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The Kid in You Will Love These Cereal Milk Cocktails

Nine years ago, Milk Bar pastry chef extraordinaire, Christina Tosi, introduced New York City gastronomes to her Cereal Milk soft serve. The cool treat became so popular that, now nearly a decade later, pastry chefs far and wide pay homage with their own concoctions. (Shake Shack will debut the Golden State Shake—vanilla custard, salted honey butter sauce and crushed cornflakes—at their Los Angeles locations next month.)

Bartenders, too, are taking part in the nostalgic trend by incorporating cereal milk in cocktails. Benjamin Schiller, lead bartender at The Sixth in Chicago, transformed the fruity flavors of Trix cereal into colorful stack of ice cubes for his Silly Rabbit cocktail. It’s served with a sidecar carafe filled with gin, mint bitters, lime juice and soda.  

Pony up to the 24-carat gold bar at The Clocktower in New York City and order the American Cereal Killer—a drink comprised of Richter’s Bourbon, Madagascar vanilla syrup, Angostura bitters and Cheerios milk. 

Nighthawk Breakfast Bar in Los Angeles features a variety of mimosas, Bloody Marys and spiced cereal milk concoctions to go with their elevated breakfast-themed menu. Choose between Cinnamon Toast Crunch paired with spiced rum, Honey Nut Cheerios paired with Bourbon, or Cocoa Puffs paired with vanilla vodka. 

The Prized Milk cocktail at Toups South in New Orleans (pictured above) is a play on Brandy Milk Punch, which is a NOLA classic. “To be honest,” says bar manager Adrienne Miller, “it was our general manager’s husband [chef/owner Isaac Toups] who kept pestering me to have a milk punch on our brunch menu. I didn’t want to do it! But I’ve wanted to play with cereal cocktails; this is an idea I’ve had in my pocket for three years.” Her original inspiration? Fruit Loops. “It came out good but was leaving a sourness in the finish.” Miller’s winning cocktail features strained Fruity Pebbles-infused Sazerac Rye, Demerara sugar and a splash of cream.

And if you can’t make it to any of these establishments, try your hand at home with Miller's recipe: "Use any cereal you want with any spirit," adds Miller. "I usually put mine in a pickle jar and strain it after it's been sitting out for the day."  

The kid in you will love incorporating your favorite cereal into a boozy cocktail!

Cereal Milk Cocktail
Serves 1
  • 2 ounces infusion
  • 1 1/2 ounces heavy cream
  • 1/2 ounce of Demerara syrup 
Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice; shake vigorously and pour into a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with cereal used. 

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