Banana Nut ‘Bread’ 8 Grain Hot Cereal Recipe

Tired of oatmeal every morning? This banana nut 8-grain hot cereal is the cozy, creamy breakfast upgrade you didn’t know you needed.

It tastes like warm banana bread, comes together in about 15 minutes, and works beautifully for gluten-free meal prep. If your usual breakfast leaves you bored by day three, this hearty bowl brings better texture, more flavor, and just enough natural sweetness to make busy mornings feel easy again.

Why This Gluten-Free 8-Grain Hot Cereal Recipe?

This recipe is a perfect change from your everyday oats recipe. You can get this ready to eat in 20 minutes or less, though it tastes like you spent all morning making it! It freezes well and can be kept in the fridge for a couple of days, so you can either make it the day before or make a big batch as part of your weekly meal prep.

This delicious and nutritious 8-grain cereal blend is gluten-free and contains whole-grain oats, brown rice, corn, soybeans, millet, sorghum, oat bran, sunflower seeds, and flaxseed.

Equipment for Banana Nut ‘Bread’ 8-Grain Hot Cereal

You won’t need much equipment to make this cereal! Let’s take a look:

• A knife for slicing a banana
• Saucepan with vented lid
• Stirring spoon

Ingredients in Banana Nut ‘Bread’ 8 Grain Hot Cereal

You’re probably curious: Which eight gluten-free grains are best for this hot cereal?

One interesting tidbit: There are a few gluten-free “true grains”, such as rice, that come from the edible parts of cultivated grass species.

According to the Institute of Culinary Education, there are at least as many gluten-free “pseudo-grains” like quinoa or buckwheat that behave like true grains when cooked, but belong to a different botanical family. So your gluten-free cereal may not contain anything that’s closely related to wheat!

Not that this is a bad thing. Pseudo-grains can be at least as healthy as true grains, gluten-free or not.

Key Ingredient Roles for Banana Nut ‘Bread’ 8 Grain Hot Cereal

Sounds really simple, doesn’t it? Here’s a rundown of what each of these ingredients brings to the table.

Water

1 3/4 cups water

The water gives your hot cereal something to cook in without getting all dried out.

8-grain hot cereal

1/2 cup hot cereal

I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 8 Grain Hot Cereal for this recipe. It’s a mix of whole-grain oats, brown rice, corn, soybeans, millet, sorghum, oat bran, sunflower seeds, and flaxseed.

You could probably shop around for other multi-grain hot cereals to try. If you want it to be gluten-free, though, make sure it doesn’t contain any wheat and has “certified gluten-free” on the label.

Salt

1/4 teaspoon salt

A bit of salt helps balance the other flavors in this cereal. Just make sure you measure it carefully somewhere away from your hot cereal mix, because I have accidentally gotten this too salty before!

Banana

1/2 banana, sliced

The banana adds a bit of fruity sweetness to this hot cereal.

Raisins

2 tablespoons raisins

The raisins add a nice sweet “pop” here. I like to use a multi-colored raisin pack for extra color variety.

Walnuts

1 tablespoon walnuts, chopped

Walnuts give this hot cereal a nice, mildly nutty flavor and a bit of crunch.

Ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cinnamon perfectly complements the mildly sweet flavors in this oatmeal.

Additional favorite hot cereal toppings (optional)

Whatever you like to top hot cereal with!

My favorites include berries, a drizzle of honey, coconut flakes, some chocolate chips, a dollop of yogurt or nut butter, more chopped nuts, and cinnamon. Of course, not always all at once; it often depends on what I’m in the mood for.

Method for Making Banana Nut ‘Bread’ 8 Grain Hot Cereal Recipe

Let’s jump right into this. It really is easy to make!

Step One: Combine Water, Cereal, Cinnamon, and Salt

Combine water, cereal, cinnamon, and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir well.

Step Two: Bring to a Boil

Bring the cereal mix to a boil.

