Cereal Milk Brings A Nostalgic Flavor To Your Morning Lattes

Almost every adult in the United States has fond memories of crunching on a sugary bowl of Froot Loops or Cocoa Puffs before dashing to the bus stop for school. For many, the most iconic memories from this experience are almost ritualistically drinking the leftover milk from the bowl. Creamy, cold, and lightly infused with the taste and color of your favorite cereal, some might say that this was actually the best part of these hurried breakfasts. So much so, in fact, that it inspired the treat shop Milk Bar to start offering cereal-infused soft serve.

Though locations selling these nostalgic treats are limited to metropolitan areas like New York City and Los Angeles, Milk Bar's cereal milk is ridiculously easy to make at home. All you need are your favorite cereals, some milk (dairy and vegan both work!), and a little bit of time. Once infused, you can use it to make your own cereal-flavored ice cream (even without a machine), save it to enjoy alongside your favorite cookies, or adultify this simple treat by adding it to your morning cup of joe. 

While cereal milk unceremoniously splashed into a mug of drip coffee sounds absolutely delicious, something this special deserves a little bit of TLC. For instance, you could make cafe-worthy espresso in your moka pot before steaming some of your infused milk to create a cereal-themed latte or cappuccino. Enjoy this morning treat as-is for a subtle cereal flavor, or intensify things with coordinating syrups or different flavors of coffee.

One of the best parts of making your own cereal milk at home is that you can use a few simple, inexpensive ingredients to experiment with an endless number of flavor combinations. For instance, if Cinnamon Toast Crunch was your absolute favorite cereal growing up, you could give this flavor a sophisticated spin by dolloping it into a cup of French vanilla coffee, or even take your PSL to the next level by adding this infused milk to a latte sweetened with pumpkin spice simple syrup.

If brighter flavors like Froot Loops or Fruity Pebbles are more your thing, you have a few different options when it comes to mixing and matching flavors. The most obvious choice is to simply stir either of these milks into your favorite brand of blueberry-infused coffee. However, if you want to give your morning cuppa a tropical feel, try using these cereals to infuse coconut milk, then blend it with a touch of pineapple syrup before steaming it for a delicious piña colada cappuccino.

Of course, when it comes to adding cereal flavors to your coffee, we can't ignore how beautifully it pairs with chocolate. Cocoa Puffs and Cocoa Pebbles both produce an ultra-sugary, chocolate-forward infusion perfect for pouring into an espresso double-shot. If you're a Nutella stan, you can also use these milks in hazelnut-flavored coffee, or go for a s'mores feel by using marshmallow syrup and garnishing your latte with graham cracker crumbs.