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Have you ever thought about making your own cereal? These homemade buckwheat flakes are not only gluten-free and low in sugar but also oil-free! They have a delicate nuttiness and remain crunchy in milk for several minutes!
Do you love cereals but have trouble finding healthy-ish ones? I have a solution for you. Make your own!
I’ve previously made cinnamon cereal and indulgent chocolate & peanut butter cereal, but there’s one type I’ve been wanting to try for a while: flakes. However, I’m not talking about cornflakes. I wanted to create something unique using a flour I really like: buckwheat flour. I love its nutty flavor, and the fact that it’s gluten-free is definitely a bonus point!
My buckwheat flakes check all the boxes: extra crispy, nutty, just slightly sweet, AND they stay crispy in milk for a few minutes. Goodbye, instant soggy cereal!
Obviously, it’s not as easy as buying a box of cereal at the store, but isn’t it fun to make your own? Plus, you know exactly what’s inside!
⭐️ Why You Will Love It
Crispy, nutty, and so addictive!
Imagine crunchy flakes with a rich nuttiness and a subtle hint of vanilla. Now pour in a generous amount of your favorite plant-based milk (or add the cereal after you pour the milk—no judgment here!). Grab a spoon and enjoy the perfect combination of slightly chewy flakes at the bottom, contrasting with the crispy ones that haven’t soaked up the milk yet. Oh boy, what a simple yet tasty experience!
Just a heads-up: My cereals aren’t puffed, so they are a bit denser than the ones you find in stores. I actually see this as a benefit because it means they remain crispy in milk longer than regular cornflakes do.
Made with simple, wholesome ingredients.
You won’t need any special ingredients for this recipe, just some buckwheat flour and a few pantry staples. The process is quite simple as well – mix all of the ingredients in a bowl, pour the batter on a baking sheet, and bake it for a few minutes. Then, break it into small pieces and bake a bit more until the flakes are perfectly crunchy.
If you’re like me and don’t have cereal for breakfast every day, this recipe makes a small batch that stays crispy for up to two weeks at room temperature, so you won’t have to worry about wasting any!
🧂 Ingredient Notes
Buckwheat flour
The base of these flakes is buckwheat flour, which has a natural nutty flavor. For those of you unfamiliar with buckwheat, it’s a plant that originated in China. Despite its name, buckwheat is gluten-free and not related to wheat.
Note: There are two types of buckwheat flour: the first is made from whole buckwheat groats and has a light grey color, while the second type is made from hulled buckwheat groats and is much lighter in color, resembling wheat flour. For this recipe, you will need the hulled buckwheat flour.
Where to buy: You can buy buckwheat flour online (the one from Anthony’s is the hulled kind) or in most organic supermarkets.
Love buckwheat? Check out my savory buckwheat crêpes, buckwheat groats risotto, or this cashew buckwheat curry!
Sugar
For a hint of sweetness. Compared to most store-bought cereals, this one is very low in sugar, as I use only 2 teaspoons for one batch.
Make it refined sugar-free: Although I use granulated sugar, feel free to use coconut sugar to make the cereal free of refined sugar.
Baking soda & baking powder
I use a combination of baking powder and baking soda to achieve a light and crispy texture. Without any leavening agent, the cereals tend to be very hard after baking.
Salt
A generous pinch of salt enhances the natural nuttiness of the buckwheat.
Vanilla extract
To infuse the flakes with a floral and gourmand flavor. You can use store-bought vanilla extract or check my homemade vanilla extract recipe. Keep in mind that vanilla extract is totally optional, so feel free to leave it out.
Apple cider vinegar
The vinegar activates the baking soda, creating a lighter texture. Although I used apple cider vinegar, regular white vinegar will also work.
🥣 How to Make It
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Pour in the wet ingredients. Pour in the water, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar, and whisk until well combined.
- Spread into a thin layer. Line a baking sheet with either a layer of parchment paper or a Silpat. Pour the batter on the baking sheet and spread it evenly into a thin layer using a spatula.
Tip: Try to spread it as evenly as possible and quite thin, you don’t want it to be paper thin though. It should have a 2-3 mm thickness.