Step Three: Add Bananas, Raisins, and Nuts

Stir in the bananas, raisins, and nuts. Return to a boil.

Step Four: Reduce Heat and Cook

Reduce heat. Cover with a vented lid or leave one corner of your lid angled on the saucepan to let a little heat escape. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the cereal reaches your desired consistency. If it starts to boil dry, add a little water one spoonful at a time to keep the cereal from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Step Five: Let Cool, Then Serve

Let it cool until it won’t burn your mouth when you try to eat it. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Step Six: Refrigerate or Freeze Leftovers

Refrigerate any leftovers you expect to use within the next couple of days in an airtight container. I like to freeze my “meal prep” hot cereal in individually portioned airtight containers. They can be thawed out in the refrigerator overnight.

Substitutions for This Banana Nut ‘Bread’ 8 Grain Hot Cereal Recipe

For a creamier hot cereal, replace the water with your preferred dairy or non-dairy milk. Sometimes I like to use coconut milk for a slight coconut flavor or almond milk to enhance the nutty flavor.

Cashews, unsalted pistachios, and walnuts can work if you want to try something other than almonds. Sometimes I even go for a nice nut mix.

Mix and match any add-ins you like! Sometimes I’ll toss a handful of diced apple or a bit of brown sugar into it.

It’s feasible to make your own gluten-free grain mix, especially if you’re going to make a lot of it for meal prep or don’t want the soy in Bob’s Red Mill’s hot cereal mix. You can customize it any way you like with gluten-free options such as whole-grain oats, brown rice, cornmeal or grits, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, sorghum, oat bran, sunflower seeds, and flaxseed meal. To keep it gluten-free, look for “certified gluten-free” on the packaging.

While this recipe, as shown, makes two servings, you can easily make enough for the whole week. You may just need to make it in batches or use a bigger saucepan.

FAQ for Banana Nut ‘Bread’ 8 Grain Hot Cereal

Looks easy enough, right? Sometimes we do see questions about this hot cereal! Here, I try to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about this recipe. If you think of something we didn’t answer, feel free to ask in the comments section!

Why is my 8-grain hot cereal too thick?

Some of the grains in this cereal are quite good at absorbing moisture and may continue to absorb moisture as it cools. This makes it thicker. If you’d like it to be not as thick, gradually stir in 1-2 tablespoons of water or milk until it reaches your preferred consistency.

Why is my hot cereal too thin or soupy?

It may just need a little more time to simmer on the stovetop. Let it simmer uncovered, stirring often, until more of the liquid is absorbed. If it doesn’t seem much thinner than you’d like, let it sit off the heat for 2-3 minutes to let the grains absorb a little more liquid.

Why did my cereal turn out bland?

The banana’s ripeness can affect how sweet this hot cereal turns out. To make it a little sweeter, make sure you use a banana with a peel that is at least half covered with brown spots.

Why doesn’t mine taste like banana bread?

The “banana bread” flavor comes from the combo of ripe banana, cinnamon, walnuts, and raisins. If one of those is reduced or skipped, the cereal will taste less like banana bread.

Why are the walnuts soft instead of crunchy?

When walnuts cook directly in the cereal, they soften from the moisture. Whenever I want them a little crunchier, I’ll wait to mix them in until I take the hot cereal off the heat or use them as a topping.

Why is my cereal sticking to the pan?

One likely explanation is that the heat is too high, causing the water to boil off faster. It may also need to be stirred more often. If it starts to stick, turn down the heat, give it a good stir, and add a little more water.

Can I fix cereal that turned out gluey or gummy?

This usually happens when it is overcooked or sits too long without extra liquid. Whisk in warm water or milk a little at a time to loosen it up. Gently reheating and adding a bit of extra water can also help it loosen up if it turns gummy while in the refrigerator.

Did You Make This Recipe?

If you made this hot cereal or customized it the way you like it, be sure to tell us what you think in the comments section. And don’t forget to rate this recipe!