Grape-Nuts is surprisingly clean with no seed oils or artificial ingredients - just wheat flour, malted barley flour, salt, and yeast. The commercial version contains synthetic vitamins. This DIY version uses organic flours and natural sources of B vitamins for a completely clean, crunchy cereal with superior nutrition.
Based on: grape-nuts cereal
· Makes approximately 15 servings
· Serving: 58g (about 1/2 cup)
Why This Recipe is Seed Oil Free
Commercial grape-nuts cereal from Post often contains inflammatory seed oils like canola, soybean, or sunflower oil. This homemade version replaces them with healthier fats like butter, ghee, coconut oil, or avocado oil — giving you the same great taste without the processed oils.
The original grape-nuts cereal may also contain artificial dyes. Check it on DyeFreeCheck to find out.
Provides natural B vitamins, folate, and adds subtle nutty flavor to replace synthetic vitamins
Instructions
Step 1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 600g organic whole wheat flour, 200g malted barley flour, 30g nutritional yeast, and 12g sea salt until evenly distributed. The nutritional yeast replaces synthetic vitamins and adds natural B-complex nutrients.
Step 2. Dissolve 4g active dry yeast in 240ml (1 cup) lukewarm water. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy - this activates the yeast for flavor development. Gradually add the yeast mixture to the flour blend, mixing with a wooden spoon until a very stiff, cohesive dough forms. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed - the dough should hold together but not be wet.
Step 3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough will be much stiffer than bread dough. Form into a tight ball, place in an oiled bowl, cover with damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes until doubled in size.
Step 4. Punch down risen dough and divide into 4 equal portions. On parchment-lined baking sheets, shape each portion into a flat loaf about 1 inch thick and 8 inches long. Score the tops lightly with a knife to prevent cracking. This creates the dense texture that will break into nuggets later.
Step 5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and firm. Reduce oven temperature to 250°F (120°C) and continue baking for 2-3 hours, turning loaves every 30 minutes, until completely dried and rock-hard throughout. They should sound hollow when tapped and show no give when pressed firmly.
Step 6. Remove from oven and cool completely for 30 minutes. Using a rolling pin or heavy-duty food processor, break the dried loaves into small, irregular nuggets roughly 3-5mm in size. Sift through a coarse mesh to remove powder and ensure uniform nugget size - save the powder for use as breadcrumb coating.
Step 7. Store finished cereal in airtight glass containers at room temperature. Properly dried Grape-Nuts will keep for 6-8 months. Serve with cold milk or yogurt. For best texture, let cereal sit in milk for 2-3 minutes to slightly soften the very hard nuggets. Use 58g (about 1/2 cup) per serving.
Storage
Store in airtight glass containers at room temperature for 6-8 months. Keep completely dry to maintain crunch. If nuggets become stale, re-crisp in 300°F oven for 5-10 minutes.
Cost Comparison
Cost per serving (homemade)$0.46
Cost per serving (store-bought)$0.52
Savings12%
Initial savings are modest, but organic ingredients provide superior nutrition without synthetic vitamins. Bulk buying reduces per-serving costs over time, and homemade version contains natural B vitamins from nutritional yeast rather than synthetic fortification.