Do you remember dunking a spoon into your cereal bowl, stealing a sip of the sweet, slightly-toasted milk at the bottom, and thinking: this should be a dessert? Welcome to the cereal milk milkshake — a gloriously excessive tribute to the soggy, sugary remains of breakfast. This recipe turns that humble afterthought into a thick, boozy (optional), wildly comforting shake that tastes like nostalgia and rebellion in equal measure. Prepare your blender, your childhood, and possibly a napkin for sticky fingers.
This version is part creamy science experiment, part carnival ride: we infuse milk with your favorite cereal, strain the crunchy bits, then blitz it with ice cream and a cheeky splash of vanilla (and rum, if you so dare). The result is a milkshake that tastes like the bottom of a cereal bowl — but fancier, colder, and socially acceptable at any hour.
Ingredients
- 1 cup crunchy cereal (use a sugary toasted kind: Fruity loops, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, or Cap’n Cookies — yes, make it weird)
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk (for cereal infusion)
- 3 large scoops good-quality vanilla ice cream (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk (for extra nostalgia and stickiness)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of flaky sea salt
- Optional: 1 oz spiced rum or bourbon (for grown-up chaos)
- Optional toppings: whipped cream, crushed cereal, rainbow sprinkles, mini marshmallows, caramel drizzle
Equipment: a bowl, a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth, a blender, and a spoon for moral support.
Instructions
- Make the cereal milk: Combine 1 cup cereal and 1 1/2 cups milk in a bowl. Press the cereal gently with a spoon to dunk and release all those toasted, sugary oils. Let sit for 20–30 minutes at room temperature (or up to 1 hour in the fridge) to fully infuse.
- Strain for clarity: Strain the cereal-milk mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean container, pressing to extract as much flavored milk as possible. Discard (or eat) the soggy cereal. Pro tip: save a little of this soggy cereal for garnish.
- Chill if needed: If your infused milk is warm, chill it for 10–15 minutes. You want everything cold so the shake doesn’t immediately melt.
- Shake time: In a blender, combine 1 cup of the cereal-infused milk (reserve the rest for sipping), the ice cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. If using alcohol, add it now. Blend on high until thick and silky, about 20–30 seconds. Don’t over-blend — you want texture, not a soup.
- Taste & tweak: Taste your shake. Add a splash more cereal milk for a thinner texture, or an extra spoonful of ice cream for thicker indulgence. Adjust salt and sweetness if needed.
- Serve theatrically: Rim glasses with a little condensed milk and dip in crushed cereal for crunch city. Pour the shake in, top with whipped cream, crushed cereal, sprinkles, and a drizzle of caramel if you’re feeling extra.
- Leftover bingo: Keep leftover cereal milk in the fridge for up to 2 days — it’s stellar in coffee, over pancakes, or sipped like a guilty beverage. If you want to turn this into a breakfast that punches back, why not pair it with a slice of cinnamon toast?
Tips & Notes
- Choose your cereal carefully. Sugar bombs give maximum cereal-y perfume; granola or bran won’t sing the same tune unless you like sad, dry milk.
- For a crisp, toasted note, try toasting your cereal in a dry skillet for 2 minutes before steeping — the house will smell like a carnival.
- Dairy-free? Use full-fat oat or coconut milk and dairy-free ice cream. The principle remains: infuse, strain, blend, celebrate.
- Want a grown-up version? Add 1–1.5 oz spiced rum or bourbon for an after-dinner treat that will make your dinner guests suspiciously delighted.
- Internal reading for the curious: crave patterns can be strange — if you’re pondering odd cravings while sipping this, check out my tangentially related post about cravings and ice: Why Am I Craving Ice?.
Weird fact: The original idea for cereal milk was popularized by a chef who loved the flavor of cereal-soaked milk so much he turned it into a dessert component. Basically, you’re participating in haute nostalgia. Scientists (and your tastebuds) agree: fat + sugar + salt = instant comfort.
Go forth and shake responsibly. This recipe is perfect for late-night cravings, brunch with friends who have low standards for adulthood, or a sugary pick-me-up on a rainy day. Tag your milkshake photos with chaos-levels — I want to see how weird you get.