One of our go-to breakfasts, before we went Paleo, was cereal and we were bummed when we thought we had to lose it.
Luckily for you, we missed it so much we decided to make a recipe that tastes better than any cereal we have ever tasted and you get to get quick breakfasts on the go or snacks when needed. Forewarning, this recipe has been known to cause addiction and we are not sorry. We hope you love it and make sure you leave us a comment with your favorite way of eating this recipe.
Caveman Crunch
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup almond meal
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 2 cups almonds chopped or slivered
- 1/2 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/2 cup 100% raw organic honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cacao powder
- cinnamon to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and mix well
- In a separate bowl, combine all of your wet ingredients
- Microwave on high for 20-30 seconds to help it mix better
- Once warm, pour your wet ingredients over your dry seed and nut mixture and mix well with a fork to ensure you coat everything
- Place your mixture on a foil lined baking sheet and spread thin and evenly
- Bake in the oven for 25 minutes
- Remove from the oven and stir around to ensure nothing burns, we put it back in the bowl and then re-spread it on the baking sheet
- Place back in the oven for 5 minutes
- Remove and let cool, it tastes better cold and also develops its crunchiness as it cools
- Serve in a bowl with some almond milk or coconut milk and enjoy
Want to learn which ingredients are the best to cook with?
Check out our friends over at Wellness Force Radio and learn about how good nutrition impacts your health:
Roasted Kabocha Squash
I am so excited to try this out! I accidently bought roasted and lightly salted pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds instead. Will that affect this recipe at all?
Just wanted to say I absolutely LOVE how this turned out! I’m not paleo but my nutritionist told me to look this up. Keep up the great work! :)
Could you recommend substituting something for the almond meal and almonds? My daughter is allergic to almonds :(
Looks like a fantastic recipe!
I love this recipe! I have made it about 4 times now and change it up a bit each time. Sometimes I half the coconut and add hemp seed. I also like to use 1 part almond flour and 1 part flax meal to give it some extra fiber.
Hi. What is the shelf life of this recipe please? Love it, by the way…Thanks!
I’ve been making variations of this since I ran out of Almond meal on one try. Instead, I used an additional cup of shredded coconut instead of Almond meal and it still came out pretty good.
thanks for the tip, i will have to try this
Oh my goodness! This is just so yummy. I was skeptical because on their own I don’t really like sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds but this recipe is awesome! I had to eat some as soon as I made it! Thanks :-)
could you leave out the coconut or substitute something else for it? I have a sensitivity to it.
You could do either, I would recommend substituting it
Yes, seriously addictive! Have been eating for breakfast and as a snack with a couple of tablespoons of kefir (although this is probably not strictly paleo? ) It is so delicious! Thanks for a wonderful recipe
Glad you enjoyed them. Make sure you make enough to last the season now :)
Delicious!! should it be stored in the fridge?
No, it’s okay out for a couple of days :)
I made this this morning for breakfast! So delicious…I do like the taste of chocolate, so I used 1/2 cocoa butter and 1/2 coconut oil, and added about 1/2 tsp. of salt. I kept eating it raw before I put it in the oven. SO good! I also used parchment paper instead of foil, because I have read too much use of foil/aluminum can contribute to Alzheimer’s Disease. I want to keep all the brain cells I have left!
Thanks, George. Another winner!
Do you think it can be done with coconut flour?!
I have no idea if I have almond meal left. Looks delish!!
Unfortunately, you cannot directly substitute one for the other :(
Oh my goodness! I just made this yesterday, it is so freaking good! Seriously going to have to hide it from myself so I don’t eat it all right away =) Love the cocoa powder and cinnamon combo, gives it nice depth of flavor with that warm spice to it! Well done sir, well done
Thank you very much. Perfect for fall, huh?
Cereal, again! And more delicious than I expected. The batch I made was accidentally left in a little too long, but I’m ignoring the char taste – because the crunch, choco, and cinnamon flavor outweigh it all. I’ve been getting by with about 1/2 c for snack (dessert the past 2 nights), and it’s been satisfying and incredible.
I can’t wait to go through it all so that I can make more and experiment with spices, amount of cocoa, dried fruits, and different nut combinations. As it is: I didn’t do all almonds, but a blend of brazil, macadamia, walnuts, pecans, almonds – all that I had in my cupboard.
Am definitely passing this one on, as well. Thank you!
You’re so welcome
I just made this and I want to cry. You know how long it’s been since I’ve had cereal?! My long lost love?! This is amazing! WORTHY OF A HUGE VIRTUAL HUG! Thank you! :)
Woohoo that makes me happy :)
I just want you to know that we LOVE this recipe. I think I’ll be making this once a week. Thanks!
