15 Dessert Recipes to Use Up Your Leftover Cereal (2024)

Whether you go for the sugary sweet stuff or stick to the healthier variety, cereal is a definite pantry staple. But what’s a girl to do with that last little bit left in the bag that’s not enough for an entire bowl, but feels so wasteful to throw out? Make dessert, of course! That’s right. You can totally whip up a delicious dessert featuring your leftover breakfast go-to that’s just as good as a slice of molten chocolate cake. Whether you choose an easy no-bake s’mores bar or a full-on ice cream cake, the possibilities are endless. And since National Cereal Day is March 7, now is the perfect time to try. Here are 15 easy dessert recipes to use up your leftover cereal.

Cereal Pops

15 Dessert Recipes to Use Up Your Leftover Cereal (1) These treats are like a party in popsicle form. The sugary cereal-flavored milk and touch of ice cream make them perfect for a delicious mid-day snack or the perfect dessert… or both. (via Paper and Stitch Blog)

Cereal Milk Baked Donuts

15 Dessert Recipes to Use Up Your Leftover Cereal (2) You can never go wrong with donuts, especially when they’re baked instead of fried. So pull out your donut pan, and whip up a batch of vanilla cake donuts, topping each one with a cereal-infused glaze and crunchy cereal bits. These would also be great with a chocolate peanut butter flavor. (via American Heritage Cooking)

Cereal Macarons

15 Dessert Recipes to Use Up Your Leftover Cereal (3) You may think you know what a good macaron tastes like, but you’ve never had one like this before. The tops are covered with crushed cereal before baking, and they’re sandwiched around cereal milk frosting. Take care of all those almost-empty boxes in your pantry, and make several varieties of this fancy confection. (via The Busy Spatula)

Cereal Cannolis

15 Dessert Recipes to Use Up Your Leftover Cereal (4) Save yourself some extra time, and pick up pre-made cannoli shells at your local Italian bakery. The star of this show is the filling. Dip each end of the shells in melted chocolate and fill with a mixture of mascarpone, ricotta, powdered sugar and a dash of lemon and vanilla. Add cereal bits to each end and dig in. (via Paper and Stitch)

Milk and Cereal Smoothies

15 Dessert Recipes to Use Up Your Leftover Cereal (5) Indulge in an easy-to-make, kid-friendly smoothie tonight after dinner. Don’t forget to sprinkle some of the crunchy stuff over top before serving. (via A Spicy Perspective)

Cereal Yogurt Bark

15 Dessert Recipes to Use Up Your Leftover Cereal (6) This bark is one of the simplest (and most colorful!) desserts you could possibly make. Get help from your kiddos for a fun after-school activity, then freeze until after dinner for a majorly rewarding dessert. (via Hello, Wonderful)

Peach Cobbler Ice Cream Cake

15 Dessert Recipes to Use Up Your Leftover Cereal (7) Whip up this ice cream cake for those first warm days of summer. Layers of sweet peach and vanilla are stacked between crushed cinnamon cereal and topped with sliced peaches + more cereal. A ring of fresh whipped cream is the perfect finishing touch. (via Life Made Sweeter)

Peanut Butter Crunch Cereal Bars

15 Dessert Recipes to Use Up Your Leftover Cereal (8) This no-bake dessert will become your go-to potluck offering. These bars are loaded with peanut butter, brown sugar and two types of cereal, and that spells crowd pleaser. (via Sweet Peas and Saffron)

White Chocolate Lucky Charm Cookies

15 Dessert Recipes to Use Up Your Leftover Cereal (9) Cookies and milk are the epitome of easy desserts, and this recipe is no exception. With marshmallow cereal baked right into the cookies, you might as well make a double batch right from the start, because there’s no way these are going to last more than a few minutes. (via The Recipe Rebel)

Fruity Pebble Ice Cream Cake

15 Dessert Recipes to Use Up Your Leftover Cereal (10) We don’t know about you, but we’re thinking this would be perfect for our next birthday cake. It’s a grown-up dessert — you’ll need to bust out your springform pan — with a decidedly throwback main ingredient. Saturday morning cartoons, anyone? (via The Gunny Sack)

Lucky Charms Blizzard

15 Dessert Recipes to Use Up Your Leftover Cereal (11) Any excuse to eat out of a mason jar, amirite? Put that half-empty box of cereal to good use to make this frosty treat, which is basically a milkshake with sugary, crunchy, marshmallow-y cereal mixed in. Why didn’t we think of that? (via Boys Ahoy)

Samoa Cereal Bars

15 Dessert Recipes to Use Up Your Leftover Cereal (12) Take a nod from your favorite Girl Scout cookie flavor, and channel it into these no-bake bars. Made with peanut butter, rice cereal, shredded coconut and caramel sauce, these bars will give those Samoas a run for their money. (via Life Made Sweeter)

Cinnamon Milk and Cereal Cake

15 Dessert Recipes to Use Up Your Leftover Cereal (13) This dessert is like a traditional tres leches cake, but it’s made with sugary sweet milk that has absorbed all the yummy flavors of cinnamon cereal instead. Say hello to your new favorite after-dinner treat. (via Mariah’s Pleasing Plates)

