For those following a ketogenic diet, the idea of enjoying a bowl of cereal might seem like a distant memory. Most store-bought cereals are loaded with wheat flours and refined sugars, making them unsuitable for a low-carb lifestyle. However, with a little creativity and the right ingredients, you can create your own delicious and healthy keto-friendly cereal right at home. This article explores various vegan keto cereal recipes, offering a range of options to satisfy your cravings without compromising your dietary goals.
Why Make Your Own Keto Cereal?
There are several compelling reasons to ditch the store-bought options and embark on your homemade keto cereal adventure:
- Clean Ingredients: Pre-made keto cereals can vary widely in quality. By making your own, you have complete control over the ingredients, ensuring a nutritious and wholesome breakfast.
- Customization: Homemade cereal allows you to tailor the flavors and ingredients to your preferences. Whether you're a fan of cinnamon, chocolate, or nutty flavors, you can create a cereal that perfectly suits your taste.
- Cost-Effective: Many commercially available keto cereals come with a hefty price tag. Making your own is a budget-friendly way to enjoy your favorite breakfast without breaking the bank.
- It's Easy: Making your own Keto Cereal is almost as easy as pouring it from a box. It takes only a few ingredients and a short amount of time.
Keto Cinnamon Crunch Cereal
This recipe is a long-time reader favorite, and for good reason. It's easy to make, incredibly delicious, and boasts a satisfying cinnamon flavor and crispy texture.
Ingredients:
- Almond flour (blanched, not almond meal)
- Shredded coconut (or flaxseed meal/more almond flour)
- Swerve Sweetener (or another erythritol-based sweetener like Lakanto)
- Butter (salted or unsalted)
- Ground cinnamon
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine the almond flour, coconut, sweetener, and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse to combine. If you don't have a food processor, you can mix everything by hand. Use a pastry cutter, if you own one, to work the butter into the dry ingredients. If not, use two knives to cut it up finely.
- Scatter the butter pieces over the mixture and pulse until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Spread the mixture on the 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.
- Remove the top sheet of paper and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. If the edges are getting too brown before the center is baked through, remove them. They will cool and crisp up while the rest is still baking.
- Serve with almond milk or cream, or sprinkle over yogurt or keto ice cream.
Dairy-Free Option: Use melted coconut oil or any preferred oil in place of the butter. Coconut oil tends to be greasier so try adding 5 tablespoons at first, and then add more if the mixture isn’t sticking together.
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.
Read also: Vegan Diet for Diabetes Management
Nutritional Information (per ½-cup serving): 6.5 grams of carbs and 3.4 grams of fiber, resulting in 3 grams net carbs.
Storage Information: Store the cereal in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week. If you live in a humid environment, it may soften up a bit; you can re-crisp it in a warm oven.
Keto Granola Cereal
For a heartier and crunchier cereal experience, keto granola is an excellent choice. This recipe allows for plenty of customization, so you can create a flavor profile that perfectly suits your preferences.
Ingredients:
- Almonds
- Shredded coconut
- Pecans
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Erythritol (powdered)
- Golden flaxseed meal
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Egg white
- Melted butter
- Vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Pre-heat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the almonds and shredded coconut to a food processor and pulse until the almonds are broken up into smaller pieces.
- Add the pecans and pulse again until the pecans are broken up.
- Add the pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, erythritol, golden flaxseed meal, cinnamon, and salt and pulse again until mixed together. Try not to overprocess here as you still want to have small pieces of nuts and seeds throughout.
- Lastly, add the egg white, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
- Pulse a few more times, and if needed use a spoon to scoop the bottom of the mixture to the top so that everything is incorporated well. Repeat pulsing and scraping the mixture to the top until everything is mixed and coated evenly.
- Transfer the granola cereal mixture to a baking sheet and spread into an even layer.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Let cool and break apart into pieces.
Variations:
- Crunchy Sea Salt Caramel Flavor: Use pork rinds as your cereal base. To make it into a vegan keto cereal, use coconut oil and skip the egg white.
- Nut Allergy: Replace the nuts with extra seeds and coconut flakes.
Storage Information: This recipe makes a total of 8 servings of Keto Granola Cereal.
Mixed Nut and Hempseed Cereal (Vegan Keto)
This vegan keto cereal offers a delightful blend of textures and flavors, making it a satisfying and nutritious breakfast option. It's easy to customize with your favorite nuts and freeze-dried fruits.
Read also: Vegan Diet for Bodybuilding
Ingredients:
- 1 flax egg (1 tbsp flaxmeal to 3 tbsp of water)
- 1 1/2 cup almond meal
- 1 cup hemp seeds
- 1/3 cup keto friendly sweetener
- Macadamia Nuts
- Pecans
- Coconut
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) and line large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make your flax egg and place in the fridge to firm up while you mix the rest of the ingredients.
