When I was 18 I married the oldest 20-year-old man on the planet.
He had the palate of a 75-year-old woman thanks to his childhood days spent at his grandma’s table. When he started raving about Grape Nuts cereal I didn’t get it.
And after I saw how much that tiny box cost I didn’t want to.
As our family grew and filled out my budget, all boxed cereal was replaced with homemade hot cereal or granola. And that included my man’s already occasional Grape Nuts treat.
I don’t know what possessed me this winter but I decided to see if I could create a copycat version. How hard could it be?
The main ingredients in the box are whole wheat flour, malted barley flour, and salt but the idea of basically dehydrating a flour paste is weird. Why not use whole grains? I tried it and it worked beautifully! I’ve experimented with cracked wheat, a mixed grain cereal, and steel cut oats. The most authentic flavor is from the cracked wheat but my family is partial to the texture of steel cut oats.
I’m soaking the grain in buttermilk for a little extra flavor and nutrition. Plus, I’ll be honest I don’t use buttermilk for anything that whole milk doesn’t work just as well. And I have way more than I need so the buttermilk usually goes to the pigs when I’m done making butter. Just don’t soak them too long or they get tangy and that’s the only flavor that comes through. Unless you like that sort of thing.
Now I’m not going to pretend to be an expert on traditionally prepared foods but They say the soaking process breaks down phytic acid and makes the soaked grain (or nuts) easier to digest. There could be a bit of lacto-fermentation happening here but if I give it enough time for that it’s usually because I forgot about it.
After soaking, the grain is dehydrated and stored until breakfast. In the morning I toast them in some butter and a little syrup because, well because <Amen> butter and sugar make everything better. </Amen>
Altogether it seems like a project, but it’s about 20 minutes of active time. Far less than granola, even my Quick Stove Top Granola.
Homemade Grape Nuts
Save big over the box and make the classic crunchy cereal at home with whole grains, buttermilk, and natural sweeteners! Contributing subscribers can get a printable recipe card below <3.
Ingredients
4 cups cracked wheat, or mixed grain cereal or steel cut oats
4 cups buttermilk
5 Tablespoons malt barley powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup maple syrup, or honey, to taste
Directions
Soak the grain in equal parts buttermilk for 4-6 hours.
Once most of the liquid has been absorbed, rinse the grain well until the water is mostly clear. Let it drain off the excess water for several minutes.
Line dehydrator trays with mats or parchement paper and evenly spread with a thin sheet of wet grain.
Sprinkle with a heaping tablespoon of malt barley powder per cup of grain, mixing it a bit then spreading to re-flatten.
Dehydrate until fully dry (overnight.)
Store in a glass jar until ready to serve.
Melt the butter in a large skillet then toss with the grains.
Toast over low to medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly - do not allow to burn.
Sprinkle with salt and stir in the maple syrup.
Continue stirring and toasting until the syrup has caramelized.
Allow to cool before serving with milk or yogurt.