Cupcake Puppy Chow

15 Dessert Recipes to Use Up Your Leftover Cereal (14) This totally addictive snack will have you reaching for handful after handful. The combination of almond and butter extracts gives the cereal an impeccable cake batter taste, and the white chocolate and sprinkles make each bite taste like a delicious cupcake. (via Sally’s Baking Addiction)

S’mores Bars

15 Dessert Recipes to Use Up Your Leftover Cereal (15) Now you can have s’mores any time you want without leaving the comfort of your own kitchen. Made with only four ingredients, these bars come together in a matter of minutes. When that craving hits, this recipe will save the day. (via Crazy for Crusts)

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Ashley Tyler

A South Florida native, Ashley is a new mom who is just trying to figure it all out while still finding time to blog at TWO TYLERS AND A BABY. There, she shares bits of her everyday life, DIY projects, recipes and everything in between.

15 Dessert Recipes to Use Up Your Leftover Cereal (2024)

FAQs

Can I have cereal for dessert? ›

If a cereal has more than 8 grams of sugar per serving, it is a dessert and should not be eaten on a regular basis. If your child wants to eat cereal in the morning, consider choosing a cereal that is lower in sugar. Zero to two grams of sugar is ideal.

Can you use stale cereal in baking? ›

Stale cereal has been used in everything from cookies to cakes with much success. Cereal that's high in fiber can be crushed finely to create a “flour” and substituted for a quarter of the regular white flour in most recipes.

How do you make cereal healthier? ›

Add nuts or seeds

Nuts and seeds not only balance out the flavor profile of your cereal by adding crunch, but they're also loaded with protein, heart-healthy fats, fiber, antioxidants, and micronutrients like magnesium, potassium, iron, and zinc.

What is the best dessert to be served after having a heavy meal? ›

Finish your evening in style with a decadent chocolate tart, fruity trifle, cheesecake or ice cream dessert.

Is it OK to eat cereal as a snack? ›

Breakfast cereal can be a nutritious and tasty snack, whether it be in the car or at the office, as an afternoon pick-me-up, or post-workout treat.

What can I do with old cereal? ›

Table of Contents
  1. Use as a bread crumb substitute.
  2. Stir cereal into pancake batter.
  3. Sprinkle on yogurt, pudding or ice cream.
  4. Make a snack mix.

Can you do anything with stale cereal? ›

Finely crushed cereal can be used as a flour substitute for your muffins or cakes. The next time you're looking to coat anything before frying, such as these breaded chicken cutlets or these healthy asparagus fries, grind up your stale cereal and use it as a substitute for breadcrumbs.

What cereals are the healthiest? ›

6 Top Cereal Picks, According to a Registered Dietitian
  • Bob's Red Mill Protein Oats. ...
  • Uncle Sam Original Wheat Berry Flakes. ...
  • Nature's Path Organic Flax Plus Mulitbran Flakes. ...
  • Barbara's Shredded Wheat Cereal. ...
  • Cascadian Farm Organic No Added Sugar Cinnamon Apple Granola.
Mar 4, 2024

What cereal keeps you full? ›

Opt for a high-fiber cereal, like bran flakes or oatmeal, to help keep you feeling full until lunchtime. Pair it with protein-rich toppings, such as nuts or Greek yogurt, for sustained energy.

Which cereal is most filling? ›

To get the healthiest and most filling cereal, choose one that's predominantly (or ideally, fully) whole grain. On the label, you're looking for the first ingredient to say whole wheat, brown rice, oats, whole grain corn, or another whole grain (such as quinoa, amaranth, or sorghum).

What is the sweetest dessert? ›

!!! The Sweetest Sweets!!!
  • Churro Cream Puffs. Lady Behind The Curtain. ...
  • Key Lime Pie Mousse Recipe. One Sweet Appetite. ...
  • The BEST Soft Cinnamon Roll Cookies from The Food Charlatan. ...
  • Hershey's Chocolate Cake. ...
  • The Best Vanilla Mug Cake Recipe - One Sweet Appetite. ...
  • White Chocolate Lemon Truffles.

What is the small dessert at end of meal? ›

Mignardises and petit four are bite-sized desserts usually served at the end of the meal. Petit four translates to “small oven” in French. What differentiates mignardises from petit four, then, is that the latter is baked in the oven.

Is cereal a breakfast or dessert? ›

It is traditionally eaten as part of breakfast, or a snack food, primarily in Western societies. Flaked breakfast cereal may be served in milk and topped with fruit such as raspberries.

Can I eat cereal for all meals? ›

There is no rule that says you can't have cereal for dinner,” Katherine Shary, a registered dietitian at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, tells TODAY.com. “There's nothing wrong with having cereal for lunch or dinner.”

Can you have dessert with breakfast? ›

In Jakubowicz's book The Big Breakfast Diet, she highlights that the hormones which control our appetite, energy and metabolism differ around the clock. So, she recommends a breakfast that is full of protein with a sweet treat to top it off.

What foods count as dessert? ›

The term dessert can apply to many sweets, such as biscuits, cakes, cookies, custards, gelatins, ice creams, pastries, pies, puddings, macaroons, sweet soups, tarts, and fruit salad (fruit is commonly found in dessert courses because of its naturally occurring sweetness).

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