Super Simple Homemade Cinnamon Toast with a Crunch

This homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch is crispy, crunchy, and coated in cinnamon sugar. Made from scratch with simple ingredients and baked until perfectly crisp.

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Cinnamon Toast Crunch has always been that girl when it comes to cereal.

Growing up in the 90s, we could always depend on a box of cereal to be sitting on top of the fridge. Most of the time, it was Vitamin King or Corn Flakes, but on special occasions, we had Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

And those were the good days.

Fast forward to a random Tuesday afternoon, and I found myself craving that same sugary sweet, cinnamon-coated goodness. So, like any brave homemaker and baker, I decided to give it a go and make my own homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch squares from scratch.

After some deep observation (and a little cereal study 😌), I realized something important: Cinnamon Toast Crunch is basically tiny cinnamon sugar crackers.

So I got to work.

This homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch recipe is thin, crispy, and coated in that classic cinnamon sugar flavor. It’s made with simple ingredients and baked until perfectly crunchy. No complicated steps, no special equipment, just a from-scratch cereal recipe that actually works.

And honestly?

Store bought could never.

What Makes This Work

The key to getting that classic Cinnamon Toast Crunch texture comes down to a few simple things:

• low moisture dough
• rolling the dough very thin
• baking and drying it properly

That’s what gives you that signature crunch without turning it into a hard cracker.

Cornstarch helps create a lighter, crisp texture, while a lower baking temperature allows the cereal to dry out evenly. This combination gives you that familiar crispy cinnamon cereal texture that holds up in milk without going soggy too fast.

Why Make Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch?

Making your own homemade cereal might sound like a lot, but it’s actually one of the easiest ways to recreate a nostalgic favorite at home.

With this recipe, you get:

• simple, recognizable ingredients
• control over sweetness
• fresh, made-from-scratch flavor
• a cereal that’s actually satisfying

If you’ve already tried my Homemade Pop-Tarts, this is that same energy, just in cereal form.

Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch

This homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch is crispy, crunchy, and coated in cinnamon sugar. Made from scratch with simple ingredients and baked until perfectly crisp.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Resting time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Calories: 220

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

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Dough:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 –3 tablespoons milk
• Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method

 

Instructions

Make the Dough:

1. In a bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
2. Add melted butter and 2 tablespoons milk, mixing until a dough forms.
3. Add additional milk only if needed. Dough should be slightly firm, not sticky.

Roll & Cut:

1. Roll the dough between parchment paper until very thin (about 1/16 inch).
2. Transfer to the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.
3. Cut into small squares.

Bake:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Bake for 12–18 minutes until dry and lightly golden.
3. Turn off the oven and leave the cereal inside for 10–15 minutes to dry further.

Coat:

1. While still warm, toss with cinnamon sugar mixture until evenly coated.

Nutrition

Calories: 220kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 3gFat: 9g

Notes

Rolling the dough very thin is key to getting the right texture like thinner than a cracker

Cornstarch helps create a light, crisp crunch

Drying in the oven ensures the cereal stays crunchy

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Optional Cereal Upgrades

Extra Crunch

If your cereal feels soft after baking, put it back in the oven (turned off) for 10–15 minutes to dry out completely.

Even Pieces

Cut your cereal into even-ish squares so everything bakes at the same rate.

Flavor Boost

Add a pinch of salt to your cinnamon sugar coating to balance the sweetness and enhance the flavor.

Fiber Boost (Optional)

Replace 2 tablespoons of the flour with oat flour or inulin powder if you have it.

Part of the Series

This recipe is part of my Store Bought Could Never series, where I recreate nostalgic favorites at home using simple ingredients and methods that actually work in a real kitchen.

So if you’ve ever looked at your favorite cereal and thought, I wonder if I can make this myself…

The answer is yes.

And we’re just getting started.