- In a large bowl whisk together all dry ingredients until well combined. Then add in the wet ingredients along with the flax egg and stir until it starts to clump together.
- Evenly spread cereal out on prepared baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. At the 10 minute mark mix the cereal around so it gets crunchy on all sides. Do this two times. At the end of the 25 minutes if you want it more crispier or crunchier leave it in an extra 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and leave on the pan for a few minutes to cool.
- Transfer to jar or jars for storage.
- Top with vegan keto friendly chocolate chips, berries or freeze dried fruit like strawberries.
Storage: I keep the whole lot of this in a big mason jar or, and this is my favorite, I put a serving of this Mixed Nut and Hempseed Cereal into smaller jars like you see above, single serve, cover them, then serve with milk when ready to eat. I leave this out on the counter. It lasts up to 5-7 days.
4-Ingredient Keto Cereal
This recipe is incredibly simple, requiring only four ingredients that are likely already in your keto pantry. It's a great option for those who want a quick and easy breakfast without sacrificing flavor or texture.
Ingredients:
- Almond flour
- Coconut flour
- Keto maple syrup
- Coconut oil
- Vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add your coconut flour and almond flour and mix well.
- Add your keto maple syrup and coconut oil and mix until a crumbly texture remains.
- Using your hands, form into a ball of dough.
- Form tiny balls of dough (cereal sized) and place on the lined tray.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely, before transferring to a sealable container.
Variations: Add some chocolate flavor by adding in some cocoa powder to the mixture.
Storage: Cereal should always be stored in an airtight container.
Chocolate Keto Cereal
If you're a chocolate lover, this keto cereal recipe is sure to satisfy your cravings. It combines almond flour with cocoa powder and nut butter for a rich and decadent breakfast experience.
Read also: Lose Weight with Veganism
Ingredients:
- Almond flour
- Cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- Keto granular sweetener (erythritol)
- Nut butter (creamy, without added sugar or oil)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients together: almond flour, keto granulated sweetener and cocoa powder. Give it a quick stir to combine the powders, then stir in the almond butter.
- Stir well until you get a soft dough, first with a fork and then using your hands. If after mixing the dough is still too dry, add more nut butter, or adjust with more almond flour if it is too sticky. This depends on the creaminess of the nut butter you use.
- Using your hands, shape some small balls then place onto the lined baking sheet.
- Bake in hot oven for 10 to 12 minutes, do not overbake.
- First thing first, let them cool completely at room temperature. My tip is to leave the hot cereals in the baking tray as soon as you take them out of the oven.
Variations:
- Replace cocoa powder with the same amount of almond flour for a non-chocolate version.
- Add protein powder (whey, vegan, or casein) to boost the protein content.
- Add peanut butter or ground cinnamon to customize the flavor.
- From chocolate chips to cinnamon, the ways how you can customize your cereals are endless.
Storage: Store homemade keto cereals in an airtight container or jar to preserve freshness and prevent moisture absorption. They will last for up to 5 days.
Vegan Low-Carb Granola
This recipe offers a healthy and delicious way to enjoy granola on a low-carb diet. It's packed with nuts, seeds, and coconut flakes, providing a satisfying crunch and plenty of nutrients.
Ingredients:
- Sliced almonds
- Pecans (finely chopped)
- Walnuts (finely chopped)
- Raw sunflower seeds
- Raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- Unsweetened coconut flakes
- Dried fruit (optional, use low-sugar varieties)
- Ground cinnamon
- Coconut oil
- Pure vanilla extract
- Erythritol and monk fruit sweetener
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit/150 degrees Celsius.
- Prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
- Place the nuts, dry fruits and seeds in a large bowl along with the cinnamon. Mix well.
- In a small bowl, mix the melted coconut oil, monk fruit and erythritol sweetener and pure vanilla extract.
- Pour the coconut oil-sweetener-vanilla mixture over the nuts and seeds in the bowl and mix well.
- Spread the granola in a thin layer on the baking sheet. Press down on it gently with fingers or with the bottom of a bowl or glass to create an even layer.
- Bake the granola for 30 minutes, stirring it once halfway through.
- Cool the granola, then break into pieces and place in jar.
Variations:
- Replace the coconut oil, if you wish, with vegan butter.
- Use any nuts of your choice in this recipe. Make sure you chop the nuts first.
Storage: Store this homemade granola in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to two weeks.
Serving Suggestions
Once you've made your keto cereal, there are endless ways to enjoy it:
- With Milk: Serve with unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, or any other low-carb milk alternative.
- With Yogurt: Top your favorite low-carb yogurt with a sprinkle of keto cereal for added crunch and flavor.
- As a Topping: Use keto cereal as a topping for keto ice cream, chia seed pudding, or other desserts.
- Straight from the Jar: Enjoy it as a crunchy snack on its own.
- Parfait Cup: Create layers of cereals, low carb yogurt (Greek yogurt), and some extras like nuts, seeds or dark chocolate chip.