Ina Garten Maple Vanilla Cream of Wheat

Ina Garten maple vanilla cream of wheat turns whole milk, half-and-half and pure maple syrup into a creamy hot breakfast cereal in 10 minutes. This make-ahead breakfast idea fits cold winter mornings, holiday brunch and busy school days, with a pat of butter melting on top of every bowl.

Sprinkle the cream of wheat into the boiling milk very slowly while you whisk without stopping, because that is what keeps it smooth. Dump it in all at once and you end up with lumps that no amount of stirring will fix.

Ina Garten built this recipe after her assistant Lidey Heuck remembered the vanilla cream of wheat served on Wednesday mornings at Bowdoin College. Her version swaps plain water for milk and half-and-half and adds brown sugar and maple syrup, so it tastes like a treat, and it comes from her cookbook Make It Ahead (2014).

Source: Make It Ahead (2014)

Ina Garten Maple Vanilla Cream of Wheat

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Course: BreakfastCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

3

minutes

Cooking time

7

minutes

Calories

290

kcal

Whole milk and half-and-half give this cereal a rich, pourable creaminess, while brown sugar and maple add a gentle, toasty sweetness. A quick simmer with constant stirring thickens it into a smooth porridge that melts butter on contact.

Ingredients

• 4 cups (1 quart) whole milk
  

• 2 cups (1 pint) half-and-half
  

• 2 cups water
  

• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  

• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (see note)
  

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  

• 1 1/2 cups cream of wheat cereal (not instant)
  

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  

• Butter, maple syrup, and milk, for serving
  

Directions

• Heat the milk base: Combine the milk, half-and-half, water, 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 2 teaspoons kosher salt in a very large saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat.
• Whisk in the cereal: Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups cream of wheat (not instant) into the pot very slowly while whisking constantly. Keep whisking until it is all incorporated, so no lumps can form.
• Simmer until thick: Simmer for 3 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. It is ready once it has thickened and coats the spoon.
• Finish with vanilla: Stir in 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract off the heat, which keeps its flavor bright. Then ladle the hot cereal into bowls.
• Serve: Top each bowl with a pat of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup. Pour a little cold milk around the edge, so each spoonful has a hot and cold contrast.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, OXO wooden spoon set, Butternut Mountain Farm pure Vermont maple syrup, 32 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make maple vanilla cream of wheat ahead of time?

Yes, and Ina Garten suggests it for busy mornings. Stir the milk, half-and-half, water, sugar, maple syrup and salt together in a pot and chill it overnight. At serving time, boil that base, whisk in the cereal and finish the simmer.

Which maple syrup works best here?

Ina Garten reaches for grade A dark amber pure maple syrup, because its flavor is complex, sweet and a little smoky. Use real maple syrup rather than pancake syrup, since the flavor comes through in both the pot and the drizzle on top.

Can I use instant cream of wheat?

No, the recipe calls for regular cream of wheat, not the instant kind. Instant cereal cooks differently and can turn gummy or too thick in the amount of liquid used here.

How do I keep cream of wheat from getting lumpy?

Add the cereal very slowly in a thin stream while whisking nonstop. Once it is all in, switch to a wooden spoon and keep stirring through the 3-minute simmer.

Can I make a smaller batch?

The recipe serves 8 to 10, so for fewer people just cut every ingredient in half and use a smaller saucepan. Keep the 3-minute simmer and the constant stirring the same.