Homemade Granola
Store-bought granola can be hit or miss. If you crave freshness, flavor and even more crunch, learning how to make homemade granola recipe will come in handy! This is a great recipe for those who want something simple, slightly sweet and filled with light but hearty ingredients.
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Healthy Granola Recipe
Granola is such an easy and wholesome thing to have around. There are tons of ways to eat it, not to mention endless ingredient combinations.
But I've found store-bought versions can be super expensive, and sometimes they don't even taste fresh! My family goes through granola so quickly, so learning to make my own homemade granola has been such a lifesaver.
This basic recipe is now what we use all the time for our yogurt & granola bowls. The best thing about it is that you can adapt and change it however you want! Add different ingredients, experiment with flavors and make granola exactly how you like it.
That's the same thing that we do with my basic muffin recipe. We've used that recipe a bunch of times and love to create new flavors each time we bake with it. So, skip that granola in the grocery store and make your favorite granola in your own kitchen instead!
Why You'll Love this Recipe
Making your own granola has too many benefits to name! But here's a few reasons why I love it:
- This healthy granola has a very low sugar content - in fact, all the sugar is natural sweeteners. It's a healthy snack that you can feel good about eating and sharing with others.
- Granola is an easy snack that you can prep ahead of time and store for later. We love to make a big batch on the weekends and then munch on it throughout the week.
- A simple granola recipe can be a big money-saver. Making your own snacks from scratch will save more money than you realize! We're all about helping stretch that budget.
Ingredients & Substitutions
These basic ingredients are the building blocks of a good and chunky granola, but feel free to add in any different ingredients you want to mix in!
The basis of all granola are grains, seeds and nuts. Old-fashioned rolled oats are inexpensive and crisp up beautifully. A mix of chopped nuts and chia seeds add extra crunch. We like to use sliced almonds, chopped walnuts, and chopped pecans in our granola. However, you can use a mixture of any nuts or omit them if you have a nut allergy. Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds are tasty in granola too.
Some kind of sugar and fat helps to make the granola super toasted and crunchy. I prefer to use honey and melted coconut oil. Natural sweeteners like honey and pure maple syrup work best in this recipe. However, brown sugar works as well. Other sweeteners like agave would also work well. Coconut oil can be swapped for melted butter if you prefer. Another neutral oil may work as well.
For flavor, vanilla extract and ground cinnamon bring simple and comforting flavor. A little bit of salt adds balance. And, of course, you can mix in anything you want - chocolate chips, coconut flakes and dried fruit are some of my faves.
Variations
The beauty of homemade granola is it's so customizable. You can switch things up and make almost any store-bought flavor at home.
Peanut butter granola: Drizzle some melted or natural natural peanut butter over the granola when you combine the ingredients.
Pumpkin spice granola: For more warming spice flavors, use pumpkin pie spice in this recipe instead of just cinnamon. Mix in unsalted pumpkin seeds or pepitas, too.
Chocolate granola: Stir in some cocoa powder into the mix and add a scoop of mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.
How to Make Homemade Granola
Making granola at home is so super simple! Start by preheating your oven to 325°F (160°C) and then line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it to the side.
- Combine old-fashioned rolled oats, chopped nuts, chia seeds, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.
- Mix everything together until well-distributed.
- Then use a separate bowl and whisk together the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients.
- Mix with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon until thoroughly combined and every piece is coated.
- Spread the granola mixture onto the previously prepared pan into an even layer.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, watching closely to make sure the nuts do not burn. Stop and stir the granola once or twice as well to make sure that cooks evenly.
- Cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Then drizzle more honey over the top to create large clusters of clumpy granola. Allow it to cool completely so that it crisps up.
- Then, break the granola into pieces and transfer to an airtight container or zip top bag. Store at room temperature, sealed well, for up to 4 weeks.
Tips for Success
If this is your first time using an easy homemade granola recipe, then check out these tips to make sure it is successful:
- If you are trying to make a gluten-free granola, make sure you are using certified gluten-free oats. The rest of the ingredients should be good to go!
- It's important to keep a close eye on your granola while it bakes, especially if you add extra ingredients. Some ovens and mixtures of ingredients will bake differently and you don't want your crunchy snack to burn.
- I do not recommend greasing your baking sheet as a substitute for lining it with parchment paper. The extra grease on the pan could cause the granola to overcook or develop a funky texture.
What to Serve with Healthy Granola
We love to make yogurt parfaits with our homemade granola! Whether we use Greek yogurt or homemade yogurt, they're always a delicious start to the day. But, of course, you can simply eat it in a bowl of milk too.
You can even put granola on top of a smoothie bowl! It would be the perfect addition to a pumpkin smoothie (especially the pumpkin spice version I mentioned above). This peanut butter banana smoothie or this chocolate smoothie would be perfect too.
Granola would even be tasty paired with a fresh fruit salad. You could use it to make snack mix, too - combine it with dried fruits, M&M's or more nuts.
FAQ
Let it cool and dry out completely, then store it in a food-safe, airtight container like a mason jar. It makes a great gift at the holidays too.
Granola is very customizeable, but it does need some sugar to clump up and get toasted. You can use less, but it may be better to make sure you're not including any sweetened mix-ins. Watch the ingredients on dried fruit, as it is sometimes sweetened.
Did you make this recipe?
If you make and love this recipe, please leave a ★★★★★ review below! It means so much to me when you try my recipes, and I'd love to know how it goes. Please leave a comment below if you have any questions.
Homemade Granola
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup mixed nuts e.g., sliced almonds, walnuts, chopped pecans, chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- ⅝ cups honey divided (or maple syrup for a vegan option)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 cup mixed nuts, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Whisk together ¼ cup coconut oil, ⅝ cups honey and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour over the dry oat mixture.
- Use a spatula or wooden spoon to thoroughly mix everything until the oats and nuts are evenly coated. Spread the mixture onto the baking sheet.
- Bake in oven for about 20-25 minutes, keeping an eye that the nuts do not overcook and burn. Stir once or twice during baking to make sure the granola cooks evenly.
- After baking, allow to cool for 5 minutes then drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons0.13 cups honey over granola and stir. This will create more large clusters of granola. Allow the granola to cool completely on the baking sheet. As it cools, it will become crispier.
Nutrition
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When do we add the chia?
Hey Anne! Thanks for clarifying on when to add the chia seeds. We updated the recipe card to reflect that you add them when mixing the ingredients before baking.