzle with the optional melted dark chocolate and allow the chocolate to set. Serve immediately or store the bars in the refrigerator or freezer for freshness.

Notes

For nut-free options, substitute nuts with seeds such as pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
Ensure the coconut oil is completely melted and cooled slightly before mixing to prevent melting the chocolate prematurely.
The bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 3 months.
Use gluten-free rice cereal to make the recipe suitable for gluten intolerant diets.
Drizzling with dark chocolate is optional but adds a rich flavor and attractive finish.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Snack
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bar (approx. 50g)
Calories: 220 kcal
Sugar: 14 g
Sodium: 50 mg
Fat: 15 g
Saturated Fat: 6 g
Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 18 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: cereal bar, homemade snack, nut bars, chocolate cereal bars, gluten free snack, healthy energy bar