Chocolate Cereal (Homemade Cocoa Puffs)

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5 from 48 votes

This healthy chocolate cereal has just 4 ingredients and is gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free, made with simple, wholesome pantry staples. Both kids and adults will love these homemade cocoa puffs!

Simple and Healthy Homemade Chocolate Puff Cereal

As a long-term gluten-free, vegan who avoids overly processed ingredients and refined sugar, I’m no stranger to craving childhood favorites that no longer fit my diet. It’s why I happily spend time in my kitchen coming up with diet-friendly, healthier versions of all my favorites, like Bounty bars, gummy bears, Ferrero Rocher, and 3-ingredient chocolate. This time, though, I’m coming for you, cocoa puffs cereal!

Store-bought cereals are often loaded with sugar, chemicals, and other nasty ingredients that many health-conscious adults aim to avoid. And, though I happily enjoy healthy granola bars, nut-free granola with yogurt, and banana baked oatmeal on repeat, some days I really crave chocolate cereal for breakfast! Luckily, I’ve cracked the code to gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, homemade cereal chocolate balls.

Best of all, this chocolate puff cereal treat requires just 4 simple, pantry-friendly ingredients, It’s simple enough to make that you can even get your kids involved, it’s firm and slightly crunchy, and it even stores for up to a week!

The Ingredients

You only need four pantry staples to prepare this healthy chocolate cereal recipe.

Oat flour: (Certified gluten-free if necessary) OR grind rolled oats into flour.
Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder (the latter is less processed and loaded with antioxidants and several vitamins/minerals, but more bitter).
Maple syrup: Or another liquid sweetener like agave, brown rice syrup, or a sugar-free syrup (keto-friendly!). Date paste may also work.
Nut/seed butter: This is the binding ingredient for the DIY chocolate ball cereal. You can use any seed or nut butter, like peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter, etc.

You might also like to add a tiny pinch of salt to balance the sweetness and enhance the cocoa flavor in the Choco cereal and/or a small amount (1/2 tsp) of vanilla extract for extra flavor depth.

For thefull ingredients list, measurements, complete recipe method, and nutritional information, read the recipe card below.

How to Make Homemade Chocolate Cereal Balls

First, grind the oats into flour (if you don’t have oat flour). Add all the ingredients to a large bowl and stir it with a spoon. Then use your hands to mix the dough.

If it’s too dry, add more maple syrup or nut/seed butter. If it’s too wet, add more oat flour, one teaspoon at a time.

Next, preheat the oven to 320 °F/160 °C, and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Meanwhile, divide the dough into four pieces and roll them into ropes about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.
Use a knife to cut the ropes into smaller pieces, about ½-3/4-inch thick, then roll each of those pieces into balls with your hands. This cocoa cereal recipe should make between 120-140 balls.

Transfer the prepared cereal balls to the baking sheet, with space in between, and bake them for 10 minutes. Then leave them to cool completely.

The homemade cocoa puffs cereal will still be soft immediately out of the oven but firm up as they cool. Be careful not to overbake them, as they can and will burn.

Enjoy the chocolate cereal bites for breakfast with your favorite dairy-free milk (and optional fruit) of your choice!

Storage Instructions

Allow the healthy chocolate cereal to cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container and storing them at room temperature for 5 days or in the fridge for 7-10 days.

I don’t think they’d freeze very well, but let me know in the comments if you try it.

FAQs

Are cocoa puffs vegan?

Although none of the main ingredients are non-vegan, the vitamins and minerals (like vitamin D3) used to fortify store-bought cereal are often derived from animals, making it non-vegan-friendly. Luckily, this DIY cereal is 100% vegan, though.

Are cocoa puffs gluten-free?

Store-bought versions are often not, unfortunately. However, luckily, this DIY cereal is!

What is the texture of the homemade cocoa puffs cereal?

When they first come out of the oven, they’re fairly soft and chewy, but as they cool, they become firmer and crunchier. While they are firmer than regular store-bought cereal, once you add the milk, they will still soften slightly. Use warm milk to soften the chocolate ball cereal more.

Can you substitute the oat flour?

You may be able to use millet flour or fine almond flour in its place, though I haven’t tried it.

Recipe Notes and Tips

For the smoothest Choco cereal balls: After grinding the oats, pass them through a sieve and re-grind any leftover large pieces if there is a lot. Or use store-bought oat flour.
Change the shape/size: i.e., make healthy chocolate cereal squares (flattened) or smaller balls. Adjust the baking time (i.e., small balls only need 7-8 minutes).
Adjust the texture: For example, if you bake them for slightly less, the homemade cereal balls will be softer.
Enjoy them as a snack: There’s no need to only eat them with cereal. You can also enjoy them as a dry snack, too. I sometimes snack on the raw mixture as well!

More Healthy Vegan Breakfast Recipes

Healthy keto chocolate chia pudding
Avocado toast (multiple ways)
Peanut butter overnight oats
Healthy banana bread (sugar-free)
Easy vegan scrambled eggs
Veggie egg muffins

If you try this homemade chocolate cereal recipe, I’d love a comment and★★★★★recipe ratingbelow. Also, please don’t forget totag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebookwith@elavegan #elavegan—I love seeing them.