No Bake M&M Granola Bars

Name: No Bake M&M Granola Bars
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/4 cup unsalted butter; 1/4 cup honey; 1/3 cup brown sugar; 2 cups quick oats; 1 cup Rice Krispies cereal; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips; 1/2 cup mini M&M’s; 1/2 cup mini marshmallow bits

By Jocelyn · PUBLISHED June 25, 2020 · UPDATED September 19, 2020 · 38 Comments

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A pan of these No Bake M&M Granola Bars can be on your counter in minutes. These homemade granola bars are so easy to make, and you can use different mix-ins every time you make them.

We are under an extreme heat advisory here in Florida. So, no bake recipes are on repeat all week long.

I decided to clean out the pantry and make some granola bars with whatever I found. Our kids eat granola bars like they are going out of style, so I decided that making my own is cheaper and better than the processed ones I have been feeding them.

I’m not sure if I will ever buy another box from the store again! These were so delicious and easy to make!

Usually when I’m craving something sweet and no bake, I make these Skinny Peanut Butter Granola Bites. They never last long either. But this week I was on a mission for homemade granola bars.

I love being able to throw whatever I have in my cupboard at the time for new varieties! I’m thinking a peanut butter cup version needs to happen ASAP! Right?

I had fun digging through the baskets in our pantry for goodies to use up. I came out with mini M&M’s, mini chocolate chips, and mini marshmallow bits!

You really can use just about anything though.

Granola Bar Mix-ins:

Dried Fruits – cranberries, raisins, banana chips,
Freeze Dried Fruits – strawberries, raspberries, blueberries
Cookies – Oreos, chocolate chip cookies, Nutter Butters
Nuts & Seeds – walnuts, pecans, peanuts, pepitas, sunflower seeds, chia seeds
Candy – Reese’s Pieces, peanut butter cups, M&M’s
Spreads – peanut butter, Biscoff, Nutella, almond butter
Others – toffee bits, pretzels, caramel bits

These homemade granola bars were fantastic, and I can’t wait to make more versions.

How to make No Bake M&M Granola Bars:

Stir together the oats and cereal in a large bowl and set aside. (full recipe at bottom of post)
Heat butter, brown sugar, and honey in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir until melted and mixture begins to bubble.
Let simmer for 1-2 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
Pour over oat mixture and stir until everything is coated. Let cool 5-7 minutes.
Stir in chocolate chips, mini marshmallow bits, and mini M&M’s.
Press firmly in a buttered 8×8 pan. Use wax paper to press it down firmly.
Sprinkle the top with additional toppings and press in. Let cool completely.
Place pan in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours; remove and cut into 10 bars.

How do homemade granola bars keep their shape?

Use a piece of wax paper and press down on the mixture very firmly. The harder you press them into the pan will help them stay firm later.
Let the mixture cool completely before cutting it into ten even bars. Store in a tightly sealed container on the counter or in the fridge.

These are a soft granola bar if you keep them out on the counter.

PRO TIP: If you would like a harder granola bar, keep the pan of bars in the refrigerator.

More no bake granola bar recipes:

Other baked granola bars that you may like:

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