Hot Buttered Cheerios brings you a taste of the ‘80s with three different ways to serve this timeless roasted Cheerios snack. Plain pan-fried Cheerios can be made in 5 minutes using only 2 ingredients, but it’s just as simple to serve them sweet with cinnamon sugar or savory with ranch mix.
Hot Butter CheerioOs Three Ways
I’m ready to revisit the trendy Hot Buttered Cheerios recipe from my past, so today, I’m taking you back in time to a retro old-school snack courtesy of Betty Crocker.
I’ve shared many Chex mix, snack mix, and puppy chow recipes with my readers, but I’ve never been so nostalgic about Hot Buttered O’s than before they showed up again on social media platforms (especially Pinterest)!
Mini doughnut toasted Cheerios are so easy to make using just salted butter and cereal, but they’re just as quick to customize with other flavors and seasonings. Crunchy, sweet, or salty-coated cereal is addictively delicious; it’s a great gluten-free grab-n-go treat and the perfect party food for football and tailgates.
Hot Buttered Cheerios Ingredients
- Salted butter: If you are watching your sodium intake, you can substitute unsalted butter for the salted butter (but you may want to add a touch of salt).
- Plain Cheerios cereal: You can substitute Honey Nut Cheerios for a sweeter version of Plain Hot Buttered Cheerios or use Apple Cinnamon Cheerios when making the Cinnamon Sugar Hot Buttered Cheerios. Feel free to substitute any store brand Cheerios for the name brand.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Plain Hot Buttered Cheerios
- Prepare Them Plain: Melt the butter on the stove top and then remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the Cheerios to completely coat.
- Start Snacking: Serve while warm and enjoy!
Cinnamon Sugar Hot Buttered Cheerios Ingredients (Mini Doughnut Cheerios)
- Salted butter
- Pure vanilla extract
- Plain Cheerios cereal
- Granulated sugar
- Ground cinnamon
How To Make Mini Doughnut Hot Buttered Cheerios
- Melt the butter on the stovetop, mix in the vanilla, add the Cheerios, and stir to coat. Transfer to a mixing bowl and coat with a cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Serve while warm and enjoy!
Ranch Hot Buttered Cheerios Ingredients
- Salted butter
- Plain Cheerios cereal
- Dry ranch dressing mix
How To Make Ranch Hot Buttered Cheerios
- Melt the butter on the stovetop and then remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the Cheerios to completely cover. Coat with the dry ranch dressing mix.
- Serve while warm and enjoy!
How To Make Hot Buttered Cheerios In The Slow Cooker
While not quite as fast, you can easily make hot buttered Cheerios in a crockpot. Simply add the cereal to the bottom of the slow cooker and place sliced pats of butter on top. Drizzle with the vanilla extract (for a sweet version), cover with lid, and cook on high for 3 hours.
To prevent burning, stir every 30 -45 minutes. Once done, add either the sugar and cinnamon or the dry ranch mix and toss well to coat.
Serving Suggestions
Skip the chips, replace the popcorn, and serve this savory or sweet treat instead. It’s perfect for packing in lunchboxes, serving as after-school snacks, giving as holiday gifts, or feeding friends while watching football.
Tips & Variations
- Season the Cereal: There are 2 ways to coat your buttered Cheerios: either sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon mixture or dry ranch dressing mix over the Cheerios and stir to completely coat. Alternatively, use an extra large (2 gallon) size ziplock bag to shake the buttered Cheerios together with the seasoning. Make sure the ziplock is tightly sealed before shaking the bag to coat the cereal.
- Swap the Seasoning: You can flavor your snack with garlic salt, garlic powder, or any seasoning you love.
- Make In The Microwave: You can make your snack in the microwave, but the stovetop method is definitely the best way to create crunchy Cheerios.
Proper Storage
- To Store: Once cooled, the hot buttered Cheerios can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container or extra-large ziplock bag.
Other Easy Snacks
- Sour Patch Grapes
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites
- Strawberry Peanut Butter Bark
- Soft Pretzel Bites
If you tried this Hot Buttered Cheerios Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!!!
Hot Buttered Cheerios
Ingredients
Plain Hot Buttered Cheerios
- ⅓ cup salted butter sliced into pats
- 4 cups plain Cheerios cereal
Cinnamon Sugar Hot Buttered Cheerios
- ⅓ cup salted butter sliced into pats
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups plain Cheerios cereal
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Ranch Hot Buttered Cheerios
- ⅓ cup salted butter sliced into pats
- 4 cups plain Cheerios Cereal
- 1 ounce package dry ranch dressing mix
Instructions
Plain Hot Buttered Cheerios
- Add the sliced butter to a 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until the butter is completely melted. Remove the skillet from heat.⅓ cup salted butter
- Add the Cheerios to the skillet and stir to completely coat. Serve while warm.4 cups plain Cheerios cereal
Cinnamon Sugar Hot Buttered Cheerios
- Melt the butter as instructed above.⅓ cup salted butter
- Once the butter has been melted, add in the vanilla and stir until completely incorporated.½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the Cheerios and stir to coat.4 cups plain Cheerios cereal
- Transfer the buttered Cheerios to a large mixing bowl (4-5 quarts).
- In a small bowl (3-4 cups), combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon.¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon mixture over the buttered Cheerios and stir to completely coat. Alternatively, use an extra large (2 gallon) size ziplock bag to shake the buttered Cheerios together with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Make sure the ziplock is tightly sealed before shaking the bag to coat the cereal.
- Serve while warm.
Ranch Hot Buttered Cheerios
- Melt the butter as instructed above.⅓ cup salted butter
- Add the Cheerios and stir to completely coat.4 cups plain Cheerios Cereal
- Sprinkle the dry ranch dressing mix over the Cheerios and stir to completely coat. Alternatively, you can also use an extra large (2 gallon) size ziplock bag to shake the buttered Cheerios with the dry ranch dressing mix. Make sure the ziplock is tightly sealed before shaking the bag to coat the cereal.1 ounce package dry ranch dressing mix
- Serve while warm.
Jenn’s Notes
- There are 2 ways to coat your buttered Cheerios: either sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon mixture or dry ranch dressing mix over the Cheerios and stir to completely coat. Alternatively, use an extra large (2 gallon) size ziplock bag to shake the buttered Cheerios together with the seasoning. Make sure the ziplock is tightly sealed before shaking the bag to coat the cereal.
- Feel free to flavor your snack with garlic salt, garlic powder, or any seasoning you love.
- You can make your snack in the microwave, but the stove top method is definitely the best way to create crunchy Cheerios.
Lovely