This low carb cinnamon cereal is the perfect keto breakfast when you’re sick of eggs and missing the texture of cold cereal on a low carb diet! Make a big batch and you’ll have this delicious keto cinnamon cereal on hand whenever the craving hits!
I’ve been kicking this low carb cinnamon cereal recipe idea around for a few weeks now. It all started when I was pouring my son a bowl of his favorite “treat” cereal one morning, and it smelled so good that I suddenly missed eating cereal. DESPERATELY.
The cold, creamy milk mixed with the sweet crunch of the little squares just sounded amazing to me right then. I didn’t cave and eat any, but I added a low carb cinnamon cereal recipe to the top of my “to do” list!
This morning I finally had time to do some experimenting with it so I got to work.
Because I’m doing the Whole 30 in August and the only approved sweetener is the occasional fruit or fruit juice, I wanted to develop a low carb cinnamon cereal recipe that would also be Whole 30 compliant.
As it is, I’m giving up my beloved Cream Cheese Pancakes, because you can’t have dairy on the Whole 30 – which also rules out another of my favorites, Greek yogurt.
On top of that, I can’t have bacon or sausage unless I make my own, or pay through the nose for one cured without any sugar at all. So I’m going to be seriously hating eggs by the end of the month!
Or at least I would be if I didn’t have this awesome keto cinnamon cereal recipe to add to my breakfast menu! Served with unsweetened almond milk, it’s pretty amazing, and stays crunchy for about as long as a typical breakfast cereal.
For those of you not doing the Whole 30, this low carb cinnamon cereal recipe can be sweetened with the sugar substitute of your choice – just remember to add 1/2 cup of water to replace the liquid from the apple juice. Start with the equivalent of 1/4 cup of sugar when figuring out your measurements and go from there to get it as sweet as you prefer.
This keto cinnamon cereal recipe is pretty easy to make too, which is an added bonus.
On another note, good quality cinnamon will really make a difference. You don’t have to buy an expensive brand but if your cinnamon jar is from the 90’s, it’s time to throw it out and buy some fresh stuff.
You should really be replacing your dried herbs and spices at least once a year because they lose their potency over time.
Cinnamon Faux-st Crunch Cereal – Low Carb and Gluten Free
- Yield: (6) 1/2 cup servings
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup milled flax seed
- 1/2 cup hulled hemp seeds
- 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients in a Magic Bullet, blender or food processor. Add the apple juice and coconut oil and process until fully combined and mostly smooth.
- Spread the batter out on a parchment lined cookie sheet until nice and thin – about 1/16 of an inch thick. Bake in a preheated 300 degree (F) oven for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 250 degrees (F) and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and using a pizza cutter or knife, cut into squares about the size of the keys on your computer keyboard.
- Turn off the oven and put the cereal back inside for about an hour, or until it’s crisp and breaks easily. If it’s still soft, keep in the oven until completely dried out and crisp.
- Serve with unsweetened almond or coconut milk! SO good! Can’t wait to hear what you guys think of it!
Notes
Approx nutrition info per serving if using a no calorie sugar substitute in place of the apple juice:
129 calories, 9g fat, 1.25g net carbs, 5g protein
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: Cereal
Nutrition
- Calories: 138
- Fat: 9g
- Carbohydrates: 3.4g net
- Protein: 5g
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Patricia says
I’ve had this recipe since you first published it and never tried until yesterday. What a dope. THIS IS A GAME-CHANGER for cereal lovers. I can’t say enough about how wonderful this is in every way imaginable…extremely low carb (w/o the apple juice), decent portion size, delicious, stayed crispy in almond milk, and so dang easy to make. In fact, I plan to use this as the basis for other flavors, like chocolate w/ banana extract and maybe try with peanut flour and peanut butter.
When I look at other similar recipes for cereal, they are all much higher carb and the count is usually for 1/3 cup. Good Grief. I am not a bird. I need more than 1/3 cup of cereal unless it’s granola.
For anyone who hasn’t tried this recipe and you love cereal, don’t wait as long as I did. Use the freshest ingredients and you can’t go wrong. I always have Flax meal in the freezer/fridge and just ordered more HEMP Heart shelled seeds today.
5 STAR YUMMO ! Thanks a million. Sometimes recipes don’t have to be complicated to be perfect.
★★★★★
kelz says
I used cranberry juice instead of apple and served with hemp milk. It tasted ok. The batter was good before baking but afterwards it seemed to lose its flavor. When mixed with the milk, however, it was good and different. Definitely would make again if absolutely craving cereal. Great job on the recipe!
★★★★
Sandra Wylie says
I have a serious sweet tooth and found that this recipe as it is didn’t give me a very sweet cereal. So I made a batch and added about 3 Tbsp. Monkfruit sweetener (golden or traditional granulated) then dusted it in powdered Monkfruit sweetener.
The next time I make it, I think I’ll grind up the flax seeds. The whole seeds get stuck in my teeth!
But this will become a regular staple in my house!
★★★★
Tamra says
So very good! I put a splash of vanilla extract and some organic cocoa powder, and the water instead of the Apple juice. I will be making this again.
PG says
Okay, what size cookie sheet are we supposed to use for this? I had a 9x13in and it seemed waaaay too big.
