Lucky Charms Granola Bars Recipe - We are not Martha (2024)

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Made with Lucky Charms cereal, quick cooking oats, and white chocolate chips, these no-bake Lucky Charms Granola Bars are a fun special treat for your loved ones at St. Patrick's Day and year round!

Lucky Charms Granola Bars Recipe - We are not Martha (1)
Jump to:
  • ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
  • 🗒 Ingredients
  • 👩‍🍳 How to make Lucky Charms granola bars
  • ⏲️ How to store
  • 🎉 Variations on recipe
  • 🌈 More Lucky Charms recipes
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

I constantly say I'm not a big St. Patrick's Day person, yet here I am pushing another St. Patrick's Day recipe your way. To be fair, this is really just a Lucky Charms recipe and is totally appropriate at any time of year.

But I'm sure Lucky Charms sales increase majorly in March and maybe even parents who don't normally allow sugary cereal let their kids indulge at this time of year. I know my consumption certainly increases!

While I don't eat sugary cereal for breakfast, I sometimes like to indulge in it as a snack or for dessert and Lucky Charms is almost always my choice (a close second goes to Cinnamon Toast Crunch).

It's absolutely delicious right out of a bowl with a splash of milk, but also makes for a great ingredient in so many recipes. I could probably start a whole new blog with my Lucky Charms recipe creations.

But first, I had to incorporate the cereal into some delicious, albeit incredibly sweet, granola bars.

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

Some granola bars are super healthy. These Lucky Charms granola bars are not those. They're more like special treats that come well-deserved in the middle of a busy week. Especially at St. Patrick's Day, but also in the middle of July.

Could they be Lucky Charms breakfast bars? Well, sure. But they'll be a super sweet breakfast and I might recommend leaving the white chocolate chips out.

Then again... you do deserve an extra special treat on St. Patrick's Day!

Not only are they easy to make, but they'll be loved by both kids and adults alike!

🗒 Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make these Lucky Charms granola bars (be sure to check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):

  • Lucky Charms cereal
  • Quick cooking oats
  • White chocolate chips(optional)
  • Sprinkles(optional)
  • Butter
  • Light brown sugar
  • Honey
  • Vanilla extract
  • Salt

👩‍🍳 How to make Lucky Charms granola bars

The granola bars are no-bake and incredibly easy to make. To start, mix the dry ingredients together. I used Lucky Charms cereal, quick cooking oats, and white chocolate chips, along with some pretty sprinkles for good measure.

If you don't like white chocolate or don't want a super sweet bar, you can definitely leave those chips out. You can also feel free to leave the sprinkles out; I just like them for appearance sake.

Let's be real; I add sprinkles to anything I can.

Lucky Charms Granola Bars Recipe - We are not Martha (6)

Then, in a saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar, and vanilla together, let it come to a boil and simmer for a couple minutes, and pour the mixture into the bowl with the cereal.

Spread into a lightly greased 8x8 baking pan, pressing down to form an even layer. And let chill in the fridge for at least an hour before slicing.

Lucky Charms Granola Bars Recipe - We are not Martha (7)

And then you can slice into bars and enjoy!

To slice my Lucky Charms bars, I made five vertical slices across and then one horizontal slice down the middle to divide each bar into two. This made the perfect size granola bars for me.

Lucky Charms Granola Bars Recipe - We are not Martha (8)

Like I mentioned, these Lucky Charms granola bars are sweet! Between the marshmallows in the cereal, brown sugar, and white chocolate chips, they pack a punch of sugar that is sure to make anyone with a sweet tooth fall in love.

They are definitely a little too sweet for me to eat for breakfast, but I'm also not the biggest white chocolate lover. Chris absolutely loved them and didn't think they were too sweet at all (he's a big white chocolate fan) and totally wanted them to be breakfast bars.

But that's why I'm making the white chocolate chips optional and letting you decide based on the intensity of your sweet tooth.

Lucky Charms Granola Bars Recipe - We are not Martha (9)

And I mean, at least you're getting some fiber with those oats and the non-marshmallow part of the Lucky Charms (what are those called anyway?? And furthermore, what the heck are those shapes?? Apparently, they're Christian symbols?? Who knew!).

These Lucky Charms granola bars are almost as fun to look at as they are to eat. I just love all the magically delicious colors!

