How to Cook Spelt Berries: A Simple Guide to Using Whole Spelt

If you have a bag of whole spelt and are wondering what to do with it, you do not have to mill it into flour. Spelt can also be prepared as a whole grain, and one of the simplest ways to enjoy it is by cooking the kernels until tender.

Idaho Ancient Grains sells whole spelt grain and also uses spelt in recipes ranging from bread and banana bread to whole-grain cereal. Its existing cereal recipe shows how the grain can be coarse-ground into cracked spelt and cooked with water.

This guide focuses on the whole-grain side of spelt: how to prepare it, how to turn it into a breakfast cereal, and how to decide whether to cook, crack, or mill your spelt.

What Are Spelt Berries?

Spelt berries are the whole kernels of spelt before the grain is milled into flour. Idaho Ancient Grains sells spelt as

whole grain and describes it as an ancient, non-GMO grain grown on its farm in Idaho.

Keeping the grain whole gives you more than one option: you can cook it as a grain, coarse-grind it into cracked spelt, or mill it into flour for baking.

Can You Cook Spelt Berries Like a Whole Grain?

Yes. Whole spelt can be cooked and used as a grain rather than being turned into flour. The exact cooking time depends on the preparation and the texture you want, so use tenderness as your final guide.

How to Prepare Spelt for Cooking

Before cooking, inspect the grain and remove any unwanted material. If you are using whole berries, you can cook them directly. If you want a breakfast cereal, you can first coarse-grind the grain into cracked spelt.

Idaho Ancient Grains' spelt cereal recipe specifically calls for coarse-grinding spelt into cracked spelt before cooking.

How to Make Cracked Spelt Cereal

The Idaho Ancient Grains recipe is a simple starting point for anyone who wants to try spelt as a hot breakfast cereal.

Ingredients

1/4 cup cracked spelt

1 1/2 cups water

A dash of salt

Cinnamon, brown sugar, honey, or other toppings to taste

Step 1: Bring the Water to a Boil

Place the cracked spelt, water and a dash of salt into a pan. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil and stir frequently.

Step 2: Boil Briefly

The Idaho Ancient Grains recipe calls for boiling the mixture for about one minute while stirring often.

Step 3: Simmer

Reduce the heat and simmer for approximately five minutes. The goal is to soften the cracked grain while retaining a hearty whole-grain texture.

Step 4: Add Your Favorite Toppings

Season the finished cereal according to your taste.

Cinnamon

Brown sugar

Honey

Fresh fruit

Dried fruit

Can You Prepare Spelt Cereal the Night Before?

Yes. Idaho Ancient Grains provides an overnight variation of its spelt cereal. The method is to bring the ingredients to a boil for three to four minutes, cover the pan and allow it to sit overnight. The following morning, warm the cereal on the stove or in the microwave and season it to taste.

Whole Spelt vs. Cracked Spelt

Whole spelt keeps the kernels intact.

Cracked spelt is coarsely ground into smaller pieces.

Cracked spelt is the form used in Idaho Ancient Grains' hot cereal recipe.

Whole spelt can also be milled into flour for baking.

Can You Grind Spelt Into Flour?

Yes. If you have a grain mill, whole spelt berries can be milled into flour for baking. Idaho Ancient Grains says spelt can be substituted into most recipes calling for flour, although minor adjustments and practice may be needed. It also notes that spelt performs well in sourdough recipes.

What Can You Make With Spelt Flour?

Bread

Sourdough

Banana bread

Cookies

Cakes

Pancakes

Other baked goods

The Idaho Ancient Grains recipe collection includes spelt banana bread, whole-grain cereal and bread recipes using spelt or combinations of spelt and Khorasan.

Can You Mix Spelt With Khorasan?

Yes. Idaho Ancient Grains specifically says that mixing Khorasan with spelt can lighten the texture compared with using spelt by itself in some baked goods. Its whole wheat bread recipe also recommends a combination of spelt, Khorasan, hard white wheat and hard red wheat.

Why Use Whole Spelt Instead of Buying Flour?

Whole grain gives you flexibility.

Cook the grain as a whole food.

Coarse-grind it for cereal.

Mill it into flour.

Use the flour in bread and other baking.

If you enjoy experimenting with grains at home, keeping whole spelt on hand gives you several ways to use the same product.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have to mill spelt before eating it?

No. Whole spelt can be cooked as a grain. You only need to mill it if you want to turn it into flour.

Can I make oatmeal-style cereal with spelt?

Yes. Idaho Ancient Grains has a spelt cereal recipe made from cracked spelt, water and salt, with optional cinnamon, brown sugar and honey.

How long does cracked spelt cereal take to cook?

The Idaho Ancient Grains recipe calls for about one minute of rapid boiling followed by approximately five minutes of simmering.

Can I prepare spelt cereal overnight?

Yes. The farm provides an overnight version in which the cracked spelt is boiled briefly, covered overnight and reheated the next morning.

Can spelt be used for sourdough?

Yes. Idaho Ancient Grains specifically says spelt does well in sourdough recipes.

Is spelt gluten-free?

No. Idaho Ancient Grains explicitly states that spelt is not gluten-free.

The Bottom Line

Whole spelt is more versatile than many people realize. You can cook it, coarse-grind it into a hearty breakfast cereal, or mill it into flour for baking.

If you are new to whole grains, the cracked spelt cereal recipe from Idaho Ancient Grains is one of the simplest places to start. It takes only a few ingredients and can even be prepared the night before.

Once you are comfortable with spelt, you can move into breads, sourdough and other baked goods, or experiment with combining spelt and Khorasan.