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
Mark L
This granola recipe is amazing. Easily the best granola I have ever had, and so easy to make.
One thing that i did differently (an extremely happy accident) is that I threw everything into the one bowl, including the dried fruit, and put it into the oven. The dried fruit comes out chewy and a lovely texture.
Thanks so much!
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I appreciate your review, Mark.
Nicola
Best granola recipe- I made it with half the amount of maple syrup and it’s plenty sweet enough. 5 stars!
Kate
Thank you, Nicola!
Jessica O
I love this recipe! Could someone please tell me the serving size and calories in a serving? For some reason the nutritional information will never display for me.
Kate
Hi Jessica! I’m sorry you are having issues. Make sure you allow pop-ups in your browser. Also, you can try another browser. What browser are you currently using? I will pass it onto my team.
Maisie
Tried the recipe with reduced quantity maple syrup and fig and ginger honey. No fruit added only plenty of nuts and seeds. Liberal with the cinnamon and ginger spice. It tasted amazing with coconut yoghurt and fresh strawberries. Shared with friends and now they want the recipe. Never buying granola again!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Maisie!
Liz
This granola is fantastic! The first time I made it, I used maple syrup and it was not as clumpy as I wanted so the next time I used honey and it was perfect and delicious. I love it as does everyone who has tried it!
Kate
Thank you for your review, Liz! I’m glad you loved it.
Alice
Not sure what I did wrong but it cooked faster than the recipe says to and some of my pecans burnt and it didn’t clump. Maybe my oven? I used honey. But great taste, I added toasted coconut, dried cherries, and golden raisins. Will definitely work on perfecting! Thanks!
Kate
Hi Alice! I’m sorry this didn’t turn out perfect. It could be your oven. Did you let it cool completely on the baking pan?
Margaret C Pritchett
Pecans can be finicky. I usually add pecans at the same time as the coconut.
KT
Mine burnt and didn’t clump as well. I really wanted it to be great! :(
Selam
Such a great recipe and so simple to make! I’ve already made it many times. I did not change anything and my family and friends just love it! It is a staple in our home now. Thank you for posting it.
I used agave syrup as a sweetener. If I use honey, will it stick to the oats and make clumps? Also, can I substitute coconut sugar for the liquid sweeteners? If so, how many cups do you think I should use? Thank you!
Kate
I’m happy you have really loved it, Selam! Honey is a great option. I wouldn’t recommend coconut sugar as it won’t mix-in well.
James D
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and including the nutrition information. I have Type 1 Diabetes and am often at loss when computing my carb:insulin ratio with house-made foods. About ready to enjoy my first bowl of this granola with milk and just wanted you to know how much I appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Amelia Taylor
Mine burnt at 350 degrees. I did not have parchment paper so maybe that was the problem.
Kate
Hi Amelia. Parchment paper does help. I’m sorry this didn’t turn out for you. Did you toss it half was and was it placed in the middle rack of your oven? If it is too close to a heat source, it could burn.
Sandra
(I have a commercial oven and am not a newbie at baking.)I used parchment paper and mine burnt at 350 degrees as well. Mine also didn’t clump. I’m going to try at 325 and add some honey next time to see if that will help with creating clumps. I still love the recipe and the idea of making my own granola. I’m going to play around with the recipe and tweak it a bit.
Gordon
I just made your recipe for Healthy Granola (which seemed easy to follow … for a guy!)
One question. Why should I place the granola in airtight containers for two weeks?
Kate
Hi Gordon! I’m happy you thought it was easy to follow. You want to make sure the granola stays fresh and clumpy. Otherwise, it will loose the crunch.
Mark
Is this made with Quick Cook Rolled Oats, Instant Oats or some other type of rolled oats? Thanks
Kate
Hi Mark! This is made with just old fashioned rolled oats.
Sharon Pollard
My go-to recipe for granola. Super easy to make and so delicious with almond milk and some fresh blueberries!
Kate
Thanks for the review, Sharon!
Hannah
Loved this recipe!! Nice to have control over what’s going in my granola and saves a ton of money too!! Thank you :)
Kate
You’re welcome, Hannah!
Colleen
This granola recipe is fantastic!! I used half maple syrup, half honey, pecans and walnuts, cranberries. I cut the salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
One thing I would love to know, what are the calories, fat, etc. guess I can try and figure that out for myself.
Highly recommend this recipe!!
Colleen
P.s. to my previous comment.
I don’t turn it half way through the cooking and it came out great. I also used melted refined coconut oil, turned out great. I can’t make this fast enough for just the two of us!!
Kate
Thank for the recommendation! The nutrition information is below the notes section. Ensure you allow cookies in your browser.
SUSAN
IT’S IN THE OVEN AND IT SMELLS DIVINE!
Kate
I hope you loved it, Susan!
Theo T
Made it last night and it turned out awesome. Will definitely be making again! I used maple syrup— so delicious
Thanks
Kate
Thank you for your review, Theo!
Christine Millard
We as a family of 4 love this granola. Going to try the other recipes out as well. Thanks so much I eat breakfast now!!!
Kate
You’re welcome, Christine!
Kelly
This is my go-to granola recipe. I made two batches for our Boundary Waters camping trip and have another batch in the oven now for snacking at home. I use almond extract instead of vanilla and a 1 1/2 cup mix of whatever nuts and seeds I have … chia, flax, sunflower, sliced almonds and walnut pieces usually. Also love adding big unsweetened flakes of coconut that I crumble with my hands. Like you, Kate, I prefer adding the dried fruit after the pan’s out of the oven or they get a little hard for my taste and stick to molars. Thank you for this solid recipe! Two enthusiastic thumbs up :)
Kate
Thanks for sharing your version, Kelly!
Brie
Got inspired to make my own granola after I read the list of ingredients in the store bought one I had. I used avocado oil, a mixed nut blend (Costco), half rolled oats, half quick oats, and chopped medjooled dates. Turned out fantastic! Love this recipe ❤️ Next I’m gonna try agavae for sweetener, and more seeds! Thank you so much for posting this recipe !!!!
Kate
Thank you for your feedback, Brie!
Sheryl Ross
We have been making this amazing Cookie & Kate granola every 2 weeks now for 2 years! It has become our breakfast staple which everyone loves! It fills our home with tantilizing aromas of maple/cinnamon/oats/homey whole food goodness.
Extra pumpkin seeds, cinnamon and shredded coconut are essential ;) served with greek yogurt, seasonal fruit and berries make for the best start to every day!
I have tried so many of your recipes, I am so grateful for your Love Real Food cookbook: hello?…black bean sweet potato enchiladas! Kale pesto (genius)! Buddha bowls with carrot ginger dressing! wow! delicious food you feel great making AND eating.
Much gratitude to you, Kate for your continued creative contributions to feeding my family!
Sheryl
Kate
I love that! That’s a lot of granola too. Thanks for sharing it’s been a staple for you, Sheryl! Thanks for sharing your favorites. :)
Jody
This Granola is fantastic! I made it with my daughter tonight for her yogurt topping in the mornings before school. We added pepitas, dried cherries, and almonds.
Kate
Thank you, Jody!
Ellen
I make this all the time, it’s so good. I usually add orange zest and walnuts as well as the raisins but last time added lemon zest, pecans and lavender. This recipe is a keeper and fun to play with.
Thank you!! Ellen
Kate
Thank you for your review! Lavender sounds interesting. :)
Susan
My second batch of your granola recipe is in the oven. We already devoured the first batch. I added a little some cereals that we purchased that we didn’t care so much for….so we’ll get rid of them that way. So happy to have found this recipe. thank you so much!
Susan
Tucson, AZ
Kate
It’s very easy to do! This recipes doubles well, just make sure you spread out evenly to two pans.
Mindy
Delicious and so easy!! Makes the house smell good too. I made it with walnuts and dried cranberries. Looking forward to trying other combinations this fall.
Kate
Fall combinations sound delicious! Thanks for sharing, Mindy!
Gigi
Delicious!! Sooo easy yet so tasty. Would absolutely recommend!
Kate
Thank you, Gigi!
Julia
This was my first time making granola and I don’t think I can go back to buying it in the store (overpriced and overly sugary). I used olive oil, honey, raw almonds, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries and dried tart cherries. I’d say the hardest part is not eating any while it is cooling. Can’t wait to experiment more. Also want to try your museli recipe!
Kate
Hooray! Thank you Julia, for your review.
Jeremy Brandon Fields
Really good. I think I made a mistake by including sunflower seeds that were already roasted and salted, not raw. And then added the 1 tsp of sea salt. It’s not bad at all I’m just not huge on salt and I can definitely taste the salt. I had to add a little more honey to try and counteract the salt but I can still taste it. I think next time I’m going to leave out the salt altogether. I also haven’t added the dried fruit yet so that might help even it out. The only dried cranberries they had at Walmart were sweetened and they had an absurd amount of sugar.. which I am trying to watch. Thank you for very much for the recipe! I want to try the gingerbread one, too. Did you make the candied ginger or purchase them pre-candied? Would also like to maybe find or make a variant sweetened with stevia or something. Seems kind of complicated to make them myself. I am a novice kitchen hobbyist haha. But I do love granola. That is for damn sure. Thank you!
Kate
Oh no! Thanks for sharing, Jeremy. I purchase the candied ginger. You should be able to find the at most grocery stores.
Felicia
Wow!! I made this today and we love it!! I added the fruit while baking. I also used half honey and half maple syrup. This will be a go to for breakfast and snacks. Thank you so much!!
Kate
You’re welcome, Felicia!
Christy
Love this recipe as a base for creating yummy granola. Have shared it with friends and family. My husband has sworn off of store bought granola as long as I keep us stocked with this! I use a combo of pumpkin seeds and thinly sliced almonds (1 cup total) and have thrown in 1/4 cup Ghiradelli mini chocolate chips when it has cooled. Have filled ball jars with it, tied on a ribbon, and makes a great gift.
Kate
I love it! Thanks for sharing, Christy.
Melanie L
I love this granola! I’ve made it several times now. I use about half of the maple syrup (so 1/4 cup), and I use a mix of walnuts and pecans. For some reason, I could only find an avocado/coconut oil blend, but I don’t think it made a difference.
Kate
That’s great Melanie! Thank you for your review.
Jessica-Dawn Erickson
Loved it. I did substitute Choc-zero (mung fruit) for the honey. It was excellent.
Kate
Thank you for your comment and review, Jessica!
Breanna
This recipe is perfect! I used coconut oil and honey, cashews, almond slivers, golden raisins, craisins, dark chocolate I cut into small chunks, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, and some pumpkin spice! Turned out super yummy. I ate most of it by itself but had a lot of it with my yogurt and fresh berries. I will definitely be making this again and again. I think I will try making granola pancakes with this. Thanks so much for the recipe!!! Love granola!!!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Brenna!
Nouha
It is the best recipe ever..i’ve tried many tines and started to play with it adding some favourite stuff..
YP
Love this easy recipe. It is absolutely perfect as is, but also super flexible for whatever additions/changes you want to make. Thank you for sharing!
Jill
This is my favorite granola recipe. It is super easy and delicious!!
Dinalia
Hi,
I’ve now been making this recipe for my family for nearly two years and absolutely love it! I try to always keep it in the cupboard (I make mine all organic, much cheaper than ready made).
So easy and delicious!
Works perfect for breakfast or a quick fix anytime during the day.
It certainly is the perfect granola for me ; )
Suzan
This is an amazing recipe. It tastes incredible and the texture is perfect. It’s even better than the ones I buy!! Thank you so much!!
Petra
This recipe is easy and granola is delicious! I made it a few times already and always come out well (I’m refusing to buy ready-made granola since I discovered this recipe). I did a few tweaks – I added less maple syrup, added 2 tbsp of peanut butter, 1/2 tsp of ground ginger and 1/2 tsp of turmeric and it works wonderfully
Anchal Tondon
Somehow every time I make granola bars- they stick to the parchment paper- please help
Liz Weiss
Love the granola recipe. Make it with 3 cups oats, 2 cups faro, cup wheat berries , 1/2 cup basamati rice, salt, vanilla, 3/4 cup olive oil and maple syrup,
use almond and pepitas, add a little balsamic vinegar and lemon juice
Shirley
Have made this for my husband and I are few times and we really really enjoy it. Thank you so much!
Sue Crompton
I have been making this granola with variations over the past year and my family love it. My son notifies me as soon as we start to get low. I serve it with homemade yogurt and whatever fruit is in season.
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Sue! Thanks so much for sharing.
Simran
My family and I loved your recipe! I was asked to make another batch. It was easy to make and tastes better than store bought. Thank you:)
Kate
You’re welcome!
Holly Robison
This granola is fantastic. I hate it when people adjust recipes before even trying them the way they were written, BUT I didn’t have any traditional oatmeal (sorry).
I used one minute oats and it turned out amazing.
I disagree with the comments saying to add less sweetener. I added honey and it was amazing. I wouldn’t want it less sweet for me personally.
Linda
Great recipe!! My family loves it and great snack to send to school for my little ones. I’m looking for a peanut butter granola recipe. Any tips?
Linda
I missed the step to turn it 1/2 way it is was kinda burnt on the edges. But more so it has an odd taste. Not sure what I did wrong. I know odd is not very specific…. maybe more
Of a metallic taste.
And how long will it keep? Do I need to refrig it?
Kate
Oh oh no! I’m sorry you didn’t love it. It likely cooked to long and lost some of it’s flavor. Try adjusting the time next time too. Your oven might cook warmer. 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.
Rachel Bird
I made this recipe and it is amazing and so easy. My whole family had gone mad for it, it’s like catnip. My son has taken the recipe back to uni today as he can’t go without it. We will never buy granola again
Thank you so much for sharing x
Renee' Reiser
I just got done making thus…I used filberts for the nuts, I did have t use the flat side of a meat tenderizer on the nuts in a baggie to break them down a little. (For those of you who don’t live in the great Pacific Northwest , filberts are also known as hazelnuts!) I also used a smidge more honey and added a 1/4 tsp of cloves. I also added some mangos that I had dried.
Soooooo easy and the house smells great! I’m having a hard time leaving it alone to cool…but the sample I tried was great!!!
kish
My first batch is waiting for the oven . I will say, reading thru the comments, 350 is considered baking and 200- 225 is considered toasting. A slow toast for 45 min to an hour will keep it from burning and ensure that lovely crisp in the end. I rarely bother stirring at all. Only towards the end does it need to be watched and removed once it looks slightly browned.
Kate
Hi Kish, thanks for sharing. If that works for you, thats great. However, I prefer the recipe as written. But I’m glad you made it work for you!
Caz
Love this. I added chia seeds in mine and used walnut oil. Cant wait to try it with orange zest.
Gael
This granola is DELICIOUS!
I can’t eat the shop bought stuff as I have a nut allergy, so I adapted this with sunflower and pumpkin seeds instead of the nuts and added dried cranberries and blueberries at the halfway mix-up.
There is no way this will last 2 weeks though. The kids have been sneaking a nibble every time they come through the kitchen and it’s half gone already!
Thank you :D
Claire L
I am excited to try this recipe, but I’ve never made granola before. I’m wondering if you have to add sweetener, as I am trying to cut out sugar. What will happen if I leave out the honey/maple syrup and just sweeten with dried fruit? Thanks.
Claire L
Addendum: I made the recipe with 1/3 cup honey and almond extract instead of vanilla. It was delicious! I’m going to try reducing the honey each time to see how low I can go.
Sharon
Extremely easy and tasty. Other recipes have the “wrong” amount of oil.
Eri
Thanks, this makes such a nice granola! Can anyone suggest a low-sugar alternative to the honey/maple syrup? I’d like to make some for a diabetic but I don’t think Splenda etc would make it stick together properly.
Linda
I use sugar free syrup instead of honey, regular syrup
Jennifer Kraisan
This recipe is awesome as is, and also works well with some tweaks. I’ve been making it weekly for a month or so and my family loves it. I use coconut oil every time, as well as mixed dried fruit and real maple syrup. I have tried a variety of nuts and they are all great. 350 for 28 minutes is perfect in my oven! The key is to let it completely cool in the pan. Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Cara L.
Perfect granola. I followed the recipe and sweetened with maple syrup. For the nuts and seeds I used about a cup of local hazelnuts and a combined half cup of pepitas and sunflower seeds. I also added a half cup of unsweetened flaked coconut. I also made your fruit compote recipe made with peaches from our local farmers’ market and cannot stop eating both! Yours is my favourite food blog as you always seem to nail the flavour balance perfectly, without any fuss. I don’t know how many people I have referred to your blog after getting rave reviews on meals I have made with your recipes (and I am an experienced home cook). Thanks again for another 5-star recipe!
Ingrid Y
Awesome recipe! Thank you for sharing it. Made it with almonds, dried cherries, and chocolate chips. My husband couldn’t stop eating it! Would the recipe still work if I use less coconut oil and honey?
Kate
I’m glad you love it! I’m not sure you will get the same ‘clump’ result. Both oil and the sweetener help this.
Leslie B
This recipe is excellent, best granola ever. Followed recipe exactly, with coconut oil and maple syrup, but added walnuts and stirred in goji berries once cooled. Delicious and so easy. Directions are excellent as well. Great with fruit and yogurt or coconut whip.
Thank you!
Lucinda Gilderhus
This granola is delicious. I made this with gluten-free oats because I recently found out that I have celiac. Was buying a packaged granola, but this has so much more flavor. I used cashews, pecans and sunflower seeds as well as dried cherries and some cranberries. I love nuts and this is by far the best granola I have ever eaten. First time I have ever made homemade granola and it turned out perfect. Thank you. I love your recipes.
Kate
I’m sorry to hear that! I know that can be hard. I do try to provide gluten-free substitutions when I can! Make sure to try my gluten free oat waffles!
Karen E
My family absolutely loves this granola recipe!! It took me a few days or weeks – ha! to actually make it once it was posted but I have made it at least 10 times since then. This is the BEST GRANOLA recipe!! And my son actually makes it. Thank you!!!
Kate
You’re welcome, Karen! I love that your son makes it.
Nelly
Tried your granola recipe for the first time and it’s delicious. Made it with some olive oil and plenty of honey. Next time, and yes, I will definitely make it again, :-) I will maybe try to make it with coconut oil and less honey as I need to watch my sugar intake and with coconut flakes as I only had powdered coconut and I doubt the powdered version would work well. Thank you!
Nathalie Bank
What a lovely easy recipe! I don’t think I’ll ever go back to store bought granola. I love knowing exactly what I’m eating. Next time I’ll scale back the maple syrup by a third, because I’m not really used to American levels of sweetness and I don’t want to get addicted to all that sugar in the morning. The oats came out perfectly crispy and the pecans and pumpkin seeds have a lovely roasted flavor. I split the batch in 2: the first half I baked and added coconut slivers to halfway through baking. After cooling down I added some dark chocolate chunks and freeze dried raspberries. Absolutely delicious and indulgent. For the other half of the batch I stirred in a healthy dose of homemade pumpkin spice blend and added organic minneola zest (I couldn’t get my hands on an organic orange and like my fruits to be organic when I plan on using their zest). After baking I added dried cranberries. The result is a warming and delicious autumn granola blend.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and explaining why you made certain choices. It will certainly remain a staple in this household! (and gosh does it make me feel like a good homemaker to have glass jars of homemade granola in my cupboard. Never mind the piled up laundry and dusty cabinet tops ;)).
Kate
Thank you, Nathalie!
Mindie Cantrell
Love this granola. Have made it 3 different way changing out mix ins and all have been fantastic. Just don’t over cook. We like it in clusters so do not stir until it has cooled, like she recommends.
Kate
I’m glad you love it, Mindie!
Valeria
Thanks for the recipe hon just made a huge batch this morning it tastes delicious! Some pecans came out just a bit burnt but it must be because of my fan oven! Adjusting the temperature next time for granola perfection! xxx
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Valeria!
Annisha Thomas
Wow!! This is literally the best homemade granola recipe I have found yet. I have tried your recipe several different ways; using different ingredients each time and the granola is to die for. Thank you so much for sharing this!! Truly amazing!!!
Aubrey
Hi! Want to make this and I have everything except I only have quick oats, which I’m assuming might not work. What do you think about using quick oats?
Kate
Quick oats won’t give you the same result as they don’t hold-up as well. Sorry!
Tomas
My entire family have basically had this granola for breakfast everyday for the last 12 months. It’s hard to find a breakfast cereal that fits all of our dietary needs, that can be easily varied, and that a 2 year old enjoys. This checks all the boxes (and the 2 year old usually helps bake it too!) Our only reflection is that it is far too sweet for our taste, so we usually half the sweet stuff!
Kate
I’m glad you all can love this one, Tomas! Thanks for your review.
Tarun
I made this recipe and follow it to t . But mine is not clumpy but it taste good. Thank you
Stephanie Lien
Fantastic recipe, great starting point to add mix ins. Perfect just as is.
Karen L
Fantastic recipe. I really like how you can change ingredients in granola to suit your tastes & cravings. It came out perfect! I did half cranberries & dates. I replaced the maple syrup with date syrup. I love nuts so I mixed pecans, sunflower seeds & walnuts. Also added some little dark chocolate chunks. I had a bowl of it with kefir milk for breakfast. So glad I came across this posting first no need to save any others.
Thank you!
Kate
Thanks for your review, Karen!
Jean
I love this recipe and have made four double batches for my family of two. Best topping ever for yogurt and berries and a bowl full last me all day. I do find that it takes longer than the suggested time to get it truly crunchy. More like 30to 35 minutes
Allison
This IS the best granola ever! Thank you!
Deni Rubio
It si such an easy recipe to follow and the granola is super tasty!
Ines H.
Thank you for this recipe! My second batch is already in the oven. I used walnuts, almonds, many seeds (pepitas, sunflower, sesame, flax, hemp and chia), dried cranberries and dates. (I chopped the nuts and added a little more coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon to accommodate all of the seeds.) Love it. Wonderfully clumped. And, freezes/unfreezes beautifully. Gratefully submitted :)
Kate
You’re welcome, Ines! I like your combination.
Liz
Delicious–I will never buy granola again! I used Agave syrup instead of honey or maple syrup. Agave has a lower glycemic index, also less expensive than real maple syrup. It was yummy!
Kate
Hooray! I love it, Liz.
Amber
Can confirm…this is the best granola
kama
i have try it.. 5/5 starts for it..thank you for sharing
Emjay
Delicious!!
Paula
I have made this granola recipe 2 times, and am about to go in for a third! My husband taught me to mix my cereals 17 years ago, and now our kids do too. We try to limit sugar, so we start with whole grain cereals, and this one adds just the right amount of sweet to the mix. We all love it!! THANK YOU for the great recipe!!!
Kara
Looking for a healthy granola for breakfast this week and came across this recipe. Made this today and it came out AMAZING! I tweaked it slightly by increasing the cinnamon because I like the flavor , omitting the berries and adding in one of the options listed… unsweetened coconut flakes. I also threw in 2 Tbsp chia seeds, because why not, LOL. My nuts were a mix of cashews and raw almonds. I added in sunflower seeds too. This granola is so good its hard to stay out of!! I followed the tips for chunky pieces and it worked perfect. Made some almond milk to go along with this and now I have breakfast for all week.
THANK YOU for your excellent recipes that help me on my journey to health.
Kate
I’m so glad you loved it, Kara! I love your mix, this is great with a different variation for sure.
Yvette Perry Banks
Thank you for sharing this recipe… my home smells amazing right now as it bakes. Can’t wait to try it!
Brenda
I love this recipe and my family does too – the best ever! For the nuts I use pecans and hazelnuts and omit the pipitas and cranberries. I add 1/2 cup of finely chopped dark chocolate chips after I take it out of the oven. The chocolate melts and coats the oats and it is out of this world. Sometimes I use about 1/2 the amount of agave which is slightly sweeter than honey. Thank you for this yummy recipe!!!
Kate
You’re welcome, Brenda!
Chefmelz
It’s really is absolutely delicious. I’ve been obsessed with it on top of my açaí bowls that I’ve been into lately. I added chopped almonds. So good
Katie
Finally caved in and tried making granola at home. I resisted forever since it’s so easy to buy, but it’s overpriced and always seems to taste like it’s been sitting in a bunker for 20 years. Now that I’ve had fresh granola, I have seen the light. The flavors in your recipe are balanced perfectly, and it’s a great base recipe to try lots of variations. Thanks for the wake-up and for a great recipe. :-)
Kate
Thank you, Katie!
Nancy C
I LOVE this granola! I use Pepitas and raw sunflower seeds, raw honey and no mix ins….all else the same. I put it in my homemade yogurt every day plus a little handful right into my mouth! New batch every 2 weeks…it’s that DELICIOUS!
Kate
This is a great one to have on hand, Nancy! Thanks for sharing.
LuAnn Rolley
Hello Kate!
I just made the granola and it is delicious! I didn’t have parchment paper so used some foil and lightly coated with oil. It worked just fine. I’m gonna let it cool and then add some cranberries.
My next job is to make the carrot/apple muffins. Wish me luck!
Best,
Lu
Janie
I’ve made three batches and will continue to have it on hand. Love it. I’ve shared the recipe with family and friends. I always over measure on the nuts.
Thank you for the great recipe!
Betty Jo Torrissi
This is my new “go to” granola. I added pecans, walnuts and whole almonds for nuts. Also added unsweetened coconut halfway through the bake time. Along with raisins and dried cherries AWESOME!!
emily
Made this for my preschooler’s teachers and they requested the recipe because they loved it so much. It is delicious. I like to add a little less maple syrup than it calls for. And definitely add the coconut! It is so good.
Denise
I made this granola tonight and it’s delicious! The hint of salt with golden raisins and chocolate chips is good. Thank you!
Denise
Kate
You’re welcome, Denise!
Sarah Rees
This is super easy and really delicious! Lasted only a few days before I had to make a second batch. Caught my kids snaking on it instead of biscuits! Happy days! Thank you for sharing it ❤
Ethan King
Mine came out dry and a bit bland.
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love it! Granola is suppose to be dry, that’s how you get the clumpy result.
Helwe Najami
Hi!
Thanks for the recipe.
My granola turned out bitter. Why is that?
Kate
Hi! You might have cooked it a little long. You could try adding a little more salt next time too.
Danielle
Made it tonight and not yet had it for breakfast but had a taste and it tastes amazing, looking forward to breakfast tomorrow!!!! Added honey instead of maple syrup, used extra virgin coconut oil, added mixed fruit, seeds and nuts, and a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg. Thanks for the recepi!
Kate
Thanks for letting me know what you did, Danielle!
Donna A
This is amazing. Threw in some ground flax seed with the oats and used pecans and sunflower seeds and maple syrup and olive oil. Mixed in dried cranberries and dark chocolate morsels. Clumped beautifully. Ate it mixed into greek yogurt. Cannot get enough…hiding it from my husband so I get it all…lol. Thanks!
Kate
You’re welcome, Donna!
Christy Spurlock
Absolutely the BEST granola I’ve ever made. My son who is deployed asked if I could make him granola and send to him and his guys. Now I’ve got to make another batch so I’ll have plenty for my husband and me. This is a recipe I’ll make for YEARS to come. Never buy store bought again!!!!!
Kate
Thank you, Christy!
J'neen
I’d never made granola before, but wanted to have something less sugar-laden than the store bought granolas. So I read through a thousand recipes (well, a lot of them) and saw yours was simple with natural sweetners, so I tried it. It was *so delicious* with just the right amount of sweetness.
Making it for the second time this morning: this time no almonds; trying walnuts and sunflower seeds instead.
Thank you, Kate, for the deliciousness!
Kate
I’m so glad you came to this recipe and loved it! I have a few others on the blog you might love, too.
Ray
I like this recipe, however, I only add 1/2tsp of salt as I find it too salty with the 1tsp and 3/4tsp options.
Otherwise, my family and I thoroughly enjoy this healthy option!
Kate
Great way to adjust to your tastes, Ray!
Kristina Hawkins
I was done buying granola at the Grocery. I’m a type 1 Diabetic and the added sugar was not good (though it tastes good!). I found your recipe and I made it this morning. I added your ingredients plus hemp seeds, tahini and a little nut butter. I may have gone overboard but it smells great in the oven
Kate
I’m happy it worked so well for you! Thank you for your review.
Renee R
Mine definitely did not clump up, at all. I did not use honey or high sugar mix-in’s. If anyone had theirs burned, it could be because you used honey or high sugar mix-ins which cooks faster and could risk burning. Definitely do less time on those and watch them.
Nonetheless, it was good on my greek yogurt and didn’t want to add more sugar content than I did already with the maple syrup. I will finish the batch, regardless
Kate
Hi Renee, so you didn’t use honey or maple syrup?
Jennifer Cafaro
I’ve made many various granola recipes, and this is by FAR my favorite! I’ve made it to gift to others, and they all love it too!
I used honey as my sweetener, and pecans, walnuts and sliced almonds, sunflower seeds and coconut slivers. I also tossed in flaxseed meal and chia seeds. So good!
Kate
Hooray! Thanks for sharing, Jennifer.
Renee
Hi Kate, I did use maple syrup as stated in my original comment. I did not use honey, which I believe would give more of a clumpy texture, but didn’t want to further increase the sugar/sweetness value.
Kate
Thank you for commenting back, Renee. Sorry you didn’t get a great result. I’m puzzled.
D Chung
Thanks! This is one of the easiest yet most awesome granola recipe on the internet. I have a feeling I’ll be cooking this for the rest of my life!