⏲️ How to store

When you store these granola bars in an airtight container at room temperature, they should keep fresh for at least a week.

If you're layering them in the container, be sure to place layers of parchment or wax paper between the bars.

If you want to make a big batch of the bars to keep for an extended period, you can even freeze them. I recommend wrapping each bar individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and then placing them in a freezer-safe airtight container big Ziplock bag.

They should keep for about 3 months in the freezer. Be sure to thaw at room temperature or in the fridge before enjoying.

Lucky Charms Granola Bars Recipe - We are not Martha (10)

🎉 Variations on recipe

I think these bars are pretty fabulous as is, but there are lots of alterations you can make to Lucky Charms granola bars to suit them to your own tastes.

Here are some ideas:

  • Leave the white chocolate out to make these Lucky Charms granola bars more breakfast friendly.
  • If you don't like white chocolate, consider milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips.
  • You can leave out the sprinkles if you want; I just think they add a fun look.
  • To make them even more indulgent, dip the bars into melted white chocolate or semisweet chocolate.
  • Mix in chopped nuts like almonds, pecans, or walnuts for added crunch and nutrition.
  • Incorporate dried fruits like cranberries, raisins, or chopped apricots into the bars for a chewy texture and a tart contrast to the sweetness.
  • Add additional mini marshmallows or marshmallow fluff to the bars.
  • Mix a peanut butter swirl into the bars

These granola bars are perfect for any little leprechauns you have in your life, though like I mentioned, they make big leprechauns happy, too (also, maybe don't call your loved ones "leprechauns" because that's kind of creepy).

I sent most of the batch off to work with Chris so I wouldn't be on a permanent sugar high, but now I kind of regret it as a Lucky Charms bar would go perfectly with my afternoon coffee.

Lucky Charms Granola Bars Recipe - We are not Martha (11)

If you're looking for a sweet and festive St. Patrick's Day treat, be sure to make these Lucky Charms granola bars! They're the perfect ending to a corned beef dinner. Or just a long, difficult day.

🌈 More Lucky Charms recipes

Like I mentioned, I have lots of other Lucky Charms recipe favorites and am sharing the best below. Don't worry; I'm always dreaming up new ideas, too!

  • Lucky Charms Ice Cream
  • Lucky Charms Cookie Dough Bars {No-Bake}
  • Lucky Charms Donuts
  • Lucky Charms Hot Chocolate

For another fun breakfast idea, try this tasty Lucky Charms oatmeal!

I also happen to this this Lucky Charms Cheesecake Cheese Ball looks pretty darn fabulous!

Are you as Lucky Charms obsessed as I am?

📖 Recipe

Lucky Charms Granola Bars Recipe - We are not Martha (16)

Lucky Charms Granola Bars

Made with Lucky Charms cereal, quick cooking oats, and white chocolate chips, these no-bake Lucky Charms Granola Bars are a fun special treat for your loved ones at St. Patrick's Day and year round!

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Course: Dessert, Snacks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cereal Bars, Cereal Granola Bars, Lucky Charms Desserts

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Chill Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Makes: 10 bars

Author: Sues

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Lucky Charms cereal
  • 2 cups quick cooking oats
  • ½ cup white chocolate chips (optional)
  • ¼ cup sprinkles (optional)
  • 5 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • cup, plus 1 Tbsp light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp salt

Instructions

  • Line an 8x8 baking pan with foil and lightly grease with cooking spray or butter.

  • In a large bowl, mix together Lucky Charms, quick cooking oats, white chocolate chips (if using), and sprinkles (if using).

  • In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together butter, brown sugar, honey, vanilla extract, and salt. Let mixture come to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer for about 2 minutes.

  • Pour liquid mixture over dry ingredients and toss well to coat.

  • Pour mixture into the prepared pan and using fingers, press down into an even layer.

  • Place pan in refrigerator for at least one hour to allow granola bars to cool and harden. Once chilled, remove from pan, placeon cutting board, and cut into 10 bars (I make 5 cuts across and then one in the middle to divide into 10).

Share a Photo of Your Finished Recipe!Mention @wearenotmartha and share a photo if you've made the recipe!

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Lucky Charms Granola Bars Recipe - We are not Martha (2024)

FAQs

What binds granola bars together? ›

While the oats and nuts bake, you can make the sticky glue that holds our bars together. You'll melt butter, honey, and brown sugar in a saucepan and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Mix this sticky mixture with the toasted oats and nuts. Allow everything to cool, and then toss in dried fruit and chocolate chips.

