Breakfast. For some, it is merely the first meal of the day. For me, it’s the thing I dream about as I’m going to sleep at night. I am a serious cereal junkie. For as long as I can remember, I have had a sort of obsessive-compulsive disorder that requires me to have at least seven open boxes of cereal at any one time. On lazy weekend mornings, however, I have found myself wondering what it would be like to pour my morning bowl from something other than a store-bought box. The results of my investigations follow.
Some of these, like the nuggets and the granolas, are giving trees: make them now and enjoy them for weeks to come. Others, such as the crispy rice and the cornflakes, are more fleeting, but still entirely worth the effort.
And giftable? You know it: all it takes is a jar, a tin, a clear bag tied with twine, and labels of your own creation. Or for those who lean toward overachievement, your own face and design on a repurposed box.
Dig in, cerealholics. Let’s spoon it.
There come moments in kitchen projectry when one has to ask oneself, “Is this insane? Have I crossed the line from food-craftiness into utter madness, making my own cornflakes?” Search inside your gut and you will find the answer to that question for yourself. Should you decide to move forward, the recipe to fuel your fire is below. Now, if you need me, I’ll be sitting in the corner over there, whittling my own toothpicks.…
Makes about 9 ounces
TIME COMMITMENT About 15 minutes
⅔ cup corn flour or finely ground cornmeal
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¼ cup sugar
11 ounces water
INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 350°F and oil two large rimmed baking sheets.
Combine the flour, salt, sugar, and water in a bowl and stir with a fork until smooth. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Tilt the pans to distribute the batter evenly over the entire surface of the pan. If needed, use a bowl scraper or spatula to help with this task.
Bake until the edges are brown and the cereal starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, 11 to 13 minutes.
Let the pans sit for about 30 seconds after you remove them from the oven. Use a spatula to lift up the cereal sheets and break them into bite-size flakes in the pan. Eat immediately.
HOW TO STORE IT Stored absolutely airtight (and refrigerated in humid weather), these will last for 3 days.
Sometimes magic happens right in our very own woks. This kind of puffed, crunchy rice is usually the stuff of savory Asian dishes—think sizzling rice soup. However, it is also a totally fun thing to spoon from a bowl with milk before noon—and the best at-home solution to puffed rice cereal (not to mention a great use for leftover rice). As a snack, it also pairs nicely with the crunchy lentils. The only drawback is that the crunch fades fast. You’d be wise to eat it right away, and stored airtight, it’s really only at its best within a day. Any kind of nonsticky rice can be used here. However, note that it must be completely dry.
Makes about 3½ cups
TIME COMMITMENT About 7 hours
2 cups cooked long-grain rice
2 cups vegetable oil
4 teaspoons light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS Allow the rice to sit uncovered and at room temperature for at least 6 hours (or overnight) to dry out completely. Stir it occasionally and break up any clumps so that each grain is separate.
Place a wok over high heat for 3 minutes. Line a work surface or rimmed baking sheet with clean newspaper or paper towels. Pour the oil into the pan and allow it to get smoking hot (this will take about 5 minutes). Have a mesh skimmer at the ready to scoop the rice out of the pan.
Measure ⅓ cup of the rice and gently slide it into the hot oil. Stir immediately and keep stirring for 30 seconds; the rice will puff and get crispy. Working quickly, remove the rice with the skimmer, shaking it briefly above the wok to drain excess oil, and let it drain and cool in a single layer on the paper towels. Cook, drain, and cool the remaining rice in batches.
Once it’s cooled, transfer the rice to a small mixing bowl and sprinkle with the sugar, salt, and cinnamon, tossing gently to coat evenly.
The rice is ready to eat immediately.
HOW TO STORE IT Stored airtight, it will last 1 day at most.
This is a great gifting cereal—sturdy, attractive, packed with toothsome texture and morning flavors, and, shall we say, “motivating.” Double baking gives these nuggets a solid bite. By all means, pour on the milk, but this is a good one to try with yogurt and fresh fruit, too. Note that a food processor is required for this recipe.
Makes about 2½ cups
TIME COMMITMENT About 3 hours
1½ cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 cup orange juice
¾ cup apple juice
½ cup dried currants or raisins
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons wheat germ
2 tablespoons flax seeds
½ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup chopped dates
¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
½ cup whole hazelnuts
INSTRUCTIONS In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats with the orange juice and apple juice, making sure the oats are completely covered with juice, and let soak until the oats are very soft, about 30 minutes.
While the oats are soaking, preheat the oven to 375°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Drain the oats, reserving the juice, and return the oats to the large bowl. Put the reserved juice in a small bowl, add the currants, and soak for about 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the cereal.
Stir the oats vigorously with a fork until they break down and become a thick batter. Add the salt, sugar, wheat germ, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, dates, coconut, and hazelnuts. Drain the currants (discarding the liquid this time) and add those to the mix, too. Stir to combine well.
Scrape the thick cereal batter into the prepared pan and press it into an even rectangular slab thin enough so that you can see the tops of the hazelnuts peeking out. Bake for 20 minutes, until the batter is set, dry to the touch, and starting to brown at the bottom.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the cereal cool in the pan until cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, preheat the oven again, this time to 200°F. Remove the parchment paper from the baking sheet and discard.
Break the sheet of cereal up into thirds with your hands. Place about ⅓ of the cooled cereal into a food processor fitted with the metal blade and give it 20 to 25 pulses, until the cereal is broken into pieces slightly smaller than peas. Transfer the chopped cereal into another vessel and pulse the remainder of the cereal in two more batches.