Secondly, mine turned out tasting…a little too toasted? Is it possible to cook it for too long?
Note that when I tried the recipe I used aluminum foil instead of parchment, 1/2 cup whole walnuts instead of the hemp, 1/4 cup maple syrup and 1/4 cup water combo instead of the apple juice. I also baked it at 250 longer than it called for.
Was it baking it too long or those other variations that might have given it the toasted dark flavor?
Mellissa Sevigny says
If you mean that you baked it at 250 degrees higher than recommended then yes, that is quite likely why it got a “toasted dark flavor.”
SafeHavens4all says
Not tried this particular recipe, but I make sourdough discard crackers and flaxseed crackers all the time.
I also dislike the toasted flavor for my crackers. I like to bake for 1 hour at 200 F using a convection oven. If the crackers or cereal doesn’t seem crunchy enoug, leave in turned off oven with light on. My light will make my oven 175F a good dehydrating temperature.
★★★★★
CobyLyn says
Looking forward to tasting this! Just burned the granola batch, remaking that after this one has dried! Wish there was an option to post photos!
CobyLyn says
I’ve been making this since I found your recipe, so delicious! I’ve tried a lot of variations and am trying monkfruit sweetener instead of honey since I’m trying to stick to a Keto wol. I sent a batch to my dad in Texas and he raves about it! He puts it on his yogurt ?
Gesal says
Turned out Really Good!!! Used erythritol sweetened milk instead of apple Juice and didn’t even mix it well (due to my blender) but still worked well:-) i brushed a little extra oil on top after a couple of minutes in the oven and the rest as in the directions:-) thank you!!!
★★★★★
Farzana Firoz says
You through me off at milled and hulled lol…lets see…I have ground flax and…hemp protein powder. Would that work??
★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
If the protein powder has other ingredients than hemp it in then it probably won’t work.
Notshyla says
I really wanted this to work but it did not. Followed all directions and used exactly what she said too, came out looking perfect but tasted terrible. Had basically zero flavour and a very chalky texture. I’m not sure how this could be taken as cinnamon toast crunch tasting. Please advise as to what I can do about this.
Mellissa Sevigny says
If it tasted that bad it’s possible that your seeds were rancid!
Peter Piper says
You know, this sounds delicious, but I’m going to try to figure out a way to make it without cooking it. Heat destroys the omega3 content. It gets seriously deformed (Frakenomega) and not something you’d want in your body. I think I’ll add less apple juice (maybe switch to applesauce) and dehydrate it on low temp instead of cooking it and destroying the omega3 content.
★★★★★
Jennifer says
How did it turn out?
CobyLyn says
How did yours turn out Peter Piper? I’d love to not have to bake these gorgeous smelling hemp seeds!
kelz says
At the low baking temp. in this recipe, I do not think the omega 3 would be greatly affected.
Monique says
I made this as per your recipe the first time and loved it! My kids say it looks like cat food but hey, I couldn’t care less what it looks like as long as I can get my craving for crunch and/or cereal, satisfied! This time I’m changing it up just a bit and adding unsweetened cacao powder to it to see how it comes out. I’ll add another 2oz of juice to help with the addition of dry ingredients. I’m then going to add shredded coconut to the top of it during the second cooking period. I’m sure it will come out great!
Thanks for a great recipe to build on!
★★★★★
Emily says
Hi. I’m trying to make this for the first time and was wondering if I melt the coconut oil before putting it in?
Monique says
yes, make sure it is in liquid form
Frodosdojo says
I don’t know if you found this out yet but Trader Joe’s sells the most delicious uncured bacon. The Bits and Pieces cost no more than $3.49 for a pound. I don’t need my bacon in long perfect pieces.
Linda says
It likely has sugar and it is not on their gluten-free list. I even had them call corporate to find out because I used to buy it and didn’t want to give it up.
Angelina says
I’m in the process of making this recipe and I’m having a super hard time spreading the mixture out. Any tips to make that easier?
Notshyla says
Put another layer of parchment paper over top and use a rolling pin. Then peel top layer off
Pam says
I love this recipe. I’ve been sugar free for over a month (thanks to hypnosis) and following the Virgin Diet. Apple juice isn’t an option, so I used coconut water. Amazing with a handful of blueberries and unsweetened coconut flakes! Thank you for sharing!
Faye says
This looks wonderful, and I can’t wait to try it! I was wondering if it would be possible to use a dehyrdrator vs. baking in the oven? No doubt it would take much longer….
Mellissa Sevigny says
It will take longer Faye but would definitely work!
Nicola says
Faye, I was thinking the same thing! I was thinking dehydrating would be easier on the sensitive flax oils, which go rancid pretty easily. Let us know if you try it! :)
Kiki says
I haven’t had Cinnamon Toast Crunch in ages but from what I remember, the taste of this comes pretty close. I used three tbsps of Swerve mixed with ½ cup of water instead of apple juice and had to bake it for much longer at 300 degrees to get that crunchy texture.
Notshyla says
How???? Mine tastes like dirt. What are you all doing that makes its so sweet and yummy tasting?
