​​The Discontinued Cheerios Flavor That Tasted Like Fall In A Bowl

When the days get shorter and the nights a little cooler, it's officially safe to start binging on fall flavors. Pumpkin spice season comes earlier and earlier each year, it seems, but for folks who love maple, there's a little less cause to celebrate since General Mills recently discontinued Maple Cheerios. They tasted just like fall in a bowl, and fans say there's not much else to fill the empty "O" in their hearts.

Maple Cheerios lovers started to notice the boxes disappearing from grocery store shelves in 2023, which raised some red flags — so much so that a fan asked Cheerios point blank if the cereal was finished via X. That's when the bad news swept the nation. "Yes, Maple Cheerios have been discontinued. We'll let our team know you're missing them!," the company replied on May 18, 2023. 

The good news is that while there aren't any other loop-shaped cereals out there that are quite the same, Maple Cheerios lovers do have a few maple-y options to try and fill the void. It's also super easy to do a little DIY breakfast hack with regular Cheerios and a dash of real maple syrup.

Oats and maple have a long history together, so it's not too big of a stretch for Cheerios to have paired the two flavors. After all, if you think about it, a tablespoon of maple syrup is always welcome in a hot bowl of oatmeal, and just as delicious sweetening a jar of overnight oats. So it's no surprise that the earthy combination of oats and maple had fans hooked, especially Canadians, who eat maple at least eight times a month according to Statista.

"Maple Cheerios are THE BEST Cheerios!," tweeted one Canadian fan. "We Canadians love our maple!!! Please bring back!!" Another maple eater added, "You discontinued Maple Cheerios? WHY? I couldn't wait til fall to get some. This is your best flavor. Why take away something that has such great reviews? This is disappointing."

The company didn't give any specifics as to why they chose to discontinue the fan favorite flavor, but they did leave the door open for a potential return so all hope is not lost. On June 13, 2023 the brand posted on X, "There are many reasons why we may discontinue a product. While we can't promise that we will bring it back, we will let our team know that you would like to see this return to the shelves."

If your breakfast just isn't the same without Maple Cheerios, there are a few alternatives to try if you can't move on from this flavor. If you're okay with a few extra ingredients, you can still get the full Cheerio experience with Cheerios Maple Cinnamon Hearty Nut Medley, which has Cheerios cereal pieces, crispy flakes, almond slices, and pumpkin seeds. Just think of it as adding a little trail mix or granola to your breakfast routine. Cheerios also makes several other non-maple flavors that are worth exploring if you're feeling adventurous (we've helpfully ranked them from best to worst for you, too).

If you're a purist looking for just Cheerios with maple flavor, however, the easiest way to get your maple fix is to add a teaspoon or two of good quality (real) maple syrup to your bowl of original Cheerios. It's simple, the ingredients are easy to find, and best of all — there's no chance that classic Cheerios (or maple syrup for that matter) will ever be discontinued.