Which cereals go to the gym?
It’s becoming easier to tell. Previously, it was clear that the burly likes of Raisin Bran and Grape Nuts totally work out—and that Wheat on the bench press? Totally Shredded—while Tony the Tiger’s protein-deprived Frosted Flakes definitely skip leg day.
But other classic cereals? Unclear. But with the release of Cheerios’ new Cinnamon Oat Crunch cereal, we know original Cheerios must be wimpy as a honey-soaked pool noodle, because these oat-specked rings are true cereal alpha grains.
Evoking the appearance of both Cheerios Protein and Honey (née Graham) Oh’s, Cinnamon Oat Crunch Cheerios trade muscly protein for stomach-rumbling fiber, with some remaining from the scaly layer of oat shard coating each like wholesome armor.
I’ve heard good things leading up to this review, so I’m ready to go toe-to-toe in the ring (my bowl) with this no pain, no grain gym rat.
After a few bites, a lot of possible comparisons feel right for Cinnamon Oat Crunch. It has a lot of the twinkling cinnamon bun sweetness of the similar-sounding Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but with a heartier, toaster oat base that rises above CTC’s cinnamon-farming hollow rice fields.
In fact, these suckers are so toasty that remind me of a well-browned cinnamon granola, like General Mills’ & Nature Valley’s crumblingly browned kind. And its somehow nourishing and honey-tinged cinnamon ribbons evoke those of Cinnamon Teddy Grahams—although with this cereal’s crispy–crackly texture, it wouldn’t be boneless Teddy Grahams.
I’ll apologize to everyone’s childhoods for that mental image.
But I think the best cereal comparison for Cheerios Cinnamon Oat Crunch is Cinnamon Puffins. Like Barbara’s practically grilled cinnamon pillows, Cinnamon CheeriOat Crunch has a near molasses-like sweetness (Puffins, well, actually have it) over its warm cinnamon and oat base.
It could stand to be a little less sticky and a tad sweeter overall, but it’s still solid and comforting—and will be even more if I sit on it like a mother hen ’til winter.
Milk isn’t a game-changer for Cheerios Cinnamon Oat Crunch. It dilutes the mouth-gumming ness of the syrupy glaze, but the overall experience is still cinnamon-y, oat-y, toasty, and even a little oaky.
It may be a little too “healthy adult” for Cinnamon Toast Crunch die-hards, but I like the “stuffed organic cinnamon roll” approach and how it balances the cereal spectrum of sugared shapes and boxed cardboard. I hope there are more Oat Crunch varieties so this sure-to-be underrated cereal can mimic other oatmeal flavors.
Believe me, Banana Bread Oat Crunch could save our childhoods and the Teddy Grahams.
The Bowl: Cheerios Cinnamon Oat Crunch
The Breakdown: Cozy as an apple-less apple pie and reminiscent of other grown-up cinnamon cereals (with a palate-pleasing twist), this is a solid, if not a little Milquetoast Crunch, shake-up to (or mix-in for) your morning oats.
The Bottom Line: 8 Whole Foods x Cinnabon crossovers out of 10
I haven’t been able to find Cinnamon Cheerios at Kroger or walmart for over 2 months, so I bought the Cinnamon oat crunch. I don’t like it at all. I’ll keep looking for Cinnamon Cheerios & would be willing to try the apple Cinnamon flavor but it’s been gone too. I will not buy any other flavors anymore. It costs too much to not be good.
I’m obsessed with this cereal. I’ve eaten 4 boxes this week so far (5 days). The oats and honey and almond are bomb too. They’re $6.50 at my store though… they were on sale for $3.50 each once a but only if you buy 3. I bought 6. I knew I wasn’t the only one! 🍻 🥣
I absolutely love cinnamon oat crunch Cheerios!!!
It is by far my favorite of all time!!!
I do have a couple complaints. One is there has been some black burnt looking stuff in a couple boxes
( GROSS )!!! The second complaint is neither myself or the Walmart shelf stocker could find them. Don’t tell me you’re going to stop making the best cereal that ever hit the market!!!
