Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Pinterest Twitter Instagram RSS Facebook
    Buy GO DAIRY FREE and EAT DAIRY FREE today!
    Go Dairy Free
    • Need to Know
      • Newbies Start Here!
      • Take the Challenge!
      • Dairy-Free FAQs
      • Latest News
      • Milk Allergies
      • Lactose Intolerance
      • Other Health Issues
      • Testimonials
      • Calcium Guide
      • Holidays & More
      • Best Books
      • The Community
    • Recipes
      • Recipes by Category
        • Alisa’s Recipes
        • Sarah’s Recipes
        • Appetizers
        • Beverages
        • Bread
        • Breakfast
        • Cheese Substitutes
        • Condiments & Dressings
        • Cream Substitutes
        • Desserts
        • Entrees
        • Kids Can Cook
        • Milk Substitutes
        • Pasta
        • Salad
        • Sandwiches
        • Sauces
        • Sides
        • Snacks
        • Soup
      • Full Dairy-Free Recipe Index
      • Gluten-Free Recipe Index
      • Vegan Recipe Index
    • Reviews
      • Dairy Substitutes
        • Butter
        • Cheese
        • Cream
        • Creamer
        • Dessert Toppings
        • Ice Cream
        • Ice Cream Novelties
        • Milk
        • Yogurt
        • More Kitchen Essentials
      • Sweets & Snacks
        • Protein Shakes
        • More Creamy Beverages
        • Snack & Protein Bars
        • More Snacks
        • Chocolate
        • Cookie Dough
        • Cookies & Brownies
        • Pies & Cakes
        • Pudding & Mousse
        • More Sweet Treats
      • Meal Makers
        • Baking Mixes
        • Bread Products
        • Breakfast Pastries
        • Cereal & Granola
        • Cheesy Pasta & Rice
        • Frozen Pizza
        • More Entrees
        • Dip and Spreads
        • Salad Dressing
        • Sauces
      • All Product Reviews
        • New Product Reviews!
        • Browse by Product Type
        • Full Review Index
        • Gluten-Free Review Index
        • Vegan Review Index
    • Grocery Guide
      • Alisa’s Dairy-Free Kitchen
      • Brands We Love
      • Dairy Substitutes
      • Dairy Ingredient List
      • Understanding Food Labels
      • No Dairy Product Lists
      • Ordering Specialty Foods
      • Best Grocery Stores
    • Eating Out
      • Fast Food Listings
      • Recommended Restaurants
    • My Books!
      • Go Dairy Free 2nd Edition (best seller!)
      • Eat Dairy Free 1st Edition (full color!)
      • eBooks & Printables
      • Book Supplements & Resources
    • About Us
      • Meet Us
      • Contact Us
      • Join Us
      • Work With Us
    Go Dairy Free
    You are at:Home»Dairy-Free Recipes»Alisa's Favorite Dairy-Free Recipes»Super-Friendly Trail Mix Cereal Bars (Easy, Sweet, Crispy, Chewy!)

    Super-Friendly Trail Mix Cereal Bars (Easy, Sweet, Crispy, Chewy!)

    26
    By Alisa Fleming on September 28, 2015 Alisa's Favorite Dairy-Free Recipes, Breakfast, Dairy-Free Recipes, Dairy-Free Snack Recipes

    Kind Bar meets Krispy Treat meets Granola Bar in these delicious trail mix cereal bars! And what makes them so friendly? They’re allergy-friendly (naturally free of top allergens), kid-friendly, adult-friendly, gluten-free-friendly, vegan-friendly, and just plain perfect for sharing with loved ones, schoolmates, fitness buddies, and co-workers. Anywhere you could use a sweet, nutrient-rich snack, these trail mix cereal bars have got you covered.

    Super-Friendly Trail Mix Cereal Bars - Easy, Crispy, Chewy, Sweet, and Safe! Perfect for sharing as they're top allergen-free, gluten-free, loved by kids and adults, and vegan optional.

    You might be wondering what makes these trail mix cereal bars so different from other recipes. Unlike Kind Bars, there are no nuts, and these aren’t quite as heavy, either. Krispy Treats are loaded with refined sugars and marshmallows to make them sticky, neither of which are required in these trail mix cereal bars. And finally, most chewy natural Granola Bar recipes simply fall apart or must be chilled to stay cohesive. Not these! They can be stored at room temperature and are totally packable into lunchboxes without crumbles!

    Super-Friendly Trail Mix Cereal Bars - Easy, Crispy, Chewy, Sweet, and Safe! Perfect for sharing as they're top allergen-free, gluten-free, loved by kids and adults, and vegan optional.

