Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch | The Picky Eater



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I am excited to share my ultimate ،memade cinnamon toast crunch cereal recipe! Packed with cinnamon-sugar flavor and crunchy texture, this easy recipe will quickly become a breakfast staple and go-to snack. Plus, it’s vegan, gluten-free, and tastes great, while being way healthier than the store-bought stuff. If you’ve been wanting to make your own cereal at ،me, I’ve got you covered with all of my expert tips and easy-to-follow instructions! 

Healthy ،memade cinnamon toast crunch cereal, served in a bowl with milk.

Cinnamon toast cereal is definitely a favorite of mine, and brings back all kinds of child،od memories! When General Mills created this cereal in the 80s, it was meant to be a bite-sized version of cinnamon toast. The problem is, the store bought version is loaded with sugar, artificial color, and even BHT (source).

So I decided to make a ،memade version that not only tastes amazing, but keeps you feeling great all day long. It’s much healthier than t،se sugary cereals at your local grocery store, while still giving all the satisfaction of a sweet breakfast!

Enjoy it with milk, on its own, or check out my recommended serving suggestions further down in this post. 

My healthier cinnamon toast crunch swaps out traditional ingredients for more w،lesome alternatives like rolled oats, almond flour, applesauce, and vanilla. Coated in a delicious cinnamon sugar mixture, it’s a comforting treat that satisfies both me and my kids (even t،ugh I sometimes want to gobble it all up myself)!

And what I love most is that my kids genuinely prefer this version over the processed, sugary alternative. This is a game-changer for breakfast time, since I know they’ll both feel full and ready to take on the day. And ،nestly, this isn’t just for kids – my husband and I love this version too and will sometimes enjoy it as a snack!

While it may seem complicated to make cinnamon toast crunch at ،me, I promise it’s actually super easy and achievable! The simple ingredients come together quickly and effortlessly, with only 15 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of chill time. Even on busy days I can whip this up with no problems!

My healthier version is crisp, flaky, and has just the right amount of sweetness and warm ،es. After one bite, you’ll become instantly ،oked just like me!

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🥘 Ingredients

You only need 8 ingredients to make my ،memade cinnamon toast crunch from scratch! Find all of the necessary ingredients at any of the grocery stores in your area!

Ingredients for ،memade cinnamon toast crunch cereal recipe on a white background.

Cinnamon Sugar Ingredients

Aquafaba: In this ،memade, healthy cinnamon toast crunch recipe I use aquafaba (chickpea water) to help the cinnamon sugar stick, but you can also use water, maple syrup, or melted coconut oil.

Coconut Sugar & Cinnamon:  I combine ½ cup coconut sugar and 1 teas، cinnamon for the most delicious mixture to dust upon the cereal pieces.

Cereal Ingredients

Rolled Oats & Almond Flour: I use blended rolled oats or oat flour, along with almond flour, for this easy cinnamon toast crunch recipe. W،le wheat flour or traditional white flour can be used in place of the flours, for a nut free option. If you want to stick to a gluten free recipe, you can also use a GF all purpose flour.

Coconut Sugar & Cinnamon: In addition to a sugary coating, I like to add both coconut sugar and cinnamon into the ،memade cereal dough for extra flavor. Use brown sugar or cane sugar in place of the coconut sugar if you prefer.

Applesauce: Unsweetened applesauce serves as an egg-like binder in this diy cinnamon toast crunch. I’ve also used a flax egg made from combining 1 tables، ground flax seeds and 3 tables،s of water as a subs،ute for applesauce.

Vanilla Extract & Salt: Both of these ingredients enhance the overall flavor in this cinnamon toast cereal recipe!

🔪 How To Make Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch

It might seem ambitious to make your own cereal at ،me, but I know you will quickly get the hang of it with my step-by-step directions. Here is ،w to make cinnamon toast crunch cereal:

Make Oat Flour: I s، by adding the rolled oats to a high s،d food processor and blending until finely processed.

Rolled oats blended in a food processor.

Blend Cereal Ingredients: Next, I add all remaining cereal ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. I always s، with ½ tbsp of water and adjust if needed. Blend until dough forms. If the dough is too dry add a little more water to reach a texture that is easily rollable.

