Rice Krispie Breakfast Bars

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These Rice Krispie breakfast bars are light, sweet and a little crunchy. They’re perfect for hitting the spot for starting the day on the run or as a mid-morning snack! You’ll love them because they’re easy, no-bake and delicious!

Squares of cereal bars on greaseproof paper

These no-bake fruity Rice Krispie breakfast bars are a great simple and easy way to start any day.

How do you spend your Saturday mornings?

A leisurely breakfast and a potter around the shops, or does all chaos break out as there’s no set routine?

At this end, they usually involve rummaging through recipe books, kitchen cupboards and the back of the fridge as I get to grips with the meal plan before braving the supermarket!

Don’t roll your eyes and think “Oh you’re one of those…” Meal planning has been a complete game-changer for me. But as much as I plan, breakfast is always the hardest.

You see I’m a grab and go, eat on the way, kinda breakfast girl and a bowl of overnight oats isn’t going to work for me.

Rice Krispie cereal bar with dried fruit wrapped in baking paper

Rice Krispie breakfast bars FTW!

I’m sure I’m not the only one out there that struggles to find something for breakfast that I really, truly do want to eat. So this recipe is for you guys too…

Tell me, who doesn’t like a Rice Krispie square?

Crispy, crunchy cereal and sweet marshmallow; for breakfast, a snack or even cake decoration, they’re pretty versatile. And they’re so easy to make yourself.

All you need are a few simple ingredients and you’ve got a great breakfast or mid-morning snack, that needs absolutely no baking!

Puffed rice cereal and dried fruit on a silver spoon

Are these breakfast bars healthy?

I’m not going to sugar-coat this and say ‘yes, they’re the healthiest breakfast out there’ because to be honest, they’re not.

But they are a homemade version of similar cereal bars that you can pick up in the supermarket, that one glance at the ingredients list will show you that they’re full of all sorts of preservatives, additives and added sugar.

At least when you’re making these at home you know exactly what you’re putting into them and how much sugar they have. So they’re actually a healthier choice.

Rice Krispie breakfast bars wrapped in paper ready to take away

What ingredients do I need?

So, what do you need to make these homemade breakfast bars, that taste delicious and are so easy to make…

  • Rice Krispies – Our star ingredient! The cereal gives the bars the light and crunchy texture, and are the reason they are so easy to make.
  • Dried Fruit – these pack a sweetness punch and add that fabulous flavour. I’ve used cranberries, blueberries, sultanas and apricots, but keep reading down for some more flavour ideas.
  • Golden Syrup or Light Corn Syrup – this is the main sweetener in the recipe and helps to hold everything together.
  • Unsalted Butter – this stops the bars becoming too sticky
  • Caster or Superfine Sugar – just a little!
  • Vanilla Extract – for a little extra flavour.

Can I use fresh fruit instead?

I wouldn’t recommend it!

The issue when using fresh fruit, as nice as it sounds, is that the juice! And with all that extra liquid added to the mixture, you are going to end up with mushy Rice Krispie breakfast bars. And no one likes mushy cereal.

How to make Rice Krispie breakfast bars?

This is possibly one of the simplest breakfast bar recipes out there. One bowl, one pan and less than 15 minutes to prepare.

To get started, you’ll need a large mixing bowl and sturdy wooden spoon or spatula for mixing everything together. Add your Rice Krispies and dried fruit and give them a mix until all combined.

In a small saucepan, melt together butter, Golden or Light Corn syrup, vanilla extract with a little sugar. Bring these all to the boil and let them bubble for 1 minute.

Next, pour your syrup mixture over the cereal, and mix it all together, making sure everything gets coated. Then pour into a lined baking tray – I use a brownie tin for the perfect sized bars.

Then pop the tray into the fridge to set for 4 hours. When the bars have firmed up, cut them into pieces and enjoy!

How simple is that!?!

How do you stop them from crumbling?

There’s nothing worse than picking up your breakfast bar to have it fall apart into tiny pieces, just as you’re poised to take a bite. Not good on any scale, especially when you’re eating breakfast on the run!

I’m not getting at the breakfast bar here, they are super easy to make but they do crumble easily. So here are my own tips to help keep them firm:

  • Pack it in – when adding the mixture into the brownie tray, remember to pack it tightly. I use a cup to gently push down to get a firm structure. Just don’t push too hard otherwise you’ll crush the Rice Krispies. This will help them hold their shape but be warned, they may still crumble.
  • Freeze it – if you want to make sure your bars don’t crumble, then the best way is to freeze them, wrapped in greaseproof paper and in a sealed container. Just remember to take them out about 15 minutes before you want to eat them… your teeth will thank you for it!
Cereal bars packed with dried fruit

How long do Rice Krispie breakfast bars keep?