Marissa says
I made these last week and loved them! I was gonna make another batch just like it today, but then I got a chocolate craving, so I added cocoa powder and a half a scoop of chocolate Jay Robb protein to the batch. They are making my home smell lovely right now, I’m hoping they taste as good as they smell! I’ve missed my Cocoa Puff cereal (it’s been probably 6 years since I ate it). Maybe this will do the trick :D
Laura says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I used unsweetened apple juice. (I’ve been off sugar and sweeteners for over a year.) I was surprised it wasn’t sweet enough, so I added 1 tablespoon of organic honey and it turned out great. I wanted to share the feedback with anyone who may need the sweet boost. They’re finishing up baking now, and I love the way my house smells! Thanks again for taking the time to share this.
Christina says
Oh and obviously I sweetened it with something, not just lemon juice- blech can you imagine! I only had a little bit of stevia left (1 packet) and was out of erythritol so I just used coconut sugar. It’s still lower-carb and grain free, and all the healthy fat and fiber will help slow down that sugar. :)
Christina says
Cereal used to be one of my biggest downfalls once upon a time. I made this recipe tonight and holy crap is it ever good! Instead of apple juice I just used a mixture of water and fresh lemon juice, to which I also added a bit of vanilla extract. I kind of doubled the recipe and added in psyllium husk just because I felt like it. I can’t wait to eat it tomorrow morning with my almond milk- I’m really impressed! This would even make a delicious cookie recipe. You found such a perfect application for ground flax- drying the heck out of it and making it crunchy!!! Genius! Thanks for posting the recipe. Definitely going to be making this on a regular basis from now on. Also, quite easy on the pocket book… adding psyllium stretches out your ingredients a bit.
Donna says
I’m not a big cereal fan (as far as eating it with milk etc), but I love to snack on it dry. Always looking for new grain-free ideas and was happy to come across this. It’s in the oven drying right now. I added pinches of nutmeg, ginger, cloves to it (simply because I love all those spices together with cinnamon!). I wished I read through the comments first…. Loved the suggestion of adding a little bit of salt to help bring out the flavors, so next batch will have just a tiny sprinkling of Celtic sea salt added. Thank you for this recipe!
Nelson says
Has anyone had success with using a hemp seed alternative and how did it come out? I saw one person used sunflower seeds, but the cereal didn’t come out crispy.
Arlene says
I can’t seem to get the bits to crisp up. I’ve let them sit and even heated up the over again, but the bits are still soft.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
Mellissa Sevigny says
Sorry Arlene I’m really not sure, not knowing exactly how you made them. Did you deviate from the recipe at all, and if so how?
Arlene says
Thanks for responding so quickly. I used all of the required ingredients but substituted the water for the apple juice. The consistency was perfect and I had no trouble spreading and cutting the bits.
I may try heating them again on a little higher heat.
Jana says
This was perfect. I did use the water/sweetener version, and I am in love. Thank you so much. It’s such a treat to be able to have cereal… my house smelled lovely while it was baking and my tummy and heart are happy. Thank you so much.
Jana says
Sorry to maybe overuse the “thank you so much”, but I don’t know how else to word it. :) I’m very appreciative.
judy says
Can’t wait yo try this. I have golden flax seed meal. Is that OK for the flax seeds? I have tried some of your other recipes, and enjoyed them very much. Thanks!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Yes, golden flax meal will be perfect!
Linda says
Piece of cake to make and delicious!
Linda says
Very delicious batter… just put the cereal in the oven- can’t wait till it comes out! Thanks for the recipe!
Andrea says
Thank you for this recipe! I have been gluten free for 2 years and I sorely miss cereal and crunchy food. All the gluten free alternatives on the market are always so high in sugar. I work 4 day trips and pack a large cooler bag with food for the week and almost all of it needs to be kept cold which can be difficult. Its so nice to pack an item I don’t have to worry about spoiling! My third batch this week is in the oven now :) Oh and my house smells so wonderful from the cinnamon, I can unplug my Yankee Candle scents!
Sara says
I love love love this!!! If I wanted to make a chocolate version…any idea how much cocoa powder I might use, and whether it would replace any of the flax or hemp? Thanks!!
Alison R. says
Mellissa – wasn’t sure if you were aware but this recipe doesn’t contain a blue “Zipit” box so I was unable to add this to my list :(
Carol says
Mmmmm, this sounds like it would make amazing little crunchy cookie nibbly thingys! Can’t wait to try it!
Becky says
Am I reading this right? 2 tablespoons of cinnamon? It looks like it makes about 2 servings, so you would be consuming a Tablespoon of cinnamon at one sitting… That just sounds toxic:). No one else mentioned this… I made this according to the recipe but was afraid to have my daughter eat it for fear the cinnamon would irritate her stomach. Just checking… Thanks!
Linda says
This makes A LOT of cereal. Much more than two servings. The yield says 6, and 1/2, and I believe that to be about right. (without having measured it myself)
Linda says
ooops 6 1/2 cup servings.
megan says
do you think i could use apple cider vinegar in place of the apple juice? i dont have any at home.
Mellissa Sevigny says
I don’t recommend it megan – try omitting it and using water and sweetener instead!
Mary says
I finally got a chance to make this and I really liked it! It hit the spot and satisfied my craving for something crunchy.
Jenny says
Mince came out a little soft… I followed the recipe to the T…. Any suggestions?