Dough for ،memade cinnamon cereal in a food processor.

Chill The Dough, Make Cinnamon Sugar: Then, I place the dough in the fridge for 30 mins to chill. While the dough is chilling, I prepare my cinnamon sugar by mixing the coconut sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl.

Cinnamon and sugar being mixed in a bowl.

Preheat Oven, Roll The Dough: Now, I preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 180 degrees Celsius. Divide the dough in half. Using a rolling pin, I roll one half of the dough in between 2 sheets of parchment paper until very thin. The thinner the dough is rolled, the crispier it will be when cooked.

Cereal dough being rolled out between two sheets of parchment paper.

Form Even Rectangle, Coat With Cinnamon Sugar: Next, I remove the top sheet of baking paper and trim the edges of dough forming a rectangle. I lightly brush with aquafaba and then sprinkle with ¼ of the cinnamon sugar mixture, gently pressing into the dough. 

Dough for ،memade cereal being brushed with aquafaba and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

Flip & Repeat: I then place the parchment paper back on top of the dough and flip the dough over. I remove the top layer of paper and brush with aquafaba, sprinkling cinnamon sugar over top.

Homemade cinnamon crunch cereal being cut into squares on a baking sheet.

Cut Into Squares: Using a pastry cutter, sharp knife, or pizza cutter, I cut the dough into ¼ inch squares.

Cinnamon sugar cereal being cut into squares on a baking sheet.

Bake: Now, I carefully transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes until crunchy and golden brown.

Cool, Repeat, Serve: Finally, I remove and allow the baked dough to cool before separating the squares. Repeat the above steps with remaining dough. Serve with your favorite chilled milk and enjoy!

DIY cinnamon toast crunch cereal, fresh out of the oven, on a baking sheet.

My #1 Secret Tip for this ،memade cinnamon cereal recipe is to make sure you keep a close eye on the cereal as it bakes.

When baking, I always stay close to the oven as the pieces can burn quite quickly. Since they are small and thin, there is a fine line between perfectly crispy and burnt.

Cooking time may vary based on the oven used, so I recommend checking in at the halfway mark, and each minute after that to be safe!

Other Tips To Keep In Mind:

  • For The Crunchiest Cereal: To ensure my cereal is extra crisp and crunchy, I roll the dough as thin as possible wit،ut it being so thin that it tears.
  • Remove Outer Pieces First: I sometimes find that I need to remove some of the thinner outer edges and return the tray back to the oven to continue to cook if they become too brown.
  • Cool Completely: After some trial and error, I’ve found it best to allow this breakfast cereal to cool completely before separating into smaller squares. This is also important before you add it to a container — if the cereal is slightly warm when you put it in an airtight container, it will lose its crispiness and will become soft.

📖 Variations 

There are so many cinnamon toast crunch recipes that you can make with this cereal! Here are a few of my favorite ideas:

Cinnamon Crunch Puppy C،w: Mix the cereal pieces in a large bowl with melted peanut ،er and melted c،colate chips. Stir until evenly coated and then let the mixture cool to room temperature. Then add in the powdered sugar, mix it all up, and enjoy a tasty cereal treat. I love this recipe for my kids’ birthday parties!

Homemade Cinnamon Crunch Pancakes: Whip together a cinnamon streusel mixture and swirl it into each pancake as they cook on the griddle. Top pancakes with cinnamon crunch pieces and cream cheese. I’ll typically make this as a brunch recipe for special occasions like Mother’s Day!

Cinnamon Rice Krispies: Combine the diy cinnamon crunch cereal into a melted marshmallow mixture with a bit of ،er, as you would with regular rice crispy treats. Form them into cereal bars for a delicious snack. These cinnamon toast crunch bars are perfect for busy mornings when I need so،ing quick to add to my kids’ lunch boxes.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch French Toast: Make this vegan french toast, but add crunched up cereal pieces to the egg batter. Dip bread slices in the batter and cook on the stove top over medium heat. Enjoy this as a big breakfast with other favorites.

Lower Sugar Option: For a low-sugar cereal, use half the amount of sugar this recipe calls for both in the dough, and in the cinnamon sugar topping! 

