How to Make Cereal Milk—A Momofuku-Inspired Drink

If you have satisfying memories of slurping up the sweet milk left in the bowl after eating your cereal, then this cereal-infused milk will make you feel like a kid again. Although people have technically been enjoying cereal milk since the invention of cereal, it was recently made popular as a standalone drink by the playful and quirky Momofuku Milk Bar in New York City. Created by pastry chef Christina Tosi, it's a "recipe" that is both simple and brilliant.

The original Momofuku brand cereal milk is made with toasted cornflakes and sugar, but you can make this with anything from Lucky Charms (for that marshmallow flavor) to Cocoa Krispies.

I originally discovered cereal milk years ago when I went to the Milk Bar is search of kimchi butter and their "crack pie," a dessert named for its sweet, buttery, gooey addictiveness. I left with a few bottles of the stuff, because the sweet, cereal-steeped milk has always been one of my favorite parts of having a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios in the morning. That's a real happy ending.

The original drink is $5 a pop, but cereal milk is super simple and easy to make at home. There are a few chef-inspired touches that will elevate it from the soggy cereal and overly sugar milk you remember from your childhood days. You can also customize it to use your favorite cereals. I used Crunch Berries and Fruit Loops for the cereal milk pictured here.

You Will Need:

• 1 cup cereal of your choice
• 2 cups milk (whole, 2%, 1%, almond, coconut, or soy)

How to Make Cereal Milk:

Your process will depend on what type of cereal you are using.

• If you use cornflakes or another cereal that falls apart quickly, then don't steep it that long. Toasting it beforehand gives a deeper, nuttier flavor to the milk.
• If you're using sturdier cereals like Captain Crunch or Lucky Charms, then you don't have to do the pre-toasting and you can infuse the milk for a little longer.
• Depending on how sweet the cereal is that you use, you can add sugar and adjust the sweetness levels to your tastes.
• If you are using sweetened almond milk, then you can use toasted corn flakes or Cheerios without any added sugar.

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If you want extra flavor in your milk, spread the cereal on a shallow baking sheet and bake in a 350°F/180°C oven for about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

1. Pour milk into a large bowl.
2. Add cereal to milk.
3. Put a plate or heavier bowl into the mix to make sure the cereal is submerged.
4. Steep the cereal for 25 to 35 minutes (25 for cornflakes or Cocoa Krispies; longer for Captain Crunch or Lucky Charms).
5. Strain the milk into a large cup or bowl.
6. Press on the cereal in the strainer with a large wooden spoon to squeeze out the milk from the cereal. If you hate waste, you can eat it or save it to incorporate into baked goods like muffins or bars.
7. Enjoy or store in the fridge for later use.

I don't chug cereal milk; I usually savor it in small amounts with a morning espresso. If you want a real grown-up treat, make a Cereal Milk White Russian.

For single servings of cereal milk, follow along with this video make individual cereal milk tea bags.

You can also watch Christina Tosi show Conan O'Brien how to make cereal milk here.

Photos by Naomi Imatome-Yun/Food Hacks