Easy Peanut Butter Puffed Rice Bars, Or DIY Full Bars Part 2
Last summer, I wrote how to make your own “Full Bars,” a copycat recipe of the expensive but popular pre-packaged bar. I think it’s ironic that something made with such simple ingredients can be so expensive when it’s pre-packaged..
Fast forward to a few weekends ago and 2Chili asked for a snack bar that would be filling and tasty for long bike rides. That initial Full Bar copycat was the foundation for this bar, which is all kinds of tasty and so easy to make. They’re a little more diverse than those original Full Bar copycats, as these serve a slightly different purpose but will actually have a similar effect – they fill you up!
You can use this recipe as a foundation and swap in things you like, or even add to it. Just remember to add more peanut butter and/or brown rice syrup if you add a lot of dry ingredients – you will need them as the binder. For what it’s worth, I wouldn’t use honey as a substitute for the brown rice syrup. It would taste good but doesn’t provide enough stickiness to hold the bars together.
Peanut Butter Puffed Rice Bars
Makes 9 squares
- 4 cups puffed rice cereal
- 1 cup dried fruit (I used cranberries)
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)
- 1/4 cup chia seeds (or any seeds you like)
- 1/2 cup organic peanut butter
- 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
Method:
- Spray an 8×8 sheet pan and set aside
- In a large bowl, combine puffed rice, dried fruit, nuts, and seeds
- In a medium sauce pan, combine peanut butter, and brown rice syrup and warm over low/medium heat until smooth, stirring constantly
- Pour melted mixture over the puffed rice cereal and combine (quickly)
- Pour coated cereal into pan and press firmly to smooth out into an even consistency
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before cutting into bars (you do not have to store them in the refrigerator)
Nutrition
Based on 9 total bars – you could make smaller bars and make them more like little snacks!
