Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars

Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars are the perfect way to use up extra trail mix ingredients, like pretzels, M&Ms, and raisins, in a fun dessert to share.

If you’ve tried our Rice Krispies Trail Mix Bars, this version puts a rich, creamy peanut butter twist on the recipe. Bar Recipes like these are perfect for a bake sale, party, or sweet after-school snack. 

Easy Trail Mix Peanut Butter Bars are the perfect treat for the Summer or to pack in school lunches. Similar to classic Rice Krispies Treats, the base is made with a marshmallow and cereal mixture. But, instead of Rice Krispies, this version is made with Chex cereal and has peanut butter along with a variety of other add-ins. 

The peanut butter, pretzels, and peanuts add a nice saltiness to the dessert. Other mix-ins like M&Ms and raisins add more sweetness. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and salty with a variety of interesting tastes and textures mixed in.

The sweet marshmallow treat is always a hit with kids. If you want to add some other healthy mix-ins like nuts and dried fruit, these bars are a great way to get picky eaters enjoying them! 

This recipe is perfect for an on-the-go snack. They’re great to pack in a lunch or enjoy throughout the day as a sweet treat to keep you going. The peanuts add a good dose of protein to the recipe, so you could even take them on a hike just like you would trail mix. Putting the trail mix in a bar form makes it easier to eat without having to pick out pieces from a bag. Just make sure to let the bars cool completely before you cut them, otherwise, you’ll have a gooey mess on your hands. 

BROWNIE AND BAR RECIPES

Coconut Macaroon Brownies

Iced Strawberry Brownies

Turtle Bars

Chocolate Scotcheroos

TIPS FOR MAKING PEANUT BUTTER TRAIL MIX BARS

• Prep time: Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray. This is an important step in order for the bars to come out of the pan easily once they’re done. 
• Peanut butter mixture: Add butter, peanut butter, and mini marshmallows to a saucepan over medium heat. Mix the marshmallows in with the butter until well dissolved. Then take the pan off the heat. 
• Cereal mixture: Add Chex cereal and pretzels to a large bowl. Pour the peanut butter and marshmallow mixture over the top. Use a wooden spoon to mix the ingredients together until the peanut butter is coating the cereal and pretzels.  
• Mix-ins: Let the Chex mixture cool for 1-2 minutes before adding the mix-ins. Add the M&Ms candies, raisins, and peanuts to the mixing bowl and fold them in until they’re well-distributed. 
• Set: Use your mixing spoon to transfer the ingredients into the prepared baking pan. Then, use your hands to press down gently until it’s in an even layer. Allow the Trail Mix Peanut Butter Bars to cool completely before slicing them into squares and serving. 

VARIATIONS ON PEANUT BUTTER TRAIL MIX BARS

• Chocolate chips: Try adding some chocolate chips into the mixture along with the other add-ins. You can use regular or mini chocolate chips. There are also different kinds of chocolate you can mix in like white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, or dark chocolate chips. 
• Maple syrup: For some extra sweetness, try mixing ½ cup maple syrup or honey in with the peanut butter mixture. 
• Granola: To make this recipe more similar to a granola bar, try mixing in different kinds of nuts and seeds. For the trail mix granola mixture add in Sliced almonds and cashews. Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds will also make a great addition. You can also mix in chunks of premade granola.  
• Dried fruit: You can add other kinds of dried fruit along with the raisins like dried cranberries and cherries.

MORE PEANUT BUTTER TREATS

Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Peanut Butter Confetti Squares

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Bread

Peanut Butter Oreo Bars

HOW TO STORE PEANUT BUTTER TRAIL MIX BARS

• Serve: Make sure to let the Trail Mix Peanut Butter Bars chill completely before you eat them. The bars won’t set until they’ve completely cooled down. 
• Store: You can keep the Trail Mix Bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Another option is keeping them in the fridge for up to a week. The bars will be hard to bite into when they’re chilled, so let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving. 
• Freeze: You can also freeze them for up to 6 months. Cut the bars into squares, and put them into a freezer bag with the layers separated by parchment paper so they don’t stick together.