Chocolate Cereal Breakfast Bars

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8x8 inch baking pan with butter and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. (5 minutes)

In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, puffed brown rice cereal, chopped almonds, shredded coconut, cocoa powder, kosher salt, and cayenne pepper. Ensure all ingredients are evenly distributed. (5 minutes)

In a small saucepan, combine the packed brown sugar, maple syrup, vegetable oil, and water. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute, stirring continuously to prevent burning. (10 minutes)

Pour the hot sugar mixture over the dry ingredients in the bowl. Mix thoroughly with a spatula or wooden spoon, ensuring that all the dry ingredients are evenly coated. (5 minutes)

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth out the top, pressing lightly to create a compact and even layer. (3 minutes)

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center is set. (25 minutes)

Remove the pan from the oven and, while the bars are still hot, use a spatula or knife to score the pan into 8 equal portions. This will make it easier to break them apart later. (2 minutes)

Allow the bars to cool completely to room temperature in the pan before breaking them into individual bars. Alternatively, you can skip scoring and simply cut the cooled slab into bars with a sharp knife. (60 minutes)

Serve and enjoy your homemade Chocolate Cereal Breakfast Bars!