In Breakfast, Recipes
Healthy Homemade Cereal scooped up in a spoon with raw milk.

Healthy Homemade Cereal

This delicious and healthy homemade cereal tastes like a cross between Grape Nuts and Cracklin’ Oat Bran.

Some information you just don’t want to hear…or at the very least, you wish you could “un-hear it“. What I’m about to share may fall into that category, but it’s important.

Ever the “belle of the ball”, cereal has long been revered for its taste, nutritional content and ease. But facts are facts, and boxed breakfast cereals are one of the unhealthiest foods on the grocery store shelf. “Fortified” with synthetic vitamins, colored with artificial food dyes and processed from unhealthy grains…in a word, they’re TOXIC (and I don’t usually like using that word…but it fits the bill here).

Even worse (and this was a total gut punch), organic cereals are often the worst offenders of all! SAY WHAT???

How can something organic actually be worse than non-organic? Organic cereals are made from whole grains which contain more protein. During the extrusion process (where grains are liquefied using high heat and pressure, creating a slurry, then formed into whatever flake, puff, or shape desired) the violent heat and pressure denatures the grains, causing the protein in the grain to become toxic and highly allergenic. (Hello leaky gut!)

We’ve been taught to look for cereals made with whole grains and an ample amount of protein to provide the healthiest start to our day. Unfortunately, cereals made with whole grains and high in protein are actually the worst offenders as the more protein, the more harmful the cereal. (sad face)

…no more boxed cereal? What’s a busy person on the go gonna eat?”

…the answer isn’t Pop-Tarts! (I’m well aware of the “organic pop-tarts” available – they were a constant craving during my last pregnancy – but I assure you, they’re a far cry from a “healthy breakfast!”)

Fortunately, there are many healthier options. Perhaps not quite as easy as ripping open a box of cereal, dumping some milk on top (hopefully raw milk) and chowing down. But with a little planning ahead, breakfast can be just as simple and much more nutritious! 

Homemade breakfast cereal is as easy as baking a cake…because that’s basically what you do! Grind some flour, soak overnight, and whip up your batter. Pour it into a pan and bake it in the oven, let it cool-crumble-then bake some more! Voila! Homemade breakfast cereal!

This recipe is slightly sweet, very crunchy and is like Grape-nuts meets Cracklin’ Oat Bran (remember that stuff? SO GOOD!). Pair it with some raw milk and berries and you’re good to go! With quality protein, healthy whole grains, antioxidants from the berries and vitamins, minerals and fats from the milk, this breakfast should stick with you till lunch.

Homemade Cereal Recipe Pinterest Pin

The following recipe has been adapted from The Healthy Home Economist. Sarah has a video tutorial that’s worth watching to understand exactly what the process looks like (I’m such a visual learner!). I have altered the recipe slightly to suit our tastes. 

Healthy Homemade Cereal scooped up in a spoon with raw milk.

Healthy Homemade Cereal

This delicious and healthy homemade cereal tastes like a cross between Grape Nuts and Cracklin' Oat Bran.

5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Comment
Course: Breakfast
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours 43 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours 43 minutes
Servings: 2 large boxes of cereal
Author: Full of Days

Ingredients

Instructions

  • If you have a high powered blender, or grain mill, grind up six cups of flour. I recommend freshly ground flour for this recipe to ensure all nutrients are still alive and available. If grinding your flour is not an option, then put 6 cups of flour into a large bowl.
  • Mix in yogurt and soak for 24 hours. You can use yogurt, kefir, buttermilk, or clabbered milk (for dairy free options use 3 cups water plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar).
  • Once your flour has soaked, add remaining ingredients and mix until well combined.
  • Preheat your oven to 350℉.
  • Pour batter into a large sheet pan, or two 9×13 inch pans (line pans with parchment paper if not stainless steel).
  • Bake at 350℉ for about 30 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean (or 20 minutes if using a convection oven). It’s important not to over-bake!
  • Let cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, crumble into bite sized pieces (approximately the size of a 4×4 Lego piece!).
  • Bake again at 200℉ for 6-12 hours (you could also use a dehydrator for this step). Stir the cereal occasionally, bringing the pieces on the bottom of the pan to the top so they dehydrate evenly.
  • Once cereal is dry and crunchy, store in airtight containers in the refrigerator.

Notes

  • Please note this recipe has a 24 hour soak time, be sure to account for this time when planning to make this cereal (I have let the soak time stretch to 36 hours with no problems and you can get away with a short 8 hour soak time, but the true nutritional benefits are best after 24 hours!). 
  • The soak time is to break down the anti-nutrients in the flour (phytates present in the grain that our body can’t digest, therefore stealing nutrient stores from our body in an effort to digest the flour).
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Showing 23 comments
  • Avatar
    shannon
    Reply

    Think there is a way to convert this to sourdough?

