Pin it
Missing those colorful bowls from your childhood but want to ditch the fake stuff and overload of sugar? Here's your new favorite! These plant-based fruity loops are naturally tinted with freeze-dried fruit, come together super fast, and bring all the colorful joy of the original but with way better-for-you vibes. Pick your favorite fruits for endless colors, and you'll never go back to the boxed kind.
I whipped these up one afternoon just to make my niece and nephew smile, and it turned into our must-do rainy day fun. We loved rolling and shaping those teeny loops together!
Vibrant Ingredients
- Freeze dried bananas blueberries strawberries: give the cereal its punchy colors and flavors look for packages with just fruit listed
- Coconut oil: keeps the loops tender and helps mix everything use refined for a lighter flavor
- Arrowroot or tapioca flour: adds that satisfying crunch check that it's a clean bright powder
- Pure vanilla: lifts the flavor with that classic morning cereal scent always go for real vanilla
- Pure maple syrup: for a mellow sweet taste pick a deep, dark one for bigger flavor
- Almond flour: gives the mix body and keeps things light try to find super finely ground for best texture
- Almond milk: keeps it all together without dairy go unsweetened if you can
- Cassava or gluten free flour blend: helps firm up the loops and evens out the colors try to get a very soft blend for good mixing
Easy How-To Steps
- Get the Loops Crisp:
- Lay your dough rings on a lined oven tray. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about six to seven minutes. You want them just golden at the bottom but not brown. Let cool all the way on the tray – they crisp as they cool.
- Ready and Store:
- After they've cooled down, drop them in a sealed jar or tin and snack whenever you want. They'll stay crunchy for days at room temp.
- Shape Your Minis:
- Break off dough pieces and roll into tiny rounds. Squish them a little and poke the middle with a toothpick or piping nozzle to make cute O's. Put them on a cookie sheet with space in between.
- Mix and Color:
- Split your dough into three bowls. Add a few spoonfuls of your chosen fruit powders and a couple spoons of flour to each. Mix until the color pops!
- Make the Dough:
- In a big bowl, stir almond flour, arrowroot, almond milk, syrup, vanilla, and coconut oil until the mix is nice and smooth—shouldn't be crumbly or gooey.
Pin it
Honestly, I love spreading out that fruit powder and seeing how bright the dough gets. Making these as a family routine always has us remembering every silly cereal story from when we were little.
Smart Storage Ideas
Keep them super crispy in a lidded container on the counter for about five days. Warm them a minute in the oven to crunch them up again right before munching. Want them for later? Freeze them and re-crisp when you're ready.
Swap Options
You can trade arrowroot out for tapioca flour with no fuss. Any plant milk—oat, soy, or whatever—works in place of almond. Switch up the freeze-dried fruit for new vibes. And cashew flour stands in fine for almond if that's needed.
Pin it
Fun Ways to Enjoy
Pour on your go-to non-dairy milk or toss into a snack mix by the handful. Sometimes I swirl these with berries in vegan yogurt for a rainbow parfait kids go wild for. They even double as cute, edible toppers for cakes or cupcakes.
Tradition Meets Today
Remaking this classic from scratch celebrates how home cooks are always coming up with cooler, healthier versions of childhood favorites. Using fruit for color and flavor is a sweet trend for mornings, letting us keep the fun without all the fake stuff.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → How do you get those fun colors in the fruit loops?
By mixing up powdered freeze-dried strawberries, bananas, and blueberries right into the dough you get bright shades that look awesome and come straight from real fruit.
- → Can I swap different flours in this?
Definitely! Go for tapioca or cassava flours if you want, and any gluten-free flour mix will make it work with whatever tastes you like.
- → Why are these vegan and gluten-free?
They’re made with things like almond flour and gluten-free blends, along with coconut oil and almond milk, so there’s no animal stuff or gluten hiding in there.
- → Are these good for on-the-go snacking?
Oh yeah—they crunch up perfectly for a sweet, quick snack out of the jar, or just add some milk and enjoy them for breakfast. Adults dig them too!
- → What’s the best way to keep them fresh?
Once they’re cool, just stick them in a tightly closed container on your counter. They'll hold up nice and crisp for days.