American Classics: Grape-Nuts Ice Cream

When it comes to Grape-Nuts-related desserts, I'm decidedly pro. My very first American Classics entry was a recipe for Grape-Nuts pudding—a spiced Down East treat similar in taste to Indian Pudding but requiring about a third of the investment in time and effort. Naturally, I also gravitate towards Grape-Nuts ice cream, a vanilla-based ice cream with those crunchy cereal bits mixed right in. It's rare to find Grape-Nuts Ice cream outside of New England, so I've taken to stalking around the City where I've spotted it only in a few places, namely on board a Mister Softee truck in Flatbush and at the former Uncle Louie G's, now JT Ices in Windsor Terrace.

Given my obsession, it's surprising that it took National Ice Cream month to help me realize that I don't have to sulk about the limited availability of Grape-Nuts ice cream, I can just make my own at home.

What's so great about Grape-Nuts ice cream? Besides the fact that it's the perfect breakfast food (hello, cereal and milk!), those little cereal nuggets make a great crunchy mix-in. The Grape-Nuts soften slightly while in ice cream suspension, but still hold some crunch as well as a malted flavor that nicely complements the rich, custardy vanilla base. If you like your ice cream with "stuff", then as far as accompaniments go, Grape-Nuts are a pretty awesome choice. They're loaded with whole grains, fiber, and more vitamins than you can shake a stick at. While I'm not going to fool myself into thinking that they make super premium ice cream into a health food, they sure make it taste good. To up the crunch factor, I recommend serving each scoop with a healthy sprinkle of Grape-Nuts on top.

Got a favorite classic American dessert recipe you'd like to see featured here? Email us with the subject: "American Classics."