At-Home Cinnamon Cereal Milk Latte Recipe

A big bowl of sugary cereal is a nostalgic delight. It makes one want to curl up in front of the television and watch cartoons, like it's a Saturday morning and there's nothing else in the world to worry about. But, unlike when we were children, a bowl of cereal no longer cuts it for breakfast — to stay full past 10 in the morning, we need something a little heartier. That doesn't mean, however, that you need to leave those nostalgic treats behind.

With this cinnamon cereal milk latte recipe, brought to us by A.J. Forget, you can bring the flavor of that childhood favorite cinnamon cereal into your morning coffee routine. All you have to do is heat the milk and cereal in a saucepan, scoop out the cereal, and give that sweet, cinnamon cereal milk a quick froth (with a milk frother or some of the lower-tech options). Poured over espresso in a mug, the cereal milk sweetens the drink and carries you back to simpler times. It might be worth flipping on the television just to check — maybe there are a few cartoons to enjoy while you're sipping your latte and strolling down memory lane.

For this recipe all you will need is a bit of cinnamon breakfast cereal, like Cinnamon Toast Crunch or a similar option, whole milk, and espresso. Once you've gathered those ingredients, you're just a little simmering and frothing away from a delicious cereal milk latte.

Add milk and cereal to a saucepan over medium heat.

Bring the cereal to a simmer, then remove from heat.

Scoop out the cereal or strain through a sieve.

Froth the milk using a handheld or automatic milk frother.

Divide the espresso between 2 cups.

Divide the frothed cereal milk evenly between the 2 cups.

Serve immediately, garnished with whipped cream and extra cereal, if desired.

Cinnamon and coffee are a culinary match that has existed for a very long time, much longer than the cereal milk trend which has only taken over in recent years. But regardless of how long or short folks have been putting them together, cereal milk and coffee are definitely a match that isn't going anywhere.

We chose cinnamon cereal for this recipe in order to capitalize on this classic flavor pairing, but there is no reason that you shouldn't experiment with your favorite breakfast cereal. There are many varieties of sugary breakfast cereal out there, and each of us grew up with our own favorite. You could opt for a fruity latte and use Trix cereal, or go for something rich and chocolatey and use Cocoa Puffs instead. To properly indulge the nostalgia of this latte, it is only right that you would use the cereal that most reminds you of being a kid. Even if, perhaps especially if, it was the brand your parents wouldn't let you get because it was too sugary.

For many of us, there were not many non-dairy milks on the market when we were growing up, so the flavor of cinnamon cereal-infused almond or oat milk might not carry quite the same nostalgic memories of big bowls of cereal on Saturday morning, but that should not discourage you from using them in your cereal milk latte.

These days there are many varieties of non-dairy milks available at your local grocery store. You can choose between soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk, rice milk, and plenty of other flavors. In general, any of these non-dairy substitutes can be used in this recipe. Their individual flavors will slightly differ, but as long as you pick a non-dairy milk you enjoy on its own, there's no reason you won't enjoy it in this cereal milk latte. If you're looking for something that will taste nearly as neutral as cow's milk, then almond milk will be your best bet.

In addition to flavor differences, you may also find that some non-dairy milks froth more easily than others. Because of the cereal particles in this recipe, frothing the milk is already a bit of a challenge, so your best bet is to choose something like an oat milk, which foams up a bit more easily. You can even make your own oat milk at home, if you're up for a bit of a challenge.