Description
Homemade healthy granola recipe blends rolled oats, nuts, and seeds for a nutritious breakfast treat. Crisp clusters offer delightful crunch with natural sweetness you can enjoy fresh from the oven.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients:
- 4 cups (960 milliliters/32 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats (use certified gluten-free oats for gluten-free granola)
- 1 1/2 cups (360 milliliters/12 ounces) raw nuts and/or seeds (such as 1 cup pecans and 1/2 cup pepitas)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) fine-grain sea salt (or 3/4 teaspoon table salt)
Wet Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters/4 ounces) melted coconut oil or olive oil
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters/4 ounces) maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) vanilla extract
Mix-ins:
- 2/3 cup (160 milliliters/5.3 ounces) dried fruit, chopped if large (such as dried cranberries)
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters/4 ounces) optional chocolate chips or coconut flakes
Instructions
- Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper and heat the oven to 350F (175C).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine rolled oats, nuts, seeds, salt, and cinnamon, ensuring thorough mixing.
- Drizzle melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract over the dry ingredients, stirring until every element is evenly coated.
- Spread the granola mixture across the prepared baking sheet in a uniform layer, using a spatula to create an even surface.
- Slide the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake for 21-24 minutes, gently stirring halfway through to promote even browning. Press down the mixture after stirring to encourage clumping.
- Remove from the oven and allow the granola to cool completely without disturbing, approximately 45 minutes. The cooling process will enhance its crispness.
- Once cooled, incorporate dried fruit and optional chocolate chips. Gently break into desired chunk sizes using hands or a spoon.
- Transfer the finished granola to an airtight container, which can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or frozen for 3 months.
Notes
- Customize your granola by swapping out nuts or seeds based on personal preference or dietary needs, ensuring a unique flavor profile every time.
- Maintain a low oven temperature and stir midway to prevent burning and achieve an evenly golden, crispy texture that doesn’t clump too much.
- Experiment with alternative sweeteners like agave nectar or monk fruit syrup for different dietary requirements, keeping the same liquid-to-dry ingredient ratio.
- Add protein powder or collagen peptides during the dry ingredient mixing stage to boost nutritional value without compromising the granola’s delightful crunch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 24 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg