Reese’s Puffs Cereal Bars (No Bake, 5 Ingredients)
Reese’s Puffs cereal bars made with melted marshmallows, peanut butter, and a splash of vanilla, pressed into a 9×9 pan and topped with mini Reese’s chips. No bake, 16 squares.
Measure everything before you turn the stove on. I mean it, every ingredient in a bowl on the counter, pan already greased, spatula in hand. Marshmallow mixture waits for nobody, and the difference between bars that press evenly and bars that fight you is about ninety seconds of prep you did or didn’t do beforehand.
Reese’s Puffs cereal bars are the chocolate peanut butter cereal stirred into melted butter, peanut butter, and mini marshmallows, then pressed into a pan and left to set. This version adds vanilla to the marshmallow mixture and mini Reese’s chips pressed into the top, makes 16 squares in a 9×9 pan, and sets at room temperature in about an hour.
I posted these in August 2024. They’re a rice krispie treat with a better cereal, and I’m not going to pretend there’s more to it than that.
For more of the no bake cereal treat situation, I’d also make my Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats, my Lucky Charms Rice Krispie Treats, and my Protein Peanut Butter Crunch Balls.
Ingredients You’ll Need
(Amounts are in the recipe card below. These are my notes on why each one is in there.)
- Reese’s Puffs cereal: the whole point. Use a fresh box, because cereal that’s been open on the counter for two weeks makes bars that taste stale no matter what else you do right.
- Mini marshmallows: minis melt faster and more evenly than the big ones. Also use a fresh bag. Marshmallows that have gone firm in the cupboard don’t melt smooth, they melt lumpy.
- Unsalted butter: melts first and keeps the marshmallow from catching on the bottom of the pot.
- Creamy peanut butter: goes in with the butter so it’s fully incorporated before the marshmallows hit. This is the ingredient that takes these past a standard cereal bar.
- Vanilla extract: one teaspoon, off the heat. It rounds out the sweetness and nobody else making this recipe bothers with it.
- Mini Reese’s peanut butter chips: optional, but I never skip them. Pressed into the top while the bars are still warm so they stick.
How to Make Reese’s Puffs Cereal Bars
- Grease a 9×9 pan or line it with parchment, and measure out every other ingredient before you start. This is the step people skip and regret.
- Melt the butter and peanut butter together in a large pot over low heat until smooth.
- Add the mini marshmallows and stir constantly until they’re completely melted with no rounded shapes left.
- Take the pot off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Add the cereal and fold gently until every puff is coated. Gently, because you want whole puffs, not crumbs.
- Tip it into the pan and press it in with a greased spatula or greased hands.
- Scatter the mini Reese’s chips over the top and press them down so they set into the surface.
- Leave at room temperature about an hour until firm, then cut into 16 squares.
Tips Before You Start
- Work fast once the marshmallows are melted. The mixture starts setting the moment it leaves the heat, and cold marshmallow mixture will not coat cereal evenly no matter how hard you stir.
- Low heat, always. Marshmallow scorches quickly and once it does you can taste it. Low and slow with constant stirring, and pull it the second the last lumps disappear.
- Grease whatever touches the mixture. Your spatula, your hands, the back of the measuring cup. Marshmallow sticks to everything and greasing takes five seconds.
How to Store Reese’s Puffs Cereal Bars
In an airtight container at room temperature they hold about a week, though the texture is best in the first two days. After that they go chewier rather than crisp, which some people prefer.
To freeze, wrap the squares individually and put them in a freezer bag for up to a month. Thaw at room temperature for a few minutes before eating. Don’t refrigerate them, the fridge makes marshmallow bars hard and dry faster than anything else.
Reese’s Puffs Cereal Bars (No Bake, 5 Ingredients)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 6 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 cups mini Reese’s puffs cereal
- Mini chocolate chips or mini Reese's pieces optional
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9×9-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray, or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In a large pot, melt the butter and peanut butter over low heat. Once melted, add the mini marshmallows and stir constantly until they’re completely melted and smooth.
- Remove the pot from heat and quickly stir in the vanilla extract until well combined.
- Add the Reese’s Puffs cereal to the melted marshmallow mixture.
- Stir gently until all the cereal is coated evenly with the marshmallow mixture.
- Pour the cereal mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Using a spatula or lightly greased hands, press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan.
- If you’re adding mini chips or Reese's, sprinkle them evenly over the top of the bars and gently press them down so they stick.
- Let the bars cool at room temperature for about an hour, or until they’re set.
- Once cooled, cut into squares or bars and enjoy!
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is calculated based on industry-standard software and should be used as a general guide only. The information may vary depending on ingredient substitutions, cooking techniques, and individual serving sizes. It is the responsibility of the reader to ensure the accuracy and appropriateness of the nutritional information provided. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized medical or nutritional advice.
More No Bake Treats You’ll Like
- Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats
- Lucky Charms Rice Krispie Treats
- 4 Ingredient Vegan Rice Krispie Treats
- Reindeer Rice Krispie Treats
- Frozen Strawberry Peanut Butter Bark
If you make these, leave a star rating and a comment below. And if you post them, tag me @basicswithbails or use #basicswithbails.
About Bailey
I love to bake, cook, exercise, and document all of the above. Nutrition is not low fat. It is not low calorie. It’s not feeling deprived or being hungry all the time. It’s nourishing your body with real, whole foods so that you are consistently satisfied and energized to live your life to the fullest! Read more…