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      You probably could Shannon, however with soaking the flour in yogurt, you’re getting the same results of souring/fermenting the flour to reduce phytic acid! If you want to try converting it, then for every cup of sourdough starter you add, you’ll want to reduce the flour by 1/2 cup and the liquid by 1/2 cup. Does that make sense? You’ll have to let me know how it turns out for you!

      • Avatar
        shannon
        Reply

        I did convert this to sourdough and let me tell you, this recipe has been life changing. My backstory: celiac negative but any time I eat wheat I have immediate (within 15 minutes) sinus and ear misery, that lasts for months. I discovered if I use an anaerobic sourdough method with a cold/fridge ferment (I use pickl-it jars and her method of fermenting) I can eat wheat daily, and I do. (If this helps anyone, I also have a friend who is celiac and is eating wheat daily as well.) So, I have now used this cereal recipe as a base for cereal, muffins, and CAKE!! We haven’t been able to eat cake in so long because the result was so stinking dense after 3 days fermenting in the fridge. But your way of adding baking soda, etc, after the ferment, has seriously been a massive blessing. Just wanted to share. Thank you, thank you!

        • Kelsey Steffen
          Kelsey Steffen
          Reply

          This is so great Shannon! Stories like this really make our day! Thanks for sharing your story with us! 🙂

  • Avatar
    Nidhi
    Reply

    Hi. Interesting. The 2nd time we put the cereal in the oven is 6-8hours???

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Hi Nidhi! Yes, the second time you put it in the oven to dehydrate the cereal. After the first baking you’re left with a thin cake. After you crumble it you want those pieces to get crunchy, so you bake at a lower temp, stirring occasionally, until the cereal is dry. You can also use a dehydrator if you have one. Enjoy!

  • Avatar
    Waneta Bontrager
    Reply

    We had grapenuts growing up, the best cereal. We loved 2 eat it before it got dryer. Also we put ours through a slicer & shredder that attaches to a kitchen aid. We did before & after drying. Makes for much smaller pieces.

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Great idea on the slicer/shredder Waneta, I’m going to try this next time…THANKS!

  • Avatar
    Preety
    Reply

    Can I half d recipe because I d don’t have a large oven.

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Although I haven’t personally halved this recipe, I would think it’d be just fine, Preety! Enjoy!

  • Avatar
    Carmen
    Reply

    How long would this last in fridge? Could you use any other flour…spelt, coconut, etc? Or is whole wheat the way to go?

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Carmen, I imagine the cereal would last 3-4 weeks in the refrigerator, but I can’t say for sure because ours never lasts that long! 😉 As for the flour, spelt works great! I haven’t tried any gluten free flours and I imagine the recipe would need to be altered to include a binder, so I can’t recommend coconut flour. But if you experiment with it, let us know how it goes!

  • Avatar
    Diana
    Reply

    Am I letting the yogurt & flour soak room temperature

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Great question Diana! Yes, let it sit out overnight at room temperature (ideally 68-76 degrees F). Enjoy!

  • Avatar
    Tracey
    Reply

    How often would you stir the cereal while it’s cooking?

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Great question, I’d stir it about two or three times, but if you don’t overcrowd your pans stirring may not be necessary. It’s really to allow all the pieces the chance to dry out and get crunchy. Mmm, I haven’t made this in a while, might need to get some flour soaking in yogurt!

  • Avatar
    Tracey
    Reply

    This was delicious! Makes for a great to-go snack too!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Yes! I often pack a small baggy of cereal and grab a banana for an easy “car snack”!

  • Avatar
    Beth
    Reply

    So does this stay crunchy in milk very long?

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Great question Beth! The larger pieces will remain crunchy until your last bite, while the smaller pieces soften up just enough to keep the cereal from being TOO crunchy!

  • Avatar
    Beth
    Reply

    I’m with Tammy….such a mom!!! Lego’s!!!

  • Avatar
    Tammy
    Reply

    I LOVE the lego reference! What is the difference in Grade B maple syrup and Grade A? Do you think you could add dehydrated berries and store them with the cereal?

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Tammy, I think dehydrated berries would be fantastic! We usually throw on some frozen blueberries, raisins or slice a banana on top…the sky’s the limit! Grade B syrup is richer in flavor and nutrients than grade A. Grade A syrup is made from the sap in “early season”. In the “late season” the sap is more watery, it takes more sap to produce the same amount of syrup, requiring a longer time to reduce. This produces syrup with a deeper color, more maple flavor and more minerals. (I thought the Lego was the perfect size comparison! #Ihaveboys)

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