You can make a healthier version of Cracklin’ Oat Bran Cereal in your own kitchen. This Cracklin’ Oat Bran Clone recipe is a delicious take on the popular high fiber, whole grain breakfast cereal and is made with oats, flakes of coconut, flax and spices. Each serving has 5 grams of dietary fiber.
Cracklin’ Oat Bran is one of my favorite healthier cereals. I am not the only one – in searching the internet for recipes, I found the word “crack” used a few times to describe how addicting it is. I am sharing with you my Cracklin’ Oat Bran Cereal Clone recipe so that you can make a healthier version in your own kitchen.
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Why You’ll Love This Homemade Version of Cracklin’ Oat Bran
- The cereal that is sold on the shelves of grocery stores has more ingredients than the homemade version. It also contains wheat bran, wheat starch, and malt flavoring – therefore prohibiting it from being gluten-free. The homemade copycat Cracklin’ Oat Bran recipe cuts out palm, palm kernel and/or soybean oil with TBHQ, and soy lecithin.
- There are no eggs or dairy products in this, so if you must sample a little before it goes in the oven it should be okay.
- You can use a food processor to make this irresistible cereal. It helps to blend the ingredients much better than a mixer or blender would.
- It’s versatile. You can cut it into bite-sized cereal pieces or shape it into granola bars.
🥘 Ingredients
To make this tasty breakfast cereal, you need the following ingredients:
- 1½ cups oats
- 1 cup oat bran
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes
- ½ cup ground flax seeds
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- pinch of nutmeg
- ⅓ cup coconut oil, in a liquid state
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
🔪 How To Make Cracklin’ Oat Bran
Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees.
Add all of the dry ingredients to the well of a large food processor and pulse it 5-6 times. Next, add the remaining ingredients and process on high until the mixture is moist.
Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. A nice, somewhat thin layer is ideal so that it can “dry” out when it bakes. That’s what makes it “crackle.”
⏲️ Baking Time
Place in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes.
Once the cereal is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool. Break the granola into pieces and store in an airtight container.
Alternatively, after you remove the cereal from the oven and while it is still warm, gently cut (score) it into small rectangles but don’t separate it.
If you want to try to replicate the hole in the middle, insert a chopstick point into the middle of each piece and lightly move it around. The cereal will be soft and pliable while it is still hot. Allow it to cool and harden, then break it into pieces.
📖 Recipe
Cracklin’ Oat Bran Cereal Clone (Gluten-Free Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1½ cups oats
- 1 cup oat bran
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup sweetened coconut
- ½ cup ground flax seeds
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- pinch of nutmeg
- ⅓ cup coconut oil in liquid state
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Add all of the dry ingredients to the well of a large food processor and pulse 5-6 times.
- Add remaining ingredients and process on high until mixture is moist.
- Spread mixture onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for approximately 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool. Break granola into pieces and store in an airtight container.
Video
Nutrition
The homemade version won’t have those perfectly shaped in the cute little “O’s” like Kellogg’s. At least we know exactly what is in our cereal and just how fresh it is.
If you find yourself always in a hurry in the mornings, consider cutting the cereal into bars instead. Then you will have a delicious grab-and-go breakfast treat ready to go when you are.
Margaret says
could I make this sugar free with sweet red nerve and sugarfree syrup. ?
Lynda says
I don’t know.
annette says
This recipe was very tasty. I substituted some molasses and honey for the maple syrup. Also, I used vegetable oil for the coconut oil and wheat bran for the oat bran, since these were all ready in my pantry. It turned out wonderful all the same.
happy girl says
I’m very happy with this recipe. I look forward to using this possibly as a base for variations. Thank you, Lynda!
happy girl says
It’s in the oven now. I was eating it before I baked it and it was so oat-y and delicious; I had to force myself to stop eating it.
I used coconut sugar and a little corn syrup. I was out of molasses. I also added in coconut flour, pecan flour and coconut butter.
I didn’t have coconut oil so I opted instead for olive oil and avocado oil.
Next time I might just go for all avocado oil since the flavor is more neutral.
I meant to add more cinnamon, but next time I won’t forget.
Thank you for the recipe. Genius!
Lynda says
Please come back and tell me how your baked version tastes. It sounds delicious!
Ezra says
Absolutely phenomenal recipe – and vegan friendly! Made these last week, and they are probably one of the best things I’ve ever made and tasted! Ate the whole batch, haha. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, will definitely be making them again! Cheers!
Lynda says
💕💕💕💕💕💕💕
Juls~ says
Great recipe! The gluten and non-gluten team loved it. I didn’t have all the ingredients-made it without the molasses so I added a bit more grade B maple syrup. I did use steel cut oats! I just grounded it to a powder because I didn’t have oat bran, I go with what I’ve got.
Oh, I added ground pecans to the mix because…I like pecans! The grandkids call it Scooby Snacks because…it looks like dog food and tastes “like a hug”. What more could you ask of a treat?
We are going to add cocoa nibs the next time we make it. Thanks for posting~
Lynda says
Thank YOU for your comment. 💕 It made my day. I am glad that both the gluten and non-gluten team loved it! Please come back and tell me how the versino with cocoa nibs turns out. 😀
Erin says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Cracklin oat Bran was my favorite cereal growing up, but I’ve been gluten free for several years and have just pined for it in passing at the grocery store. I made this recipe just as described using my vitamix and it came out perfectly. Everyone loved it, even those self-professed gluten loving junk food members of the family! This will be our go-to for cereal, granola bites and granola bars for years to come. A million thanks!
Lynda says
Thank you for coming back and leaving a kind remark. It made my day. 💕
Cece says
This recipe is delicious! AND way better than the brand itself.
Used 1/2 as much maple just because I prefer less sweet and the cereal is almost too sweet.
Will make again and next time halve the brown sugar rather than the maple for better forming.
Lynda says
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. I am glad you enjoyed the recipe. Please let me know it turns out with the changes that you mentioned.
Kelsey says
This may seem sill, but what kind of oats do you use? Rolled oats?
Lynda says
Not silly at all. I use either quick or old fashioned – just depends on what I have in my pantry. Just don’t use steel cut oats.
Ashley says
Hi! I made this this morning because I had a craving for my favorite cereal and wanted to make my own healthier version. While the middle mass of the granola turned out awesome (delish, crispy and crunchy, thank you), the outside edges all burned pretty badly. Have you ever experienced this? Guessing I should either bake at 5 degrees lower, or 5 min less…
Lynda says
Sorry to hear about the edges. I use a baking stone (pan) and it cooks evenly. I am guessing that if your sheet pan was made of metal, that could have been the reason.
One other option might be to create a small shield for the edges to protect them from burning. (Think of how people do that when baking pie crusts.)