    What are my secrets? For the “friendly” nature, I use allergen-safe ingredients, including Enjoy Life’s Seed & Fruit Mix (aka nut-free trail mix!) and Chocolate Chips. Both are naturally vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, and totally approved for school-safe policies! I also use sunflower seed butter rather than nut butter, but as noted, this recipe is so simple that it’s easy to modify with your favorite ingredients or whatever wholesome goodies you have on hand. I just recommend against adding a bunch of soft grains, like oats, or ground seeds, like flax or chia, as they will soak up all of the moisture very quickly!

    Super-Friendly Trail Mix Cereal Bars - Easy, Crispy, Chewy, Sweet, and Safe! Perfect for sharing as they're top allergen-free, gluten-free, loved by kids and adults, and vegan optional.

    And for the amazing cohesiveness you see above, the answer is simple: a candy thermometer (I use this one). These cheap little tools are found in most grocery stores and will pay for themselves in countless batches of wonderful granola bars. Most recipes tell you to simply heat the wet ingredients together, but this does nothing for helping to bind those bars. To make these trail mix cereal bars, I heat liquid sweetener to a temperature range (it’s easy and foolproof!) to create a chewy, gluey consistency that’s just like store-bought!

    Super-Friendly Trail Mix Cereal Bars - Easy, Crispy, Chewy, Sweet, and Safe! Perfect for sharing as they're top allergen-free, gluten-free, loved by kids and adults, and vegan optional.This post is sponsored by Enjoy Life Foods, but I certainly won’t stop making these trail mix cereal bars or loving their products – I use their Enjoy Life goodies in my kitchen nearly every week! 

    Special Diet Notes: Chewy Trail Mix Cereal Bars

    By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, optionally vegan / plant-based (choose the sweetener that works for you), vegetarian, and generally top food allergy-friendly.

    5.0 from 1 reviews
    Chewy Trail Mix Cereal Bars
     
    Print
    Prep time
    15 mins
    Cook time
    5 mins
    Total time
    20 mins
     
    Author: Alisa Fleming
    Serves: 16
    Ingredients
    Trail Mix Cereal Bars
    • 2½ cups crispy rice cereal
    • ½ cup honey (can sub maple syrup, agave nectar or brown rice syrup)
    • ¼ cup unsweetened, lightly salted sunflower seed butter*
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 1 6-ounce package (about 1⅓ cups) Enjoy Life Not Nuts! Seed & Fruit Mix (I use Mountain Mambo)
    Optional Chocolate Drizzle
    • ½ cup Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet or Dark Chocolate Chips (I used the Mini Morsels)
    • ½ teaspoon coconut oil or palm oil / shortening
    Instructions
    To make the Trail Mix Cereal Bars
    1. Place the cereal in a large bowl and grease or line a 7x11-inch (or similar size) pan with parchment paper.
    2. Pour the honey into a very dry small saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a bubble, insert a candy thermometer, and let it bubble until it reaches about 250ºF (give or take 5 degrees) - this takes just a few minutes.
    3. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the seed butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Immediately pour the mixture over the cereal and stir to combine. Stir in the seed and fruit mix until just combined - any chocolate chips may melt a little, but I'm okay with that if you are.
    4. Firmly press the mixture into your prepared pan and let it set (you can put it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes).
    5. Remove the mixture to a cutting board, peeling off the parchment if used. Cut into quarters each way to create 16 bars.
    For the Optional Chocolate Drizzle
    1. Melt the chocolate chips and oil / shortening together (I do this in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds until JUST melted - do not overheat).
    2. Dip or drizzle the chocolate over the bars as desired.
    Notes
    *For a nut-free option, we like sunflower seed butter best in these trail mix cereal bars, but you can sub in any seed, nut, peanut, or soy butter depending on your dietary needs, tastes, and what you have on hand!
    3.5.3226
    Alisa Fleming
    • Website

    Alisa is the founder of GoDairyFree.org, Food Editor for Allergic Living magazine, and author of the best-selling dairy-free book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living, and the new cookbook, Eat Dairy Free: Your Essential Cookbook for Everyday Meals, Snacks, and Sweets. Alisa is also a professional recipe creator and product ambassador for the natural food industry.

    Related Posts

    Dairy-Free Cinnabon Recipe - Copycat for those famous Cinnamon Rolls! Also nut-free and soy-free

    Dairy-Free Cinnabon Copycat for Tender, Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

    Dairy-Free Oreo Cookies Guide and news on Gluten-Free Oreos

    Oreo Offers The Most Dairy-Free Cookie Flavors

    Dairy-Free Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe - creamy, cheesy, rich, and fulfilling. Optionally gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free. Plant-based nd vegan-friendly.

    Dairy-Free Stuffed Mushrooms with Perfect Cheesy Creamy Flavor

    26 Comments

    1. Pingback: Baked Granola Bars Recipe (Dairy-Free + Optionally Gluten Free)

    2. Pingback: Chocolate Chip Soft Baked Granola Bars Recipe (Dairy-Free & Nut-Free!)

    3. Pingback: Gluten Free Lunch Recipes Round Up

    4. Chet on March 12, 2017 12:16 pm

      Looks like Enjoy Life stopped making the cereals. Do you have any recommendations for another brand?

