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    Home - Breakfast

    Published: Jan 9, 2015 · Modified: Dec 8, 2022 by Amanda Powell · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Chocolate Nut Cereal

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    A ridiculously delicious chocolate nut cereal with candied chestnuts and marshmallowy meringue kisses

    Back when I was living in London with Vlad, we had his two children on the weekends. Vlad was never really into breakfast early in the morning and usually opted for a coffee and a cigarette or two. When the kids were over, he wanted to spend every moment he could with them, so he would sit down with them while I was still asleep to have cereal with them. Being the anti-breakfast person he is, he didn't know what kind of cereal to buy them and knew enough to stay away from my muesli. Before I came along, he would buy plain corn flakes for the kids. Boring!!! I insisted we buy something fun they would enjoy, which was usually something very chocolatey with a few nuts thrown in - you know, to keep things healthy.

    A ridiculously delicious chocolate nut cereal with candied chestnuts and marshmallowy meringue kisses

    A ridiculously delicious chocolate nut cereal with candied chestnuts and marshmallowy meringue kisses
    This is definitely the kind of cereal I know the kids would have loved back then and even more so now that they are older. His eldest daughter is already 12!!

    This recipe is from the Dominique Ansel cookbook with some slight adaptations. I took out the corn syrup and replaced it with honey to keep things a little healthier, and also mixed up the puffed cereal I used a bit. I also added in chestnuts to the mix of nuts because I wanted to keep with the spirit of winter, but you can take them out if you'd like. What I love is that they get a little chewy - more like nutty raisins. And of course there is a nice helping of cinnamon because there is no spice that screams winter like cinnamon.A ridiculously delicious chocolate nut cereal with candied chestnuts and marshmallowy meringue kisses

    I also used two types of the meringue kisses: chocolate and hazelnut, but you can use any type you want. Make sure you pick the smallest of the meringues for the cereal just to avoid large pieces in your cereal bowl. You can always crush up  larger meringue kisses a bit which helps make the milk nice and sweet.

    A ridiculously delicious chocolate nut cereal with candied chestnuts and marshmallowy meringue kisses

    I will warn you, between making the meringue and the general process of making the cereal, it does take a while to put everything together. I recommend spending a weekend like I did making the cereal. I spent Saturday making the meringues, then started the cereal that evening. Sunday morning I tossed everything together and added the final touches so I was able to enjoy a nice large bowl of cereal Monday morning. The finished recipe makes enough to last you a while. I emptied a giant family-sized box of cereal and filled it with this and still had to use another container.

    Recipe Card

    A ridiculously delicious chocolate nut cereal with candied chestnuts and marshmallowy meringue kisses

    Chocolate Nut Cereal

    Amanda Powell
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    Ingredients
      

    For Cereal

    • 5 cups puffed rice cereal
    • 5 cups puffed millet
    • ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
    • ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
    • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
    • ⅔ cup dried cranberries optional
    • 1 ½ cups chocolate chips

    For Candied Nuts

    • 1 ¼ cup mixed nuts including peeled diced chestnuts if desired
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • 2 tablespoons sugar
    • 1 ½ cups meringue kisses I recommend chocolate, cinnamon, and/or hazelnut

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 340 degrees F (170 degrees C). L:ine a baking sheet wi8th parchment paper or a silicone mat.
    • In a large bowl, combine the puffed rice cereal, puffed millet together. Stir in the honey and mix well to evenly coat the cereal. Stir in the sugar and cereal and stir again until evenly coated.
    • Layer the cereal on the baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes, turning halfway. Allow the cereal to cool completely on the baking sheet. Break the cereal into small chunks and place in a large bowl with the dried cranberries if using. Set aside.
    • Melt one cup of the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring each time. Add the remaining chocolate to the melted chocolate and stir until melted. Pour the chocolate over the cereal and stir until evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least two hours to set.
    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line the baking sheet with more parchment paper.
    • Combine the nuts and chestnuts with the honey and sugar until evenly coated. Place on the baking sheet in a single layer and bake for about 14 - 16 minutes, turning the baking sheet halfway. Allow to cool completely.
    • Combine the chocolate-coated cereal, nuts, and mini meringue kisses together and store in an airtight container.

    Notes

    Cereal will remain fresh in an air tight container for about 3 weeks.
    Tried this recipe?Tag me on Instagram! @acookienameddesire #acookienameddesire

    A ridiculously delicious chocolate nut cereal with candied chestnuts and marshmallowy meringue kisses

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    About Amanda Powell

    Baker, photographer, and sometimes world traveler behind A Cookie Named Desire. Obsessed with helping people live life sweetly with delicious food to share with the special people in your life and creating lasting memories.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kirsten @ Treat Yourself Sweeter says

      January 12, 2015 at 5:22 pm

      This sounds like a perfect dessert to me... late night snack attack here I come!

      Reply
    2. Cookin Canuck says

      January 12, 2015 at 10:46 am

      This cereal looks like every kid's dream! I need to try this for my boys.

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        January 12, 2015 at 5:32 pm

        They will love it! You will too. Its the best chocolaty cereal ive had in ages.

        Reply
    3. Zainab says

      January 11, 2015 at 9:35 pm

      Look at those clusters?? Love love granola of any kind but much so with chocolate!

      Reply
    4. Joanne Bruno says

      January 11, 2015 at 7:28 pm

      Leave it to DOminique Ansel to take cereal up like....TWELVE notches! This is amazing. I must have it.

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        January 11, 2015 at 7:29 pm

        Oh my gosh, its so good! Totally worth making cause it'll last you forever, too!

        Reply
    5. Thalia @ butter and brioche says

      January 10, 2015 at 11:31 pm

      I love the idea of making your own cereal! I wish I could dive into a bowl of this Amanda, it looks incredible!

      Reply
    6. Christina @ The Beautiful Balance says

      January 10, 2015 at 11:55 am

      Where did you buy the meringue kisses? I always make them but if I can save myself the hassle I will!

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        January 10, 2015 at 12:26 pm

        I made them. I dont know if anyone sells them. If i had to guess, i would think a place like Trader Joes might have them or something similar, but i havent checked.

        Reply
    7. Ashley | The Recipe Rebel says

      January 09, 2015 at 10:04 pm

      Okay, this is my kind of cereal! It's like dessert for breakfast!

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        January 10, 2015 at 12:26 pm

        It really is! Confession: i like to add extra chocolate in the mix!

        Reply
    8. Medha @ Whisk & Shout says

      January 09, 2015 at 2:26 pm

      Love your pictures! Great recipe 🙂

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        January 10, 2015 at 12:26 pm

        Thank you!!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Amanda! I am the baker and photographer behind A Cookie Named Desire. I'm a world traveler (sometimes) with a major weakness for cookies and cheese. While I'm mostly self-taught, I recently received a degree in Food Science!

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