Easy Homemade Granola Recipe – Crunchy, Sweet & Healthy
This is my go-to easy homemade granola recipe that I restock every few weeks. I love using it to top fresh berries or mixed in a yogurt parfait.
Since I’ve never been a cereal fan, I dismissed granola at face value for a long time. Then I fell in love with it on an internship trip in college and have never looked back.
There are lots of varieties of granola that you’ll find in the stores – even the most bizarre of flavored ones – but as with many things, I prefer it homemade. It’s a little bit sweet, a tiny bit salty, and a lot crunchy.
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WHAT IS GRANOLA?
Granola is traditionally made with a base of old-fashioned oats mixed with nuts, seeds, oil, and a little sweetener. Now there are a variety of granolas on the market, from grain-free to a wide array of flavors, making it the perfect recipe to mix and match.
For this easy homemade granola recipe, you can adjust it based on the ingredients you have on hand. Sometimes I only have almonds, sometimes I have a variety of nuts to chop in.
Want chunky granola? Press the mixture firmly on the tray before baking and let it cool completely—sugars melt while baking and solidify as it cools, forming clusters you can easily break into chunks.
INGREDIENTS
- Old-fashioned oats: form the base of the granola, providing structure and a hearty texture.
- Raw nuts and seeds: add crunch, flavor, and healthy fats.
- Salt: enhances flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Coconut oil: binds the ingredients together and adds richness.
- Honey or maple syrup: sweetens the granola and helps it crisp during baking.
- Vanilla: adds a warm, aromatic flavor to the granola.
What seeds work best in granola? I love a medley to get all the benefits and a variety of crunch. My favorites are almond, cashews, sunflower seeds, pepitas, and/or shredded coconut.
HOW TO MAKE EASY HOMEMADE GRANOLA
Preheat your oven to 325°F. In a large bowl, mix the oats, nuts, seeds, and salt until evenly distributed.
Add the vanilla and honey, stirring repeatedly to combine, then pour in the melted coconut oil and mix until fully incorporated.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the granola mixture evenly, working from the center outward so it forms a tightly compact layer.
Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the tray, stir the granola, and flatten it again before returning to the oven for another 10- 20 minutes, until a deep golden.
Remove from the oven and allow your easy homemade granola to cool completely for 45 minutes to an hour without stirring or touching it.
Once cooled, break the granola into chunks of your desired size using a spoon or your hands. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks, or freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to three months.
3 reasons you’ll love this homemade granola
TIPS & VARIATIONS
- If you don’t like coconut flavor your can swap for another oil of your choosing, such as olive or canola
- Use any mix of nuts and seeds you have on hand. I like to mix and match for a variety of textures and crunch.
- For a seasonal twist you can stir in a few teaspoons (as desired) of cinnamon, cardamom, and/or ground ginger with the dry ingredients!
- Pack your granola tightly onto your baking tray to help it stick together as it bakes and cools. This will give your those big chunks of granola when you go to break it up for storing.
- I like my granola a deep golden color before removing it from the oven, for some added crunch and caramelization. You can take your granola out once it’s lightly golden (around that second 10 minute mark) if preferred!
- Allow the granola to cool completely before breaking up and storing! This gives it time to stick together plus, you don’t want to store granola while it’s still warm as the steam will mess up the texture.
HOW TO STORE EASY HOMEMADE GRANOLA
I like to place my granola in mason jars, but you can store it in any airtight container. This easy homemade granola will keep at room temperature for up to two weeks, or freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to three months.
MORE EASY RECIPES
- Easy Homemade Apple Butter
- Coconut Texas Sheet Cake
- Oreo Dirt Dip (From Scratch!)
- Chocolate Dipped Sesame Shortbread Cookies
- 10-Minute Salted Caramel
EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Spoon
- Baking Tray
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 4 cups old-fashioned oats
- 2 cups raw nuts + seeds*
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup coconut oil melted
- ¾ cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F
- In a large bowl, mix together oats, nuts/seeds, and salt until evenly distributed
- Add in your vanilla and honey, cut through, and stir, repeatedly, to combine
- Pour in your melted coconut oil, and stir to combine
- On a large cookie sheet covered with parchment paper, pour your granola mixture on and evenly spread it on the tray. Working from the center outwards, I used a spoon and gently pushed the granola out from side to side, corner to corner until it was in one even layer. It should be tightly compact
- Bake for 10 minutes, remove and stir. Re-flatten onto the baking tray and place back in the oven for another 10-20 minutes until a deep golden color
- Remove from heat and cool for 45 minutes to one hour, do not stir or touch it while it is cooling
- Once cool, use a spoon or your hands to break up the granola as desired. I broke mine into big and small chunks
- Store in an airtight container for two weeks at room temperature or in the freezer (in a freezer-safe bag) for up to three months
Notes
1 cup almonds, roughly chopped ⅓ cup pepitas ⅔ cup pistachios*If you prefer less sugar and/or more salt, you can always cut the honey/maple syrup to ½ cup and up your salt to ½ tsp. *You can always stir in seasonings like cinnamon or ground ginger as well! Just mix them in with the salt – while the mix is still dry – for even distribution *I love a coconut taste to my granola so I’m happy with coconut oil (it has a very mild taste in this recipe), but you can substitute with olive or canola oil if preferred.
my favorite granola!! make this multiple times a month
Amazing! I make it all the time too, so glad you love it
Love this granola!
Yay!! So glad