A homemade gluten free cinnamon toast crunch that tastes like the childhood breakfast cereal of your dreams but with healthier, more wholesome ingredients. This recipe is also nut free, dairy free, and egg free.
Whether you have celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or want to eat more whole foods, this delicious homemade cereal is a great alternative to the store-bought version.
The General Mills classic cereal is made with whole wheat flour, various types of refined sugars such as corn syrup, preservatives, artificial flavoring, additives like soy lecithin and natural flavors, and fortified vitamins such as vitamin D.
This healthier version is allergen friendly without compromising on taste or texture. Enjoy it in a bowl with cold milk for true childhood nostalgia.
Key Ingredients
- Brown rice flour - the base ingredient for the cinnamon toast crunch. The starch in the brown rice contributes to the nice crunchy texture. I recommend using superfine brown rice flour. This is my favorite brand.
- Ground flax seed - also called flax meal. This is the egg-like binder that holds the cereal together. You can make your own by grinding whole flax seeds in a spice or coffee grinder.
- Ground cinnamon - to infuse flavor into the dough and also for sprinkling on top.
- Avocado oil - adds healthy fats and creates a nice texture.
- Maple syrup - a tiny amount adds a hint of sweetness to the dough.
- Organic cane sugar - this gets mixed with ground cinnamon for dusting on top of the cereal.
For the full list of ingredients, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Gluten Free Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Step 1. Preheat oven to 425°F and make the cinnamon sugar mixture by mixing together the ground cinnamon and organic cane sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
Step 2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: brown rice flour, flax meal, ground cinnamon, and salt.
Step 3. Mix in the water, avocado oil, and maple syrup. Use your hands to stir them together and then knead the dough together until a ball forms. If the dough is too dry, add 1 more tablespoon of water and continue kneading to form a dough. If it’s too wet, sprinkle on a little more brown rice flour.
Step 4. Divide the dough in half. Place one half back in the bowl covered with a kitchen towel. This helps prevent it from drying out while you roll out the other half.
Step 5. Place the dough between two pieces of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to roll the dough until it’s about ⅛-inch thick. Remove the top layer of parchment paper and transfer the bottom sheet with the rolled-out dough onto your baking sheet. If any cracks form during the transfer just piece them back together with your fingers.
Step 6. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top. Then use a pizza cutter or the tip of a sharp knife to score the dough into little squares (this helps them break apart easily after they’ve baked). Continue this process with the second ball of dough.
Step 7. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Let cool before breaking up any pieces that are stuck together. They'll continue to crisp up as they cool.
Step 8. Once completely cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this gluten-free cinnamon toast crunch recipe using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No brown rice flour? - if you feel like experimenting, you can try using a gluten-free flour blend although you may need to add more water.
- No avocado oil? - you can also use refined coconut oil for no coconut taste.
- No organic cane sugar? - you can also use coconut sugar, brown sugar, or white granulated sugar.
Helpful Tips
Don't roll the dough too thin. Too thin of dough will result in burnt cereal. If you roll it out and some spots are too thin, take some dough from the edges and patch it up.
Bake in two batches. Don't bake both pans at the same time. The bottom rack in the oven is typically hotter than the middle rack, so you risk burning the cereal.
Too soft after storing? If you notice that the cinnamon toast crunch is too soft after you've stored it, you didn't cook it long enough. No need to throw it away, just put the cereal back on a baking sheet and bake for another 1-2 minutes, checking after 1. Let cool completely again before storing.
More Gluten Free Breakfast Recipes
Gluten Free Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Ingredients
Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
- ¼ cup organic cane sugar or coconut sugar, brown sugar, etc.
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal
- 2 cups superfine brown rice flour
- ¼ cup ground flax seed meal
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- pinch of kosher salt
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ cup avocado oil or refined coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F and make the cinnamon sugar mixture by mixing together the ground cinnamon and organic cane sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: brown rice flour, flax meal, ground cinnamon, and salt.
- Mix in the water, avocado oil, and maple syrup. Use your hands to stir them together and then knead the dough together until a ball forms. If the dough is too dry, add 1 more tablespoon of water and continue kneading to form a dough. If it’s too wet, sprinkle on a little more brown rice flour.
- Divide the dough in half. Place one half back in the bowl covered with a kitchen towel. This helps prevent it from drying out while you roll out the other half.
- Place the dough between two pieces of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to roll the dough until it’s about ⅛-inch thick. Remove the top layer of parchment paper and transfer the bottom sheet with the rolled-out dough onto your baking sheet. If any cracks form during the transfer just piece them back together with your fingers.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top. Then use a pizza cutter or the tip of a sharp knife to score the dough into little squares (this helps them break apart easily after they’ve baked). Continue this process with the second ball of dough.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 13-15 minutes (see notes). Let cool before breaking up any pieces that are stuck together. They'll continue to crisp up as they cool.
- Once completely cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.
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