What is a good binder for granola bars? ›

Chia seeds are often praised for their binding powers. In fact, they secure ingredients so well that they can even be used as an egg replacer. Adding just a spoonful of chia seeds to your favorite granola bar recipe will make a huge difference in its texture.

Why didn't my granola bars stick together? ›

If the mix-ins are too large, or if you add too many, the bars won't hold together. Make them vegan.

Are granola bars a healthy snack Why or why not? ›

Possible downsides

Granola bars are often considered a healthy snack, but despite these marketing claims, many are loaded with added sugar, calories, and artificial ingredients. For example, Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Harvest granola bars can contain up to 15 grams of sugar per serving — mostly from added sugar.

What is the glue in granola bars? ›

Great granola bars put the flavor of the oats at the forefront while supporting players back them up with a mellow sweetness. We found that toasting the oats with a little oil and salt before mixing them with the other ingredients really deepened their flavor.

What ingredient makes granola stick together? ›

Clumpy Granola Method: Add Whole Wheat and Almond Flour

First, it adds a combo of whole wheat flour and almond flour (or almond meal), which act as a binder to hold the oat mixture together.

Is it cheaper to make your own granola bars? ›

Homemade granola bars aren't hard to make once you have all the right ingredients and they'll certainly save you money in the long term. It's hard to fight against the convenience and habit of picking up a box of bars at the store, but it really seems like it's worth trying to make our own.

What ingredient acts as a binder? ›

Binders are any ingredient that can help a mixture hold its shape or remain bound together. Traditional binding agents include flour and eggs. The most commonly used food binder is flour. Flour is created by grinding raw grains or roots into a powder and then served in diverse cuisines.

What is a good binder besides eggs? ›

For recipes that use eggs as a binder or for moisture, substitutes like applesauce or oil can do the trick. If the eggs act as a leavening agent, try a combination of vinegar and baking powder. It's worth noting that the finished product won't be exactly the same as when you use real eggs.

What happened to Quaker granola bars? ›

The Quaker Oats Company issued a recall in late 2023 and has added more products to its recall list in 2024 due to a risk of contamination with salmonella.

Why is glycerin in granola bars? ›

Glycerin is used as an ingredient in a variety of food and beverage products to help retain moisture, prevent sugar crystallization, and add bulk, smoothness, softness, sweetness and texture.

Why is my homemade granola not crunchy? ›

Higher temperatures can cause ingredients like nuts, seeds, and coconut to burn before the batch has a chance to properly dry out and crisp up, Perry says. Stick with a low temperature, keep an eye on your mixture, and stir it from time to time to help it brown evenly.

Is it OK to eat granola bars everyday? ›

Granola can give us many essential vitamins and minerals. Research suggests that granola may increase the amount of good intestinal flora. I recommend you may consume granola bars but in moderate amounts.

Are homemade granola bars healthier than store bought? ›

Homemade granola bars are a great alternative to store-bought ones. Because they typically use minimally processed ingredients and very little added sugar or salt, they're often more nutritious than packaged versions.

Is granola anti-inflammatory? ›

Many types of granola contain healthy ingredients that may offer numerous benefits, including reduced inflammation and improved blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and gut health.

What keeps granola together? ›

Make sure that whichever granola recipe you use, it calls for some liquid, typically oil of some kind (I recommend olive oil for a subtle earthy, floral flavor, or melted unrefined coconut oil for subtly coconutty flavor). The liquid will help the chia seeds to gel, ensuring the granola sticks together.

What is a good binder for protein bars? ›

Chia Seeds or Chia Seed Powder: I've been loving this chia seed powder because you get the benefits of the chia seeds (antioxidants, omega 3's, fiber) but the powder acts as a great binder for these protein bars.

How do you clump store bought granola? ›

Try putting a scoop in the microwave and heating it in 30 second bursts on high. If it starts to get sticky, you're golden. Let it cool and the granola should stick together. Then just break it apart into clumps with your fingers!

How to soften hard granola bars? ›

Fortunately, there are ways to eat Nature Valley granola bars that prevent a little less of a crumble catastrophe. General Mills told Bloomer that eaters could try warming the bars up in the microwave to soften them first (but take them out of the package first).

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