Mellissa Sevigny says
Sounds like you needed to bake them a little longer Jenny!
Kim says
I am so excited by this recipe!! Breakfast is the hardest meal of the day for me: I can only eat so many eggs before I don’t want to see them anymore. I haven’t had cold cereal in such a long time. I can’t wait to try this! I’m not sure if I can eat hemp as I’m on a specific carb diet and no one seems to know how hemp digests, so I’ll be using almond meal in its place. I’m already excited for breakfast now…
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hope you like it Kim! Hemp seeds are a little coarser than almond flour but it should still come out OK!
Erin says
Your website has made me so happy! I have been gluten free for about 5 years now and it’s been really hard finding good substitutes for so many things. I have really missed cereal. I’m excited to try this!
Mellissa Sevigny says
I hope you like it Erin! It hits the spot for me when I miss something crunchy – and you can tailor the flavors to whatever you like!
amanda says
do you think you could make this recipe and it would work without the apple juice?
Melisa says
I think the photography is amazing, and the idea fantastic! I, however did not like the taste at all! I do like hemp seeds and flax, so for me it wasn’t a matter of a particular ingredient. I followed the recipe EXACTLY. I used fresh ground cinnamon, which in my opinion is the best, fresh hemp and flax. The flavor was just not there. I am a picky eater, my husband however is not. My husband tasted a small piece after my son said it resembled pumpkin seeds, and spit it out saying it was just plain gross. This is the first recipe I have tried from IBIH and as a long time low carber I do intend to try some others. I think maybe with all the rave reviews and beautiful photography, my expectations may have been to high. Sorry to be a negative to such an overwhelming positive crowd.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Sorry this didn’t work for you Melisa! I hope that you will enjoy the other recipes more than this one! Appreciate the honest feedback!
Karla says
I made this, and although I love the texture, I am not so pleased with the bitter aftertaste. Reading the other comments, it doesn’t seem that anyone else had that problem, so it must be the kind of hemp seeds I bought or something.
AlysonGib says
Hi! I’m really looking forward to trying this recipe, but I was wondering if there would be a substitute for the coconut oil? And would it be possible to make this without a sweetener of any kind, no apple juice or honey/agave/syrup?
jo says
Thank you for this recipe, I made it the other day and subbed chia seeds for hemp seeds, I used unsweetened almond milk and sugar free syrup to flavour and sweeten, it tastes fab ! Actually, being diabetic, it made my blood sugars really low, probably to do with the fibre content……this is a hit with me, thanks once again
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks for letting me know Jo! So glad you liked it! Sometimes I miss cereal and this gives me the perfect bit of crunch!!
Chantal says
Thanks for sharing such a easy cereal recipe. For my kids i just sprinkled some honey over it and they like it. I do share it on my website if you don’t mind.
Nicole Davis says
This sounds great! I just shared it on my Facebook recipe page for those who have been asking me about out-the-door breakfasts and cereal! So yay!! All your recipes look fantastic by the way :)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much Nicole!
PudgyBunny says
any way to make this without any oil, butter, or fat product?
Mellissa Sevigny says
That’s not really my area of expertise, you’d have to experiment – maybe with egg whites but I don’t think they’d crisp up the same. If you find a way to make it work I hope you’ll let us know!
Katie says
Hey there – can you sub Chia seeds for the hemp seeds? This looks great!!
Mellissa Sevigny says
I haven’t tried it katie, but I don’t see why not! Let us know how it comes out if you do!
TDC says
I’ve had this saved to Evernote for about 7 months, keep meaning to try it out. I was never a huge cereal fan but my favourite was a Nestle one called ‘Curiously Cinnamon’ in the UK (http://www.cerealpartners.co.uk/content/Brands/Brand.aspx?BrandId=8) which I guessed was the same as the one you’re trying to replicate here so I was keen to try it out. I didn’t have ground flaxseed but had a bad of golden linseed which I thought would grind up well enough. I couldn’t find hulled hemp (or at least I didn’t know what I was looking for) so I just bought a bag of hemp seed hoping for the best. In fact neither of the seeds broke down much and I ended up with a much chunkier version compared to what you have in the photographs. It was difficult to spread out — very sticky. I took them out after the pre-requisite 25 minutes and cut them up as best I could although they weren’t anywhere near as neat as yours. When I went back to check on them after about 15 minutes they were still quite soggy so I whacked them back in the over on 200C for about 10 minutes and that did the trick. They are a much darker brown than yours but they taste quite nice. I will probably eat them by the handful as a snack rather than as a cereal as I don’t drink milk and don’t like almond milk. Might try it with coconut milk though!! thanks for the recipe, I’ll keep tweaking.
Tx
Misty says
Just wondering if coconut flour and flax seed meal would work. Thanks!
Mellissa Sevigny says
I haven’t tried it but in theory it should work fine Misty! Hope you like it!
Vittoria says
Looks very good; better recipe than another online low-carb cold cereal recipe I tried today, which had me baking it at too high a temp and nearly burning it.
However, I am confused about the yield. You call for only a cup of dry ingredients, yet state that the recipe makes six half-cup servings. I guess I should triple your recipe to get a six-serving yield?
