Easy Homemade Granola Recipe - Celebrating Sweets (2024)

Published: by Allison · 4 Comments

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This here is the BEST Homemade Granola recipe! Loaded with oats, nuts, maple syrup, and brown sugar, you’ll love every sweet and crunchy bite! Add your favorite ingredients and flavorings to this easily adaptable base recipe.

Easy Homemade Granola Recipe - Celebrating Sweets (1)

We have made dozens and dozens of granola recipes and this here is our absolute favorite. It’s easily adaptable, incredibly delicious, and ready to brighten your mornings. Serve it with milk, sprinkle it over yogurt, or eat it by the fistful straight off the warm baking sheet. You won’t be able to stop. This stuff is addicting, in the best way possible.

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Easy Homemade Granola Recipe - Celebrating Sweets (2)

Ingredients needed

  • Oats: The base of granola is old fashioned rolled oats. Do not use quick/instant oats or steel cut oats here. Regular rolled oats create the perfect texture and bake up beautifully.
  • Nuts: I use 2 cups of mixed nuts in this recipe. I usually throw in whatever I have on hand. My favorites include a combination of walnuts, pecans and sliced almonds. Chop the larger nuts into bite-sized pieces.
  • Seeds: Pepitas add a nutty flavor and boost the nutrition. Feel free to swap for sunflower seeds or leave out the seeds completely.
  • Coconut: Thick-cut unsweetened coconut chips give a buttery-coconut flavor to every bite. The coconut chips crisp up and create a texture that makes the granola addicting. If you aren’t a fan of coconut, feel free to leave this out.
  • Maple Syrup and Brown Sugar: This combination makes for the best tasting granola. It’s sweet (but not overly sweet), with a deep, caramelized flavor from the combo of pure maple syrup and brown sugar.
  • Oil: I prefer extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil for this granola. It helps the oats bake up golden and crisp, and adds a bit of richness that can’t be beat.
  • Flavoring: I flavor this granola with pure vanilla extract. You can also add cinnamon, pie spice, nutmeg, cardamom, or any other spice of your choice.
  • Dried Fruit (optional): After the granola has baked, stir in your favorite dried fruit. Dried cherries, dried cranberries, raisins, or dried apricots are my favorites.
Easy Homemade Granola Recipe - Celebrating Sweets (3)

Recipe overview

  • Combine dry ingredients (oats, nuts, seeds, coconut, salt) in a large bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk sugar, syrup, oil, and vanilla.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
  • Spread onto a baking sheet and bake until crisp and golden, mixing twice during bake time to ensure even baking.
  • Easy Homemade Granola Recipe - Celebrating Sweets (4)
  • Easy Homemade Granola Recipe - Celebrating Sweets (5)

Recipe tips

  1. Use your hands to mix the granola. After adding the wet ingredients to the dry, stir it a few times with a spoon, then get in there with your hands and really work the wet ingredients into the oats. This ensures that the flavors of maple, vanilla and brown sugar get all the way into the oats.
  2. After mixing up the granola, press it into a flat, even layer on your baking sheet (I press it down with the back of a spatula).Let it bake undisturbed for the first 25 minutes. This allows some clumps to form as the granola begins to bake and brown. After that, toss it every 5-10 minutes, until you reach your desired level of doneness. If you want it extra crisp, bake a little longer.
  3. Play around with this recipe to create your favorite granola. I recommend keeping somewhat close to the portions of dry ingredients to wet ingredients, but granola is quite fool-proof, so you shouldn’t have any trouble making a few adaptations.
Easy Homemade Granola Recipe - Celebrating Sweets (6)

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Recipe

Easy Homemade Granola Recipe - Celebrating Sweets (11)

Homemade Granola Recipe

This Granola Recipe is the perfect way to start your day. Loaded with oats, nuts, maple syrup, and brown sugar, you'll love every sweet and crunchy bite!

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 18 servings (⅓ cup)

Calories: 261kcal

Author: Allison – Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

  • 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
  • 2 cups chopped nuts*
  • cup pepitas or sunflower seeds, optional
  • ¾ cup unsweetened coconut chips, optional, but highly recommended
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • cup pure maple syrup
  • cup oil, I use extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup dried fruit, optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300°Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.

  • In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, seeds, coconut and salt.

  • In a separate bowl, whisk syrup, oil, brown sugar and vanilla until smooth. Pour the wet mixture over the oats and stir until mostly combined. Use your hands to continue mixing, making sure that the oats and nuts are well coated.

  • Dump the mixture onto prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer (I like to flatten it with the back of a spatula). Bake for 25 minutes, then use a spatula to mix around the granola. Return to the oven for 10 minutes, toss again, then return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes until evenly golden brown. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool (see note about finishing salt). Add dried fruit after cooling, if desired.

Notes

*Use any combination of nuts. My preference is a combination of walnuts, pecans and sliced almonds. If your nuts are salted you can reduce the amount of salt in the recipe (to taste). If your nuts are unsalted, use the full amount listed.

Finishing salt: I like to add a sprinkle of finishing salt (like Maldon Flaky Sea Salt) after removing the granola from the oven. This adds a stronger salty-sweet balance, and a bit of texture from the occasional flake of salt. This is completely optional, and delicious with or without it.

Nutrition

Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 212mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1.5mg

Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.

Easy Homemade Granola Recipe - Celebrating Sweets (12) Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!

This recipe originally appeared on Real Housemoms where I am a contributor.

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Comments

  1. Courtney

    Easy Homemade Granola Recipe - Celebrating Sweets (13)
    Really love the addition of seeds in this – such a great granola recipe for snacking. Love it with fresh fruit. 🙂

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      Glad you liked it!

