The Ultimate Cereal Ice Pops: A Nostalgic Frozen Treat

What’s the best part of a bowl of your favorite childhood cereal? If you said, “the sweet, flavorful milk at the very end,” then you are in for an incredible treat. This recipe captures that specific, nostalgic joy and transforms it into a fun, creamy, and crunchy frozen dessert.

These Cereal Ice Pops are a playful and delicious project that’s perfect for kids and adults alike. The process is pure genius: we infuse milk with all the sugary, toasty flavor of popular cereals, turn it into a creamy ice pop base with Greek yogurt, and then dip the finished pops in a chocolate shell and a coating of more crushed cereal. This is more than a recipe; it’s a celebration of a beloved breakfast staple, reimagined as the perfect Cereal Ice Pops.

What makes this recipe so special is its endless customizability and its wonderful combination of textures. You get a creamy, flavorful pop, a crunchy surprise of whole cereal at the tip, a snappy chocolate shell, and a final crispy coating. Making these Cereal Ice Pops is a fun activity with a truly delightful and photo-worthy result.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

The Magic of Cereal Milk

The heart and soul of these Cereal Ice Pops is the concept of “cereal milk.” Made famous by Christina Tosi of Milk Bar, cereal milk is simply milk that has been steeped with toasted cereal, allowing it to absorb all of the sweet, malty, and distinct flavors.

The process of soaking the cereal in milk for at least 30 minutes gives the milk time to pull out the sugary coating and the toasted grain flavor. Straining out the soggy cereal leaves you with a smooth, intensely flavored milk that tastes exactly like the bottom of your favorite cereal bowl. This is the secret to creating a pop that tastes authentically like its namesake cereal.

The Key Ingredients for Your Cereal Ice Pops

Each ingredient in these Cereal Ice Pops is chosen to build layers of nostalgic flavor and fun textures.

• Your Favorite Cereals: This recipe offers a trifecta of classics—Reese’s Puffs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Cap’n Crunch—but it’s really a template. You can use any of your favorite sweetened cereals to create your own custom Cereal Ice Pops.
• Whole Milk: The fat content in whole milk is crucial for creating a creamy, less icy texture.
• Vanilla Greek Yogurt: This is a key addition that elevates the pops. It adds a wonderful creaminess, a slight tang to balance the cereal’s sweetness, and protein, which helps create a smoother mouthfeel.
• Chocolate Chips and Coconut Oil: When melted together, these two ingredients create a “magic shell.” The coconut oil causes the chocolate to harden almost instantly upon contact with the frozen pop, creating a satisfying, snappy chocolate layer.

Step-by-Step Guide to Your Cereal-sly Good Pops

This recipe involves making three different flavors at once, so staying organized is key. Setting up three separate bowls and containers from the start will make the process a breeze.

1. Prep Your Molds: Place twelve 3-ounce paper cups on a tray or baking sheet that will fit in your freezer. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of whole peanut butter cereal into each of 4 cups. Repeat the process with the cinnamon cereal and the corn cereal for the other cups.
2. Make the Cereal Milk: Pour 1 1/2 cups of whole milk into each of three separate mixing bowls. Add 2 cups of the peanut butter cereal to the first bowl, 2 cups of cinnamon cereal to the second, and 2 cups of corn cereal to the third. Stir each bowl to combine.
3. Steep the Cereal: Place the bowls in the refrigerator and let the cereal soak for a minimum of 30 minutes (or up to an hour for a more intense flavor). While it soaks, crush the remaining cereal in separate ziptop bags and place the crumbs into three small bowls for the topping later.
4. Strain the Milk: Set up three separate containers with pour spouts (like large liquid measuring cups). Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the milk from the first bowl of cereal into the first container. Use the back of a spoon to press down firmly on the soggy cereal in the strainer to extract every last drop of flavorful milk. Discard the soaked cereal. Repeat this process for the other two flavors.
5. Add the Yogurt: Add 1/3 cup of the vanilla Greek yogurt to each container of flavored cereal milk. Whisk thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and completely combined. You now have three different bases for your Cereal Ice Pops.
6. Fill the Cups and First Freeze: Carefully pour the peanut butter cereal milk mixture into the four cups containing the whole peanut butter cereal. Then, pour the cinnamon milk into the cinnamon cups, and the corn milk into the corn cups. Place the entire tray in the freezer for 2 hours.
7. Insert Sticks and Final Freeze: After 2 hours, the Cereal Ice Pops will be slushy and thick enough to hold a stick upright. Insert one ice-pop stick into the center of each cup. Return the tray to the freezer for another 2 hours, or until the pops are completely solid.
8. Make the Chocolate Shell: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each one, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Pour this into a tall, narrow glass that will be easy to dip the pops into.
9. Dip and Coat: Once the pops are frozen solid, work quickly one at a time. Peel the paper cup away from an ice pop. Dip the end of the pop into the melted chocolate, letting any excess drip off.
10. Add the Final Crunch: Immediately roll the chocolate-dipped end in the corresponding crushed cereal topping. The chocolate will harden very quickly. Place the finished pop on a wax paper-lined tray in the freezer. Repeat with the remaining Cereal Ice Pops.

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Storage Information

Store your finished Cereal Ice Pops in the freezer. You can place them in a freezer-safe airtight container or individually wrap them in plastic wrap. They are best enjoyed within one to two weeks for the best flavor and texture.

Creative Recipe Variations

This cereal milk technique is a gateway to endless flavor possibilities!

Flavor Variation	How to Adapt the Recipe	The Delicious Result
Fruity Pebbles Fun Pops	Use Fruity Pebbles cereal for the milk infusion and topping. Use white chocolate chips for the dip.	A super colorful, fruity, and vibrant pop that tastes just like the iconic cereal.
Honey Nut Cheerios & Honey	Use Honey Nut Cheerios. Add an extra tablespoon of honey to the milk and yogurt mixture. This version of the Cereal Ice Pops is subtly sweet and wholesome.	A comforting, classic flavor with an extra touch of honey sweetness.
Lucky Charms Magic Pops	Use the oat pieces from Lucky Charms to infuse the milk. Before pouring, stir the colorful marshmallows into the strained milk mixture. Dip in white chocolate and roll in more crushed marshmallows.	A whimsical and colorful treat with a fun marshmallow surprise in every bite.

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Conclusion: A Taste of Childhood in Every Bite

These Cereal Ice Pops are a delightful journey back to lazy Saturday mornings. They are a creative, fun, and surprisingly sophisticated way to enjoy the flavors we all grew up with. The process is a joy, and the result is a multi-textured treat that’s creamy, crunchy, and packed with authentic cereal flavor. So grab your favorite box of cereal, and get ready to create a frozen dessert that is sure to bring a smile to everyone’s face.

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