Cheerios Fruit and Nut Bars

Photos of cheerio bars kept popping up here and there...and piqued my interest.  Why not use my recipe for puffed wheat squares and make a few substitutions?  That's what I did...and they were a hit! 

 

• 4 cups cheerios
• 2 cups fruit and nut trail mix (or your favorite combination of nuts, seeds and dried fruit)
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup syrup (corn syrup or golden syrup)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Combine cereal, fruit and nuts in a large bowl.
2. Combine butter, syrup, brown sugar and cocoa in saucepan.   Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a full boil.  Boil stirring constantly for one minute. 
3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
4. Pour brown sugar mixture over cereal and stir well to coat.
5. Turn into a greased 9" x 13" pan  (or a 10" x 15" bar pan for a thinner bar).
6. Press flat with a spatula sprayed with cooking spray. 
7. Allow to cool 10 minutes and cut into bars of desired size.

*Tip ~ Line pan with parchment paper and remove unsliced squares to the cutting board before slicing.  Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter.

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