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Mini Donut Hot Buttered Cheerios turn plain cereal into a warm, cinnamon-sugar-coated snack that tastes just like your favorite fair food. Made with pantry staples this quick and easy treat is perfect for after-school munchies, movie nights, or anytime you’re craving something sweet and crunchy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy snack recipe made with budget-friendly pantry ingredients
- Perfect for kids and adults with a sweet, buttery cinnamon sugar coating that tastes like mini doughnuts
- Great for parties, tailgates, or lunchboxes, thanks to its mess-free, portable convenience
- Fun retro snack that brings back 80s vibes without the need for a deep fryer
Ingredients Notes
- Granulated sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Table salt
- Salted butter: Use unsalted butter if you prefer, but add a pinch of salt to keep the flavor balanced.
- Pure vanilla extract
- Plain Cheerios cereal
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Mini Donut Hot Buttered Cheerios
- Mix the cinnamon sugar: In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
- Melt the butter: In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the vanilla extract.
- Toast the Cheerios: Add the Cheerios to the skillet and stir constantly for about 3-5 minutes, or until golden and lightly toasted.
- Coat with cinnamon sugar: Remove from heat and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the warm cereal. Stir or toss until all the Cheerios are coated.
- Cool before serving: Let the coated Cheerios cool completely to get that perfect sweet and crunchy texture.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
- Make ahead: You can prepare this easy homemade snack up to 1 day in advance and let cool completely before storing in a sealed container on the countertop to keep them crisp.
- Store: Keep leftovers covered in an airtight container or a resealable gallon-size bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. Make sure to store in a cool, dry place to prevent the butter coating from softening or going stale.
- Do not refrigerate: It can make the Cheerios lose their crunch and absorb moisture.
- Refresh leftovers: Toast the cereal in a dry skillet for 1–2 minutes to bring back crispiness.
Easy Snack Mix Recipes for Busy Families
Need new recipes for quick snacks everyone will love? These delicious snack mix ideas deliver big flavor with minimal effort—perfect for busy families, parties, or the novice cook!
- Pumpkin Spice Snack Mix {Chex Mix}
- Lemon Puppy Chow
- Slow Cooker Chex Mix
- Halloween Puppy Chow Chex Mix
- S’mores Snack Mix
- Ranch Chex Mix
- Butterfinger Puppy Chow
If you’ve tried this Mini Donut Hot Buttered Cheerios Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.
Mini Donut Hot Buttered Cheerios
Serves — 4
Mini Donut Hot Buttered Cheerios are a quick, nostalgic snack made with buttery cereal and a warm cinnamon sugar coating. Ready in minutes using simple pantry ingredients!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
rest time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Ingredients
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ½ cup salted butter sliced
- 1¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups Cheerios cereal
Instructions
- Add the granulated sugar, ground cinnamon and salt to a small bowl and stir until well combined.¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon table salt
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Once fully melted, stir in the vanilla extract.½ cup salted butter, 1¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the Cheerios to the skillet, stirring constantly for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the Cheerios are nicely toasted. Remove from heat.4 cups Cheerios cereal
- Sprinkle the toasted Cheerios with the cinnamon sugar mixture and stir, or toss, to completely coat the Cheerios.
- Allow the coated cereal to cool completely before serving.
Jenn’s Notes
Storage :
- Make ahead: Cool completely, then store in a sealed container up to 1 day in advance.
- Store: Keep in an airtight container or zip bag at room temp for up to 3 days.
- No fridge: It adds moisture and kills the crunch.
- Too soft? Re-crisp in a dry skillet for a minute or two.
- Use plain Cheerios—flavored ones toast faster and get too sweet.
- Stir often to toast evenly and avoid burning.
- Cool completely so they stay crunchy.
- Try extra seasoning like nutmeg, pumpkin spice, or cayenne.
- Make a double batch—they disappear fast at parties!
Nutrition Info
Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 432mg | Potassium: 144mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1403IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 6mg
It’s too bad they are only good for “ up to 3 days” I would hope for something that lasts a little longer
That’s true these little treats are definitely at their best when fresh! You can try storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for a few extra days, then bring them to room temperature before serving. Just keep in mind they may lose some of their crunch over time.
delicious