Keto Cinnamon Cereal: A Nostalgic and Healthy Breakfast

For those following a ketogenic or low-carb lifestyle, the cravings for childhood favorites can be intense. Cereal, with its sweet, crunchy goodness, is often one of the first things to be missed. But fear not, because you don't have to give up cereal on a keto diet! This article explores how to make a delicious and healthy keto cinnamon cereal that will satisfy your cravings without derailing your dietary goals.

The Allure of Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Who doesn’t remember getting home from school and devouring a bowl of good-old cinnamon toast crunch with iced-cold milk? Or that late-night snack? That flavor will forever be engrained in our tastebuds. Many people grew up eating dry cereal for breakfast, with Cinnamon Toast Crunch being a particular favorite. The combination of cinnamon and sweetness is irresistible, making it a beloved choice for both kids and adults.

However, traditional Cinnamon Toast Crunch is loaded with refined sugars and processed carbohydrates, making it a no-go for anyone following a keto or low-carb diet. The good news is that you can recreate that nostalgic flavor with a keto-friendly version that uses wholesome ingredients and keeps the carb count low.

Why Make Your Own Keto Cereal?

While there are pre-made keto cereals available on the market, making your own at home has several advantages:

• Clean Ingredients: Pre-made keto cereals vary greatly in quality. Making your own at home is the best way you can guarantee the nutritional factor. You have complete control over the ingredients, ensuring that you're not consuming any unwanted additives or preservatives.
• Cost-Effective: You don’t have to pay the exorbitant prices for pre-made keto cereal. Homemade cereal is much more affordable than store-bought options.
• Customizable: You can adjust the sweetness and spice levels to your liking.
• Easy to Make: Making your own Keto Cereal is almost as easy as pouring it from a box. It takes only 5 ingredients and 35 minutes of your time.

Key Ingredients for Keto Cinnamon Cereal

The following are some of the key ingredients used in keto cinnamon cereal recipes:

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

• Almond Flour: When it comes to low-carb cooking and baking, almond flour is definitely one of the best options out there. Made from ground almonds, it not only offers healthy fats, protein, and fiber, but it’s also easier on your blood sugar, low in carbs and totally gluten-free. Make sure you are using blanched almond flour, and not the natural almond meal that contains the skins. It makes a big difference to the texture of this recipe and many other keto baked goods.
• Coconut Flour: Coconut flour is another great low-carb flour option.
• Sweetener: This cinnamon toast cereal is perfectly spiced and delicately sweetened using sugar-free monk fruit. I recommend Swerve or another erythritol-based sweetener, such as Lakanto, for this recipe. These are best for a truly crispy texture. Any amount of Bochasweet or Allulose will keep the keto cereal from crisping up properly. Lakanto golden without a doubt. Least cooling effect, nice maple-like taste.
• Cinnamon: It wouldn’t be cinnamon cereal without a healthy dose of cinnamon!
• Butter or Coconut Oil: I absolutely adore grass-fed butter as the fat here. I like salted butter here, to add more flavor, but you can also use unsalted. Coconut oil tends to be greasier so try adding 5 tablespoons at first, and then add more if the mixture isn’t sticking together.
• Shredded Coconut: If you don’t like coconut, you can sub flax seed meal or more almond flour in the same amount.

Recipe 1: Keto Cinnamon Toast Crunch

This recipe uses almond flour and a sweetener to create a crispy and delicious cereal.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, low moisture (170 g/ 6 oz)
• 2 tbsp cream cheese (28 g/ 1 oz)
• 1 cup almond flour (100 g/ 3.5 oz)
• 1/4 cup granulated Erythritol or Swerve (50 g/ 1.8 oz)
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp butter, melted

Topping:

• 1-2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp granulated Erythritol or Swerve

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 120 °C/ 250 °F (fan assisted), or 140 °C/ 285 °F (conventional).
2. Place the mozzarella and cream cheese in a heatproof glass bowl. Microwave for 60 seconds. Stir then heat for a further 30 seconds.
3. Add the dry ingredients (almond flour, low-carb sweetener and cinnamon) to a food processor. Blitz until combined.
4. Remove the dough from the food processor and divide into 2 parts. Dust with cinnamon and sprinkle with erythritol.
5. Repeat for the second half of the dough.
6. Bake for about 45 to 55 minutes until golden on top and slightly crisp.
7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to fully crisp up.
8. Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up a week, or freeze in a sealed bag for up to 3 months.

