These no-bake poppers use crushed cereal bars as binding agent—a 1980s trick that predates protein ball trends by decades.
Stranger Things Peanut Butter Poppers
Dive into a delightful snack that channels the nostalgia of the Upside Down! These Stranger Things Peanut Butter Poppers combine creamy peanut butter with a dusting of powdered sugar, all enveloped in a rich chocolate coating. Perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth, these bite-sized treats are a must-try for fans and foodies alike!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
These bite-sized sugar bombs are pure 1980s American excess meets Depression-era resourcefulness—when Midwestern housewives discovered they could transform their kids' breakfast cereal into candy bars, creating what food historians now call 'cereal bar confectionery,' a uniquely American phenomenon that spread from Iowa church bake sales to Netflix product placement faster than you could say Hawkins, Indiana.
Regional Twist
In Minnesota's Twin Cities, they crush up Honey Nut Cheerios instead of cereal bars and fold the powdered sugar mixture with maple syrup, creating prairie-sweet nuggets that locals call 'Gopher Bites.'
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 cup (237 ml) cereal bars
- 1 cup (118 ml) chocolate chips
- 1 cup (237 ml) melted chocolate
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- butter (to taste)
- 1 cup (227 g) peanut butter
- 1 cup (100 g) powdered sugar
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix peanut butter, powdered sugar, and butter until well combined.
- 2
Shape the mixture into a log and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- 3
Cut the refrigerated log into pieces and set aside.
- 4
Add chocolate chips to the cereal bars for extra sweetness.
- 5
Dip each piece into melted chocolate and place on a tray to set.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Chill your peanut butter mixture to exactly 35-40°F before shaping because peanut butter's fat crystals solidify at this temperature, preventing sticky hands and maintaining clean edges.technique35-40°F
- ✓Temper your dipping chocolate to 88-90°F for proper snap and shine - overheated chocolate above 95°F will bloom and create a dull, streaky finish.technique88-90°F
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of powdered sugar to butter when creaming to create the ideal binding consistency without making the mixture too sweet or greasy.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Refrigerate shaped pieces for exactly 15 minutes before dipping so they're firm enough to hold shape but not so cold that chocolate coating cracks from thermal shock.timing15 minutes
- ✓Crush cereal bars to 1/4-inch pieces maximum because larger pieces create air pockets that prevent proper chocolate adhesion and cause coating to crack.technique1/4-inch pieces
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
These no-bake poppers use crushed cereal bars as binding agent—a 1980s trick that predates protein ball trends by decades.
Stranger Things Peanut Butter Poppers
Dive into a delightful snack that channels the nostalgia of the Upside Down! These Stranger Things Peanut Butter Poppers combine creamy peanut butter with a dusting of powdered sugar, all enveloped in a rich chocolate coating. Perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth, these bite-sized treats are a must-try for fans and foodies alike!
The Story
These bite-sized sugar bombs are pure 1980s American excess meets Depression-era resourcefulness—when Midwestern housewives discovered they could transform their kids' breakfast cereal into candy bars, creating what food historians now call 'cereal bar confectionery,' a uniquely American phenomenon that spread from Iowa church bake sales to Netflix product placement faster than you could say Hawkins, Indiana.
Regional Twist
In Minnesota's Twin Cities, they crush up Honey Nut Cheerios instead of cereal bars and fold the powdered sugar mixture with maple syrup, creating prairie-sweet nuggets that locals call 'Gopher Bites.'
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 cup (237 ml) cereal bars
- 1 cup (118 ml) chocolate chips
- 1 cup (237 ml) melted chocolate
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- butter (to taste)
- 1 cup (227 g) peanut butter
- 1 cup (100 g) powdered sugar
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix peanut butter, powdered sugar, and butter until well combined.
- 2
Shape the mixture into a log and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- 3
Cut the refrigerated log into pieces and set aside.
- 4
Add chocolate chips to the cereal bars for extra sweetness.
- 5
Dip each piece into melted chocolate and place on a tray to set.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Chill your peanut butter mixture to exactly 35-40°F before shaping because peanut butter's fat crystals solidify at this temperature, preventing sticky hands and maintaining clean edges.technique35-40°F
- ✓Temper your dipping chocolate to 88-90°F for proper snap and shine - overheated chocolate above 95°F will bloom and create a dull, streaky finish.technique88-90°F
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of powdered sugar to butter when creaming to create the ideal binding consistency without making the mixture too sweet or greasy.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Refrigerate shaped pieces for exactly 15 minutes before dipping so they're firm enough to hold shape but not so cold that chocolate coating cracks from thermal shock.timing15 minutes
- ✓Crush cereal bars to 1/4-inch pieces maximum because larger pieces create air pockets that prevent proper chocolate adhesion and cause coating to crack.technique1/4-inch pieces