Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios Cups Easy No Bake Dessert

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios Cups

These Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios Cups are quick and easy, and they need just a few simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. The whole recipe comes down to 5 things: Cheerios cereal, dark chocolate, organic coconut oil, peanut butter and organic brown rice syrup.

If you are a busy parent, a student, or someone who wants a sweet treat without turning on the oven, this is the kind of recipe that earns a permanent spot in your rotation.

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I make a batch on Sunday evening and my family works through them all week. They taste rich and chocolatey, they have real crunch from the cereal, and they feel lighter than a heavy slice of cake.

You can serve them as a dessert after dinner, tuck them into a lunchbox, or grab one from the fridge on your way out the door in the morning.

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios Cups

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios Cups work as a quick dessert or snack for kids and adults, and they double as a grab and go breakfast on busy mornings. They are completely no bake, and the active work takes 15 minutes or less.

Instead of waiting hours for them to firm up in the fridge, you can freeze them for 15 minutes, so the dessert or snack is ready in about 30 minutes total.

The recipe needs only 5 ingredients: chocolate, peanut butter, coconut oil, cereal and organic brown rice syrup or honey. You can use what you have on hand, and the cups still come out great. Here is how each piece works.

• Chocolate. Dark or semi sweet chocolate both work. Chocolate chips are the easiest choice because they melt smoothly and you do not have to chop anything. The source article notes that dark chocolate is loaded with nutrients and antioxidants, and it discusses the heart health benefits that are often linked to dark chocolate.
• Coconut oil. Coconut oil is the fat that helps the cups set firm while staying soft enough to bite. The article describes coconut oil as potentially better for heart health than many other fats. If you do not have coconut oil, butter can be substituted.
• Sweetener. Organic brown rice syrup is what the original recipe uses. Honey can be used as a 1 to 1 replacement, and any favorite sticky sweetener you keep in the pantry will work. The article describes brown rice syrup and honey as good alternatives to high fructose corn syrup.
• Cereal. The recipe uses Cheerios made from whole grain oats with no artificial flavors or colors. Cheerios adds crunch without getting soggy. If you want to try something else, use another cereal that holds its crunch the same way.

One thing I love about this recipe is how forgiving it is. My daughter helps me drop the spoonfuls into the mold, and even the messy cups look great once they are chilled. Nothing needs to be precise, and nothing can really go wrong.

They are also easy to pack. A single cup is a satisfying portion for a lunchbox or an afternoon snack, and because they live in the fridge, they are ready whenever hunger shows up.

Because the cups are cold and firm, they hold up well in a lunch bag with an ice pack, and they do not melt into a mess the way a plain chocolate bar does. That makes them a smart choice for school lunches, road trips and long afternoons at a desk.

How To Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios Cups

These no bake cups are simple, and the whole thing can be done in half an hour with chilling time included. The trick is to build two separate mixtures and then layer them in the mold, so every bite has chocolate and peanut butter together.

First, melt dark chocolate with coconut oil, then stir in Cheerios until every piece is coated. In another bowl, melt peanut butter, brown rice syrup and coconut oil, then stir in the cereal. Let both mixtures cool to room temperature, stirring once or twice, so they thicken enough to hold their shape.

Next, drop a spoonful of the chocolate mixture and a spoonful of the peanut butter mixture into a silicone mold, alternating as you go. Tap the pan on the counter so the mixture settles into the cups. Freeze for 15 to 20 minutes, or until firm, then pop them out of the mold.

That is really all there is to it. The only part that takes patience is the cooling step, and it is worth it. Warm mixtures slide around in the mold and separate, while cooled mixtures hold together and give you those clean layers you see in the photos.

If you are working on the stove, keep the heat low and gentle. A soft simmer is all you need, and slow melting keeps the chocolate glossy instead of grainy.

A quick note: the freezer is your friend here. It sets the cups in about 15 minutes, so you can go from craving to dessert in one short episode of your favorite show.

Ingredients

You need two short lists, one for each layer. This is exactly what goes into a batch of 12 cups.

Keep the two layers separate as you shop and measure. Each one has its own fat and its own cereal, and the amounts are not interchangeable.

