Skip the store-bought granola and make this easy homemade granola recipe! Crunchy granola packed with oats, pecans, almonds, cinnamon and natural sweeteners, the ultimate healthy snack!
If you love oats, try my Overnight Oats recipe!
EASY GRANOLA RECIPE
I love granola but am always struggling to find one that isn’t packed with so much sugar! This easy homemade granola recipe is healthier, customizable and so much cheaper. Oats loaded with crunchy pecans, almonds, cinnamon and sweetened with a natural sweetener. Enjoy this as a snack, as cereal or as a topping for your yogurt parfait!
WHY MAKE IT FROM SCRATCH
You might ask yourself, why make granola from scratch if I can just buy it… Here are some main reasons that have me skipping store-bought and making it from scratch:
- Healthier– Store-bought granola is loaded with preservatives, a crazy amount of sugar and other ingredients that are not needed. When making granola at home, you can control what ingredients go into your granola, and you can control the sugar amount!
- Customizable– The fun reason to make granola at home is that you can customize it to your liking! Add different additives or flavors that you like!
- Cheaper– Have you ever noticed how expensive granola can be?! Make it homemade for a fraction of the price, giving you double, if not triple the amount!
WHAT YOU NEED-
- Oats– Be sure to use old-fashioned oats, also known as rolled oats when making homemade granola. Using these oats will give you the full crunchy and chewy granola texture!
- Nuts– This recipe calls for chopped pecans and sliced almonds, but you can use any of your favorite chopped or sliced nuts. If you want to keep this nut-free, you can leave out the nuts.
- Cinnamon– Adding ground cinnamon is a must! It gives it a spiced flavor that you cannot resist. You can swap apple pie seasoning or pumpkin pie spice.
- Sweetener– You can use your favorite natural sweetener! Honey, maple syrup, agave sweetener, sugar or any other sweetener you prefer.
- Oil– Oil is what helps crisp up the granola, giving you the ultimate crunch. You want to use an unrefined oil like coconut oil. But if you only have olive oil, that can also be used.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE GRANOLA
This healthy granola recipe is simple and gives your crunchy, flavorful granola!
- Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the granola, along with any other desired ingredients. (Do not add dried nuts until after baking.)
- Transfer the granola mixture to the baking sheet, spreading evenly. Top with additional nuts, cinnamon and shredded coconut if desired.
- Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and carefully toss the granola. Spread evenly again and pat down. (Patting down is what helps the granola bake together, giving you clusters.)
- Finish baking until the granola is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely. (The granola will harden as it cools, do not break apart the clusters and mix until cool.)
- Store in an airtight container in room temp. Enjoy as desired.
WAYS TO ENJOY GRANOLA- You can’t go wrong with a fresh batch of homemade granola!
- Cereal– Serve this crunchy granola as cereal! Pair it with some freeze-dried fruit for a perfect pairing.
- Parfait– You can’t have yogurt parfait without crunchy granola! Layer your yogurt with this homemade granola and fresh berries.
- Topping– Use as a topping for your smoothie bowls, overnight oats, or chia pudding for an extra crunch!
- Snack– Enjoy this cinnamon granola as it is for a snack, so good.
VARIATIONS
Here are some classic granola variations that you can make, just like you see at the grocery stores!
- Strawberry Coconut Granola– Swap the chopped pecans and sliced almonds for shredded coconut. Then once the granola is baked and cooled, mix in the dried strawberries!
- Chocolate Chip Granola– Once the granola is cooked and cooled, mix with mini chocolate chip morsels or chocolate chunks!
- Blueberry Almond Granola– After the granola is baked and cooled, mix the granola with dried blueberries.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola– When combined the ingredients for the granola, add in about ¼ cup melted/warmed peanut butter. Then once the granola is cooked and cooled mix with chocolate chip morsels or chunks.
GRANOLA ADDITIVES
You can have fun with your crispy and crunchy granola batch! Here are some delicious ways you can add to your granola:
- Nuts– Add your favorite nuts into the granola mixture! Pecans, walnuts, peanuts, pistachios, cashews, and other nuts. Either whole, chopped, or sliced nuts.
- Seeds– Your favorite seeds will go great in granola! Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseeds, or chia seeds work great.
- Chocolate– Once the granola is baked and cool, mix with chocolate chips or chunks. (Be sure the granola is fully cooled or your chocolate will melt.)
- Dried Fruit– Dried cherries, raisins, craisins, dried apples, bananas, or dried dates are a delicious addition to homemade granola. (Mix in after the granola is baked and cooled.)
- Freeze Fried Fruit– Try adding freeze dried fruit! It’s such a great addition. I love using freeze-dried strawberries or blueberries.
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE:
This typically happens for a couple reasons: insufficient binding agents, too much stirring during baking, not pressing down enough into the pan, or not letting it cool completely. It’s totally okay if you don’t get clusters, the granola is still delicious!
Since the granola won’t be hard until it’s cooled, what to look for is the granola is going to be golden brown, and will feel dry to the touch.
Your granola is soft right out of the oven because it needs to completely cool, untouched. As it cools, the granola is crisp up. Don’t be worried, just be patient!
Once the granola is fully cooled and broken up in clusters. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Yes! Homemade granola freezes great! Freeze in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 3 months! It thaws quickly, the perfect way to preserve granola.
There are several things that make granola crunchy, the low and slow baking paired with the oil and sweeteners, which act as a glue.
OTHER DESSERT RECIPES TO TRY-
- No Bake Peanut Butter Balls
- Hershey Kiss Pretzels
- Easy Tiramisu Recipe
- Starbucks Cheese Danish
- Caramel Apple Dip
Homemade Granola Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups old-fashioned oats
- 3/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup pecans whole or chopped
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2/3 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup coconut flakes optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a 9×13 baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine oats, sliced almonds, chopped pecans, cinnamon, melted coconut oil, sweetener, and vanilla extract. (Add additional ingredients you want to add also. Do not add dried nuts until after baking.)4 cups old-fashioned oats, 3/4 cup sliced almonds, 1/2 cup pecans, whole or chopped, 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon, 2/3 cup coconut oil, melted, 1/3 cup maple syrup, or honey, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Transfer the oats mixture to the lined baking sheet and spread out evenly. Top with additional nuts, cinnamon, and coconut flakes if desired.1/4 cup coconut flakes, optional
- Bake at 325°F for 15 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven, give the oats a quick mix and spread out evenly again and press down.
- Add it back into the oven and bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until the granola is golden brown. (If you don’t mind loose granola, give it another mix, halfway through. Let it bake untouched for chunkier granola.)
- Once golden, remove from the oven and let cool. (As the granola cools, it will get crunchier and harder. Do not worry that you undercooked it.)
- Transfer the fully cooled granola to an airtight container and store.
- Enjoying it as cereal, over yogurt or any other way.
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