Mellissa Sevigny says
The yield is correct – your dry ingredients are compressed, the addition of wet ingredients adds volume, and a 1/2 cup of cereal has air space in between the pieces so it wouldn’t equal the same as the dry ingredients. Enjoy!
Lisa says
This sounds so good, I love cereal. I was just wondering what I could use in place of the flax seed (I love flax but am highly allergic) .
Mellissa Sevigny says
You could use all hemp, or substitute almond flour for the flax meal – these are just suggestions though as I haven’t actually tried either. Hope you can find a way to make it work for you!
Melissa says
Hey! This recipe looks great! I have some questions about what you think about possible substitutions.
1. I have a ton of raw sunflower seeds in my pantry but no hemp seeds. Do you think the sunflower seeds could work?
2. You mention in the nutrition info something about using a no-calorie sugar sub instead of the apple juice. What might you be using instead of the apple juice? Also, do you think unsweetened apple sauce would work as a sub?
Thanks! I love your blog!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Melissa! You’d have to grind the sunflower seeds a bit, but yes, it should work! Instead of apple juice you could use splenda or another sweetener mixed with water – or unsweetened apple juice would work great as well. Enjoy!
Jaime says
This looks fantastic and is going to be my project this weekend – I think I’m going to try to make it raw!
Danielle B. says
Yum! I made this with the water/sugar substitute since I didn’t have apple juice on hand (and I didn’t feel like dragging out my juicer!). I used Swerve. I bet it would taste better with apple juice, but it’s still pretty darn good!
For those that have trouble with finding Hemp Seed- I found it on Vitacost and iHerb. iHerb is a little cheaper and has lower shipping in most cases….I’ve had awesome experiences with both and have ordered from both many times! Even better….if you go to iHerb, you can use coupon code NQC939 and save $5 (or $10 off a purchase $40 or higher I think)….which basically covers shipping :).
Thanks for this awesome recipe!!!
Dani says
I just found this recipe and I am really wanting to make it! I am finishing up my first Whole30, and plan to go to a mainly Paleo diet afterwards. I tried to find the milled flax seed last night, but had a little trouble. Is it different from regular flax seeds? Can I just use them instead? Or is it flax seed meal? Thank yiou for any help!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Flax seed meal will work fine Dani, or if you have whole flax seeds you can grind them in a blender or coffee grinder. Enjoy!
Dani says
Thank you! I can’t wait to make this.
Danielle B. says
I love that you did W30 and are now eating Paleo….same thing for me!! I finished W30 partway through March and I can’t imagine ever going back to the way I used to eat. Congrats on a successful finish!!! :) :) :)
wifeson says
OMG I miss cereal. The crunch and the ease of getting something quick. Thanks so much cant wait to try this! I just bought a magic bullet and flax seeds! Can I put some chia seeds in there too. I have to get hemp seeds I never heard of them. Is there any subs for it!
I recently was diagnosed with diabetes so I stay away from carbs. I have lost 35 lbs in 9 weeks and love eating healthy. I love your recipes! Thanks a bunch!!
April says
Im newly (less than a month) Gluten, Sugar, Grain, Dairy free. Thankfully i can have honey and agave. I’ve been struggling with what to have for breakfast since i cant stand eggs. BLECH. I’ve always been a cereal person and really miss my daily breakfast. WELL…yesterday a friend of mine brought me a baggie of your cereal that she had made. It smelled DEVINE, but when i munched on one, it was a little…well…not quite there. But it had major potential! I was hopeful! So, this morning i was really looking forward to trying it. I pour some in a bowl, drizzled it with a bit of honey, cut up two beautiful strawberries and poured Unsweetened Vanilla Almond milk over the top. Boy was i surprised and very HAPPY! It was ABSOLUTELY delicious! The texture took a few mins to get used to, its a little grainy. But other than that, it was awesome. It didnt get soggy at all. The crunch was perfect. The cinnamon was perfect. Everything!!! I wouldnt change anything! I really am trying to have an open mind with all these new foods, and im thankful for people like yourself giving us more / new options for what we CAN have. :)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks April! I’m glad you ended up liking it after all! :)
Laura S. says
Wow. I rarely ever had cereal but now I want some! Going to have to give this a go.
JustMe says
I see you said you kept this in your fridge. I’m traveling for several days and I’ve been looking for some easy snacks or even breakfasts to take with me while I’m flying and staying at a hotel with no fridge. Do you think I could freeze a couple of batches and then let them thaw out my first day of travel? By the time I get hungry on the plane they might be ready to eat. Could a coupe of servings last a day or two that way outside of the fridge?
Mellissa Sevigny says
I think it would be fine for a few days – I just keep it in the fridge and freezer to be on the safe side.
Kate Koger says
My eldest daughter (9 years old) and I are having a go at this but using pecans, ground almonds, coconut oil, grass fed butter, cinnamon and a dash of vanilla!!! I have been wanting to make this for months and months!!
Can’t wait to try it!!!!
Sonia! The Healthy Foodie says
OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, Mellissa, YUUUUUM! I want some of that NOW! I’m like drooling all over the place here. Can anyone say craving grains, maybe?
Seriously, this looks amazing and I really want to make them. But would it not be considered SWYPO? So far, this would be the one thing I’m having the hardest time dealing with… But I so badly want to make this.
