Cinnamon Toast Crunch Waffles are a playful, nostalgic breakfast, with cereal pieces mixed right into the waffle batter and a cinnamon-laced cereal milk glaze!Not gonna lie, this recipe for Cinnamon Toast Crunch Waffles is probably one of the most shamelessly nostalgic recipes I’ve ever made.
I like it though. Maybe I need to start making more adult renditions of foods from my childhood because who doesn’t love feeling like a kid again?
Why this recipe for Cinnamon Toast Crunch Waffles works:
These Cinnamon Toast Crunch Waffles use cereal steeped milk in the batter AND the glaze because we all know that the sugary cinnamon milk that you got to slurp up at the end was and is the best part of eating Cinnamon Toast Crunch, end of story.
Also, some actual cereal pieces are tossed into the waffle batter, how fun is that?
These cinnamon toast crunch waffles were actually my first attempt at making waffles in a waffle maker, ever.
Wait no, I may have at a hotel continental breakfast once…but this was the official first time- I’ve just never owned one before.
But shoutout to my mom for letting me take hers when I reorganized/raided her kitchen cupboards on my last visit because now I can make awesome things like Cinnamon Toast Crunch Waffles!
The first batch was kind of a dud (not fluffy or crisp or golden enough), but then I read that if you separate the whites and yolks from the eggs and whip the egg whites it will result in a fluffier waffle.
Made sense, so I tried it, and BOOM. Fluffy waffles. I also just left them in the waffle maker for a couple of minutes longer and that solved the crispy/golden issues. Duh.
These cinnamon toast crunch waffles are giving major throwback vibes. They take me straight back to watching cartoons on the living room floor (sitting entirely too close to the television) in my NKOTB nightshirt (yes I had one) sipping cereal milk from the bowl.
Yes, cinnamon toast crunch cereal and Pop Tarts were THE nostalgic junk food breakfasts from my childhood.
What were your favorite cereals growing up? I have a feeling this easy waffles recipe would adapt to just about any kind of ‘kid’ cereal, so if you were a Fruit Loops or Coco Puffs child, why not give it a whirl and have your own little nostalgic breakfast moment.
If you do make a cereal waffle, tag it on Instagram with #LePetitEats so I can see your creations!
Chef’s Tips for making fluffy and crispy waffles:
- It’s whipped egg whites that give our waffles the coveted airy crispiness! Separate the egg yolks from the whites and whip them to soft peaks. Make sure you use a clean bowl and whisk for this step!
- Fold the whites into the batter ever so gently to avoid deflating it. If you can still see streaks of egg whites in the batter, you know you’ve done it just right!
- Preheat your waffle iron! Getting your waffle iron nice and hot will crisp up the batter as soon as it hits the surface. Add a bit of fat to prevent sticking!
Variations on this waffles recipe:
- Swap cinnamon toast crunch cereal for your favorite childhood cereal to make these the perfect nostalgic breakfast treat!
- Customize these with some chopped nuts or dried fruits, chocolate chips, or even fried bacon. Simply pour the batter on the hot waffle iron, sprinkle a few tablespoons of your add-ins on the waffle press and cook.
- In addition to the cereal glaze, you can top your waffles with fresh fruit. Strawberries, peaches and bananas work really well here!
How do I prevent my Cinnamon Toast Crunch Waffles from getting soggy?
The number one tip is to work with a preheated waffle iron (see tips for making crispy waffles).
However, especially when making a big batch of waffles, there’s also always the question of how to keep those crispy waffles warm without them turning all soggy!
Try this simple trick and you’ll be surprised by how crisp your waffles will turn out:
Preheat your oven to 200°F. Place a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet and put it into the preheating oven.
By placing the rack on top of a sheet rather than placing the waffles directly onto the sheet, you are allowing for some hot air to circulate right around the waffle to keep them nice and crisp.
Can I freeze leftover waffles?
Yes, you can freeze these, as long as they are not already soaked in icing! Just let them cool down completely.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place the waffles so that they do not touch. Freeze for 6 hours until completely frozen, then stack them in a freezer bag and return to the freezer.
To reheat, just pop your cinnamon toast crunch waffles into the toaster or toaster oven, heat and enjoy!
Thanks for reading! To keep up with me in the kitchen, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. If you make this waffles recipe, don’t forget to share it using the hashtag #LePetitEats!
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Waffles
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Waffles are a playful, nostalgic breakfast, with cereal pieces mixed right into the waffle batter and a cinnamon-laced cereal milk glaze!
Ingredients
For the waffles:
- 2 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal divided
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs separated
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- Butter or non-stick spray for waffle maker
For the cereal milk glaze:
- 2 tablespoons cereal milk
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 200°. Steep 1 cup Cinnamon Toast Crunch in milk for 10-15 minutes. Strain out cereal and discard. Reserve 2 tablespoons cereal milk for glaze.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine the egg yolks, cereal milk, and oil and stir into dry ingredients just until combined.
In a small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Fold the remaining cup of Cinnamon Toast Crunch into the batter.
- Grease a preheated waffle maker with butter or non-stick spray before cooking each waffle. Ladle about 1/2 cup waffle batter into waffle maker and bake until crisp and golden, about 5-6 minutes. Keep finished waffles on a baking sheet in the oven while the others bake to keep warm.
- To make the glaze, combine 2 tablespoons of reserved cereal milk, powdered sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Serve glaze with waffles.
Recipe Notes
These should be eaten fresh. Leftover baked waffles can be frozen and thawed in the toaster.
This is the breakfast of my dreams! Cinnamon toast crunch used to be my favorite breakfast cereal but I would only get it for special occasions. Just like waffles – so this recipe is double special!
I made these this morning and wow! I used my vitamix to whip the eggs so maybe I cheated a little bit otherwise followed everything per recipe. Walffles were so light and airy!! I think the secret ingredient is the cereal milk (and the whipped eggs) Can’t say enough good things. Going to try with Reese’s puffs next time. Thanks so much for this great recipe!!
Reese’s Puffs would make amazing cereal milk!!
Forgot to add my stars to my review!! 5 alllll day!!
Thank you so much!!
I made these this morning and they were a hit with all my kids.
They are fluffy in the inside and crispy in the outside.
The glaze goes so well with the waffles.
Is definitely a recipe that we’re going to keep making in our house.
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe.