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    Home » Recipes » Brownies & Bars

    Rainbow Cereal Bars {3 Ingredients}

    Published: May 30, 2024 · Modified: Jun 23, 2024 by Abeer Rizvi · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

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    Quick and easy cereal bars recipe, homemade with 3 simple ingredients. These no bake rainbow bars are full of Froot Loops and marshmallows. Perfect for rainbow parties or St.Patrick's Day.

    Stack of Easy Cereal Bars With Rainbow Froot Loops.

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    These are actually a spin on the classic rice krispie bars. Truth be told, I am not too crazy about Rice Krispie Treats because their texture is soft and soggy sometimes but these treats have a totally different texture. They are crispy and crunchy unlike the classic, which are soft and chewy.

    These would also be great for serving at rainbow themed birthday parties or even St.Patrick's Day. If you are fond of using cereal in desserts and snacks, be sure to try these No Bake Breakfast Muffins or these Easy Cereal Cookies (With Froot Loops) and even this Easy Cereal Cake {With Trix}.

    Jump to:
    • Key ingredients
    • Variations
    • Add-ins for marshmallow bars
    • How to make easy cereal bars recipe from scratch?
    • Tips and techniques
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Storage
    • More no bake bars
    • Recipe

    Key ingredients

    • Butter- Make sure it's unsalted.
    • Cereal- Fruit Loops is the perfect choice, especially if you are going for a bright and colorful theme.
    • Marshmallows- Min size and vanilla flavor is best.
    • Sprinkles- These are optional but make the end result so colorful and pretty.

    Variations

    • Use other cereals- Such as Honey Grahams, Cocoa Puffs, Reese's puffs, Cheerios, Fruity Pebbles, or Lucky Charms.
    • Add a drizzle- Such as a white, milk, or dark chocolate drizzle on top of the bars.
    • Add an extract- Such as vanilla extract to enhance the flavor more.
    • Spread frosting on top of each bar- Try Pink Maraschino Cherry Frosting or Funfetti Frosting (Sprinkle Frosting).
    • Use shaped cutters- Like stars, circles, or another shape to match the theme of your event.
    • Mix in some nut butter- Such as peanut, almond, sunflower, or cashew butter.
    • Use flavored marshmallows- Such as strawberry, or other fruit flavors that would go well with the fruit loops cereal.
    • Add a drizzle on top of each bar- This could be from Chocolate Ganache or even Powdered Sugar Glaze (Vanilla Cake Glaze).
    Closeup Shot of Rainbow Bar on White Mable Background.

    Add-ins for marshmallow bars

    • Chocolate chips- Mini white chocolate chips would be delicious.
    • Chopped up candy bars- Such as Twix, m&ms, Kit Kats, or another favorite. You can even chop up my Homemade Chocolate Bars.
    • Nuts- Such as chopped peanuts, cashews, or almonds.
    • Finely chopped dried fruits- Such as apricots, mangoes, cherries, or blueberries.
    • Sprinkles- Use colorful pearls, jimmies, or themed ones such as stars, rainbows, etc.
    • Marshmallows- I know it seems redundant, but add in some mini marshmallows when you mix in the cereal. This allows there to be some unmelted marshmallows within the bars. It's a fun texture and look.
    Many Marshmallow Bars Placed on White Marble Background.

    How to make easy cereal bars recipe from scratch?

    The process is very simple. Start off by heating butter and marshmallows until mixture is smooth. Then, add cereal and mix. Spread in a large pan. Toss some sprinkles on top if you like. Chill until firm and then cut slices and enjoy.

    Butter  being heated in a large nonstick pot.

    1. Heat butter- In a large nonstick pan until fully melted.

    Marshmallows added to the melted butter in a large nonstick pot.

    2. Add marshmallows- And mix.

    Smooth marshmallow mixture in nonstick pot.

    3. Continue mixing- Until the mixture is smooth.

    Froot Loops cereal being added to nonstick pot.

    4. Remove from heat- And quickly add Froot Loops cereal.

    Cereal being mixed with melted marshmallow mixture in nonstick pot.

    5. Mix- Until cereal is fully coated.

    Sticky cereal mixture being added to a greased pan.

    6: Add to pan- This should be lined and greased to prevent sticking.

    Sticky mixture being spread evenly with a spatula in rectangle pan.

    7. Spread mixture- Use a spatula to spread it evenly.

    Slices of chilled bars on green dish.