Please, please, please, tell me I can!
And mind you… did I not say that I was not going to adhere to that SWYPO rule for my first attempt? ;)
PINNED FOR SURE! (I think you are my new hero)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hey Sonia! This cereal is definitely yummy, and technically Whole 30 compliant – though it probably does fall into the SWYPO category, especially if you’ve been craving grains. But I won’t tell anyone if you don’t! :)
Andie says
I didn’t have flax or hemp seeds on hand, but I really wanted to try this recipe, so I used 1/2 cup of ground mixed raw almonds, sunflower seeds and pepitas and 1/2 cup of chia seeds instead and it turned out so well! It was so easy to make and it’s so nice to be ale to have cereal again! Thanks for this awesome recipe!
melissa says
I love this idea! has anyone tried usiing stevia instead of apple juice? and if so, how much did you use?
lucie says
“Mix 1/2 cup of water with a sugar free sub that is equal to 1/4 cup of sugar – it’s different depending on your brand so you can check their website for a chart of equivalents to figure it out. Enjoy!”
lucie says
is there a substitute for coconut oil?? Can i use spreads or other oils??
Mellissa Sevigny says
You could use other oil or butter according to whatever your diet allows. Enjoy!
lucie says
what can you replace the almond meal or hemp seeds with? like wheat or oat bran?? it is too many seeds, my hubby gets diarrhea from it :(
Mellissa Sevigny says
Oat bran would probably work – you’ll just have to experiment I guess. You can also use some coconut flour if your hubby can tolerate that. Hope it works out for you!
running betty says
In the oven right now. Just licking the spatula was yummy
Tabitha says
Hey Mellissa,
I just made this…AMAZING! I would like to try making them bigger like graham crackers! Have you tried that? I bet they would be good with some cheese cake on top.
Marouli says
This sounds fabulous! Can’t wait to make it. How many servings does it make?
Melissa K says
These are in the oven now! I can’t wait to try them!!!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Great, hope you like them! I haven’t made this cereal in a long time, I think I’ll have to add it to my rotation soon!
Maura says
I’ve been making this for awhile since I first found it on here.Yesterday I decided to make it look like bran flakes by rolling it as thin as the rolling pin would make it between two parchment sheets.I had to do it on two cookie sheets,dividing the mix between the two.Leaving both papers in place ,I started cooking and eventually the top layer of parchment lifted right off. I was left with a thin crispy flax sheet which I then broke into flakes.Worked out great! Flax Flakes! I do use stevia, water instead of juice and all flax but I just love this cereal as squares and now flakes!
Bonnie Buckner says
Can’t wait to try this as is and just add a touch of real maple to them babies before adding coconut milk to the bowl!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Sounds yummy Bonnie, hope you like them!
becxk says
This is awesome! But mine tasted a little burnt… :( not sure if I’m just not used to adding SOOOO much cinnamon or if they were left in the oven too long. Any less time and they weren’t crispy enough. I’ll try again though. I miss cereal too much! I’ve recently started following your blog. It is so great! Some things are a little difficult to source where I am here in Australia but am loving the adventures of obscure ingredient hunts! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks becxk! A couple of mine on the edges where they were really thin got a little darker – it’s possible that yours were thinner than mine in which case they might have needed a little less cooking time but more time drying out in the oven. You’ll have to tweak it batch by batch as you get the hang of it!
Susan says
Made this with almond meal today for my kids… huge success! http://www.realkidseatspinach.com/homemade-cinnamon-crunch-cereal/
thank you so much for your creative recipe!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Susan and thanks for linking back! Glad this was a hit!
Kaitlyn says
Where do I find flax and hemp seeds??
Mellissa Sevigny says
You can get flax almost anywhere, even Walmart in the baking section. Hemp seeds are a little harder, I get mine at Costco but you can get them at Whole Foods and other natural food stores. Or order them online from nuts.com or other sources. If you don’t have hemp seeds you can substitute almond meal. Enjoy!
Dancing tigga says
Have a Batch in the oven, mixed the fat into the dry ingredients. By hand and then mixed in the apple juice…mixture felt quite wet. Used the parchment technique for rolling and it was all very easy – kids skipped off to bed, very excited about a new cereal for breakfast. They seemed a bit soft still when I retired to bed but this morning they are perfect, had some with a strawberry and a splash of cold milk – I couldn’t resist it. So thank you – again for another wonderful recipe – I tried your cream cheese pancakes yesterday, simple but clever, well done.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much DT! Glad the cereal recipe worked so well for you – it really hits the spot when you’ve been missing that crunch in the morning! Oh and I’m happy that you enjoyed the pancakes too! :)
Dems says
Hello! Love your blog and this recipe, just wondering how you spread this? Do you just use a spatula, fingers, rolling pin? What? Also, are your squares fairly small?
http://makewithyourhands.blogspot.com/
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hi Dems! Yes, the squares are small, about one inch in diameter. I used a spatula to spread it out but it’s key that you do it right away as the flax causes it to stiffen up after a few minutes and then it’s harder to spread. Hope you like it!
My name is Charles says
Hmm, I replied earlier suggesting that a video of the process might be helpful to your audience, for this recipe in particular, to make clear what exactly the consistency of the dough should be.
