Quick and easy cereal bars you can make at home with just three ingredients. These no-bake rainbow bars are loaded with Froot Loops and marshmallows, giving a colorful, crunchy treat that’s perfect for rainbow-themed parties or St. Patrick’s Day.
These rainbow cereal bars are a fun twist on classic rice krispie treats. Unlike the softer, sometimes soggy texture of traditional Rice Krispie treats, these bars stay crisp and crunchy thanks to the cereal-to-marshmallow ratio. They’re easy to customize and ideal for any celebration where bright, playful desserts are welcome.
Key ingredients
- Butter – Use unsalted butter to control the salt level.
- Cereal – Fruit Loops give the brightest color and playful fruity flavor, but other cereals work well too.
- Marshmallows – Mini marshmallows or the mini-sized equivalent of large marshmallows in vanilla flavor melt smoothly and bind the bars.
- Sprinkles – Optional, but they add extra color and make the bars look festive.
Variations
- Swap cereals – Try Cocoa Puffs, Fruity Pebbles, Cheerios, Reese’s Puffs or Lucky Charms for different flavors and textures.
- Top with a drizzle – Finish with melted white, milk or dark chocolate for extra richness.
- Add flavor – A splash of vanilla extract in the marshmallow mixture enhances the taste.
- Frosting or cutters – Spread frosting on cooled bars or use cookie cutters for themed shapes.
- Mix-ins – Stir in mini chocolate chips, chopped candy bars, nuts, dried fruit or extra mini marshmallows for texture contrast.
Add-ins for marshmallow bars
- Chocolate chips – Mini white or milk chocolate chips work well.
- Chopped candy – Twix, M&M’s, Kit Kats or chopped homemade chocolate add a sweet crunch.
- Nuts – Chopped peanuts, cashews or almonds for added texture.
- Dried fruit – Finely chopped apricots, cherries or mango pair nicely with fruity cereal.
- Extra marshmallows – A few mini marshmallows folded in after coating the cereal give pockets of soft marshmallow in the finished bars.
How to make easy cereal bars from scratch
Making these cereal bars is straightforward: melt the butter, stir in the marshmallows until smooth, remove from heat and quickly fold in the cereal until everything is coated. Press the mixture into a prepared pan, add sprinkles if desired, chill until firm, then slice and serve.
1. Heat butter – Melt unsalted butter in a large nonstick pot over low heat.
2. Add marshmallows – Stir in marshmallows until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy.
3. Smooth mixture – Continue stirring until fully combined and smooth.
4. Add cereal – Remove the pot from heat and quickly fold in the cereal so pieces stay crisp.
5. Mix – Stir gently until the cereal is evenly coated with the marshmallow mixture.
6. Transfer to pan – Press the mixture into a lined and generously greased 9×13 pan to prevent sticking.
7. Spread – Use an oiled spatula to spread the mixture evenly and press it down firmly.
8. Chill and serve – Add sprinkles if desired, chill until firm (about 1 hour), then remove from the pan and slice with a sharp knife.
Tips and techniques
- Grease the pan and utensils well – Spray or oil the pan, spatula and spoon to prevent the sticky mixture from clinging. Reapply if needed while working.
- Use a sharp knife – Chill the bars thoroughly before cutting for clean edges; a warm, sharp knife gives the best results.
- Unsalted butter – Keeps the flavor balanced without adding extra salt.
- Don’t skip chilling – Allow enough refrigeration time so bars set firmly and are easier to slice.
Recipe FAQs
If the bars are overly sticky, the marshmallow-to-butter ratio may be off. Measure ingredients accurately—too many marshmallows or too little butter can make the mixture sticky and hard to set.
Most often, they need more chill time. Refrigerate until firm before cutting.
Storage
- Room temperature – Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerate – Keep in a sealed container for up to 1 week. Let bars come to room temperature before serving to regain a softer texture.
- Freeze – Layer cooled, cut bars with wax paper between them in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour before serving.
- Make ahead – You can prepare these a day in advance and store at room temperature in a sealed container.
More no bake bars
- No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
- Date Bars or Squares (No Bake)
- Chocolate Covered Graham Crackers (No Bake)
- S’mores Bars (No Bake)
- Rainbow Cereal Balls (No Bake)
Recipe
Easy Cereal Bars (Rainbow Bars)
Abeer Rizvi
Video
Pin Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from CakeWhiz
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup Butter Unsalted
- 6 cups Mini marshmallows Or 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 glossy.
- Remove from heat and add cereal. Fold gently to coat.
- Spread the mixture evenly in a lined and generously greased 9×13 pan. Grease your spatula to prevent sticking.
- Sprinkle with sprinkles if desired.
- Chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour or until firm.
- Remove from the pan and use a sharp knife to cut into bars. Enjoy.
Notes
- Switch the cereal to change flavor and color.
- Try toppings like nuts, shredded coconut, crushed cookies or extra sprinkles.
- Line and grease your pan well to prevent sticking, and grease utensils used to press the mixture.
- Flavored marshmallows add a fun twist.
- Store leftovers in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
An automated tool calculated the nutrition information; it may not be exact.