Granola Recipe

Granola adds the perfect crunchy sweetness to fruit and yogurt. If you’ve ever wondered how to make granola at home, look no further. This easy breakfast recipe is easy to make, and you’ll love how many ways you can switch it up to get different flavors. It’s infinitely customizable.

After you make granola at home, you’ll never buy it at the grocery store again. It’s not only way cheaper to make at home, but it’s also healthier because there are no preservatives.

I love granola with almond milk for breakfast in the morning, or a handful sprinkled on Greek yogurt to add a little sweet crunchiness. It’s a great snack in the afternoon, or anytime you need a quick pick-me-up.

What Is In Granola?

Homemade granola is made with a mixture of dry ingredients like oats, dried fruit, nuts, and seeds, combined with natural sweeteners. A small amount of oil is added to help toast the ingredients, slow and low, in the oven. You can also add spices like cinnamon and vanilla. 

What You’ll Need…

• Heavy rimmed baking sheet
• Parchment paper

Granola Ingredients

Whole Oats

I recommend using rolled oats when making a batch of granola. Old-fashioned oats give you the best super crunchy texture. Quick oats will give you a more clumpy granola.

Dry Ingredients

Nuts and seeds add texture and flavor and are especially delicious when they are toasted. You can use any combination that suits your taste. I like to hold off adding coconut flakes until midway through cooking.

• Slivered almonds
• Macadamia nuts
• Chia seeds
• Flax seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sesame seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Coconut flakes – add halfway through cooking!
• Wheat germ

Sweeteners

The sweetener adds texture by melting and then caramelizing as it bakes. Different sweeteners will give you slightly different textures. Sugar and brown sugar are very crispy when baked. Syrups, nectar, and honey contain more water and may take slightly longer to bake also giving you a chewier texture.

• Agave nectar
• Brown sugar
• Brown rice syrup
• Real maple syrup
• Honey

The Best Oil For Granola

You want to use an oil with a neutral flavor. 

• Coconut oil bakes into this recipe beautifully but can add a slight coconut flavor. 
• MCT oil, which is refined coconut oil, has less coconut flavor. 
• Extra virgin olive oil has the least flavor in the family of olive oils but also can add a slight olive oil flavor. Not necessarily a bad thing.
• Canola oil is a neutral oil that will add no flavor. 
• Vegetable oil also has a neutral flavor but might not be as healthy as other choices.
• Melted butter can also be used and will add a mild buttery flavor. This works well with the peanut butter granola.

Other Things That Add Flavor

Nut butter and fruit butter add a concentrated flavor to this recipe. For best results, mix the butter with the sweetener before combining it with the mixed dry ingredients.

• Peanut butter and honey make a great combo. Add dark chocolate chips fo an extra treat.
• Apple butter and cinnamon plus diced dried apples.
• Pumpkin butter and cinnamon plus pumpkin seeds are perfect for fall.
• Cinnamon
• Vanilla

Dried Fruits

Add dried fruits after the granola is baked and cooled. You can add any combination of dried fruits that you like. Here are a few of my favorites.

• Cranberries
• Blueberries
• Apples
• Pineapple
• Mango
• Papaya
• Banana

Recipe For Granola

The best granola recipe is made with a base of whole oats and your favorite nuts. The oat mixture is combined with your sweetener of choice and some oil. After it’s baked and crunchy, you can add other sweet ingredients like dark chocolate chips or dried fruit to the oat mixture. 

How To Make Granola

1. Preheat your oven to 350℉.
2. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl; oats, nuts, and seeds.
4. Combine the wet ingredients in a smaller bowl, including the oil and the sweetener. If you are using any fruit butter or peanut butter, you will also add that at this stage. Any spices can be added in this step as well. Egg whites also act as a binder, if you are scooping these into granola cookies, add the egg whites here.
5. Mix together the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and use a large spatula to combine them, making sure they’re evenly combined. 
6. Spread the oat mixture in an even layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Pack it down using a rubber spatula.
7. Bake for 20 minutes. 
8. Toss and then reduce the temperature to 275℉.
9. Continue to bake at the lower temperature until the granola is a light golden brown and nice and crunchy. 
10. Cool. Once the finished granola has cooled to room temperature, use your hands to break it apart into smaller chunks. 
11. Add in any dried fruits or chocolate chips at this stage. 

Expert Tips For Perfect Chunky Granola

• Pack the granola together tightly when baking. You want all of the ingredients to stick together as they bake. After the granola cools to room temperature, you will break it into chunky bits.
• Bake on low heat. Toast the oats and nuts slowly and low in the oven. Cooking the granola at too high of a temperature will make the sugar brittle. You want the sugar to melt and bind the oats and nuts together but not get hot enough to crack.
• Stir halfway through baking and press it together with a spatula. Midway through baking, the sugar is melty, and it’s the perfect time to make sure that all those chunky pieces are sticking together for the perfect chunky granola.

Granola Variations

I’ve made homemade granola for a couple of years and have several different varieties that we love. Using this simple method, you can make endless varieties of flavor combinations. 

Peanut Butter

• ½ cup of peanut butter
• Honey

Tropical

• Macadamia nuts
• Coconut flakes
• Dried tropical fruits

Apple Cinnamon

• Dried apples
• Apple butter
• Cinnamon

Pumpkin Spice 

• Pumpkin seeds
• Pumpkin butter
• Cinnamon

Granola Cookies

• Egg white- whipped egg whites help to bind the granola together.
• Use a cookie scoop to scoop out cookie-sized portions of granola.

How To Eat Granola

• Ice cream
• Almond milk
• Yogurt parfait made with Greek yogurt and fresh fruit

How To Store Granola

Store in an airtight container. Granola will stay fresh for about one month if stored in a cool, dry place and tightly sealed.

More Breakfast Recipe To Try

When you want something for breakfast we have so many recipes to choose from.

I’m no stranger to bringing my brunch game. We have everything from Sweet Creme Brulee French Toast Casserole to the perfect Egg Frittata.

Light as air French Crepes or stick to your ribs Buttermilk Pancakes.