I also wondered if a bit of salt in the batter might amp up the flavor a little in the finished product — had you tried that?
Also I just made another, more successful, batch, this time first using a lubricated cutting mat to “smush” the dough and then a rolling pin (on top of the mat) to even it out. (I also attempted to use lubed up wax paper for smushing and that didn’t work since the dough stuck to it in spite of the Pam.)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks for the input Charles, I’m not really set up to do any video tutorials yet though it’s something I’d like to add at some point. I didn’t use salt but I can see where that would give it a little something extra. I also find that using parchment paper on the bottom and top works well and it doesn’t stick as much. But the most critical thing is to mix and spread it right away because the flax as it sits gets more and more gelatinous which makes it gummy and harder to spread. Hope that helps!
My name is Charles says
I just had a bowl of the cereal with some almond milk for dinner. Its been a long time since I had cereal (much less for dinner!!), so thank you for that.
Anyway this batch definitely was too thick. That and it appears that I ate a third of my batch. Which leads me too a couple of additional thoughts:
1 I think next time I will attempt to use a rolling pin to thin it out.
2 I will make a double batch at least given the high work-to-food-output ratio. (vs, say, a bag of frozen hot wings)
– cheers
My name is Charles says
Did you see my earlier comment?
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hi Charles, not sure what you mean by earlier comment? Glad you like the cereal though!
Anonymous says
Im just wondering what you considered a serving for this? Can’t wait to try it but dont want to go overboard when pouring myself a bowl ;) Also, is there any substitution for coconut oil? I dont have any, and I’m not sure I want to buy some just for this! Looks awesome, thanks for the recipe!
Sydney
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hi Sydney – the nutrition info is per 1/2 cup of cereal so add up accordingly depending on how much you eat! You could use clarified butter if you’re paleo or any other light tasting oil if you are just watching your carbs. Enjoy!
Anonymous says
Any idea how long this keeps before it either A) goes bad/spoils or B) becomes noticeably less crunchy? I’m intending on making a batch soon and trying to decide how much I should make based on how much I’ll eat/how long it keeps. Any advice is appreciated. :)
Mellissa Sevigny says
I haven’t stored any for any length of time, but I kept mine in an airtight container in the fridge just to be safe and I had it about a week. You can also freeze it if you’re making a LOT. Might even be ok at room temp if it’s stored airtight but it’s probably safest in the fridge. Enjoy!
mandapanda says
I just made this but subbed Almond meal of the hemp since it was all I had on hand. It is sooooo good! Next time I will be a little more generous with the cinnamon but I love it. This will be a staple in our keto house for sure! If you are spreading it on parchment its super easy if you slap another piece of parchment on top and roll it with a rolling pin then peel the top parchment paper off before baking. :) Mine certainly are not as good looking as yours since husband recently broke my pizza cutter but, they taste fabulous!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks for sharing the parchment tip! Glad you guys are enjoying the cereal!
Anonymous says
I made this today! It’s currently in the oven drying out.
It was so difficult to spread on the baking sheet. I ended up ditching the spoon and used my fingers to spread it out and it was like glue/paste. I don’t know if I was the only one with this problem, but I ended up coating my fingers in coconut oil to keep the mixture from sticking to my fingers. It helped a bit, but it was still hard.
I can’t wait to try it though with some almond and coconut milk! I’m having it for dinner tonight after a long run, so I’m very excited!!
Mellissa Sevigny says
The longer the mixture sits, the more gelatinous it gets from the flax meal. Next time try spreading it out immediately after mixing and you can use a silicone spatula coated with coconut oil to help smooth it out. Hope it turned out ok!
Jordan Tanaka says
Hi!
I too was having an issue pressing it out (I did have to let the dough sit a bit before I was able to get to it so that explains why is was harder) but I just put it between two sheets of parchment paper and rolled it with a rolling pin…worked like a charm! The cereal is so good and even my 2 1/2 year old loves it! Thanks for sharing your great recipes :)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Jordan, glad it was a hit with the family!
kimberly says
I made this recipe yesterday and it has a great flavor! I used sugar substitute and water instead of apple juice. My cereal never dried out or got crispy. I feel like I made it as thin as possible. Maybe I need a little less water? Thanks for the recipe. I probably miss cereal most since going low carb.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hi Kimberly! I don’t think it was too much water – that would evaporate eventually and should have left you with a crisp cereal. It’s possible that the sugar sub you used altered the texture and somehow prevented it from becoming crisp – or that it just needed more time in the oven. If you try again, you might want to bake it in the evening and then turn it off and leave it in there overnight. Let me know if you try again and what the results are! Thanks!
kimberly says
Yeah, the more I thought I about it, the more I decided I should have baked it longer. I’m planning to do another batch this weekend so I’ll let you know how it turns out! Thanks again for your input AND recipes. :)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hope the second batch worked better for you Kimberly! :)
Donna Young says
Any substitution ideas for the apple juice to make it more low carb?
Mellissa Sevigny says
There are instructions above the recipe on how much sugar substitute and water to sub for the apple juice to make it low carb. There is also nutrition info for each method. Enjoy!
Jeanette says
Hi! I’m a new reader of your blog, and I love it. You have so many inspiring recipes!