- Bake. Bake for 12 minutes. Next, remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow it to cool for 5-7 minutes. In the meantime, lower the oven temperature to 250°F (125°C).
- Break into pieces. Using your hands, break the dough into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) flakes. The dough will be soft – this is normal.
- Bake again. Spread the flakes evenly on the baking sheet and bake for another 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, turn off the oven, slightly open the door, and leave the flakes in the oven for another 10 minutes. Your cereal is now ready!
📔 Tips
Double the recipe.
One batch of this recipe makes just about 1.5 cup of cereal, so if you are a cereal lover, I highly recommend doubling the recipe! To do so, you will need to use two baking sheets in order to be able to spread the batter thinly.
Adjust the sweetness to your liking.
I found 2 teaspoons of sugar were perfect for my taste, but feel free to adjust the sweetness to your liking or simply omit it altogether for sugar-free cereal.
🍫 Variations
What’s great about these homemade buckwheat flakes is that they are super versatile. You can add spices, extracts, or even cacao nibs for more texture. Here are some ideas on how you can customize the flakes:
- Cinnamon crunch: Add 1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon to the batter.
- Choco: Replace 2 tbsp of the buckwheat flour with unsweetened cocoa powder and add 1 tablespoon of cocoa nibs.
- Chai latte: Add 1 teaspoon of chai-spice mix to make these flakes taste like your favorite chai latte!
- Extra crunch: For a crunchier texture, you can sprinkle the batter with buckwheat crumbs (similar to a crumble topping for muffins). To make the crumbs, combine 2 tablespoons of buckwheat flour with 2 teaspoons of water. Mix until it looks like breadcrumbs. If needed, add a bit more water. Once you’ve spread the batter on the baking sheet, simply sprinkle the buckwheat crumbs on top before baking.
🥛 How to Serve Them
You can enjoy these cereals for breakfast, served with plant-based milk such as almond, oat, peanut milk, or hazelnut milk. They also pair wonderfully with cashew yogurt!
And, if you are not a breakfast person, feel free to use them as a topping for vegan vanilla ice cream or chocolate ice cream!
❄️ Storing
- To store: You can store the flakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
💬 FAQ
Yes, if you have hulled buckwheat groats, you can grind them into a flour using a high-speed blender. Sieve the flour through a fine-mesh sieve before using.
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Homemade Buckwheat Flakes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (70 g) buckwheat flour
- 2 tsp (8 g) coconut sugar (or granulated white sugar)
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
- 3/4 tsp (6 ml) vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to
350 °F (175°C). - Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the wet ingredients. Pour in the water, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar, and whisk until well combined.
- Spread into a thin layer. Line a baking sheet with either a layer of parchment paper or a Silpat. Pour the batter on the baking sheet and spread it evenly into a thin layer using a spatula. Tip: Try to spread it as evenly as possible and quite thin, you don’t want it to be paper thin though. It should have a 2-3 mm thickness.
- Bake. Bake for 12 minutes. Next, remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow it to cool for 5-7 minutes. In the meantime, lower the oven temperature to 250°F (125°C).
- Break into pieces. Using your hands, break the dough into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) flakes. The dough will be soft – this is normal.
- Bake again. Spread the flakes evenly on the baking sheet and bake for another 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, turn off the oven, slightly open the door, and leave the flakes in the oven for another 10 minutes. Your cereal is now ready!
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy with yogurt, plant-based milk, or on top of ice cream!
Notes
Double the recipe.
One batch of this recipe makes just about 1.5 cup of cereal, so if you are a cereal lover, I highly recommend doubling the recipe! To do so, you will need to use two baking sheets in order to be able to spread the batter thinly.Adjust the sweetness to your liking.
I found 2 teaspoons of sugar were perfect for my taste, but feel free to adjust the sweetness to your liking or simply omit it altogether for sugar-free cereal.Recipe adapted from “Homemade Corn Flakes Cereals” from Always Order Dessert.
Nutrition
Note: This recipe was first released in February 2019 and updated with new process shots and detailed instructions in April 2025. You can find the original photos below.
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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