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on March 12, 2017 5:40 pm

        You can use your favorite crispy rice cereal. I like Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice Cereal, which at last check was made in a dairy-free facility. Technically, most plain crispy rice cereals are made without dairy though.

        Reply
    5. Pingback: Dairy-Free Lunch Box Ideas with Kid-Friendly Recipes

    6. Healing Tomato on September 29, 2015 7:13 pm

      You know I have never tried using krsipy treats in my cereal bars before. This sounds like a great recipe and I really can’t wait to try it

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on September 30, 2015 7:47 am

        I hope you get the chance to!

        Reply
    7. Kristen on September 29, 2015 6:10 pm

      Your cereal bars look almost professionally made! I am so impressed with your cutting skills. My bars usually look like sad trapezoids. I excited to hear about the Enjoy Life products. I am going to have to look for them.

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on September 30, 2015 7:47 am

        Haha, thanks Kristen! I know what you mean though – I had so many crooked ones, too 🙂

        Reply
    8. Neli @ Delicious Meets Healthy on September 29, 2015 2:56 pm

      I love making trail mix bars and these look like something my husband would love! Pinning! I will have to try the enjoy life cereal next time.

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on September 29, 2015 3:21 pm

        Thanks Neli!

        Reply
    9. Manila Spoon on September 29, 2015 9:34 am

      Thank you for this post! It’s so handy because it’s often difficult to find snacks that are nut-free and something my kids can bring safely to school. This is a delicious and healthy alternative that I am happy to give to my kiddos.

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on September 29, 2015 3:22 pm

        So great! Hope you and your kids get the chance to enjoy 🙂

        Reply
    10. Kim on September 29, 2015 6:58 am

      My kids can’t have most commercial granola bars because of nut allergies. These are sure to make them so happy!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on September 29, 2015 3:22 pm

        Definitely – they can even help make them!

        Reply
    11. Paige @ Your Trainer Paige on September 29, 2015 5:15 am

      These would be PERFECT to make up a batch and take backpacking or hiking. Yummmm!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on September 29, 2015 3:23 pm

        Yep, we grabbed a couple for a hike 🙂

        Reply
    12. Marye on September 29, 2015 5:00 am

      These cereal bars sound so good! I will have to try them, I think they would make a great after school snack.

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on September 29, 2015 3:23 pm

        Definitely good after school or before school – homemade granola bars and breakfast cookies were the only way we could get my niece to eat in the a.m.

        Reply
    13. Kristina on September 28, 2015 7:07 pm

      ONE LOOK and I thought these were made from Enjoy Life cereal! 🙂 these sound SO good – pinned to try soon!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on September 28, 2015 9:15 pm

        You have a good eye Kristina!

        Reply
    14. Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat on September 28, 2015 6:38 pm

      Oh my goodness, these look SO perfect, Alisa! They remind me of Simply Bars, one of my favourite protein bars because the puffed cereal makes them so light yet satisfying at the same time. Pinning these ones for sure!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on September 28, 2015 9:15 pm

        Thanks Angela! They are a little like Simply Bars, actually, only sweeter and with chocolate 🙂

        Reply
    15. Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine on September 28, 2015 10:22 am

      Ah! Chewy bars are what I like to see! These look fantastic!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on September 28, 2015 10:29 am

        Thanks Rebecca!

        Reply

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Rate this recipe:  

    Go Dairy Free - The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance and Casein-Free Living
    Guide to the Best Dairy-Free Valentine Chocolate: Vegan, Gluten-Free, Food Allergy-Friendly, Organic, Fair Trade & more!

    The Best Dairy-Free Valentine Chocolate To Give and To Receive

    Over 50 Dairy-Free Valentine's Day Treats you can Buy at the Store with Allergen Notes and Vegan Options!

    50 Dairy-Free Valentine’s Day Treats you can Buy at the Store

    Enjoy Life FoodsFames Chocolates. From Brooklyn with loveEat dairy free bookChocolate Emporium
    Go Dairy Free is the leading website for information on the dairy-free diet. We share dairy-free recipes, product reviews, news, recommendations and health guides to aide those with milk allergies, lactose intolerance or a general need or desire to live without dairy. Dairy-free does include milk-free, lactose-free, casein-free and whey-free, too! We also offer ample resources for gluten-free, soy-free, food allergy, vegan and paleo diets. Please note that ingredients, processes and products are subject to change by a manufacturer at any time. All foods and products should be considered at risk for cross-contamination with milk and other allergens. Always contact the manufacturer prior to consumption. Disclaimer - All Rights Reserved - Privacy Policy Go Dairy Free © 2005-2022 Fleming Marrs Inc.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.