Cameron Summerson
I have a confession: I don’t like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Almost everyone I know loves it, and it always sounds good to me in theory. But every time I eat it, I’m immediately reminded of what I hate it: because it gets soggy too fast. But Cinnamon Toast Crunch Churros fixes that.
If I had to quickly describe CTC Churros, I’d say it’s like they took CTC and rolled the little squares up and gave them a star-like shape. The flavor is basically the same, but it’s denser than regular CTC, so it solves my biggest issue with CTC as well: it stays crunchy. In fact, it’s really crunchy when it’s dry, so sitting in milk for just a bit gives it the perfect texture. But we’ll talk more about that in a bit.
Nutrition: Double-Digit Sugar, But Worth It
I talked about this in the Hershey’s Kisses Cereal review, but I try at least look at the sugar content of cereal before I eat an entire box. I typically avoid double-digit sugar content, but the more cereal I try, the more this rule is falling to the wayside. At this point, I just try to monitor my overall sugar intake—I’m generally under my daily sugar allowance, so that’s what matters.
That said, Churros isn’t the least-sugary cereal you can get. It has 11 grams per serving, which can add up quickly if you’re an “eat three servings at once” kind of person (spoiler: I am). Still, it’s fine in moderation.
Otherwise, it’s 180 calories per 41 gram serving, which I find to be on the high side compared to similar cereals. Given how dense each piece of cereal is, however, it’s more filling than its portion size suggests. You’ll also get a pretty standard 31 grams of carbs and 3 grams of protein, but 4.5 grams of fat (zero saturated and trans)—again high compared to many cereals—per serving.
All told, I wouldn’t want to eat Churros every single day because of the unbalanced fat content and high calories relative to similar cereals, but it’s great every once in a while. Unless, of course, you don’t really care about nutritional content and only focus on taste and texture. In that case, knock yourself out.
Taste and Texture: This Is the Cinnamon Toast Crunch I’d Make if I Made Cinnamon Toast Crunch
As I said earlier, I don’t like regular Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I also didn’t immediately love Churros after the first bowl, but after a few bowls, it grew on me. In fact, after about three bowls (over the course of several days—not in a row), I found myself reaching for the Churros box when I wanted cereal.
Why? Because of the texture. In stark contrast to my feelings on CTC, which gets way too damn soggy, Churros gets just “soft” enough after a few minutes. It’s interesting because the outside gets soft, but the inside stays crunchy, so it makes for a dynamic and pleasing experience with every bite. The texture is fantastic.
The taste, however, is still pretty boring. I don’t find CTC to be anything to write home about in the first place, and Churros is not different. It’s fine. If you enjoy the taste of regular CTC, then you’ll enjoy the flavor of Churros. It’s as simple as that.
But, honestly, buy it for the texture.
You Should Probably Try It at Least Once
Here’s my recommendation: if you like regular Cinnamon Toast Crunch, you should try Churros. If you like the flavor of Cinnamon Toast Crunch but hate how soggy it gets, you should try Churros. Even if you don’t like Cinnamon Toast Crunch, you might want to try Churros. It’s just different enough.
Try at least one box. It took a few bowls for me to appreciate it, but now I like it. I’d buy it again, even if only occasionally.
Here’s What We Like
- Has an excellent texture, especially in milk
- Better than regular Cinnamon Toast Crunch
And What We Don't
- Higher in fat and calories than similar cereal
- Potentially high sugar content if you eat multiple servings at once (and care about sugar intake)
