Alpha-Bits Cereal

[Butter Heart]

From 1957 to 2022, kids were fortunate to enjoy the most interactive breakfast cereal ever created. Just imagine a cereal that allowed you to spell names and words! I miss this cereal so much that I'm eager to try making it from scratch at home. Do you happen to know the process for recreating it?

I've learned that Alpha-Bits cereal is made using a process called extrusion. A mixture of ingredients, including whole grain oat and corn flour, sugar, salt, malt syrup, and vitamins and minerals, is heated and forced through a die that shapes the cereal into letters. The letters are then dried and frosted with a sugar glaze.

If you have any insights on how I could recreate this nostalgic cereal at home, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you!

 

[dragnlaw]

Wow, you really are jumping into the deep end, aren't you!
A lot of members make a lot of their foods from scratch, breads, pasta's, etc. but don't think I've ever seen anyone try to make a cereal like that.

What are you more interested in?
The shapes or its taste?

There are pasta machine that extrude the dough into various shapes, but unless you are willing to invest an awful lot into dies for each letter... and that's after you figure out how to keep any nutrition in the mash of oats, corn, etc paste that you come up with.

But I've also heard that Alpha Bits is exactly the same as Lucky Charms... just without the marshmallows.
Personally, I would just pick-out the marshmallows.

Sorry to put a damp feeling on this but that's a big order you are asking. Good luck. Maybe someone here can give you some hints.

 

[Butter Heart]

Wow, you really are jumping into the deep end, aren't you!
A lot of members make a lot of their foods from scratch, breads, pasta's, etc. but don't think I've ever seen anyone try to make a cereal like that.

What are you more interested in?
The shapes or its taste?

There are pasta machine that extrude the dough into various shapes, but unless you are willing to invest an awful lot into dies for each letter... and that's after you figure out how to keep any nutrition in the mash of oats, corn, etc paste that you come up with.

But I've also heard that Alpha Bits is exactly the same as Lucky Charms... just without the marshmallows.
Personally, I would just pick-out the marshmallows.

Sorry to put a damp feeling on this but that's a big order you are asking. Good luck. Maybe someone here can give you some hints.

I like both shapes and the taste.

 

[Kathleen]

It could be fun. Maybe extrude the dough in long strands and form the letters. If I had to do it, I would likely roll it thin and use mini-alphabet cutters like one uses for fondants to make the letters. Then bake it.

I loved my playdough fun factory. It sounds like it would be a little bit the same.

 

[dragnlaw]

Great idea. Butter Heart's kids might think it's a bit weird buying a playdough fun factory... just kidding, think actually it might make them a bit thick?

 

[Kathleen]

That is why we float them in milk!

I would roll them out with a rolling pin and use the mini-cutters.

 

[Butter Heart]

That is why we float them in milk!

I would roll them out with a rolling pin and use the mini-cutters.

How would you write the recipe for alpha-bit cereal in plain and in various flavors?

 

[dragnlaw]

I believe Kathleen is talking about a technique.
Are you planning on cooking the oats, etc. drying them, grinding/crushing them, making a paste, then extruding or rolling and cutting them? After which you would need to bake them.

 

[Butter Heart]

I believe Kathleen is talking about a technique.
Are you planning on cooking the oats, etc. drying them, grinding/crushing them, making a paste, then extruding or rolling and cutting them? After which you would need to bake them.

Yes. What oven temperature should I bake them for? What ingredients should I use and how much do I need for each ingredient?

 

[dragnlaw]

At what temperature would you bake small thin cookies? Or perhaps look for a recipe for making soda crackers. Those temperature might be good.

 

[Butter Heart]

At what temperature would you bake small thin cookies? Or perhaps look for a recipe for making soda crackers. Those temperature might be good.

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[Butter Heart]

What ingredients and how much ingredients do I need to make alpha-bits cereal in plain and in various flavors?

 

[dragnlaw]

Well, what have you found in your research so far?
Obviously no one here has made this else some would have posted.
Do you at least know what ingredients are in the cereal? Have you been able to find out the spices?

Why don't you try their website (who ever made them). See what they say. Although, as I posted earlier, because they are probably the same, if not at least close to, another cereal they make. Then I doubt they will give you the recipe. But hey!, until you try.... who knows!

 

[Andy M.]

Just a little off topic here. I went to Amazon to check out what they have for cereals. They do not appear to have Alpha-Bits.

However, I discovered a cereal I've never heard of before:

 

[dragnlaw]

Alright! Poop and Porridge! What more could you ask for?

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Buy yourself a can of Campbell's vegetable soup. You can still spell words, and it's healthier than Alpha-Bits.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Post Alpha Bits Cereal 12 oz (Pack of 12)​

 

[Butter Heart]

Well, what have you found in your research so far?
Obviously no one here has made this else some would have posted.
Do you at least know what ingredients are in the cereal? Have you been able to find out the spices?

Why don't you try their website (who ever made them). See what they say. Although, as I posted earlier, because they are probably the same, if not at least close to, another cereal they make. Then I doubt they will give you the recipe. But hey!, until you try.... who knows!

 

[Butter Heart]

View attachment 64993

I need oat flour, cornmeal, sugar, wheat starch and salt. I doubt wheat starch can be found at a supermarket. According to Google Bard:
Alpha-Bits cereal is made with a combination of whole-grain oat flour and corn flour. The flours are mixed together and then shaped into small alphabet-shaped pieces. These pieces are then coated in a sweet, frosted glaze. The cereal is then packaged and shipped to stores.

Here are the steps in more detail:

1. The oat flour and corn flour are mixed together in a large bowl.
2. The mixture is then poured into a hopper, which feeds it into a series of molds.
3. The molds are heated, which causes the mixture to set into the desired shape.
4. The shaped pieces are then coated in a sweet, frosted glaze.
5. The cereal is then packaged and shipped to stores.

How do I replicate the process at home?

 

[Butter Heart]

ChatGPT gave me this:
Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole-grain oat flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 2-3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Water (as needed)

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the oat flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt. Mix them together until well combined.
2. Add the vegetable oil to the dry mixture and mix it in thoroughly. The oil will help bind the ingredients together and provide some crispiness.
3. Gradually add water, a tablespoon at a time, and mix the ingredients until a firm dough is formed. The dough should be pliable but not sticky. Adjust the amount of water as needed.
4. Dust a clean surface with flour and roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/8 inch (3 mm).
5. Using small alphabet-shaped cookie cutters, cut out the cereal pieces from the rolled dough. If you don't have alphabet-shaped cookie cutters, you can try shaping them by hand, but it might be more challenging to achieve uniform shapes.
6. Preheat your oven to a low temperature, around 250°F (120°C). Place the cereal pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. Bake the cereal pieces in the preheated oven for about 1 hour or until they are dry and crispy. Keep a close eye on them to prevent burning.
8. Remove the cereal from the oven and let them cool completely.
9. Once cooled, transfer the homemade cereal to an airtight container for storage.

Feel free to adjust the sugar or salt quantities according to your taste preferences. You can also experiment with adding spices like cinnamon or vanilla extract for additional flavor. Enjoy your homemade alphabet-shaped cereal!

Will this help or?