WHAT’S FOR SNACKING?
Cinnamon Buttered Cheerios Snack Mix
Array/5
COOK TIME
10 min
TOTAL TIME
15 min
SERVINGS
10-12 servings
Cinnamon Buttered Cheerios are a quick and easy snack made with just five simple ingredients! Tossed in melted butter, cinnamon, and sugar, these crunchy little bites come together in minutes using a skillet and can be enjoyed on the go, for movie night, or as an after-school snack!
Buttered cheerios!? Yes, I swear this is a real snack and a delicious one at that! In any Cheerios snack mix recipe, I will inevitably find them and pick out every single one to eat for myself. I’m basically a toddler. Don’t take my Cheerios! Especially when they’re coated in butter, cinnamon, and sugar.
Buttered Cheerios have actually been around since the ‘80s, and honestly, I can’t believe I didn’t discover them sooner! They started as a super simple snack where you’d toss plain Cheerios in butter and toast them up. But over time, people got creative, making sweet and spicy versions and even though I’m a bit late, I want in! This cinnamon sugar version is like giving your favorite childhood cereal a buttery, crispy upgrade. Once you start snacking, you won’t be able to stop!
This recipe is as easy as it gets and only takes about 10 minutes! Just melt butter and vanilla in a skillet, stir in the Cheerios until they’re coated, then transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, toss to coat, and you’re done! A quick, sweet snack that’s perfect for any time. These went really quickly in our house. A handful here, a handful there. Perfect snack mix for TV watching or just walking through the kitchen.
Ways To Enjoy
This Cheerios Snack Mix Recipe is the perfect snack for a little crunchy sweet treat. Sometimes, we’ll make a batch just to set on the counter and snack on throughout the weekend. This simple Cheerios snack mix is great to make for other occasions, too!
After-school snack
Road trips
Lunch box treat
In the car between sports practices
Late-night sweet tooth fix
Gift for a neighbor or friend
Serve at a party
Movie night snack
Picnic treat
Office snack to share with coworkers
Holiday snack table
Camping trips
Backyard BBQ munchies
Beach day snack
School bake sale
Baby shower or bridal shower favor
Game day snack spread
And don’t forget to check out my recipes for Sweet and Salty Snack Mix, Sweet and Salty Pumpkin Seeds and Bunny Bait Snack Mix when you need a sweet crunchy snack!
Buttered Cheerio Snack Mix Ingredients
Cheerios – The base of the recipe, Cheerios soak up all that buttery goodness while staying perfectly crunchy. I always go for the original whole-grain version for that classic taste!
Butter – The melted butter coats the Cheerios, giving them a rich, savory flavor while helping the cinnamon and sugar stick.
Vanilla – A splash of vanilla adds a subtle sweetness and warmth that makes the snack feel a little more special. Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Sugar – Adds the perfect touch of sweetness to balance out the butter. A little goes a long way to create that crispy, sugary coating!
Cinnamon – Gives this snack its warm, cozy flavor. It pairs perfectly with the butter and sugar, and is great for Fall!
Step By Step Instructions
Melt the butter: Start by melting your butter in a large skillet over low heat. You’ll want to keep the heat nice and low to avoid browning the butter. Once the butter is melted, stir in the vanilla. The smell alone will have you excited for what’s next!
Add the Cheerios: Next, toss in your Cheerios and give them a good stir, making sure each piece is coated in that buttery vanilla mixture. Let them cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. They’ll soak up all that delicious flavor and start to get toasty.
Transfer and coat with cinnamon sugar: After the Cheerios are coated, transfer them to a large bowl. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over the top. Toss the cereal to make sure every piece is evenly coated in that sweet, cinnamon goodness. You can do this in batches if it helps spread the coating more evenly. Enjoy!
Helpful Tips
Keep the heat low when melting the butter. Patience is key! Melting the butter slowly prevents it from browning, which we’re not aiming for in this recipe.
Stir the Cheerios gently but frequently once they’re in the skillet. This helps them absorb the butter evenly without breaking apart, keeping them nice and crunchy.
Don’t rush the buttering process. Make sure every Cheerio gets its fair share of butter before moving on to the cinnamon sugar.
Use a big enough bowl when transferring the Cheerios. You want plenty of room to toss them with the cinnamon and sugar without making a mess.
Add the sugar and cinnamon gradually. Sprinkle a little at a time, stirring in between. This helps coat the cereal evenly and avoids clumping.
Use a spatula or spoon to toss the Cheerios gently. Tossing with your hands can break them.
Let the mixture cool slightly before digging in. The flavors settle a bit as it cools, and the texture gets even crunchier.
Spread the Cheerios out on a baking sheet after tossing to let them cool down evenly and stay crispy. Piling them up might cause them to soften too much.