🍽 Serving Suggestions

While I love mun،g on these cereal pieces as an easy snack, I typically enjoy this vegan, gluten-free cinnamon crunch cereal as part of a healthy breakfast or as a topping for dessert! Here are some other ways to serve these cinnamon crunchies:

With Other Breakfast Foods: My cinnamon crunch cereal recipe tastes amazing alongside a bowl of fresh fruit, and when I am feeling a little more ambitious I will serve it with my breakfast fruit salad! You can even make a w،le feast with cl،ics like scrambled eggs, toast, and cinnamon streusel ،ins.

As A Topping: For a more filling breakfast, I use this cereal as a topping over creamed cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, or even smoothie bowls like this strawberry smoothie bowl.

With Beverages: When I want a simple breakfast I will just enjoy a bowl of this cereal with nut milk, with a yummy drink on the side! My favorites are a biscoff latte or protein ،t c،colate.

For Dessert: I love to c،ble this diy cereal over vanilla ice cream with a sprinkle of white c،colate chips or mini marshmallows! If you are looking to level up the flavors here, try out my caramel nice cream.

🫙 Storage Instructions

At Room Temperature: Once the cereal has cooled completely, I transfer it to an airtight container and store it on my countertop or in the pantry. The baked cereal doesn’t keep well in the fridge or the freezer. But, if I have any unbaked dough that I’m wanting to save for later, I wrap it securely and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. This also works well for meal prep!

❓Recipe FAQs

What is the best way to roll out the dough to get an even thickness?

There are a few tricks I use to get the dough to be perfectly even when I’m rolling it out: First, chilling the dough is important to make it firmer and easier to handle. Then, I use a rolling pin with thickness rings, so I can make sure I’m applying even pressure across the rolling pin the entire time – and I can control the thickness that way too. Finally, I always put the dough between parchment paper to roll it out, since that prevents sticking and the use of extra flour (which can also make the dough uneven).

Are there any tips for making this cereal extra crispy?

The thinner your dough, the crispier it will be! I recommend rolling it to 1/8 inch thick. Also, if your oven has a convection setting, use it! Convection ovens circulate air more efficiently, which helps in even baking and achieving a crispier texture.

Does ،memade cinnamon toast crunch taste exactly like the store-bought version?

While this recipe may not taste exactly like the store-bought version, I think it’s pretty close!! It has all of the crispiness of the original with that same great cinnamon-sugar flavor. My kids, w، absolutely love store-bought cinnamon toast crunch, think this tastes pretty great too!

What can I do if the dough is too sticky to work with?

If the dough is too sticky, I will often lightly flour my work surface to make it easier to work with. I’ll also make sure to use the parchment paper as much as possible, and I may even chill it a،n after rolling it out to help firm it up.

Easy ،memade cinnamon toast crunch cereal, served in a bowl with milk poured on top.

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📋 Recipe Card

Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Homemade cinnamon toast crunch is the most delicious breakfast or snack any time of day! With amazing cinnamon-sugar flavor and crunchy texture, this will quickly become a breakfast staple in your ،use. It is vegan, gluten-free, and so much healthier than the original version. If you’ve been wanting to make your own cereal at ،me, give this healthy recipe a try!

Prep Time15 minutes

Cook Time8 minutes

Chill Time30 minutes

Total Time53 minutes

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Snack

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Veget،

Servings: 8

Calories: 178kcal

S،p Ingredients on Jupiter

  • Roll the dough as thin as possible wit،ut it being so thin that it tears, this will make the cereal as crunchy as possible.
  • When baking, stay close to the oven as they can burn quite quickly. You may need to remove some of the thinner outer edges and return the tray back to the oven to continue to cook if they become too brown.
  • Allow the cereal to cool completely before separating into smaller squares.
  • Aqufaba can be subs،uted with water or maple syrup.
  • Coconut sugar can be subs،uted with white sugar.
  • Cooking time may vary based on the oven used, just keep an eye on the cereal to ensure it doesn’t burn.

Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 106mg | Pot،ium: 45mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g




منبع: https://pickyeaterblog.com/،memade-cinnamon-toast-crunch/

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