If you love the milk left from soaking cereal, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most delicious parts of eating cereal. But what if you used that milk in a matcha latte? And if it’s Cinnamon Toast Crunch, with its sweet, cinnamony goodness, even better. This Cinnamon Toast Crunch matcha latte is incredible and so easy to make with just 3 ingredients. It doesn’t get easier than that!
Here’s how to make a Cinnamon Toast Crunch matcha latte at home!
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Matcha Latte Takeaways:
- Add a brown sugar cinnamon cream top for extra creaminess!
- You can replace the cereal with brown sugar and ground cinnamon.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- It’s guaranteed to be delicious; what doesn’t taste good with sugar and cinnamon?
- Use cereal milk in your lattes as a quick, sweetened milk.
- Add some whimsy to your life!
- Matcha, cinnamon, and sugar are an amazing flavor pairing.
What is Cinnamon Toast Crunch?
Cinnamon Toast Crunch is a whole-grain and rice cereal shaped into small squares made by General Mills. It’s dusted with their crazy addictive Cinnadust, which is a mix of cinnamon and sugar. It’s crunchy with milk, even after it soaks for a couple of minutes, but it makes some of the most delicious-tasting milk.
The Crazy Squares, the cereal mascot, is one of the most memorable parts of the cereal! They lick each other and go crazy trying to nibble a piece from each other, which really shows kids how delicious it is. Just look at this commercial:
While Americans know it as Cinnamon Toast Crunch, other nationalities may know it differently. I hear it’s called Cini-Mini in Europe!
Do Cinnamon and Matcha Go Well Together?
Yes, cinnamon is one of the best spices to pair with matcha! It’s spicy, sweet, and warming, and it perfectly balances the earthiness in matcha. Unlike other spices, it doesn’t overwhelm matcha and accentuates its flavor. I love pairing it with vanilla for a creamier flavor (Cinnamon Vanilla Matcha, anyone?).
So, it makes sense why this Cinnamon Toast Crunch matcha latte tastes so good. On second thought, CTC with matcha in the cereal milk sounds amazing…
Can You Mix Matcha and Cereal?
Heck, why not? This latte is basically cereal with matcha milk as the liquid, and there’s nothing wrong with it! You’re just changing it into an edible form. But it’s also a great combination for drinks!
Besides Cinnamon Toast Crunch, you could mix matcha with any other complementary cereal. Some great options include Reese’s Puffs, Lucky Charms, Honey Nut Cheerios, Cocoa Puffs, etc. Cereal pairs great with matcha since the main flavor is sugar, followed by the marketed flavor.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Matcha Latte Recipe: Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this matcha latte:
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch — If it’s not called this in your country, use whatever cinnamon sugar cereal is closest to it!
- Matcha Powder — Use your favorite matcha powder. I like using a stronger umami powder to balance out the sweetness. My favorites include Rocky’s Matcha, Ippodo, and Little Matcha Studio.
- Water — Use hot water at around 175 F for the best matcha whisking temperature.
- Milk — I love dairy, so I use 2% or whole milk, but you can use whatever milk you’d like, including non-dairy or vegan options.
- Ice
- Heavy Cream (Optional) — Heavy cream with 35% milkfat or more is perfect for a cream top or cold foam topping.
- Brown Sugar (Optional) — Light brown sugar works great here! I use this for the cream top or for extra sweetness in the latte.
- Cinnamon (Optional) — You can also use this for the cream top or in the drink itself for extra spice.
How to Make a Cinnamon Toast Crunch Matcha Latte
- Make Cereal Milk. Add Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and milk to a cup and soak for 3 – 5 minutes. Stir the cereal around occasionally so that the sugar and cinnamon rub off into the milk.
- Once thoroughly soaked, strain the cereal and, using the back of a spoon, press on it for extra flavor.
- Whisk Matcha. Sift matcha powder into a matcha bowl and add hot water. Vigorously whisk the tea with a chasen in zigzag motions for 20 – 30 seconds until the tea is frothy. The foam should be velvety and have small, tight bubbles.
- Make Cream Top (Optional). For a cream top, add heavy cream, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon to a cup. Using a handheld frother, whip the cream until soft and fluffy but still pourable.
- Assemble Drink. Add ice, cereal milk, and whisked matcha to a separate glass. Top with dry cereal or softly whipped cream.
- Mix and Enjoy! Serve with a straw and enjoy!
Brown Butter Version
To elevate this Cinnamon Toast Crunch matcha latte, lightly fry the cereal in brown butter for extra nutty flavor. Trust me, it’s so good. You’ll need:
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- Make Brown Butter. Add butter to a hot pan on low heat. Swirl the butter around until completely melted, then cook until the melted butter and milk solids turn a medium brown color. Turn the heat to the lowest flame or remove from the heat temporarily to stop cooking.
- Lightly Fry Cereal. Add the cereal to the browned butter and stir until every square is coated. Lightly stir-fry the cereal on low heat for 1 – 2 minutes, then remove from the pan.
- Follow the original recipe from the beginning.
Tips for the Best Latte
- Cool Cereal Milk: Fridge the soaking cereal and milk for 5 minutes to get it colder. It tastes more refreshing when colder! This is also perfect for the brown butter version because the fat solidifies, and you can remove it when you strain the cereal out.
- Leave Some Cereal: For extra texture, leave some of the cereal in the milk. It adds a nice contrast, especially if you add more cereal on top as a garnish.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Matcha Latte (+ Brown Butter Version)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Cinnamon Toast Crunch
- 1 ½ tsp matcha powder
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup ice
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
For Brown Butter Version (Optional)
- Make Brown Butter. Add butter to a hot pan on low heat. Swirl the butter around until completely melted, then cook until the melted butter and milk solids turn a medium brown color. Turn the heat to the lowest flame or remove from the heat temporarily to stop cooking.
- Lightly Fry Cereal. Add the cereal to the browned butter and stir until every square is coated. Lightly stir-fry the cereal on low heat for 1 – 2 minutes, then remove from the pan.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Matcha Latte
- Make Cereal Milk. Add Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and milk to a cup and soak for 3 – 5 minutes. Stir the cereal around occasionally so that the sugar and cinnamon rub off into the milk.
- Once thoroughly soaked, strain the cereal and, using the back of a spoon, press on it for extra flavor.
- Whisk Matcha. Sift matcha powder into a matcha bowl and add hot water. Vigorously whisk the tea with a chasen in zigzag motions for 20 – 30 seconds until the tea is frothy. The foam should be velvety and have small, tight bubbles.
- Make Cream Top (Optional). For a cream top, add heavy cream, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon to a cup. Using a handheld frother, whip the cream until soft and fluffy but still pourable.
- Assemble Drink. Add ice, cereal milk, and whisked matcha to a separate glass. Top with dry cereal or the brown sugar cinnamon cream top.
- Mix and Enjoy! Serve with a straw and enjoy!
FAQ’s
Is Cinnamon Toast Crunch healthy?
Er, I hate to break it to you, but Cinnamon Toast Crunch is generally not healthy because it’s loaded with sugar. One serving of cereal has 33 grams of sugar in it… Even though the cereal is made of grain and fortified with vitamins and minerals, it’s not good for you.
How to replace Cinnamon Toast Crunch?
If you want the same sweet, cinnamon flavor but don’t have the cereal, you can mimic it by using brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Just add your desired amount of sugar and ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon to get a similar flavor.
Other Matcha Recipes to Try
Making matcha lattes with cereal milk is such an easy hack for deliciousness. If you want more sweet matcha lattes, here are some other matcha recipes to try next:
Leave a Reply