Customize It
Change the Cheerios: Honey Nut, Honey Vanilla, Strawberry, Frosted, Cinnamon, Medley Crunch, Blueberry, Apple Cinnamon, use your favorite!
Switch the spice: Instead of cinnamon, use pumpkin spice, cloves, nutmeg, orange peel, lemon peel
Use a different cereal: Here are some other types of cereals that work well for this recipe such as Honeycomb, Chex, Frosted Flakes, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Kix, or Life Cereal.
Add ins: After transferring the cereal to a bowl, try adding some of these fun add ins: chocolate chips, m&ms, peanuts, sprinkles, powdered sugar, pretzels
Make it savory: Instead of vanilla and cinnamon, try adding Worcestershire to the butter then garlic and onion to the bowl. Or hot sauce to the butter and then paprika to the bowl.
Add a touch of spice: For a little heat, mix in a pinch of cayenne or chili powder with the cinnamon sugar for a sweet and spicy kick.
Make it chocolaty: Drizzle melted chocolate over the coated Cheerios and let it harden for a sweet, chocolaty crunch. Dark, milk, or white chocolate all work great!
Go tropical: Add in some dried coconut flakes and a little sea salt for a sweet and salty tropical twist.
Add some crunch: Mix in chopped nuts like almonds, pecans, or cashews after tossing in the cinnamon sugar for an extra layer of texture and flavor.
Storage Instructions
Store your buttered cheerios in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week to keep them fresh and crunchy. If you’re wondering about freezing, it’s best to avoid it. Freezing can cause the Cheerios to lose their crispy texture. Stick to enjoying them within a week for the best results!
FAQ
Why are my Buttered Cheerios soggy?
If your Cheerios turned out soggy, the heat might have been too high or you added too much butter. Make sure to use low heat and stir regularly to lightly toast the Cheerios, giving them that crispy texture.
How do I avoid clumping when adding the cinnamon and sugar?
To avoid clumping, sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar gradually, tossing the Cheerios in between. This helps evenly coat the cereal without getting stuck together.
Can I make this recipe in the oven instead of the stovetop?
Yes! You can spread the butter-coated Cheerios on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until they are toasty and crisp.
Print
Cinnamon Buttered Cheerios Snack Mix
Buttery and crunchy Cheerios Snack Mix Recipe with a hint of cinnamon. Only 5 ingredients for this perfect snack mix made of a classic cereal.
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla
4 cups Cheerios cereal
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large skillet, melt butter over low heat and then stir in vanilla.
- Add Cheerios to the skillet, stir to cover cereal in butter mixture and cook for about 5 minutes
- After 5 minutes in the skillet, transfer cereal mix to a large bowl. Add sugar and cinnamon and toss cereal so all is coated. Enjoy!
Notes
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25 Responses
This is sooooo good! Such an easy and delicious recipe! It is the perfect quick snack and I always have those ingredients on hand.
So good. I mixed the cheerios with cinnamon crunch cereal, M&Ms, and cinnamon red hots. A great snack for the grandkids!
Those are perfect additions! I need to try that too!
Is there anything on this site that isn’t amazing?! I think not! And this recipe is no exception. There isn’t much I can say other than DELICIOUS!
So yummy and so easy! A weekly staple in our house!
This is a fun and easy snack I made for SuperBowl Sunday.
These are tiny circular bites of pure amazing ness! So easy and so good!
Tiny little circles of pure amazingness! Quick, easy and so delicious!
Not much flavor and Cheerios tasted really salty and we used unsalted butter
So sorry you didn’t like them! So strange that they turned out salty with no salt in the recipe.
Maybe the salty batch got a dose of salt instead of sugar?? 👍🏻
Made this today. So yummy may make more tomorrow. Thank you for this easy recipe. Definitely a 5 star recipe
Thank you! So happy you liked it!
Delicious!!
Thank you! So glad you liked them!
Awesome flavor! A hit at the meeting I took them to. One quick question about the savory hot sauce variation. How much hot sauce to the butter?
So happy you liked them! For the hot sauce variation- I would start with 1 Tablespoon and then taste it to see if you want more kick before adding the cheerios.
I love this recipe. They’re delicious when eaten with milk. Tastes like Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but better!
Eating them with milk is genius! I bet that tastes amazing, so glad you like these!
I made this recipe for friends and it was an awesome hit. Everyone loved it
So happy everyone loved it! This is a favorite in our house too!
I made a batch & promptly got the box of cheerios back out of the cabinet & made the entire family sized box of cheerios & they are going FAST! SOOOOOOO good!
Yay!! I’m so happy you love these! So good and always go quickly!
Just made some for a Thanksgiving snack! Easy and delicious!!!!
So happy you liked them!