If you don’t eat these all at once, and you have some left, then the best place to store them is in an air-tight container, and preferably in the fridge to keep them set.

If they’re kept in the fridge, these should keep for 5 to 10 days; so you can make a batch to see you through the week – if you can resist them for that long!

Alternatively, you can wrap them in greaseproof paper and store them in a container in the freezer. Just remember that you’ll need to take them out about 10 to 15 minutes before you want to eat them… for your teeth’s sake!

Adapting the recipe

The beauty of these Rice Krispie breakfast bars is that ultimately you can add whatever you want into them. So if you have a really sweet tooth and aren’t a fan of dried fruit, why not adapt it…

  • Go tropical – Switch the fruit for dried mango and pineapple, and banana chips. A handful of shredded coconut and some chopped nuts, almonds or hazelnuts, will transport you to your own paradise island for breakfast.
  • Sow the seeds – if you’re not a nut fan or have a nut allergy like me, skip the nuts and add seeds instead for some extra crunch. Pumpkin and sunflower work perfectly.
  • All about chocolate – there’s nothing stopping you from adding chocolate into these breakfast bars, in fact, chocolate is my favourite tweak. Try adding chocolate chips and a tablespoon of cocoa powder to the Golden Syrup mix.
  • For your sweet tooth – if you can’t get enough sweetness, even for breakfast, then why not add mini marshmallows into your breakfast bar mix.
Rice Krispie Breakfast Bars on grease proof paper

More easy no bake recipes to try

If you liked this Rice Krispie breakfast bars recipe here are some other recipes that I think you’d enjoy…

Rice Breakfast Breakfast Bars

Rice Krispie Breakfast Bars

5 from 4 votes
Serves : 12 bars
These no-bake fruity Rice Krispie breakfast bars are a great simple and easy way to start any day.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Chilling Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients
 

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl, add the Rice Krispies and dried cranberries, blueberries, sultanas and apricots. Mix everything together and make a well in the centre.
  • In a small saucepan, add the Golden Syrup, butter, vanilla extract and caster sugar. Over medium heat, melt the ingredients and bring to the boil for 1 minute whilst continuing to stir gently.
  • Add the melted mixture to the Rice Krispies mixture and combine everything together making sure that all the mixture is coated with the warm syrup.
  • Line a brownie tray with greaseproof paper and pour in the Rice Krispie mixture.
  • With the back of a spoon, press down on the mixture to keep it together, pushing into the corners. You can also use a glass, but be careful not to crush the cereal.
  • Leave the mixture to set in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
  • Cut into 12 pieces and keep in the fridge ready to grab and go in the morning!

Notes

This Rice Krispie breakfast bars will keep in the fridge for 5 to 10 days. Alternatively, you can wrap them in greaseproof paper and store them in a container in the freezer. Just remember that you’ll need to take them out about 10 to 15 minutes before you want to eat them… for your teeth’s sake!

Nutrition

Calories: 108kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 75mgPotassium: 71mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 936IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 4mg

DISCLAIMER

The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

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Hi I’m Lou

… Dessert obsessed baker, busy 9-to-5er, and the recipe developer and photographer behind Crumbs and Corkscrews. Based in the UK, I live in the beautiful Cotswolds. I’m so glad to have you here with me and I can’t wait for you to start trying some of my recipes.

5 thoughts on “Rice Krispie Breakfast Bars”

  1. 5 stars
    These sound like a lovely breakfast – I’m sure my kids would love these. Thanks for linking to my porridge bars x

    • Thanks Mandy! These certainly go down well with kids, and big ones with a sweet tooth, like me. And my pleasure, the porridge bars sounds fantastic!

  2. 5 stars
    Ooh these sound so good. I love rice crispy bars and will have to try your version with dried fruit next time I make some. I’m so tempted to rush off to the kitchen now to do it now.

    • Thank you Choclette! Rice Krispie bars are one of my favourites, especially full of mini marshmallows, The dried fruit make these a little healthier but still have the sweetness. They’re great as a snack as well as a grab and go breakfast.

  3. 5 stars
    Fabulous cereal bars for breakfast treats!

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