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No-bake M&M pretzel granola bars are a delicious, simple snack, endlessly adaptable, and a great way to involve young kids in the kitchen!
Getting kids involved in the kitchen is great, no doubt about it. Obviously itās good for them to help out and learn what goes into preparing the food that everyone eats.
Whatās more, Iāve been consistently impressed by how much my son and his friends can do with basic instruction and supervision ā even at two years old, I think most kids can help pour in ingredients, stir, whisk, etc.
For me, Iām sure it helps that my son was genuinely interested in what I do in the kitchen and in āplayā cooking, right from the start. Even at his daycare and now preschool, they observe the same thing I do at home ā his favorite things are the play kitchen, plus all the trucks. š And, lucky me, heās the type to try earnestly not to make a mess ā which helps a lot!
After all, look at all this goodness ā M&Ms, rolled oats, Rice Krispies, and chopped up pretzels. We donāt want too much of that good stuff landing on the floor!
Still, there are limits to what Iām willing to attempt in the kitchen with him helping or near at hand. Because, letās be honest, even if he is engaged in another toy or project, itās only a matter of minutes until he appears with pleading eyes and says ādo together, mama?ā
So, easy recipes are the best. Easy no-bake recipes are even better.
Easy no-bake recipes with M&Ms, pretzels, and peanut butter? Better still.
This is such a sweet little project for you and your little, I just had to share it here, even though the recipe is SO simple. Since Valentineās Day happens to be this week, and my mom was kind enough to send us a bag of red, pink, and white M&Ms (thanks, Mom!) we made this batch cutesy pink for the holiday.
Obviously, you could use regular multi-colored M&Ms or any other combo as you desire. Green and white for St. Patrickās Day ā¦ red and green for Christmas ā¦ black and orange for Halloween ā¦ team colors for a post-game snack ā¦ you get the idea.
So, without further ado, here is the recipe! Enjoy!
No-Bake M&M Pretzel Granola Bars
IngredientsĀ
- 2 cups (198 grams) old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup (28 grams) puffed rice cereal , Rice Krispies or similar
- 1/2 cup (20 grams) pretzels, chopped
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) M&Ms, plus more for sprinkling
- 1-2 tablespoons flax seeds, optional
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons, 57 grams) butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup (68 grams) peanut butter
- 1/4 cup (53 grams) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
InstructionsĀ
- Line an 8Ć8 or 9Ć9-inch pan with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together the oats, rice cereal, pretzels, 1/4 cup of the M&Ms, and flax seeds, if using. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, melt together the butter, honey, peanut butter, and brown sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, then simmer on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequenty. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon. Everything should be evenly coated and well-combined.
- Scrape mixture into the prepared pan, and press firmly to pack it evenly across the bottom. When the bars still have a little give to them, sprinkle the remaining M&Ms on top, then pressĀ again lightly to help the M&Ms adhere and pack everything else in very tight.
- For the best consistency, refrigerate the pan for 30 minutes before lifting out the parchment, cutting, and serving. Bars keep best stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Kid-Friendly Snack Ideasā¦
Whole Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins ā¦ Naturally-Sweetened Key Lime Pie Popsicles ā¦ Crunchy Honey Mustard Pretzels ā¦ White Bean Sun-Dried Tomato Dip ā¦ Classic Hummus
Excited making these with my kids! Never tried granolas with M&M’s and I bet they’d love additional crisp and sweets in these treats!
Hi Ashley, thanks for stopping by – I bet your kids will love them, too! Please let me know how they turn out!
I am a big fan of quick, easy, and tasty treats. Hence, this is the perfect recipe for me, especially because it is very healthy and I can even have it for breakfast. Can I use maple syrup instead of honey, Monica?
Hi Agness – yes, I’m pretty confident you could swap maple syrup for honey with no problem! Hope you enjoy!
Half term next week here and this is a great recipe to get the kids making some treats for the holiday. I love getting the kids involved with cooking.
What a great way to make life easier. The kids can absolutely make these. I have a feeling some m&m’s will be disappearing along the way though š
Haha — that would be 100% accurate!
My kids would go crazy for these. I love getting them into the kitchen. Thanks for sharing.
Me too! Thanks for stopping by, Allison!
I love granola bars, I’ve made them quite a few times before but I haven’t tried a granola bar with m&ms. It’s so unusual. I’m sure it tastes really good.
Hi Silvia – these are definitely worth trying! It does add an extra sweet element. š
I love how easy this is and that it’s no bake! I also love that you could easily change out the m&m’s and customize it for any holiday!