This cereal was really delicious!! I used hazelnuts instead of hempseeds, and it was lovely. Will make again, when I get my hempseeds :-)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Jeanette and good to know that it worked with with an alternative to the hemp! I appreciate you reporting back and I’m glad you liked it!
AnDee says
Thanks for posting the nut substitution. But, if you were to use stevia, or some other sugar-free sub, how much would you use? Thanks!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Mix 1/2 cup of water with a sugar free sub that is equal to 1/4 cup of sugar – it’s different depending on your brand so you can check their website for a chart of equivalents to figure it out. Enjoy!
Nada Quraishi says
Hi
Quick question. If I am substituting the hemp seeds for almond meal and regular flax seeds for the milled kind – can I just use 1/2 cup of almonds, with 1/2 cup flax seeds and then grind them all at once with the oil and juice? Or should I use 1/2 cup of pre-ground almond (almond meal) with 1/2 cup of pre ground flax seeds, and then put that combo through the magic bullet again with the oil and juice? Hope that even made sense
Javelin Warrior says
What a cool recipe and I love that you found a way to make healthy “cinnamon toast crunch” cereal! I’m featuring this post in today’s Food Fetish Friday (with a link-back and attribution). I hope you have no objections and I love the inspiration I get from your food…
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks JW, I appreciate being featured in another Food Fetish Friday! Hope you try the cereal!
MemoryKeeper says
This recipe looks scrumptious. BTW, I know that lower sodium bacon is sugar free, hope that helps!
Mellissa Sevigny says
I did find that out and was very excited about it! I have only eaten bacon once since I started my Whole 30 though and I didn’t miss it as much as I thought I would!
Liz says
Would it work to sub chia seeds for the hemp?
Mellissa Sevigny says
Not sure Liz, it would definitely alter the flavor – I think going all flax would be better than chia seeds, but I’m not a fan of them so that might be why! Let us know if it works!
claire says
I’m thinking about trying this using unsweetened applesauce instead of juice. Any thoughts whether that would work?
Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says
It’s hard to say without actually trying it, but I suspect the pulp of the apple left after the liquid evaporates out might keep your cereal from crisping up nicely. But it’s just a theory – I’m curious to know if it will work, so I hope you’ll report back!
Sanjeeta kk says
This is absolutely wonderful…love the healthy touch and the appealing breakfast idea!
Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says
Thanks Sanjeeta, hope you like them!
Heidi @ Food Doodles says
Great idea! Your cereal looks so yummy :)
Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says
Thanks Heidi – a great compliment coming from you! :)
Mara says
Hey, I love the recipe, but getting hemp seeds here is nearly impossible, can I susbtitue them for anything else
Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says
You can try ground almonds or walnuts which should work in theory – though I haven’t tried it myself yet!
Mara says
Okay, thanks, I´ll try it out and report back =)
Dems says
I couldn’t find any hemp seed either. I substituted Chia seed! Might want to try that :)
http://makewithyourhands.blogspot.com/
Mainegarden says
I used sunflower seeds instead of hemp seeds. They were tasty, but the texture was like graham crackers, not really crunchy. Was that the ingredient, or the baking/drying? I will make these again! Maybe a Tbsp of cocoa and a Tbsp of cinnamon?
Sarah @ The Fit Cookie says
This is awesome! Can’t wait to try this : )
Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says
Let us know how it comes out Sarah!
cravingsgoneclean says
Wow! I used to LOVE that cereal…well, I probably still do, but it’s way too loaded with sugar for me to buy it these days. I think you’re on to something :)I will have to try this. My next question is, can you figure out a way to make a healthy version of Reese Puffs? All my cereal cravings would be taken care of!
Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says
Hey Lauren! I laughed at the visual of me rolling hundreds of tiny balls of peanut flavored cereal and placing them on a cookie sheet to bake! Maybe I can get the flavors but don’t think they’ll be round! ha ha! :)
Dawn says
I love this! I have been wanting to make cereal for a long time! Guess this is a reason to buy those hemp hearts at Costco. Although I didn’t consider them particularly low carb…maybe I am remembering wrong.
Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says
Only 1g of net carbs per 3 Tablespoons in the hemp hearts so it’s almost as good as flax seeds as far as being low carb friendly! And they are SO good for you – loaded with Omega 3’s and other vitamins and minerals. Not to mention delicious. I usually mix a few tablespoons into my morning yogurt. Yum!
Aline - Yoshii says
What have you done!!!! Cereals! Oh my god! If I only imagine this sweet crunchy stuff with delicious cold milk..oh my god, this is just too good to be true! MUST TRY! I love you, I really do! :D
Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says
Thanks Aline! You’re going to love it – it’s everything I was missing about cereal!
Lee Kirsten MacKenzie says
Ditto to everything said above! I do SO miss cereal…and now for the cold almond milk- yeah, Baby! Can’t wait to go to the store to see if I can find that hemp seed…
Christine says
At the top of my to-make list for sure! YUM!
Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says
I’m already planning a huge batch to have on hand for August while I’m doing the Whole 30! I even ate it for dinner last night – so good!
Page says
you may have just made my month! I have been craving something crunchy and nuts just aren’t cutting it. I can’t wait to try this recipe
Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says
Can’t wait to hear what you think of it Page!