Woohoo, I love that you love it :)
okay, so my wife and i needed to make this to make this: http://paleomg.com/blueberry-apple-pie-trail-mix-balls/
mainly because i am NOT about to pay that much in shipping for the crunch.
so we made this today, and it is FREAKING BOSS. first, i put it in a bowl with blueberries, strawberries, bananas, and skim milk (yeah, i still do dairy, sue me). shut the front door. it was so good. thanks, george.
also: we still make your pinnapple chili once a week. this web site is awesome.
Woohoo thanks Dane. Glad you love it and used it to make Juli’s recipe
I just punched all the info into MyFitnessPal, two subs, I only had 1/2 the amount of unsweetened coconut so 1/2C was sweetened, and I didn’t have sunflowers, so I used cashews. Nutritional info is as follows for 1/4C finished recipe: 300cal, 21g carbs, 23g fat, 7g protein, 13g sugar, 6g sodium. Sounds like a good pre-run snack to me!! :)
i could smell it already looks awsome got to try this thanks……
You are so welcome
This cereal is AH-MAZING! I believe it’s my new addiction. Thanks for this recipe!
I love it too. You are so welcome
So just to be sure, are we mixing the cocoa powder with the wet mixture or the dry mixture?
Yes everything gets mixed together and then spread out on the baking sheet
This stuff is unbelievably delicious uncooked, warm and at it’s finished state. I was like Holy Fred Flintsone, Batman, this is to die for. All I can say is…..thank you for creating an awesome snack and/or cereal that I have wanted for a long time. There is no box of cereal that is fit for human consumption when it comes to eating Primal/Paleo. Love your website and follower on FB.
Thank you So much Stephanie, I am so glad you love this and many more
I love this recipe. I use walnuts, pecans, cranberries, and raisins. I bake mine on parchment paper. I also have made it without the cocoa and cinnamon. It’s an amazing recipe. Thank you o much.
You are so welcome Anne, that sounds amazing
Just made this last night (used pecans too because I ran out of almonds) . The kids loved it, I love it…it’s pretty addictive and tastes great with milk/yogurt for breakfast. Its nice to have something the kids will eat that isn’t eggs in the morning :)
Awesome Judy, you can try my paleo pancakes too :)
You are so welcome
what about a sub for the oil? applesauce? i’m just not a fan of the taste many oils can impart on foods. thanks!
Never tried without the oil so I do not know. If you use expeller pressed coconut oil it is flavorless
Thanks for the recipe. I already made it twice and it is quite addictve!! Any nutrition info for this recipe (please)?
Thank you
Jori I do not track any nutrition info, but you can plug the info into myfitnesspal.com or fitday.com
This made my house smell amazing! When my non-paleo family gives their stamp of approval, I know it’s got to be awesome!
Woohoo Iove it
How many calories in a cup, do you think? I used coconut oil.
Carmen I don’t calculate calories so I am unsure. You can plug the ingredients into myfitnesspal.com or fitday.com
Haven’t tried it yet but it smells awesome in the oven right now. So is one “serving” about 1/2 cup then? I’m looking at the number of grams of fat and carbs added up and sort of freaked out haha.
Yea I would say 1/2-1 Cup would be the best size
Brother,
i made this a couple of days ago and have been using it for a snack…this morning, I had it with milk…
OMGooooodness! Freakin’ delicious!
thanks,
You are so welcome, I am so glad you enjoyed
This was super delicious! When I followed the time listed to bake, it was a little undercooked, so I left it in the oven some more, but then I left it a little too long and it came out a bit… toasty… so the flavor is really intense and I can’t finish it off as fast as I’d like, but it’s still incredibly yummy. Next time I’ll take it out sooner. Thanks so much for the recipe!
You are so welcome. I am so happy you love it and hope you try more
My lovely wife and I have taken to calling this caveman crack. It doesn’t stick around long.
Haha awesome. I love this stuff
For those that have had problems with granola and their oven not getting along together (I even tried granola in the crockpot a time or two, still burnt it!), using a dehydrator to cook/dry ensures a really great granola.
Nothing burns, makes the house smell heavenly, etc. I have yet to have a failure with that method. :D
That’s a great idea. Whenever I get a dehydrator I will try it
Hey, I was just looking to see how to post a question so I could ask if I could use the dehydrator to do this and here is your post. Thank you, answered my question.
I just made this last night. Very addicting! Next time I make it (and there WILL be a next time) I will put it in the oven for about 20 minutes. It came out a little too brown. It is great for me. I work at a computer all day and it keeps me happily typing as I munch along! It’s a plus knowing it’s good for me! Thank you and I will def try more of your recipes.
