Granola
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Say goodbye to store-bought granola—this homemade version full of crunchy clusters will spoil you for anything else!
Think of this granola not just as a recipe, but as your go-to, foolproof technique for creating the crunchiest, cluster-packed granola ever. I developed this recipe to counteract humidity that was making my bed and breakfast granola lose its crispness—and now it’s the only way I make it (though many readers have shared that they love the B&B version too). It’s wonderfully adaptable: Start with old-fashioned rolled oats, and then mix in your choice of nuts and seeds for texture and healthy fats. For sweetness, add brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey. Bake this mix to golden perfection and then toss in a handful of your favorite dried fruit once it’s cooled.
The secret to those delightfully crunchy, clusters? A single egg white. This ingredient is a game-changer, binding everything together to create those satisfying clusters while reducing the overall fat content by cutting down on the amount of oil. As the granola bakes, the egg white proteins firm up, acting like a natural glue that holds the oats and nuts together.
Table of Contents
“I have been looking for a homemade granola that checks all the boxes, and THIS one here is IT!”
What You’ll Need To Make Granola
- Vegetable oil or melted coconut oil: Provides moisture and helps bind the ingredients.
- Maple syrup (or honey) and light brown sugar: Adds sweetness and enhances flavor.
- Egg white: Helps create crunchy clusters.
- Vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt: Provides flavor and seasoning to the granola.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: The base ingredient, providing bulk and texture.
- Nuts of your choice (such as almonds, walnuts, and/or pecans): Adds crunch and nutty flavor.
- Seeds (such as sunflower seeds and/or pumpkin seeds): Adds additional texture, crunch, and nutrition.
- Shredded sweetened or unsweetened coconut: Adds a delightful tropical flavor and texture (optional).
- Dried fruit (such as raisins, cranberries, and/or dried blueberries): Offers a sweet and chewy contrast to the crunchy granola (optional).
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300°F and set a rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, egg white, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
Whisk to combine.
Add the oats, nuts, seeds, and shredded coconut (if using).
Spread the mixture into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven. Stir the mixture with a rubber spatula and press into an even, compact layer on the baking sheet. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden, without stirring.
Remove from the oven and allow the granola to cool completely on the baking sheet. It will become crunchier as it cools. Once cooled, break into clusters and add the dried fruit.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s fine to reduce the sweeteners slightly, but keep in mind that it will affect the overall balance of flavors.
Absolutely! One of the great advantages of making granola at home is the flexibility to customize it to your preferences. You can adjust the types and quantities of nuts, seeds, dried fruits, sweeteners, and spices to create your perfect blend.
Granola can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days.
Yes, the granola can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in on the counter before enjoying.
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Granola
Say goodbye to store-bought granola—this homemade version full of crunchy clusters will spoil you for anything else!
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup (or honey)
- ¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg white
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1¼ cup nuts of your choice (such as almonds, walnuts, and/or pecans), roughly chopped
- ¼ cup seeds (such as sunflower seeds and/or pumpkin seeds, or replace with more nuts)
- ½ cup shredded sweetened or unsweetened coconut, optional
- ½ cup dried fruit (such as raisins, cranberries, and/or dried blueberries), optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F and set a rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, egg white, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Add the oats, nuts, seeds, and shredded coconut (if using).
- Spread the mixture into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven. Stir the mixture with a rubber spatula, and then press into an even, compact layer on the baking sheet. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden, without stirring.
- Remove from the oven and allow the granola to cool completely on the baking sheet. It will become crunchier as it cools. Once cooled, break the granola into clusters of your desired size and add the dried fruit. Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for about 10 days, or freeze for longer storage.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: This granola can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in on the counter before using.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Serving size: 1 cup
- Calories: 353
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Sugar: 15 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 179 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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In the storage section is says to store “10 days weeks”. Which is it? thank you.
Whoops! Definitely days 🙂
I am so excited to try this! I made the original recipe, but didn’t get any clumps, and I live in a dry climate. It tasted amazing though! Looking forward to seeing the difference that an egg white makes.
This is very easy to make and also delicious. I have made it several times.
This is a wonderful recipe. My daughter came for a visit and for breakfast wanted granola to put on her yogurt but I didn’t have any. I thought it can’t be hard to find a recipe but I wanted a very good recipe. This is the best. The only change I made was I didn’t have wheat germ but I substituted wheat bran and I doubled the recipe. It was perfect. Thank you for the recipe. She also has a lot to take home and freeze.
Hi Jen! I’m hoping for some feedback on this one. The flavor is perfect, and it did clump together, it mine was still a bit sticky. It definitely wasn’t crunchy or crispy. Any feedback as to why? The only sub I made was to use coconut instead of vegetable oil. I’d really like to give this as gifts, but am missing the crunch factor.
Hi Shaynee, It sounds like your granola is a bit undercooked. You could try putting it back in the oven for a bit to see if it crisps up, or just bake your next batch a bit longer. Your oven could run cooler than mine. The coconut oil shouldn’t be an issue. The only other thing I can think of is if you’re storing it in a humid environment?
Hi Jen! What would you suggest as a substitute for coconut flakes, (relative doesn’t love the flavor of coconut) would you do a dried fruit? Thanks for the best recipes!!
Hi Barrie, you can just leave it out. And so glad you like the recipes! 🙂
YOUR STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS MAKE EVEN THE “CAN’T COOK” INDIVIDUALS ABLE TO MAKE THIS. THE VISUALS ARE WONDERFUL
This was REALLY good. I made pretty much as described except I used salted sunflower seeds. Yummy! I had to hide it from my husband cuz he couldn’t stop eating it!! 😆
Finally a granola that clumps, YaY! Thank you Jenn, this is by far my fav granola recipe ever. I didn’t have wheat germ so subbed ground flaxseed, and it was perfect!
So delicious and easy to make. This was my 1st time making granola and I had in the past searched for granola recipes. Now that I am retired and my expensive fav “Cafe Fanny” granola is no longer in business so can’t buy it at my health food store any more, I decided to use Jenn’s as everything I prepare of her recipes are delicious. I used all her ingredients, coconut oil and raisins/currants. Left in oven at least 10 min more to get brown as I opened oven to mix granola several times. Seems wet when taking out of oven, but after you add the dried fruit, mix it up, spread and compact it to cool, it hardens beautifully. then break apart. Nice and crunchy. Great snack too. My husband loves it too! Thank you for another great recipe.
Oh, another note, I use all organic ingredients.
Delicious, simple and finally a clumping granola! Thx for a perfect recipe, love the addition of sunflower seeds!