Recipe 2: Gluten-Free, Paleo & Keto Cinnamon Toast Crunch

This recipe uses a combination of almond flour, cinnamon, and a sugar-free sweetener to create a crunchy cereal that is both gluten-free and paleo-friendly.

Ingredients:

• Almond flour
• Cinnamon
• Xanthan gum
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Butter
• Sweetener
• Egg

Instructions:

1. Add almond flour, cinnamon, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined and set aside.
2. Cream butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer, 2-3 minutes. Add in sweetener and continue to beat until thoroughly light and fluffy and much of the sweetener has dissolved. Add in egg, mixing until just incorporated. The mixture will appear slightly 'broken' (i.e. not thoroughly smooth).
3. With your mixer on low, add in half of your flour mixture- mixing until just incorporated. Mix in the rest.
4. Wrap cereal dough with cling film (saran wrap) and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to 3 days.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
6. Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper until nice and thin. Using a ruler, cut dough lengthwise and then crosswise into squares. Prick each piece with a small fork (optional).
7. Transfer parchment paper with the keto cinnamon toast crunch to a baking sheet or tray, and place in the freezer for 10 minutes prior to baking. The shaped dough can be frozen for up to 3 months, and baked straight from the freezer (adding 2-3 minutes more to the baking time).
8. Bake for 8-12 minutes, until fully golden (depending on size and thickness). Keep an eye out for them, and note that if you like them crisp you'll want to push the baking time as much as possible (until deep golden).
9. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon 'sugar'. You can also do this prior to baking for a more 'crusty' result, both work well just depending on your preference so feel free to experiment.
10. Allow to cool for ten minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely, as they'll continue to crunch up (this may take a few hours for the sweetener to harden up again!). Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Recipe 3: Keto Cereal with 5 Ingredients

This recipe is incredibly simple, requiring only 5 ingredients and 35 minutes of your time.

Ingredients:

• Almond flour
• Shredded coconut
• Swerve Sweetener
• Butter
• Ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the almond flour, coconut, sweetener and cinnamon. Pulse a few times to combine.
3. Scatter the butter pieces over the mixture and pulse until it resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Spread the mixture on prepared pan and cover with another sheet of parchment or waxed paper. Use a rolling pin or your hands to press down firmly so that the cereal sticks together.
5. Remove the top sheet of paper and bake 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
6. While baking, combine the topping ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the cereal immediately after removing from oven.
7. Storage Information: Store the cereal in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week. There is nothing in this recipe that will spoil. But if you live in a humid environment, it may soften up a bit.

Tips for Making the Best Keto Cinnamon Cereal

• Chill the Dough: The other indispensable thing, is that the dough be thoroughly chilled before rolling and baking. Why? The butter in the dough has to solidify once again before you can roll it out and cut it up.
• Roll the Dough Thinly: Place half the dough between two large pieces of parchment paper and roll it out very thinly, about 1/16-inch thick or under 2 millimeters thick.
• Watch the Baking Time: They burn very quickly, so watch them closely.
• Let it Cool Completely: Allow to cool completely, as they'll continue to crunch up (this may take a few hours for the sweetener to harden up again!).

Serving Suggestions

Serve this cereal in a bowl with some almond milk or cream. You can also sprinkle bits over yogurt or your favorite keto ice cream. I like to serve it with unsweetened almond milk and some fresh berries but yoghurt, coconut yoghurt or milk would be delicious too or even whipped cream or coconut cream for an easy low-carb dessert.

Variations and Substitutions

• Dairy-Free Option: Use melted coconut oil or any preferred oil in place of the butter.
• Nut-Free Option: Use sunflower seed flour in place of the almond flour. You will need two or three tablespoons more of it, and it may take a little longer to bake.
• Coconut butter: Coconut butter can be substituted if dairy free or paleo. Just note that your cereal will be less airy (and therefore crunchy).

Storing Your Keto Cereal

Once cooled, the cereal can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Store the cereal in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week. There is nothing in this recipe that will spoil. But if you live in a humid environment, it may soften up a bit. You can always return it to a warm oven to re-crisp it.

Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide

Nutritional Information

Many storebought keto and low carb cereals actually contain quite a few carbohydrates. However, this homemade cinnamon cereal has 6.5 grams of carbs and 3.4 grams of fiber. My recipe for keto cinnamon cereal has 3 grams net carbs in a ½-cup serving, making it a great keto breakfast choice.

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

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