My exact worries Scott!!! I can no longer find my Cinnamon Oat Crunch Cheerios in Wal-marts in my area of East Tennessee and it is dwindling in other stores. I found 3 boxes in our Dollar General recently and bought all 3. There are some days I had this for breakfast then ate another bowl at night. They simply cannot stop making this one!
I have been eating Cheerios Oat Crunch Cinnamon since they first came out as one of my breakfast cereal choices. I just bought two huge 26oz boxes at Walmart. What a disturbing disappointment! The box is identical to previous boxes of Cheerios Oat Crunch Cinnamon. What is inside is not even similar to the previous cereal at all. Instead, it looks like General Mills decided to take all the different types of Cheerios that weren’t selling well and mix them all together, with a small amount of the actual Oat Crunch Cinnamon cereal hoping that no one would notice and they could sell these leftovers as Oat Crunch Cinnamon. If you would stoop so low as to do this, what is to keep you from including dirty cereal, moldy cereal, any waste product you choose. I have just lost 60 years trust in General Mills and Cheerios.
This is by far our favorite cereal. We put 1/2 cup of cereal over 1/2 cup yogurt and add blueberries and bananas for a very tasty breakfast
THANK YOU GENRALD MILLS FOR A GREAT CEREAL, BY FAR MY FAVORITE.LOVE THE CINNAMON.
I just love Cheerios cinnamon oat crunch cereal. It Is so delicious loaded with flavor and crunchy. It is my favorite Cheerios choice. It can be addictive in a good way.
It has little hard pieces that almost break your teeth. Flavor is similar to other cinnamon cereals but can’t chance biting down on one of those pieces again. An option I suppose would be to let it get soggy.
This is by far one of my favorite cereals. I do like the honey oat one better, maybe that one wasn’t available when this review was done? I discovered it about 2 months ago and have gone thru 3 boxes of the honey oat clusters and 2 boxes of the cinnamon oat clusters every week. (I’m the type to eat cereal out of a mixing bowl with a serving spoon) It has the perfect amount of sweetness to it and I love that it doesn’t get soggy while you’re eating it like some other cereals. It is crunchy to the last bite! I hope General Mills keeps the oat clusters around for good, and I would love to try some new varieties but if these 2 were the only ones, I’d be ok with that too.
Were can I Get buy it at Sam had it but they must be out or don’t care it I bought it in 2 pack.
This the best kind Cheerios has made by far evwrrrrrrrrr even better than honey nut frosted and all dem other Cheerios this a winner all life long
And before people start asking, I haven’t only had 1 box like some people. This is a cereal I am committed to and I have already finished 5 boxes so far since finding the cereal in mid October and plan on purchasing more. https://imgur.com/a/pDiD7sv proof of the 5 boxes I have finished so far.
Yeah this review is way off, when I first picked out the box I wasn’t expecting much but this cereal blew away all of my expectations. the textural differences between this and your normal cheerio offering along are enough to separate this cereal from the crowd. “It could stand to be a little less sticky and a tad sweeter overall, but it’s still solid and comforting—and will be even more if I sit on it like a mother hen ’til winter.” Uhh this is where you lost me completely, the sweetness level is comparable to that of other cheerio offerings. to say that it could use more sweetness just shows your ignorance in the cheerio category. Do you think classics like Honey nut or Apple cinnamon Cheerios also need to be sweeter? Not everyone wants that much sugar first thing in the morning but then again I suppose you are the same person who gave a box of all lucky charms marshmallows a 10/10 rating showing that your cereal tastes are out of touch with your average Americans. I did enjoy how in your breakdown you did mention that it makes for a good mix in cereal, however I find myself mixing it with classic cheerios to actually cut the sweetness not increase it. “It could stand to be a little less sticky” I fail to see how this is even a factor when eating it either in a bowl with milk or dry from a cup, I suppose how if you are sticking your hands into the freaking bag and eating it open palmed like a horse that your hand could get a bit sticky but to knock points off of what should clearly be a 10/10 due to your disgusting habits doesn’t seem fair to the vast majority who consume their cereal in normal ways.
This was the best healthy cereal that I have had. So good in fact that I was searching to see if it was truly healthy when I ran across this review.