These homemade vanilla almond cereal puffs are a fun change up to your breakfast routine. Ditch the store bought sugar laden cereal boxes for a healthier, gluten free option you can make at home!
Growing up, we were a “normal” healthy house. Meaning, there was the occasional yodel or twinkie on the counter but school lunches were on whole wheat bread, a bologna and mayo sandwich was out of the question and fruit roll-ups were about as good as the snacks got.
Dinner was always homemade, no chicken nuggets from the freezer and vegetables with every meal.
So while friends got to eat their sugar laden cereals and pop tarts every morning it was an all out fight with my mom in the grocery store to just get anything besides the disgusting (at the time) Kashi box that took permanent residence in our pantry.
I must’ve been about 5 but I can remember the scene like it was yesterday.
We were in the cereal aisle and I was begging, pleading with her to let me get a box of Golden Grahams.
No idea why that was the one I wanted but I was adamant. I don’t know what happened, either the stars aligned or she was just tired of fighting with me, but I won.
I happily grabbed that box off the shelf, we paid, loaded everything up into our baby blue Chevy Cavalier wagon and by some act of god, I was allowed to eat some in the car (my dad was a stickler about no eating in the car. Dirty his car or ruin his lawn and you’re as good as dead).
10 minutes later, Golden Graham engorged, I puked in the car.
No idea if it was the driving, the cereal, a stomach bug or what but I never argued for fun cereals again after that and besides the occasional Lucky Charm indulgence (who can resist those marshmallows?!), I honestly have no desire to eat them.
The Golden Graham experience did me in.
I saw these homemade mocha puffs last week and thought “why the heck have I never made my own cereal?!”
1. How fun does that sound?
2. I control the ingredients
3. Therefore I can eat an entire bowl and not feel bad that I just quadrupled the suggested serving amount (who the hell eats 1/2 a cup of cereal anyway?)
So I made homemade cereal puffs and besides the part where it takes like 30 minutes to roll dough into grape sized balls, they rocked.
So many possibilities.
Definitely trying a chocolate version next because is there any better way to start the day than with chocolate for breakfast? Nope.
Love this vanilla almond cereal puffs recipe?
Try these other cereal recipes: Healthy Cinnamon Crunch Cereal and Warm Quinoa Cereal with Caramelized Bananas.
Vanilla Almond Cereal Puffs
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup gluten free baking flour, or all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown rice flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon plain yogurt
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it comes together into a dough.
- Remove from the food processor and roll into balls about the size of a small grape.
- Place dough balls on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, shaking the pan once half way through so they donâ??t burn on one side.
- Remove from oven, let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
You are brilliant! I have never thought about making my own cereal! That has to change!
WOW! These are absolutely stunning, Gina (and genius)! Amazing job.
I’ve never even considered making my own cereal. My kids loooove the reeses puff kind. I let them think it’s candy, and they get it as ‘dessert’ or a special treat! ha! Making it homemade would be so smart!
I’ve been dreaming of making my own cereal for so long, you’ve just inspired me to try this weekend. I’m a quinoa fanatic and am going to dry a mixture of that with almond flour. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Those mocha muffs blew my mind, and now I need to make these vanilla almond ones! It never occurred to me to make cereal until this week.
I know I say this all the time, but, I need to quit my job so I can stay home and make all of your recipes. I have felt so uninspired in the kitchen lately. Also? I cannot tell you how many times I’m tempted to buy a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch every time I’m at Costco. OH MAN. THE BEST.
LOVE that you made your own cereal. I need to hop on that bandwagon, like, yesterday. I also have to say I LOVE that bowl. It just screams breakfast.. and serenity.. and entices you to eat what is inside of it :)
WHat a fun idea! Never thought to make my own cereal. I go crazy enough rolling lara balls for snacks, but I think this would be a fun snack to try out for H to bring with her to the gym. Thanks! :)
These sounds awesome. When I saw the pic on Instagram I thought “no way. nooooo fah-reeking way did Gina make her own cereal.” I have been proven wrong. This is most excellent! We too were a healthy household. Whole wheat bread sandwiches, apples or orange slices, capri sun or apple juice box and MAYBE a few chips or crackers. Cereals were pretty healthy in our household too and dinners were always, always homemade (though homecooked Indian food is still a pile of win). But hey! I”m thankful for it. Sure I had a blip in my twenties, but now I can’t think of anything better than eating my Total or All Bran. :)
You made your own CEREAL! You are rockin’ Gina! And, I can’t believe that it is so healthy. My hubby is literally obsessed with cereal, as in I made steak for dinner last night and he was kinda bummed because he really wanted cereal, so these puffs will make him one happy man!