I’m always looking for ways to feed my family wholesome, homemade meals made with ingredients I know and trust. Unfortunately, many mainstream breakfast cereals are highly processed, loaded with added sugars, and offer little in the way of meaningful nutrition. My kids love Cinnamon Toast Crunch, so I wanted to see if I could recreate one of their favorite cereals at home using simple ingredients and sourdough discard. While it’s still a sweet treat, making it from scratch allows me to have more control over what goes into it and feel better about what I’m serving my family.
I’ve spent years looking for ways to make more of our family’s food at home. Homemade granola has been a staple in our kitchen for a long time, but I wanted to experiment with other cereal recipes. If you’ve ever maintained a sourdough starter, you know how quickly the discard can accumulate. Rather than throwing it away, I love finding practical ways to put it to use. From crackers to baked goods, sourdough discard has become another useful ingredient in my kitchen.
That’s how this homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch recipe came about.
Made with sourdough discard, butter, cinnamon, sugar, and a handful of pantry staples, these little cereal squares bake into a sweet, crunchy breakfast treat. They’re delicious served with cold milk, but my kids also enjoy grabbing a handful as a snack. After experimenting with different thicknesses, I learned one important lesson: the thinner you roll the dough, the crunchier your cereal will be.
What Is Sourdough Discard?
Sourdough discard is the portion of sourdough starter removed before feeding it with fresh flour and water. When maintaining a starter, you typically remove some of the existing mixture to keep it at a manageable size. Instead of throwing that portion away, you can incorporate it into recipes like pancakes, crackers, muffins, and homemade cereal. Unlike traditional sourdough bread, which relies on a longer fermentation process for rising and flavor development, this recipe uses sourdough discard directly in the recipe. You don’t need to wait hours for the cereal to rise. Simply mix, roll, cut, and bake.
For this recipe, use discard from a healthy, established starter with no signs of spoilage.
Homemade Sourdough Discard Cereal Ingredients
For the cereal dough
- 1½ cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cold or frozen butter (1 stick)
- ½ cup sourdough discard
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cold water, as needed
For the cinnamon-sugar topping
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
I prefer using unbleached all-purpose flour, and I make my own vanilla extract. If you’ve never tried making homemade vanilla, it’s another simple kitchen project worth exploring.
How to Make Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Step 1: Preheat the oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2: Prepare the cinnamon-sugar topping
In a small bowl, combine ½ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon. Mix well and set aside.
Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients
In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut the cold butter into small pieces and add it to the food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a pastry cutter and mix the ingredients by hand.
Step 4: Add the sourdough discard
Add the sourdough discard and vanilla extract to the flour mixture. Pulse or mix until the dough begins to come together. If the dough seems too dry, add cold water one tablespoon at a time until it forms a workable dough. Avoid adding more water than necessary.
Step 5: Roll the dough thin
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it in half. Working with one half at a time, roll the dough into a large rectangle approximately ⅛ inch thick or thinner.
My biggest tip: Roll the dough as thin as you reasonably can.
During my first attempts, I noticed the cereal puffed up slightly in the oven. My kids preferred the thinner, crunchier pieces over the thicker ones. If you’re familiar with making homemade sourdough crackers, the process is very similar.
Step 6: Add the cinnamon-sugar topping
Carefully transfer the rolled dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the surface with melted butter and sprinkle generously with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Divide the topping between the batches as you work. You can use less if you prefer a lighter coating.
Step 7: Cut into cereal squares
Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into small squares. Separate the pieces slightly, leaving approximately ½ inch between them when possible. This is a great step for older children to help with under supervision.
Step 8: Bake until golden and crispy
Bake at 350°F for approximately 15–20 minutes, or until the cereal is golden brown and crisp. Keep an eye on your first batch. Because the dough is rolled thin and cut into small pieces, it can brown quickly. Cooking times will vary depending on your oven and the thickness of your cereal.
Step 9: Cool and enjoy
Allow the cereal to cool completely before serving. The pieces should become firmer as they cool. If some remain soft in the center, they may need a little more time in the oven. Serve with cold milk or enjoy them by the handful as a crunchy snack.
Tips for Making Crunchy Sourdough Cereal
After making this recipe for my family, I found that a few small details can make a big difference. Roll the dough thin. This is probably the most important part of achieving a texture similar to store-bought Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Keep your butter cold. Cold butter helps create the texture of the dough and makes it easier to work with. Watch your baking time. Smaller pieces and thinner dough may bake faster than thicker squares. Let the cereal cool completely. Cooling helps the pieces firm up before serving or storing.
How to Store Homemade Sourdough Cereal
Once the cereal has cooled completely, transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in a cool, dry place. For the best texture, I recommend making a small batch and enjoying it within several days. Avoid storing the cereal while it is still warm, as trapped moisture can make the pieces soft.
Bringing Homemade Traditions Back to the Kitchen
Not everything we make from scratch has to be complicated or serve some grand purpose. Sometimes it’s simply about taking a little extra time to make something your family enjoys. If the end result happens to be a bowl of homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch that my kids are excited to eat, I’d call that a win.
Whether you’re looking for another way to use sourdough discard or simply want to try making a favorite breakfast cereal from scratch, this recipe is worth adding to your collection.
From our home to yours, happy baking!
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