For equipment, a 12 cup silicone muffin pan sprayed with cooking spray is the tool the recipe calls for. Silicone makes it easy to push the cups out without breaking them. If you do not have one, readers of the original article confirm that cupcake liners work too, as long as you spray them with cooking spray first.

Measure the cereal loosely rather than packing it down, so the cups stay crunchy instead of dense.

On the swaps, you have some room to move. Dark or semi sweet chocolate both work, butter can stand in for coconut oil, honey can replace organic brown rice syrup at a 1 to 1 ratio, and another crunchy cereal can take the place of Cheerios.

What you should not change is the balance of wet and dry, because that is what keeps the cups firm.

Instructions

1. Prepare the pan. Spray a 12 cup silicone muffin pan with cooking spray and set it aside.
2. Make the chocolate layer. In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, combine the dark chocolate and 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the Cheerios.
3. Make the peanut butter layer. In another heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, combine the peanut butter, brown rice syrup and coconut oil. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the Cheerios.
4. Cool both mixtures. Let them come to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
5. Assemble the cups. Alternately drop spoonfuls of the chocolate and peanut butter Cheerios into the prepared pan. Tap the pan on the work surface to help the mixture settle and set.
6. Chill and store. Chill in the fridge or freezer until firm. Remove from the mold and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

If you would rather not set up a double boiler, you can melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat. The same goes for the peanut butter, rice syrup and coconut oil. Just keep the heat gentle and stir often, because chocolate can seize if it gets too hot.

The alternating spoonfuls are what create the marbled look. Do not stir the two mixtures together in the pan, because you want to see both layers. If a few cups end up mostly chocolate and a few end up mostly peanut butter, that is completely fine.

Storage is simple. Keep the finished cups in an airtight container in the fridge, and pull one out whenever you want a cold, crunchy treat.

Recipe details

Prep time is 10 minutes, and the recipe card lists a total time of 45 minutes, which includes the time the cups spend firming up in the fridge or freezer. The yield is 12 cups, and one cup is a serving. The recipe is categorized as a dessert, the cuisine is American, and the method is listed as fridge.

Source nutrition per cup:

Each cup is a satisfying snack sized portion, so one or two at a time is plenty. Serve them straight from the fridge, when they are at their firmest and crunchiest.

If you enjoy this style of no bake treat, the same site also shares White Chocolate Strawberry Cheerios Cups and No Bake Peanut Butter Granola Cups, which follow a similar idea with different flavors.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios Cups

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios Cups These Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios Cups are quick and easy, and they need just a few simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. The whole recipe comes down to 5 things: Cheerios cereal, dark chocolate, organic coconut oil, peanut butter and organic brown rice syrup.

• Total Time: 45 min
• Yield: 12 cups 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Chocolate Cheerios
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or 6.5 oz. dark chocolate-finely chopped)
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
1 ¼ cup Cheerios

Peanut Butter Cheerios
¾ cup peanut butter
3 Tablespoons organic brown rice syrup
3 Tablespoons organic coconut oil
1 ¼ cup Cheerios

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Instructions

1-Spray 12 cup silicon muffin pan with: Spray 12 cup silicon muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2-In a heat proof bowl set over: In a heat proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water combine dark chocolate and 2 Tbsp. of coconut oil. Stir until it’s completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in Cheerios. (optionally you can melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave or in a sauce pan over low heat)
3-In another heath proof bowl over a: In another heath proof bowl over a pan of simmering water combine peanut butter, dark corn syrup and coconut oil. Stir until it’s completely melted and smooth. (optionally you can melt peanut butter, rice syrup and coconut oil in the microwave or in a sauce pan over low heat) Remove from heat and stir in Cheerios.
4-Cool both mixture to a room temperature: Cool both mixture to a room temperature stirring occasionally.
5-To assemble the cups, alternately drop spoonful: To assemble the cups, alternately drop spoonful of chocolate and peanut butter Cheerios in prepared pan. Tap the pan onto working surface to help the mixture to set.
6-Chill in the fridge or freezer until: Chill in the fridge or freezer until firm. Remove from the mold and store in and air-tight container in the fridge.

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• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 0 min
• Method: no_cook

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup
• Calories: 274
• Sugar: 16.4 g
• Sodium: 102.3 mg
• Fat: 23.3 g
• Carbohydrates: 19.5 g
• Protein: 5.5 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg