Do you love granola? Me, too! Today, I’m sharing my “basic” granola recipe, which is also the best granola recipe. Granted, I’m partial, but it really is the best and I use that term sparingly. Over two hundred five-star reviews agree!
In fact, I love this recipe so much that I shared it in my cookbook, Love Real Food. This granola makes a wonderful snack or breakfast (add your milk of choice and maybe some fresh fruit). It also stores beautifully, so it makes a great homemade gift.
Once you try homemade granola, you won’t go back to store-bought granola. It’s so much better!
This granola recipe is also a far more healthy granola option, since it’s made with whole grains, unrefined oil and naturally sweetened. You just can’t beat freshly baked granola packed with delicious and good-for-you ingredients.
Plus, homemade granola is super easy to make. You’ll only need one bowl and some basic pantry ingredients. Ready to make some?
Watch How to Make Healthy Granola
Now that you have my base recipe, you can play around with the mix-ins and spices to make it your favorite granola.
By the way, you can preserve that freshly baked flavor by storing this granola in the freezer. Just let it warm to room temperature for a few minutes, and enjoy.
Healthy Granola Ingredients
Oats
Heart-healthy, hearty, whole-grain old-fashioned oats keep their shape during baking. Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats if you need gluten-free granola.
Nuts and/or Seeds
I used pecans and pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) to make this batch. Other options include walnuts, which are rich in Omega-3s, whole or slivered almonds, cashews, peanuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts and sunflower seeds.
Unrefined Oil
Oil helps make this granola crisp and irresistible. I prefer unrefined coconut oil, which is delicious (you can barely taste the coconut, if at all) and produces the perfect texture.
You can use extra-virgin olive oil instead, if you’d like your granola to be a little more on the savory side. If you’re watching your saturated fat intake, olive oil is a better choice!
Natural Sweetener
I love using real maple syrup in my granola. Honey works great, too. As a bonus, these natural sweeteners infuse your granola extra-delicious flavor that sugar would not.
Salt and Spice
For flavorful granola, don’t skip the salt! Too little and your flavors won’t sing. I prefer using fine-grain sea salt in this one (I always cook with fine-grain sea salt), but regular salt will do, too (just use a little less).
I added cinnamon to this batch for some subtle warming spice. Ground ginger (use half as much) and pumpkin spice blends are other options.
Dried Fruit
Dried fruit lends some extra sweetness, chewy texture and irresistible fruity flavor. I used dried cranberries for this batch. I also love tart dried cherries, raisins and chopped dried apricots.
Optional Mix-Ins
For fresh citrus flavor, stir fresh citrus zest (up to 2 teaspoons) into the mixture before baking. I love adding orange zest, in particular.
You can add chocolate chips after the granola has completely cooled (otherwise, they’ll melt).
If you’d like to add unsweetened coconut flakes, you can add it halfway through baking for perfectly toasted results (see recipe note).
Chunky Granola Tips
Some of you, like me, love big clumps in your granola. Here are my tips to achieving the best clumps:
- Your oats need to be a little crowded in the pan so they can stick together, but not so crowded that they don’t toast evenly. I recommend using a basic half sheet pan (affiliate link) for this granola recipe. It’s the perfect size and the rimmed edges make sure no granola falls overboard.
- Be sure to line the pan with parchment paper so the sweetener sticks to your oats rather than the pan.
- For maximum clumps, gently press down on the granola with the back of a spatula after stirring the mixture at the half-way baking point. Then put the pan back into the oven to finish baking.
- Don’t bake the granola too long—just until it’s lightly golden on top, as described. It might not seem like it’s done yet, but it will continue to crisp up as it cools. Over-baking the granola seems to break the sugar bonds.
- Lastly, let the granola cool completely before breaking it up. I’ve even left it on the pan overnight, covered.
Even with all those techniques in place, I occasionally end up with a batch of granola that isn’t as clumpy as my others, for reasons that I can’t explain. It’s always delicious, though!
Granola Variations
This recipe is my favorite, go-to granola recipe. Over the years, I’ve played around with it to create a bunch of fun variations. Here they are for inspiration:
- Orange and Almond Granola: This recipe includes orange zest (2 teaspoons), whole almonds and golden raisins.
- Triple Coconut Granola: This recipe calls for coconut oil, large coconut flakes and shredded coconut.
- Cranberry Orange Granola: This recipe is quite similar to this one, but a little sweeter and full of vibrant orange flavor.
- Honey Almond Granola: Just what it sounds like, plus chopped dried apricots! Delightful.
- Gingerbread Granola: This granola includes molasses and extra warming spices, plus coconut flakes, dried cranberries and chopped candied ginger.
Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments! I love hearing from you and hope this granola recipe becomes your new favorite.
PrintHealthy Granola
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 21 mins
- Total Time: 26 minutes
- Yield: 8 cups 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
This delicious healthy granola recipe is naturally sweetened with maple syrup (or honey). It’s made with oats, coconut oil and your favorite nuts and fruit. Make it your own! Recipe yields about 8 cups granola, enough for about 16 half-cup servings.
Ingredients
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (use certified gluten-free oats for gluten-free granola)
- 1 ½ cup raw nuts and/or seeds (I used 1 cup pecans and ½ cup pepitas)
- 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt (if you’re using standard table salt, scale back to ¾ teaspoon)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup melted coconut oil or olive oil
- ½ cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup dried fruit, chopped if large (I used dried cranberries)
- Totally optional additional mix-ins: ½ cup chocolate chips or coconut flakes*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts and/or seeds, salt and cinnamon. Stir to blend.
- Pour in the oil, maple syrup and/or honey and vanilla. Mix well, until every oat and nut is lightly coated. Pour the granola onto your prepared pan and use a large spoon to spread it in an even layer.
- Bake until lightly golden, about 21 to 24 minutes, stirring halfway (for extra-clumpy granola, press the stirred granola down with your spatula to create a more even layer). The granola will further crisp up as it cools.
- Let the granola cool completely, undisturbed (at least 45 minutes). Top with the dried fruit (and optional chocolate chips, if using). Break the granola into pieces with your hands if you want to retain big chunks, or stir it around with a spoon if you don’t want extra-clumpy granola.
- Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, or in a sealed freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. The dried fruit can freeze solid, so let it warm to room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Recipe adapted Meg Gordan’s granola, which I’ve tweaked over the years.
Make it gluten free: Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats.
Make it nut free: Use seeds, like pepitas or sunflower seeds, instead of nuts.
*If you want toasted coconut in your granola: Stir the coconut flakes into the granola halfway through baking. They’ll get nice and toasty that way.
Serving suggestions: This granola is awesome on its own, with milk or yogurt and fresh fruit, and you can even throw a couple handfuls into a salad for granola “croutons.”
▸ Nutrition Information
debbi
Can’t wait to try this. Is there a substitute for the syrup/honey? Dates maybe?
Kate
The sweetener helps it to bind and get clumpy too, so I’m not sure how dates would work.
dianne
I’ve made a thick date “syrup” mixing and mashing dates with some warm water and that worked great.
fran
SO STINKIN GOOD. i made mine with walnuts, honey, and craisins and just tried a few bites. absolutely delicious. thank you for the easy recipe!
fran
also i used grapeseed oil because that’s all we had and it worked great!
Jenna
I used agave nectar and it worked great!
Kirsty
Kate I really love this recipe. Simple ingredients, delicious taste, easily adapted to whatever is in the pantry. I could never go back to bought muesli after making this!
One way you might get the dates to work would be to soak them in water then puree them with some pure vanilla essence. The muesli may have a slightly different texture but definitely worth a try if you are averse to maple syrup or honey. If it’s the amount of sugar you’re worried about though, dates have a very high sugar content (albeit also loaded with fibre). You could also try making a stevia syrup. Just a thought :)
Leah
I love this recipe. It is so simple and fast, and I have the recipe memorized and make it weekly (if not more often). A couple of questions. First, do you have any tips for getting the coconut oil easily out of the container? We don’t have a microwave, and digging it out of the jar can be a struggle. Second, I am thinking about using grapeseed oil as a substitute to avoid the extra step of melting the coconut oil. Have you tried this? I’m wondering whether the grapeseed oil would work. I’ve used olive oil with excellent success, but was also thinking about using grapeseed oil because I’ve read that it has almost no taste. Thanks for sharing your incredible recipe!
Kate
You have it memorized, I love that! I don’t have a tip other than with a microwave. Maybe try warming it in hot water to help get it out of the jar? I would recommend olive oil over grapeseed. But, I think it has worked for others. Hope this helps!
Julie
Yes, putting the jar of coconut oil in a large pot of very hot water (weigh it down) works! My granola’s in the oven right now and smells fantastic!
Anne-Rose
Hi Leah,
I’ve been making Kate’s granola for a while and always use grapeseed oil instead of coconut oil or olive oil, you indeed hardly can taste it!
Lora
Honey looses all it’s good stuff and becomes toxic when heated. Why honey is on every granola recipe? It is not healthy at all
Mandy
My neighbour, who is a beekeeper and has his BSc in Toxicology, says honey does not become toxic when heated. I just asked him after reading this comment.
Tom
You are an idiot, please don’t breed.
Sue
I made a batch of this today and it did not disappoint! I followed the recipe almost exactly – used 1/4c honey and 1/4c maple syrup (couldn’t decide), pepitas and pecans, Bob’s Red Mill coconut flakes and raisins (accidentally added the raisins at the mid baking point instead of at the very end- they’re a bit chewy but my error) and it’s really delicious.. cracks into chunks as promised! Thanks for another great recipe Kate!
Kate
You’re welcome, Sue!
Chantel Kindblade
My family and I love this granola! Super easy to make and delicious.
Kate
Thanks for sharing! I love it’s a hit with your whole family, Chantel!
Carolyn Smith Moorman
Simple and easy and delicious! I used your recipe as my base, and I added a few more nuts/seeds to create my own version. This is wonderfully simple and tasty! Again, thank you for posting!
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m glad it helped provide a guide. Thanks so much, Carolyn.
Donna
This stuff is addicting! Fantastic recipe. Thank you.
Kate
You’re welcome, Donna! Thanks for your review, Donna!
Hope Kitisin
I just made this and it is fabulous! So easy and nutritious. I will never buy store bought again.
Kate
Love to hear that! Thanks for sharing, Hope.
Lori
Hi Kate, I just made this recipe added a few more nuts tastes yummy. However my clumps fall apart very quickly. Any suggestions on how to keep clumps or make more clumpy? Would I just add extra honey or syrup? I pressed down mid way as hard as I could and didn’t touch for 45 mins.
Kate
I love it! How are you transferring it? A flat spatula works well. Depending on the doneness when it comes out of the oven, one minute longer could help too. How long are you baking it for? Is is also spread on one layer?
Erin
Made this recipe tonight after attempting several others and this one is hands down the best. Followed the recipe (used almonds, pecans, unsweetened coconut and cranberries) and instructions and it’s perfect. Will be my go to recipe without a doubt.
Kate
I’m so glad this one was a winner for you, Erin! Thanks for sharing. I love you add-ins!
Jill
I had never made granola before so used your base recipe. My husband and daughter appeared in the kitchen halfway through baking and I had to fend them off until it cooled! It is really really good and will be making again soon with some different add ins. Thanks for such a simple no fail recipe
Kate
That’s so funny! I’m glad it was that popular. Thanks for sharing, Jill!
Beth
gahhh i can’t stop eating this. it’s AMAZING.
Kate
It’s hard, that’s for sure! I’m glad you are loving it, Beth!
deb
The absolutely easiest most delicious granola recipe I have tried. This is a keeper. The only negative is waiting for it to cool
Kate
Yes, the downside. But, it’s so worth it! Thanks for your review, Deb.
Holly
Oh my goodness this is so delicious! I didn’t think I could be addicted to a granola but I had to walk away from it so I wouldn’t keep eating.
Kate
It’s so hard to not eat it all! Thanks, Holly for sharing how much you loved it.
Desiree
First attempt at making granola and this was a hit with the entire family. Thank you! My first batch was ruined however as I cooked it far too long as well as it stuck terribly to the wax paper!
Second time around, I cooked less than half the recommended time and ommitted the paper. Just gently lifteded it from the greased pan before it cooled completely and worked well.
I’m afraid to try the parchment paper again as it stuck so badly to my first batch I had to throw it out. Anyone else have this issue or have any tips? Thanks!
Jennifer B
Parchment Paper and Waxed Paper are two completely different animals. Waxed Paper does not go in the oven. Double check your product before you next attempt, and I am sure you will have success.
Kate
Oh no!! I’m sorry that happened. What was the time you baked it at and where were your racks? I’m glad it worked the second time!
Doris
I am making this now … my house smells wonderful! Many recipes for granola call for baking at 35-40 minutes. I find that after 20 minutes it is already browning so I turn off my oven and leave in there. Also, adding dried fruit such as raisins or cranberries.. are they added at the baking time or after the granola comes out of the oven. I do realize the choc chips are added after cooling off. Thank you so much for your comments back to me.
Kate
I bet it does smell amazing, Doris! Thanks for sharing!
Tracy
It’s a snowstorm in Chicago and my house smells delicious!!! My second time making this recipe!!! Just waiting for it to cool!!!
Kate
Sounds like the perfect snow-day treat!
Donna
Delicious!! Used olive oil and added chia seeds
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Donna!
Kelly
Thanks for the amazing recipe! I am making it for the second time today . I will admit that I was nervous about the amount of oil, but it was perfect ! I am trying with honey today instead of maple syrup , I think it will be more clumpy with the honey. 5 Stars , Kate!
Kate
I’m glad you loved it and it’s 5 star worth, Kelly!
M
So good! Made a second batch with olive oil because my kids didn’t love the coconut flavor (oh well, more for me!), and I added about 1/4 cup quinoa for extra crunch and protein. Never buying overpriced factory made granola again!
Kate
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing you loved this granola.
Nicole
This is my go to favorite granola recipe for a few years now. I use olive oil and honey. The thing that makes this granola is the salt! So perfectly balanced
Kate
Great to hear, Nicole!
Kim
This granola recipe is fantastic! It is so easy and delicious! I have the recipe memorized and make a double batch every couple of weeks. Store bought granola is a thing of the past. Thank you!
Kate
I love that, Kim! Thanks for sharing you love this recipe.
Lisa
This is my first time making granola, and it came out great. I added unsweetened coconut, almonds, pecans, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. I would have liked the chocolate chips and cranberries to be incorporated into the chunks instead of adding it at the end. If I added the chocolate chips half way through the cooking they would melt and the cranberries might get too hard. Any suggestions? Thank good.
Kate
Hi Lisa! The chocolate chips would likely melt. Sorry! I don’t typically have much luck baking the mix-ins in with the granola while baking. I don’t find it provides a great result. You could try it and if you like it, go for it!
Andrea
Hi Kate,
Going to try this recipe, but was wondering if I can use pancake syrup instead of maple syrup or honey, and if yes, whether the same amount would be enough?
Thanks
Kate
I would think so, but I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. However, I think natural sweeteners work best and are better for you.
Freja
I made this yesterday and my whole family love it! Will defo be making many many times. Thanks for a lush recipe :) xx
Brendi
Success! Thanks for sharing. My family looovvvveeedddd the granola. My husband said it was better than the granola that was store bought. Thanks Kate!
Judy
I use a mix of old fashioned oats and steel cut. To eat I pour boiling water over it, cover and let it sit for a minute or two. Love it like this in the winter.
Laura
Made this today, it’s so delicious. I have one questions, when I added the cranberries after it cooled, it never really incorporated into the granola – is that how it should be?
Thanks so much for posting – I’ve been overwhelmed with making some changes after getting a much unexpected medical diagnosis – this was super easy and delicious.
Kate
They won’t become part of the clumps, but should work into the granola as you store it.
Mike
Great recipe!! I tried thmethod described above to make it chunky and had mixed results. Sometimes work and sometimes not, but always delicious! I found that if I press it all in the pan, and then DONT STIR halfway through but instead just rotate the pan halfway through then it turns out chunky everytime!! Just break it up into whatever sized chunks you like Mmmmmmm Great recipe. I also added almond slivers
Kate
Thank you, Mike!
Elizabeth
My sister gave me this recipe. It is wonderful! I used half coconut oil and half olive oil. It’s easy to make, with little cleanup. This will be my go-to recipe whenever I want a treat; forget cookies, this is easier, yummier and better for me.
Thank you.
Kate
You’re welcome, Elizabeth!
Natalie
I just made a double batch this morning and used rice malt syrup and Himalayan salt. It’s so yummy but unfortunately tastes a little salty. Should I have not doubled the salt?
Kate
Did you use fine grain salt? It could be the rice malt syrup too in combination.
Natalie
Yes I did use fine grain salt. I ended up doing another double batch without salt and it’s fine. My first go at making granola…..I don’t think I can ever buy it again :) thank you
Jeremy
My kids were tired of eggs, and cereal is just garbage, so we decided to make granola. My kids and l loved your recipe. We loved it so much that we went through it fairly quickly, and this past Friday, after the kids were asleep and l had imbibed a growler of beer, l made another batch. Then beer did what beer does, and l fell asleep on the couch until 5:00 a.m. while the granola was in the oven. It was essentially charcoal by then. Oops. Anyway, l made it again in the morning, and we all loved it again, and now l need more cinnamon so l can make a new batch before l get the kids back from their mom on Wednesday.
P.S. We like it better sans dried fruit.
Kate
I love that you love it! Burnt granola is the worst. Thanks for he review, Jeremy!
Emily
I’ve never actually left a comment on s recipe online before. This is that delicious that it warranted a response. So delicious, easy and quick. I love that the ingredients are things I always have on hand. Makes the house smell great, too.
Kate
Thank you for taking the time to comment, Emily!
Barbara
Hi,
Making this recipe now and is in the oven as we speak. Smells amazing. Forgot the vanilla! Will this affect the recipe?
Oops!
TERI ELDER
Fantastic recipe! On a low after coming back from the holiday of a lifetime to NYC!! However saw a restaurant they did homemade granola, Greek yoghurt and fruit for breakfast and I fell in love!! Then came home and was desperate to try find the exact recipe and…. Here it is pretty much I added chia seeds in too but forgot the vanilla!! Just waiting for it to finish cooking!!! Thank you Kate!
Kate
Thank you, Teri! I’m glad this gets you close to that experience.
Kelly
So doggarn good. I make this granola every two weeks to enhance my steel-cut oats breakfast . Thanks so much for the very helpful instructions ( although I do just oil the pan because my granola sticks to the parchment paper otherwise- probably my process).
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Kelly!
Jenna
I just took this granola out of the oven! The aroma while baking is fabulous! This is the second time I’ve made this granola and it is a staple for me now! I added a heavy sprinkle of chia seeds this time. I love it in a yogurt parfait, with milk, or I eat it like a snack as is! Now that I’ve got the base down pat, I cannot wait to experiment with different fruits, nuts, seeds, and maybe even cacao nibs!
Kate
The smell alone is amazing! Thanks for sharing, Jenna. Sounds like a great way to have the granola.
Samantha
I made this and it turned out great! I just subbed 1/4c brown sugar and 1/4c honey for sweetener since I ran out of honey. I also used walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds. It clumped nicely since I pressed it with a spatula once I took it out of the oven. Saved this recipe for future use.
Kate
Great to hear, Samantha!
Mary Ellen
LOVE this recipe. It’s our favorite granola too! Easy & makes a generous amount. Was worried it was too soggy, but you were right – it firmed right up as it cooled. Thanks, Kate!
Kate
Thanks for coming back to review, Mary! I appreciate it.
Acey
I found this recipe in your book a month or so ago and decided to give it a whirl. It’s SO good! My husband eats a ridiculous amount of granola and now that he’s had this I don’t think we’ll be going back to the store-bought stuff any time soon. I’ve been making the cranberry-orange kind and I’ve been using chopped almonds instead of pecans. We’ve found that we prefer using honey over maple syrup because it seems to work better for chunky granola – although that may be because the maple syrup we have is very thin and runny? I recently signed up for Real Plans and the recipe on there says to use turbinado sugar to make the orange zest sugar. I’ve been using regular white sugar but I love turbinado sugar and have a big bag of it just sitting in my cupboard so I’ll be trying that soon. Anyway, great recipe!
Kate
Thanks for giving it a whirl! I appreciate the review, Acey.
Sandra Cornell
This is the best recipe I’ve found. Clumped together and really tasty.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Sandra!
Monique
Oh. My. Gosh! I’ve just made this recipe with gluten-free oats, soaked raw almonds, coconut and pumpkin, flax, sesame and sunflower seeds, and it’s the best granola I’ve ever had. I just can’t stop eating it! My plan was to add dried cranberries into the mix, but I don’t think it needs it. Thank you for the recipe!
Note : I heated the honey a bit so it was more liquid and coated everything more evenly.
Kate
Sounds great! Thanks for sharing, Monique.
Deni
We absolutely love this granola. Thank you for sharing the recipe
The Ds butte MT
Kate
You’re welcome, Deni!
Sharon Morrison
I love this granola! I made it for the first time last weekend and need to make more tomorrow! I used extra virgin olive oil as that’s all we had, added pumpkin seeds, flaked almonds and cranberries and sultanas at the end. Delicious with kefir and fresh blueberries!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Sharon!
Linda Z.
I make this recipe all the time. Nice to know I am not ingesting a bunch of preservatives. Eat it as a cereal with milk, in my yogurt and as a snack.
Kate
Sounds perfect, Linda! Thanks for the review!
Hope
Hello! Would you use sweetened or unsweetened dried cranberries?
Kate
Either would work! It just depends on your taste preference.
Amanda
I accidentally bought sweetened coconut flakes.. will that be an issues with this recipe:(
Kate
You can still use them, it will just be on the sweeter side. :)
Ash
Best and easy granola recipe! It tastes like boutique granola and is leaps and bounds better in quality compared to store bought versions. I’m not a gifted baker or talented chef and your recipe Is inspiring me to create more in the kitchen! Thank you for sharing, Kate!
Kate
You’re welcome, Ash! I’m glad you like this one. Thanks for your review.
Linda
I needed to make this as low carb as possible. I used the coconut oil and Sugar Free Mrs. Butterworth’s Maple Syrup. I also added a fat pinch of Brown Sugar Splenda before baking. I added raisins, dried apricots and sugar free chocolate chips to half the batch. The Pecans are so good with the light coating of syrup. Just delicious!
Kate
Thanks for your review, Linda! I’m glad it worked for you.
Alisha
Can I substitute the oil with melted peanut butter for a healthier option? Plus I love peanut butter :)
Kate
Sorry, that won’t work. Depending on your health needs, oil has a lot of healthy benefits.
Sarie
Best ever granola! A friend gave me this granola as a gift. I do not eat granola much, but now I am, as well as giving to others as a gift.
Kate
Hooray! What a great gift, Sarie.
Danielle H
This is delicious – I added an extra teaspoon of coconut imitation flavor and also a teaspoon of almond extract. YUM!
Kate
Thank you for your review, Danielle!
Rose
I’ve never thought about adding citrus zest what a great idea! I prefer very chunky granola I’ve used a recipe from thekitchn that adds almond flour to create big clusters and it works great. Thanks for the recipe I’ll make a very zesty orange granola tonight!
Kate
You’re welcome, Rose!
Katrina
I never comment on anything but I made this with my daughter today and it’s beyond delicious. We probably used closer to 3C of pepitas/whole and slivered almonds/sunflower seeds as we wanted a higher nut and seed ratio but kept everything else the same. It’s unbelievably delicious. I’ll never buy granola again.
Kate
I’m glad you did, Katrina! Thanks for the review. Homemade is really the best!
sarah baker
Could I substitute a portion of old fashioned oats for steel cut?
Kate
I wouldn’t recommend it. They will be quite hard.
Greg C
I love this recipe and have been making something based on it for months now.
I have a pecan allergy in the house, so I needed to modify the recipe a bit.
I also wanted to add more fiber and nutrient diversity, since my kids eat it for breakfast on a regular basis.
I ended up with this set of primary ingredients (the small ingredients like vanilla and cinnamon are unchanged):
4 C oats
1 C sliced raw almonds
1 C raw sunflower seeds
1 C avocado oil
1/2 C raw pepitas
1/2 C hemp hearts
1/2 C wheat germ
1/2 C flax seed meal
1/2 C honey
I use a mixer to mix the oil and honey evenly through all those other ingredients. And, I need to cook for longer.
Thanks for this great recipe Kate!
Kate
I’m glad you can make this work for what you need! Thanks for the review.
Dawn
My first attempt is in the oven right now! Can’t wait to taste it – a tip for melting coconut oil is scooping it in a metal measuring cup and sticking it in the oven while it preheats.
Hope this helps!
Kate
What did you think, Dawn?
Kris
Just made this, is it really necessary to wait until it cools? I’ve been nibbling off the tray since it came out..Delish! Guess I’ll just have to make another batch!!
Kate
It helps it get the clumpy goodness! But it is hard to wait, I can relate.
Michelle
i made it today with my son. Absolutely delicious! i added extra 10 15 mins to the cooking time, so crunchy at the end! Also, because of no nut policy in school, i had to modify nuts a bit. Instead, i used pumpkins seeds sunflower seeds, flaxseed, hemp seeds and sesame seeds.
thank u so much. this is the best tasting and the healthiest recipe for granola bar i have used so far.
Kate
Pumpkin seeds(pepitas) are always a great way to make this nut free. Thanks for sharing, Michelle!
Imperial Athens
I am very excited for this recipe it looks so tasty and not so hard to make it!I hope it tastes as it looks!
Kate
It does! Let me know what you think once you try it, Imperial.
Imperial Athens
It s amazing as i said so tasty— omg—five star recipe !
lizzie
kate hello!
thank you so very much for this granola recipe!!
our family just love love loves it!
i have now tried it with organic hemp seeds and pistachios!
and i like to make mine with avocado oil!
as soon as i make it it disappears!
magnificent!
you are 500% correct! we will never go back to store bought!
with soooo much gratitude!!
kindest regards!
lizzie
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m really glad your family loves it. Hemp seeds and pistachios sound like great additions.
Kim
Love this recipe, it’s addictive, been using it for around 6 months and just never get bored of it.
I need to make a batch tonight but realise I’m all out of olive oil and conconut oil. Can I just use veg or sunflower oil or will that not have the same affect?
Thanks
Kate
I don’t recommend using those oils, but if that is all you have on hand, you could try it. Let me know what you think, Kim!
Sally
Thanks for sharing Kate! Absolutely delicious every time no matter the variation. I’ve also played with different natural sweetener options including Brown Rice Malt Syrup & Coconut Syrup which also work! Five stars from our family!!!
Kate
You’re welcome, Sally! Thanks for your review.
Abbie
I made this granola and I was very pleased with this. I can’t wait to try the other ones you have. Much better than store bought
Kate
Thank you, Abbie!
Laura Sargent
I made this tonight and am so thrilled with how it turned out!! Been spending many $$$ on store-bough, but no more. Thank you!!!! Laura
Kate
It’s so much better than store bought anyway! Thanks for letting me know you love it, Laura.
Mandy Kimbrough
Love this recipe! A new favorite with my family :)
Kate
Great to hear, Mandy! Thanks for your review.
Patricia
I’ve never made granola before and didn’t realize how easy it was! Mine didn’t clump as well as the pictures, but I only added about 3/4 the amount of maple syrup in the recipe. I usually eat granola with almond milk, so having big clumpy pieces was not a high priority. Anyways, this was another delicious recipe. Thanks Kate!!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Patricia! I’m glad you were able to enjoy it just fine. I appreciate the review!
Madonna
Baking right now and smells AMAZING! I’m using foil sprayed with some coconut oil I was out of parchment paper hopefully it works. I also did honey an syrup but 1/2 fit in the same cup. I melted my coconut with all my liquid ingredients then poured them an mixed into dry bowl.
Kate
What did you think of it, Madonna? Did it turn out well for you?
Madonna
OMG it turned out AMAZING all my friends are loving it including my hubby and picky 8yr old daughter lol
Hadasha
This recipe is delicious! However, it seems to always stick to the parchment paper! I end up losing a whole layer of granola because it won’t come off the paper without tearing it into pieces. I hate losing all those yummy ingredients! What could I be doing wrong to cause this?
Kate
Oh no! That’s disappointing for sure. I’m sorry this has been your experience. My suspicion is the oil measurement that you aren’t using the right amount. It also may not be getting mixed well and/or your oven might be on the warmer side and it’s getting baked too long. Sorry to not have a more clear answer! Double check your oil measurement and stir it to get evenly coated. Let me know how it goes!
jayme yellin
Damn best granola bar none!
Kate
Thanks, Jayme!
Shana
Hi,
The taste of this granola is really nice and it smells so good while it’s baking. But somehow my granola doesn’t stick together and I really love big chuncks. I did everything like your recipe said but the oats come out just the way I put them in the oven… so strange and I can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong since I always do exactly what your recipe says….
Mansi Gandhi
Hi! I made this recipe twice. The first time it was phenomenal! My husband finished the whole damn thing in 2 days!
But this time when I made it, the oats did not crisp up as they did the first time and the nuts got slightly burnt at the same time.
Any idea what I could have done wrong?
Kate
I’m sorry to hear that it didn’t work well the second time, Mansi! What time did you put it in for both times? I know ovens can be tricky sometimes!
Mama
1. Wondering if it’s possible for me to substitute Stevia in place of maple syrup & honey?
2. If so is there anything else that I would need to add to the recipe to help it stick together? Trying to cut down on calories.
3. Also do you have a nutritional breakdown of your granola. It looks so yummie.
PS – Can’t rate it as I haven’t made it yet. It looks like a great recipe. Just not sure it would work with the substitution above.
Samantha
Made it today. First time trying granola. Very easy to make and very tasty. Can’t wait to try the variations.
Kate
I’m happy you really liked it, Samantha! I appreciate the review.
Monika
Thank you for that recipe, it’s absolutely delicious, the best granola ever.
Kate
You’re welcome, Monika!
Candace Flener
Can Peanutbutter be added?
Kate
You could serve this with peanut butter, but this wouldn’t work making it with peanut butter. I hope this helps!
Alexia
This looks like a yummy snack. I can picture taking a batch of this on a road trip.
Kate
Great snack for a road trip!
Babs Kall
I am unable to access the nutritional content info. It’s important to me as I am trying to change our diet to a lower sugar/carb one. Can you provide this information? It sure sounds wonderful.
Kate
Hi Babs! It is working for me. Make sure you allow cookies in your browser as this is a plug-in on the blog and some settings could be blocking it. I hope this helps!
Kristi
I love this granola recipe. I have made it many times over the years, always with the recipe doubled since my family gobbles this up. I especially like that options are listed in the ingredients, maple syrup OR honey, for example, for those of us who cook for a family with allergies. This is just the right amount of sweetness without feeling sugary or syrupy like store bought granola tends to be. My whole family loves this! Thank you!
Kristi
I should add. This granola is delicious just as is, without any added fruits or nuts, too, just in case you have picky eaters in your family.
Kate
I love this has been a go-to for you, Kristi! Thanks so much for sharing.
Marie
Fantastic recipe! I love how you included all the healthy ingredient additions that can be made to granola. Nuts and fruit are an absolute must for me. I also love cinnamon because it offers that bit of sweetness without having to rely on sugar.
Kate
Thank you, Marie!
Jasmine B.
I just made this recipe this morning and out of all that I have found and tried, this one truly is the best! The aroma is amazing! I love the idea of both the maple syrup and olive oil. I added dried cherries, blueberries, cranberries, slivered almonds, whole pecans and coconut. Made a yogurt parfait and was in true heaven! This will definitely be my go to granola recipe! Thank you for sharing.
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m glad it was a hit.
Michelle Kreissig
Loved this! I was looking for a granola recipe and remembered how much I love your recipes so went to find one of yours. I followed the measurements but mixed up the nuts and dried fruit with whatever I had on hand. Also added 1/4c mini chocolate chips for the kiddos. Soooooo yummy. For my oven I needed to bake longer than the suggested time so next time I will watch for the golden brown color starting at 24 minutes. I have burned batches in the past so was scared to keep mine in the oven past your suggested time. Thank you for a granola recipe keeper!
Kate
You’re welcome, Michelle!!
Linda
I never buy granola because of the high carb content. Made this today and it was excellent. My daughters took some home as they loved it as well. I told them to take as much as they wanted because it was just so darn easy to make. Thank you for this recipe.
Kate
I’m happy you made it! Thanks for sharing, Linda.
roksi
mouth watering granola, my first and definitely not the last. The flavours filled the house as if it was some special holiday in our gently warming mid March. I had different nuts and seeds; using cashews, sunflower seeds, black sesame and some chia worked wonderfully. Made me want to eat it for dinner… ill try to wait! I am so grateful, Thank you Cookie+Kate!
Kate
Mouth watering, I love it! I like your seed mix. Thanks for the review Roksi!
Mandy
Thank you for such an easy recipe. I made it super-simple, with just oats and coconut for my choosy-eaters, and everyone is devouring it. I don’t think it will last the weekend :) The only thing I may change next time is scaling back the salt and honey/maple syrup. It’s a little too salty-sweet without the extra ingredients to coat.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Mandy!
Georgia
BEST EVER – Your recipe “MADE MY DAY.” I want to congratulate you on this fantastic hit recipe. Love all the options you suggested. Sometimes I end up adding other items if I am missing an ingredient. Kudos
Can’t wait to do more cooking with you ❤️
Kate
I’m so glad it made your day, Georgia! Thank you for your review. Let me know what you think as you try more recipes.
frankie
Hi, I don’t eat oil, would there be anything i could use instead?
Thanks!
Kate
Hi Frankie, I’m sorry, I’m not sure what to suggest. You could experiment with nut butter, perhaps, if you’re open to granola with a less traditional texture.
Lisa Abney
Made this, using 5 cups oats and only 3 T canola oil, plus pecans and walnuts, but no dried fruit, as I wanted a loose, non-clumpy granola to eat with my favorite breakfast of cottage cheese and raspberries. It was absolutely delicious! I also stirred every 10 minutes while baking – also helps make it not clumpy. My sister is gluten free, vegan, and eats no oil, so I experimented a little on a second batch. Cut the recipe by 4 (in case it didn’t work!), used the same (proportional) amount of maple syrup and seasonings, but NO oil of any kind. Baked the same as the first batch. The result was equally crunchy and delicious!! Tasted both side by side, and the first batch seemed slightly sweeter (maybe because the oil enhanced the sweetness), but the flavors and crunchy texture were both the same! Big sister was thrilled with the result, and I’m starting a second full size batch for her now. Thank you so much from both of us!
Kate
Thank you for sharing your approach, Lisa!
Cindy
Love it! Best recipe I’ve found yet. Made a batch with flax, raisin, mango and coconut -yummy.
Kate
Sounds like a delicious combination, Cindy!
Elizabeth Loukatos
I started making my own granola a while back and then came across your recipe online. I can honestly say this is a superb simple recipe that keeps you coming back for more. Thanks for sharing!
Kate
You’re welcome, Elizabeth! I’m happy you found it and love it.
Alice
This was my first time making granola and it turned out perfectly. The amazing baking smells wafting around the kitchen was an added bonus.
I used peanuts, almonds and raisins – super affordable and so much healthier than the sugar-laced versions in the supermarket!
Thanks for a great recipe! xx
Kate
Wonderful to hear it turned out so well! Thanks for sharing your variation, Alice. I appreciate the review.
Holly R
I’m looking forward to trying this! My college-aged daughter and I plan on eating it as a healthy snack on our long trip to Florida (we’re driving), as well as for a breakfast option with milk, fruit, or plain Greek yogurt once we get there. I’m sure it will make it to the beach with us too!
Also, I love the taste of lemon grapeseed oil—I’ll bet that would be fabulous in this recipe!
I will rate the recipe after I’ve made it!
Kate
A great option for a road trip! Have fun and enjoy the Sun!
Patricia
Thank you for this fabulous recipe. I Will never buy packet Granola again. Using mixed nuts and omitting the cinnamon (which I hate). It is absolutely the best Granola I have ever tasted. I eat it with half a banana for breakfast. Trouble is it is sooo…. good, and after working out the calories, will have to cut down on my portion, as I am eating more than you recommend.
Kate
Hooray! Homemade is way better. :) Thanks for trying it, Patricia!
Jacky
My friend and I starting making this as part of our meal prep Sundays. I had it this morning with greek yogurt and strawberries for a delicious breakfast. Thanks for the easy and healthy recipe! We used almond oil and a mix of cashews, pepitas and walnuts, with a bit of unsweetened coconut added halfway through baking. YUM. It is way better than store bought granola.
Kate
That sounds like a great combination, Jacky! Thanks for your review.
Carla Brown
This was super easy to make and tasty. I doubled the cinnamon and vanilla. I ddin’t have as many clumps as I would like but I will work on it. I also used a butter Olive Oil. Like this much better than store bought.
Kate
I’m glad you like it better than store bought! Thanks for your review, Carla.
Manasa
Hi Kate,
Thanks for this recipe, it turned out great and smells (currently cooling) divine. I sub’d maple syrup for half honey and half apple sauce. Needless to say the apple and cinnamon combination is a match made in heaven. Also, I used sunflower oil as I’d run out of coconut oil and it has worked pretty well.
I look forward to having it for breakfast everyday of this week though my husband and daughter might plough through it faster than that. Good thing my son is only a month old ;)
Have a lovely day !
Kate
It does really make the house smell amazing! Thank you for your review, Manasa.
Gail
Since first making this recipe over a month ago, I am now making it once a week! We love it! Ive used honey mostly and added mixed nuts dried cranberries and coconut. This week Im adding sunflower seeds. Thank you for the recipe!
Kate
It’s a great one to have in your weekly rotation for sure! Thank you, Gail.
Jennifer Abar
Love it. Delicious recipe. I have made this a few times now. Especially love it with the maple syrup.
Kate
Thanks for trying another recipe, Jennifer!
Carol
Awesome the best I have ever had
Made as directed but added chopped dates as well as dried cranberries.
Kate
Thank you for your review, Carol!
Jeanna
It has now become a weekly task to make a batch of this granola. My diabetic parents love it too and it’s a great healthy snack for them. Awesome granola recipe!
Kate
I’m glad this is a weekly rotation for you, Jeanna!
mya zschokke
can I sub melted butter for oil?
Kate
Hi Mya! I haven’t tried that, but I think it would work! Please report back if you give it a try.