Spread the cereal on the baking sheet in a single, even layer. Place in the oven and let dry for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, stir the cereal, spread it out again, and return to the oven to dry for another 30 minutes.
The cereal is now ready to eat.
HOW TO STORE IT Allow it to cool completely in the pan before transferring to an airtight container. It will keep for at least 3 months in the refrigerator.
This cereal has a lot going for it: mainly herbaceous nuttiness and crunch. Toasting the nuts and oats individually before the granola goes in the oven makes the final product exceedingly crunchy, and it’s really not a ton of extra effort. Oh, and if apricots and cranberries aren’t your thing, feel free to swap them out for your preferred dried fruit—enough to measure one cup.
Makes about 6 cups
TIME COMMITMENT About 45 minutes
⅓ cup white sesame seeds
½ cup chopped walnut pieces
½ cup whole cashews
¾ cup unsweetened flaked coconut
3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
⅓ cup flax seeds
⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, minced fine
10 dried apricot halves, chopped into slivers (about ⅔ cup)
⅓ cup dried cranberries
INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Place a dry nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. In the hot pan, toast the sesame seeds, walnuts, and cashews for 3 minutes, stirring often, until the sesame seeds pop and the nuts and seeds all turn light brown. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Then toast the coconut for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until it begins to turn golden, and add it to the bowl. Add the oats to the pan and stir often for about 3 minutes, until they toast and brown. Transfer them to the bowl.
Add the flax seeds to the bowl and stir the nuts, seeds, and oats to mix well. Add the sugar, oil, and rosemary. Stir well to coat. Spread the mixture evenly on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to ensure even toasting.
Remove the cereal from the oven, transfer it to a bowl, and stir in the apricots and the cranberries.
The cereal can be eaten warm or cold.
HOW TO STORE IT For storage, let it cool completely (this will take about 1 hour). Transfer it to sealed jars or other airtight containers, and it will keep refrigerated for up to 6 months.
apple–candied fennel seed granola
I’m a big fan of black licorice and fennel flavors, and not only are those present in this mix courtesy of the candied fennel seed, but the brightly colored candy shells give this cereal a nice, vibrant, wake-you-up look. If you don’t have an Indian grocer nearby, you can find these colorful lovelies online at IShopIndian.com. However, if you don’t love the taste of Good & Plenty, licorice allsorts, or Icelandic licorice candy, by all means replace the candied fennel seed with raisins (or your other favorite dried fruit, or toasted nuts, or—what the heck—M&M’s). I highly recommend making your own dried apples, as they are fresh and flavorful and not a ton of extra effort, but, of course, you can find them in a bag. To make your own, see the recipe in the sidebar.
Makes about 6 cups
TIME COMMITMENT About 1½ hours
3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
½ cup neutral vegetable oil
1 cup chopped dried apples
⅓ cup candied fennel seed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of black pepper
⅔ cup honey
INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 325°F.
In a cold cast-iron skillet over medium heat, combine the oats with 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, stir to coat the oats thoroughly with oil, and toast until fragrant and dry, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, any heavy skillet will do.)
Once the oats are toasted, add the remaining oil, the apple, fennel seed, salt, pepper, and honey to the pan and stir well to combine.
If you’re not using a cast-iron or other oven-safe skillet, transfer the mixture to a baking sheet. Put the skillet or baking sheet in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring and scraping from the bottom every 10 minutes.
The granola will form small clumps and brown as it bakes. It’s delicious with milk right out of the oven.
HOW TO STORE IT For long-term storage, allow it to cool for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking to the pan. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Makes about 1¼ ounces
TIME COMMITMENT 2 to 3 hours
They’re yummy in cereal, but dried apples also make a great snack on their own—particularly if you close your eyes and tell yourself you’re eating fried chips. Imaginative leaps notwithstanding, these are an excellent use for an apple bounty and super easy to put together.
2 sweet apples
INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to its lowest temperature setting. Wash and dry the apples and cut them into ⅛-inch slices using a sharp knife or a mandoline. There’s no need to skin them, but do discard the cores. Lightly oil two wire racks and place each over a baking sheet. Arrange the apples on the racks in a single layer, and put the baking sheets in the oven, keeping the door ajar with a wooden spoon. Let the apples dry for 2 to 3 hours, checking on them after 2 hours. When finished, the fruit will be dry throughout and the edges will be curled and beginning to brown.
HOW TO STORE IT Let cool completely on the racks, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Ready? Set? HIPPIE SNACKS! If you want to take your cereal calories with you—sans milk—this is your recipe. And why the exclamation point? Because these brown orbs are calorically dense enough to ready you for a marathon, danceathon, or sportathon of choice. This works great with the Sesame Rosemary Granola, but any granola will do.
Makes 18 power-pumped balls
TIME COMMITMENT About 1½ hours
½ cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup water
3 cups granola, homemade or store-bought
1 tablespoon flax seeds
INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 425°F, and lightly oil a small baking sheet.
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a fork; the mixture will be stiff and sticky. With wet hands, roll the dough into 1½-inch balls. Place them on the baking sheet, flattening them slightly as you do so.
Bake for 10 minutes; the tops of the balls will be light brown, but don’t allow the bottoms to get too dark. Let cool on the pan for 1 hour.
HOW TO STORE IT Store in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 1 month.