      Reply

  2. Meagen Brosius

    Easy Homemade Granola Recipe - Celebrating Sweets (14)
    I love homemade granola and this was such an easy recipe to make! I’ll definitely be making more soon!

    Reply

    • Celebrating Sweets

      Great! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

      Reply

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About

Easy Homemade Granola Recipe - Celebrating Sweets (15)Hi, I'm Allison! I'm a busy wife and mom with a passion for cooking and baking. This is where you'll find my favorite homemade recipes, designed to help you make every day delicious! Read more....

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FAQs

What ingredient makes granola stick together? ›

Add an egg white.

The whites act as a kind of glue that binds the ingredients together. To ensure that the egg whites coat all the ingredients, I beat them with a whisk until foamy and increased in volume, which makes it much easier to fold into the granola.

Why are homemade granola not crunchy? ›

Baking time: Increase the baking time for your granola. The longer you bake it, the drier and crunchier it will become. Keep a close eye on it to avoid burning, and stir it occasionally during baking to ensure even toasting.

How can I get my homemade granola to clump? ›

Clumpy Granola Method: Add Egg White

The egg white is whisked until frothy (20 to 30 seconds will do it), then stirred into the oat mixture. The idea is that the egg's protein will help the oats bind to each other and create delicate clusters.

Is it worth it to make granola? ›

By making your own granola, you have the power to sweeten it the way you like. More fiber: DIY granola also gives you the ability to amp up the fiber content by using oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. Some store-bought granolas skimp on fiber-rich ingredients due to cost.

What is a good binder for granola? ›

Chia seeds are often praised for their binding powers. In fact, they secure ingredients so well that they can even be used as an egg replacer. Adding just a spoonful of chia seeds to your favorite granola bar recipe will make a huge difference in its texture.

How do you keep homemade granola bars from falling apart? ›

If your granola bars are falling apart or seem too crumbly, here are a few tips. Make sure you use honey or another sticky sweetener such as maple syrup in the liquid part of the recipe; this recipe calls for honey. This will help bind together the ingredients and keep that signature bar shape.

What ingredients should you avoid in granola? ›

Check the ingredient list, avoiding products that list sugar or sweeteners —including natural sweeteners like honey — within the first few ingredients. Instead, the first few ingredients should be whole foods, such as oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. You may also want to look for varieties high in protein and fiber.

What was the downside to granola as a Food? ›

Granola can offer health benefits such as supporting digestive health, and heart health and providing an energy boost. On the downside, granola can be high in added sugars, hidden calories, and saturated fat, making some options less healthy.

Does homemade granola harden as it cools? ›

NOTE: The granola will clump and harden while cooling - not during baking. Allow to cool before stirring in the raisins, cranberries, or craisins. If stored in an airtight container, your granola could last for 2 weeks.

How do you know when homemade granola is done? ›

Keep in mind that the granola won't be dry right out of the oven — it will dry as it cools. So take it out of the oven when it looks lightly toasted and smells like cooked honey.

What holds granola bars together? ›

Honey – Along with the nut butter, it helps all these ingredients stick together! I love its warm amber flavor in this recipe. Vanilla extract – It amps up the bars' warm flavor.

Why did my granola not stick together? ›

If so, the reason that your granola isn't clumpy already is because it was deliberately stirred and broken apart while it was baking, and it might be possible to make it re-clump! Try putting a scoop in the microwave and heating it in 30 second bursts on high. If it starts to get sticky, you're golden.

Can I eat homemade granola everyday? ›

Yes. "Granola does contain important nutrients, and if you enjoy it, eating some every day is probably fine as part of a balanced diet," says Harris-Pincus.

Is granola better for you than oatmeal? ›

Which One Is Better for Breakfast? Both oatmeal and granola make for a healthy, nutritious breakfast, but the winner for us is granola—the added nuts, seeds, and dried fruits give you a source of fiber and healthy fats that oatmeal can't quite compete with.

Should you eat granola with milk or yogurt? ›

It tastes great with milk, or by the handful, but is also super tasty when sprinkled over lemon or blueberry yogurt for a burst of flavor. There's also Coconut Spice Granola, which is made with whole grain oats, real maple syrup, coconut and wholesome seeds.

What is the glue in granola bars? ›

While the oats and nuts bake, you can make the sticky glue that holds our bars together. You'll melt butter, honey, and brown sugar in a saucepan and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Mix this sticky mixture with the toasted oats and nuts. Allow everything to cool, and then toss in dried fruit and chocolate chips.

What is the main ingredient in chewy granola bars? ›

GRANOLA (WHOLE GRAIN OATS, BROWN SUGAR, BROWN RICE CRISP [WHOLE GRAIN BROWN RICE FLOUR, SUGAR, SALT], WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT, SOYBEAN OIL, WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, BAKING SODA, SOY LECITHIN, NONFAT DRY MILK), CORN SYRUP, BROWN RICE CRISP (WHOLE GRAIN BROWN RICE FLOUR, SUGAR, SALT), SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS (SUGAR, CHOCOLATE ...

What makes granola not GF? ›

Most granola contains oats and oats in their pure form are gluten free. However, because most oats are processed in facilities that are producing grains like wheat, barley, and rye, they can contain traces of gluten.

Can you make granola without parchment paper? ›

Use a large sheet pan and make sure to spread the oats mixture in one single layer directly on the pan. I do not use parchment paper, I know it's easier for clean up purposes but it does not produce the same results in terms of crunch. Check the granola every few minutes during the baking time and stir to avoid burning ...

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