There's a lot to love about this homemade granola recipe. It's easy to make, it's healthy, it's delicious, and it will make your kitchen smell amazing!
If you’re anything like me, you’ve spent hours in the granola aisle at the grocery store, trying to find just the right kind. You know the one – it has lots of fun mix-ins like nuts and dried fruit, it’s sweet, but not too sweet, it’s spiced with cinnamon, and it’s filled with big clusters of oats and nuts. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve come to realize that it’s nearly impossible to find the perfect granola at the store.
Enter: my homemade granola recipe! Instead of using white or brown sugar, I sweeten it naturally with a modest amount of maple syrup, so it’s just the right amount of sweet. I spice it generously with cinnamon, and I add a scoop of almond butter to form lots of nutty clusters. It’s also customizable, a yummy template for whatever dried fruits and nuts I (or you) might be craving.
But best of all, it’s easy to make! Just stir together the dry ingredients, drizzle in the wet ingredients, and mix it all together. Bake for 30 minutes, and it’s ready to go. Healthy, simple, and totally delicious, this recipe is guaranteed to make you a homemade granola convert!
Granola Recipe Ingredients (+Variations!)
My healthy granola recipe starts with four basic ingredients: whole rolled oats, maple syrup, cinnamon, and coconut oil. Then, I add these mix-ins for extra flavor and texture:
- Almond butter – The key ingredient for creating delicious nutty clusters! Plus, it packs this granola recipe with protein.
- Chopped walnuts – They add crunch, protein, and healthy fats! Walnuts are my go-to here, but I often swap them for another nut or seed or use a mix. Chopped or slivered almonds, pecans, pistachios, cashews, and sunflower seeds are some of my favorites.
- Unsweetened coconut flakes – If you’re not a coconut person, feel free to leave these out, but I love their toasty, buttery flavor and crispy texture in this recipe.
- Dried cranberries – For a pop of sweetness and yummy chewy texture! I’m a cranberry fan, but goji berries, raisins, chopped dried apricots, dried currants, tart cherries, and blueberries would all be great. And if you prefer your granola without dried fruit, go ahead and skip it!
Let me know what variations you try!
Homemade Granola Tips
- More nutty clusters = better granola. Big clusters of oats and nuts are hands down the best part of granola. To encourage these clumps to form, press the oats mixture into a 1-inch thick oval for the first 15 minutes of baking. Then, remove the pan from the oven and use a fork to gently break the oval apart. Bake for 15 minutes more, and you’ll end up with lots of delicious clusters!
- Let it cool before diving in. Your homemade granola will continue to crisp up as it cools. It’s tempting to start eating it as soon as it comes out of the oven, but if you let it rest for 15 minutes on the sheet pan, it’ll be extra crisp and toasty – totally worth the wait!
- Add the dried fruit at the end. You don’t want to run the risk of burning your dried fruit in the oven, so stir it into the granola after it cools. That way, you know any dried fruit you add will be soft and chewy, not crisp. (P.S. It doesn’t hurt to add a handful of chocolate chips at this stage, either!)
Store your granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Enjoy it on its own as a snack, add it to a yogurt parfait, or eat it like cereal with a splash of milk! I love granola with my homemade maple vanilla oat milk.
More Favorite Breakfast Recipes
If you love this homemade granola recipe, find more healthy breakfast ideas here and more brunch ideas here. Then, try making one of these oat-y breakfasts next:
Homemade Granola
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole rolled oats
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, (or almonds, or a mix of both)
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes, optional
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons creamy almond butter
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the oats, walnuts, coconut flakes, if using, cinnamon, and salt. Drizzle in the coconut oil and maple syrup and add the almond butter. Stir until combined. Scoop the granola onto the baking sheet and press the mixture into a 1-inch-thick oval. This will encourage clumping.
- Bake for 15 minutes, rotate the pan halfway, and use a fork to gently break the granola apart just a bit. Bake for 15 minutes more, or until golden brown. Sprinkle with dried cranberries, if desired. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
I have made this so many times I do not have to look at the recipe any longer. I always double it. I actually melt the coconut oil, then heat the maple syrup and the almond butter and mix them together before adding them to the dry ingredients. I also bake it longer because it’s so much. Love it. Thank you.
Hi Paula, I’m so thrilled to hear it’s become a favorite!
What if I use tahini instead of almond butter? And and add a tahini and cocoa powder and sugar icing on top?
Hi Joey, I think tahini replacing the almond butter would be wonderful. I’m not sure about icing on top, but if that’s what you’re craving, then go for it!
I make this regularly and love it! I switch out the walnuts for pistachios and add a little grated orange rind. I also decrease the maple syrup by a T and add an extra T of almond butter. Great with a few chocolate chips stirred in at the end, and if I do add dried fruit I do cherries. It’s fun to play with different add ins. I’ve also done dried pears with almonds instead of the walnuts.
I’m so glad you’ve loved it – I’ll have to try some of your variations!
Best homemade granola recipe I have ever made. I didn’t use flaked coconut because I didn’t have any but with the coconut oil it was fine without. I also used dried blueberries and chai flavored almond butter and it was lovely. I love this recipe and it will be fun using different ingredients.
It stayed nice and crisp in a plastic glad brand container.
I’m so glad you loved the granola! That variation sounds so delicious. 🙂
What is best way to store once it’s cooled?
Hi Renee, I keep it in an airtight container at room temp.
Great recipes. Helpful to include nutritional values per serving.
Love this recipe! I add a little maple syrup once it’s on the pan in clumps to help it stay in clumps better. Just wish I knew the nutrition facts for this recipe.
Hi Shanna, so glad you love it! We don’t calculate nutrition facts for our recipes, so the best way to get a nutrition estimate is to use an online nutrition calculator like MyFitnessPal.
Can I use quick cook oats?
Thanks!
Hi Barbara, I think that would work fine! The texture might be a bit different, and I’d start checking the granola a few minutes earlier, as whole rolled oats are thicker than quick-cooking ones.
I have been using the recipe for a couple of years and have been meaning to comment. Love the versatility and endless substitutions you can do to change it up. Lately I have been using costcos mixed nut butter in place of almond butter and honey to sweeten. My fav nut combo are raw almonds & pumpkin seeds.
Hi Tracy, I’m so glad the recipe has been so versatile for you!
The most delicious granola I have made with all of the right ingredients! I have made other recipes and they are not as delicious as yours. Thank you so very much!! (Eliminated almonds because of food allergy, but extremely tasty!!)
So glad you loved the granola!!
I love this recipe and make it on a weekly basis. It’s the only granola I eat. Have it in the morning with plain yogurt, some berries and a little maple syrup. It is simply divine!!!
I’m so glad you’ve loved it!
I followed the instructions and my granola would not clump it remained flakey. What can I do to get the clumps
Same thing happened to mine as well. I cannot get it to clump. I followed the directions to a tee but it didn’t get crunchy at all. It tasted great but without the crunchy texture I’m left with just blah blah blah.
Where did I go wrong?
Hi Trixie, it sounds like it came out underbaked. Ovens can really vary.
Do you really have to put this on parchment paper…you can’t just do it directly on the cookie sheet or sheet pan? I don’t have parchment paper…rarely have a need for it…. Thanks!
Update: I just lightly greased my sheet pan with canola oil. Worked just fine. Also… this granola came out SCRUMPTIOUS!! WAY better than store-bought. I added coconut flake, pumpkin seed, dried cranberry, raisins, slivered almonds and chocolate morsels.