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Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Recreate the nostalgic flavor and crunch of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal right in your own kitchen with this easy-to-follow recipe. Simple ingredients and straightforward steps yield crispy, cinnamon-sugar coated squares perfect for breakfast or snacking.
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Cook Time 15 minutes

Equipment

  • large baking sheet for baking and cooling
  • Parchment paper to line baking sheet and for rolling dough
  • Medium bowl for dough and coating
  • pastry blender or fingertips for cutting in butter
  • Small bowl for wet ingredients
  • Fork or spatula for mixing dough
  • Spatula or fork for mixing dough
  • Knife or pizza cutter for cutting squares
  • Pizza Cutter or knife for cutting squares
  • shallow bowl or plate for cinnamon-sugar mixture
  • Plate or shallow bowl for cinnamon-sugar mixture
  • Rubber spatula for tossing squares
  • Airtight container for storage
  • Oven for baking

Ingredients
  

Dough

  • 1.25 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold cut into small cubes
  • 0.25 teaspoon salt
  • 0.125 teaspoon ground cinnamon for the dough
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup use real maple syrup if possible
  • 2 tablespoons cold water

Coating

  • 2 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar for the coating
  • 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon for the coating

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
  • Add the cold, cubed butter. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, like small peas.
  • In a separate small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and 2 tablespoons cold water.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir with a fork or spatula until the dough just starts to come together. Don't overmix!
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently bring it together to form a cohesive ball.
  • Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper or on a well-floured surface. Roll the dough out super thin, about 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick.
  • Use a knife or a pizza cutter to trim the edges and then cut the dough into small squares, roughly 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch in size.
  • Carefully transfer the squares to your prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the squares are lightly golden brown around the edges and feel firm and crisp.
  • While the squares are baking, prepare your delicious coating! In a shallow bowl or plate, combine the granulated sugar and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Stir it together.
  • Once the squares are out of the oven, let them cool on the baking sheet for just a couple of minutes.
  • Gently transfer the warm squares to a medium bowl. Pour the cooled melted butter over them and toss carefully to coat each piece.
  • Immediately add the cinnamon-sugar mixture to the bowl with the buttered squares. Toss, toss, toss! Make sure every single square gets coated.
  • Spread the coated squares back onto the baking sheet in a single layer and let them cool completely. They will crisp up even more as they cool.
  • Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

For a dairy-free version, use a good quality plant-based butter substitute, ensuring it's cold for the dough step and melted/cooled for the coating. Add a tiny pinch of nutmeg or cardamom to the cinnamon-sugar coating for extra warmth. A splash of vanilla extract could also be added to the melted butter before tossing. Keep ingredients cold, roll dough very thin, watch the bake time closely, coat squares while warm, and cool completely for best results. Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch should stay crunchy for about 5-7 days when stored properly.