    8. Add toppings- Such as sprinkles. Chill. Then, cut slices and enjoy.

    Tips and techniques

    • Pan must be sprayed very generously with oil- Or else the mixture will stick to it and not come out. It is best to oil your mixing spoon and spatula too. You will have to re-apply the oil a few times. I use a spray bottle filled with oil. Just make sure to use neutral tasting oil like canola or vegetable oil because you don't want to taste it on the bars.
    • Use a sharp knife to cut bars- I didn’t want proper square or rectangle bars but that’s something you can easily do with a sharp knife. I wanted more artistic shard-like pieces. 
    • Use unsalted butter- To prevent the bars from becoming too salty.
    • Chill bars before cutting- Because this allows you to make a clean cut.

    Recipe FAQs

    Why are my bars so sticky?

    Too much marshmallows were probably added and not enough butter. You need to measure the ingredients properly. Don't eyeball anything.

    Why didn't my bars set?

    The most common reason for this is that they were not chilled long enough.

    Storage

    • Room temperature- Store in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
    • Refrigerate- Store in a sealed container for up to 1 week but you need to let them come to room temperature to become soft and ooey gooey again.
    • Freeze- In a freezer safe container for up to 1 month. Once the bars are cool, cut and place them in a sealed airtight container, making sure the layers are separated by wax paper. When you are ready to serve them, let them thaw at room temperature for 1 hour and dig in.
    • Make ahead Instructions- These can be made 1 day in advance, and stored in a sealed container at room temperature.

    More no bake bars

    • No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
    • Date Bars or Squares (No Bake)
    • Chocolate Covered Graham Crackers (No Bake)
    • Smores Bars (No Bake)
    • Rainbow Cereal Balls (No Bake)

    Recipe

    Stack of Easy Cereal Bars With Rainbow Froot Loops.

    Easy Cereal Bars (Rainbow Bars)

    Abeer Rizvi
    Quick and easy cereal bars recipe, homemade with 3 simple ingredients. These no bake rainbow bars are full of Froot Loops and marshmallows. Perfect for rainbow parties or St.Patrick's Day!
    4.50 from 2 ratings
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Chill time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 Bars
    Calories 216 kcal

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    Ingredients
      

    • ⅓ cup Butter Unsalted
    • 6 cups Mini marshmallows I used the equivalent of large marshmallows
    • 8 cups Cereal Such as Froot Loops
    • 1 tablespoon Sprinkles Optional, For topping

    Instructions
     

    • Heat butter in a large nonstick pot until fully melted.
    • Add marshmallows and mix until the mixture is smooth and white.
    • Remove from heat and add cereal.
    • Mix until cereal is fully coated.
    • Spread mixture evenly in a 9x13 rectangular pan with a rubber spatula that's been greased generously with oil or butter to prevent sticking. Make sure your pan is lined with wax paper and also sprayed with oil.
    • Toss sprinkles on top if you like. This is optional.
    • Chill mixture for about 1 hour in the refrigerator until firm.
    • Remove from pan and use a sharp knife to cut slices. Enjoy.

    Video

    Notes

    • Use any other cereal you like for a different flavor profile.
    • Other toppings include nuts, shredded coconut, variety of sprinkles, crushed Oreos. 
    • Make sure your pan is lined and greased to prevent sticking and mess.
    • Similarly, make sure to grease your spatula heavily when spreading mixture in pan to prevent everything from sticking to it.
    • Use flavored marshmallows if you like.
    • Read additional tips and variations above.
    • Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 216kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 3gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 205mgPotassium: 145mgFiber: 5gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 824IUCalcium: 14mgIron: 8mg

    An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. jessie

      June 22, 2017 at 6:32 pm

      These look so perfect. Unicorn approved! I know this post is from a while ago but it's new to me! 5 stars

      Reply
    2. Vicki

      December 18, 2017 at 6:33 am

      Do these treats need to be refrigerated?4 stars

      Reply
      • Abeer Rizvi

        December 18, 2017 at 1:26 pm

        You can refrigerate them if you like but it's really not necessary. Put them in a container or Ziploc bag at room temperature and your should be fine.

        Reply
    4.50 from 2 votes

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    Hello, I'm Abeer Rizvi, the author and founder of CakeWhiz.com—a cherished dessert blog dedicated to baking, cake decorating, doctored cake mix recipes, and all things sweet. As a skilled food writer, baker, recipe developer, and cake decorator, I take pride in wearing multiple hats.

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