I have no recollection of ever having Cinnamon Toast Crunch as a child. We were a Mini Wheats and Honey Nut Cheerio household and maybe on a very good day we could convince our mom to get Trix if we were lucky. But as an adult I am a completely different person and Cinnamon Toast Crunch is hands down my favorite cereal now. I can see exactly why we never had it growing up because I would not have eaten anything else and honestly the same problem still applies. It was a go-to snack during my pregnancy and one day I decided to throw it into a Ninja Creami recipe and the result was so good I immediately made it three more times in the same week.

This Cinnamon Toast Crunch protein ice cream is cinnamony, slightly crunchy, perfectly sweet, and packed with thirty three grams of protein in a pint that tastes like someone made the best possible ice cream out of the most beloved cereal in the box. The steep and strain cereal milk technique that works so well in the Fruity Pebbles version on this blog works just as beautifully here. One cup of Cinnamon Toast Crunch steeped in cold milk for fifteen minutes transfers all of that warm cinnamon sugar cereal flavor directly into the milk and then you strain the cereal out and what is left is the most perfectly flavored cinnamon cereal milk that freezes and spins into something extraordinary.

An extra half teaspoon of cinnamon goes into the base after the cereal is strained because the cereal infusion alone gives you flavor but the additional cinnamon gives you that warm spice depth that makes this taste more like a cinnamon ice cream than just a cereal milk ice cream. It is a small addition and it makes a big difference in how the finished flavor reads after spinning. The first time I made this I only had cheesecake flavored pudding mix on hand and it turned out really good so both cheesecake and vanilla pudding mix work here and give you slightly different but equally delicious results depending on your preference.

The fresh Cinnamon Toast Crunch mixed in after the first spin is the detail that completes the whole experience. A quarter cup of dry cereal processed on the mix-in setting gives you little pockets of crunchy cinnamony cereal throughout the creamy base that soften very slightly into the ice cream and create a texture that is so satisfying and so nostalgic in every scoop. This is the cereal protein ice cream for cinnamon lovers and the one I recommend first to anyone who is new to the cereal milk Creami technique because the flavors are so clear and so universally appealing that it converts everyone immediately.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

The steep and strain cereal milk technique infuses the entire base with warm cinnamon sugar cereal flavor before the protein powder even goes in so every single scoop tastes specifically like Cinnamon Toast Crunch rather than just vanilla
Thirty three grams of protein in a pint that tastes like your favorite cereal is the kind of result that makes the Ninja Creami feel like the best purchase you have ever made
Both vanilla and cheesecake pudding mix work in this recipe which gives you two slightly different flavor profiles to try depending on what you have on hand
Fresh Cinnamon Toast Crunch mixed in after the first spin gives you crunchy cinnamony cereal pockets throughout the pint that make every few scoops genuinely exciting

Key Ingredients:

Cinnamon Toast Crunch: One cup steeped in the milk for fifteen minutes to infuse that warm cinnamon sugar cereal flavor into the entire base before freezing. The steeping is what makes this taste so specifically like Cinnamon Toast Crunch ice cream. Additional dry cereal goes in as the mix-in after the first spin for crunch in every scoop
Milk: Two cups of cold milk that the cereal steeps in for fifteen minutes absorbing that warm cinnamon sugar flavor and becoming the most perfectly seasoned cereal milk base for the ice cream
Vanilla protein powder: One scoop adds the majority of the thirty three gram protein total and a subtle vanilla sweetness that works beautifully alongside the warm cinnamon cereal milk flavor
Sugar free vanilla or cheesecake pudding mix: One tablespoon is the texture ingredient that makes the base smooth and scoopable after spinning. Both flavors work and give you slightly different but equally delicious results. Cheesecake adds a subtle richness that is really lovely with the cinnamon
Cinnamon: Half a teaspoon added to the base after straining the cereal to reinforce the warm cinnamon flavor so it comes through clearly in every scoop even at frozen temperatures when spices can sometimes mute

Tips for Success:

Steep the Cinnamon Toast Crunch for the full fifteen minutes for the most flavorful cereal milk base. Less time means less cinnamon sugar flavor transfers into the milk and the finished ice cream will taste more like vanilla than Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Add the cinnamon to the strained cereal milk with the protein powder and pudding mix rather than during the steeping so it distributes evenly throughout the base when shaken or stirred
Use a bowl with a handle and spout or strain directly into a blender bottle for the easiest and cleanest process with minimal mess before freezing overnight
Add the fresh Cinnamon Toast Crunch mix-in right before the final spin using the mix-in setting so it distributes evenly throughout the entire pint and gives you cereal in every few scoops

Storage:

Store Cinnamon Toast Crunch protein ice cream in the Creami pint with the lid on in the freezer for up to two weeks. The Cinnamon Toast Crunch mix-ins will lose some of their crunch as the pint sits in the freezer which is completely normal. When you are ready to eat it again let it sit at room temperature for five minutes to soften or re-process on the re-spin setting to bring it back to that perfect fresh spun texture. For maximum crunch add a small handful of fresh Cinnamon Toast Crunch on top of each bowl right before eating in addition to the mix-ins already in the pint.

FAQ:

Can I use cheesecake pudding mix instead of vanilla?
Yes and it is actually a really delicious variation. Cheesecake pudding mix adds a subtle richness and a slightly tangy sweetness that pairs beautifully with the warm cinnamon cereal milk base and makes the finished ice cream taste a little more indulgent than the vanilla version. Both work perfectly in this recipe and give you the same smooth scoopable texture after spinning so use whichever you have on hand or prefer.

How long should I steep the cereal?
Fifteen minutes is the sweet spot for maximum flavor transfer without the cereal becoming so saturated that it is difficult to strain cleanly. Less than ten minutes and the flavor is noticeably lighter and less cinnamony. More than twenty minutes does not significantly increase the flavor and can make the milk slightly cloudy from the cereal breaking down. Set a timer and stick to the fifteen minutes for the most consistent and delicious result every time.

What Ninja Creami setting should I use?
Process on the Lite Ice Cream setting for the first spin for the most nourishing result. If the texture is too crumbly after the first spin add a small splash of milk and use the Re-Spin setting before adding mix-ins. Once you add the quarter cup of fresh Cinnamon Toast Crunch use the Mix-In setting so the cereal pieces get incorporated evenly throughout the pint without being completely pulverized.