Thank you so much, just remember not to over do it lol, I could eat this non stop all day. Be careful lol
How many servings does this make? My husband and I will have all five kids with us for a few weeks this summer and I just need to know how many batches I should make. How do you store it so it doesn’t get soggy?
Oh I it makes like 4 cups. And just store it in an airtight container
This was delish! I used coconut oil BUT a word to the wise……don’t use wax paper instead of foil. It tore and ugh….was a chore to get the crunchies OFF of the paper. Next time I’ll just use stoneware.
Oh ok, no wax paper, noted. I normally just put it on silpat or foil :) So glad you enjoyed :)
I bet parchment paper would work GREAT! :)
My kids cannot get enough of this “nut cereal!”
Me too I love this
I have this in oven now and it smells amazing! I can’t wait to have it tomorrow!
Oh Tabitha, you are going to become addicted :)
Two months and still good as the day I made it.
Like same batch? I wondered the shelf life
Made this tonight & everyone loved it! I doubled the recipe (3 cave kids to feed here) & used what I had on hand: almonds/macadamias & doubled the pumpkin seeds. To quote the kiddos, “Awesome-sauce!” Thanks for your awesome-ness! :)
OMG I love your kids, I say awesome sauce all the time. You have to give them knuckles for me haha
Made it this morning and it is amazing. The my adult kids loved it. I added the hemp seeds and flax. So happy with this!
So glad you enjoyed :)
Thanks for the great recipe! So excited to have a cold cereal again in my post gluten post dairy life. I didn’t have sunflower seeds, so I tried whole flax seeds, hemp seeds, and sesame seeds. All good!
So glad you like them
This recipe is awsome! I used coconut oil for my second batch and it seemed to be better than the first – it clustered up like granola… yummo! Also because it tasted so delish raw I pressed raw mixture into ice cube trays and popped them in the fridge… they popped out like little “muesli” bars Thanks for a great recipie : )
That sounds awesome, the ice cube trays is a great idea :)
Just wanted to say that my friend Jill made this and brought some into work for me and it was delish!
Oh awesome, are you going to make it now
After my Whole30 I will. I’m starting a new round of Whole30 tomorrow :)
How is this for storing? Like can I make a whole batch and eat throughout the week with its crunchiness still maintained?
Yes you can Laura, I have had some last me about 2 weeks, just store in an airtight container
Awesome! Now I just have to actually make it instead of looking at pictures of your food…
Omg licked the spoon after I spread it on the cookie sheet, so good even before I cooked it! Even better after! I can enjoy cereal again!
So glad you enjoyed
Love your site!!!! I was planning on using coconut oil ( since I have that in the house ). Should I be measuring out the coconut oil after I’ve melted it or before ( when it is in a solid form )? Thanks!!!
Thank you Melanie, you want to measure it when its melted
Thanks!!! Once again, your site is pretty sweet!!! Thanks for the time and effort you put into making my life easier :)
Thank you so much Melanie, its so great to hear
I made this a few months ago for the first time and it was great! My ten year old daughter has been requesting it so I made some last night for breakfast this morning. This morning she said she was dreaming about it last night haha! Thanks for the great cereal replacement!
Oh awesome, that just made my day. Glad you enjoyed
Great recipe, I’ve made it twice now, so good!
I had a small amount left of my last batch, not enough for a serve so i used it in a post workout shake.
Water, protein powder, banana & some caveman crunch, great tasting shake!!
Oh I am so glad you like it and that shake does sound yummy :)
Made this last night. Need a cereal substitute. Unfortunately, mine overcooked with the temp and time suggested. :( Still have to power through it because it made quite a lot and I can’t afford to waste those ingredients. It does have a lovely crunch that holds up under the milk! Thank you, I thought I would never be able to enjoy cereal guilt-free again! (I am looking forward to making it again adjusting the time and temp.)
Im sorry to hear it turned out over cooked Amber, could be your oven temperature. But glad you salvaged it, I would just keep an eye on it next time or check your oven for hot spots etc
I have just put this in my oven…tasted pretty good “raw” can’t wait to taste it cooked, cooled and crunchy!
Oh it is amazing. I love this recipe
Made this tonight. It’s awesome! The mistake I made was putting a normal cereal portion in the bowl. I could barely finish it. Very filling.
So glad you liked, I LOVE THIS RECIPE
I have been looking for a good cereal substitute for my cereal-loving kids, I can’t wait to spring this on them.
Hello! Does this crunch store well for a few days or do you need to eat it right away? Thanks for the post! :)
Nicole I have eaten mine a week later after storing it in an airtight container
Hi and thanks for the recipe! Do you store it at room temp or in the refrigerator?
Room temp