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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Finding commercial varieties too sweet and hard, I have never been a granola fan but I wanted to give this recipe a try and it is another keeper!
Simple to make and delicious!
I did not have heavy duty aluminum foil the first time I made it, the granola stuck to the foil. The second time I made it I used foil and parchment paper on top, perfect but perhaps the granola did not brown as much as when baked directly on foil.
You may want to experiment with different varieties of honey. I made by last batch with blueberry honey which gives the granola a distinct, yummy flavour. I’m making my 3rd batch today, again with blueberry honey.
Another winner, a favourite in my household. Thanks again Jenn.
Love the granola. I didn’t have wheat germ or sunflower seeds so subbed with more walnuts, pecans and almonds. I used my large baking tray but as my first try at this I want expecting it to fill the whole pan thickly. I used heavy duty foil but it stuck and I will try the parchment paper next time. I was wondering if you take the granola off the foil warm or cold. I tried both, and both stuck to the foil. Having said that it makes a good amount so there was still plenty. Another delicious recipe!
Just made this for the first time. Delicious but one issue-as it cooled, granola stuck to the foil a bit and I had to peel it off. Normal or anything I can do to fix? Parchment? Thnx!
Hi Marit, sorry that you had a problem with the granola sticking – Have you tried Reynolds Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil or Reynolds Non-Stick Foil? If you can’t find either (or have already tried them), try parchment paper – it should work great.
I just made this granola and I love it. Real easy to make and this was my first time every making granola. I added vanilla, just because. I will not buy granola from the store again…thanks for the recipe
Hi Jenn
Would quick cooking oats (quaker) work just as well as old fashioned??
Thanks
Vanita
Hi Vanita, They’ll work but you’ll get a nicer texture with whole oats. Enjoy!
My husband has diabetes. Can I use stevia instead of honey in the granola??? Thank you, Marsha
Hi Marsha, I’ve never used Stevia, so I can’t say for sure, but I suspect the liquid form should work). I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Hi, Jenn! Mine is an odd question (of course). At a local farm market last summer, I bought a bottle of Sweet Potato Syrup. It has sugar in it but no corn syrup. The texture is more like maple syrup than honey. What do you think about replacing the honey with it? Know that my all time, to die for, granola recipe is your Maple Blueberry one from the cookbook. Might I be better to substitute there? I just wanted to try this one for a change, expecting a stickier consistency. Do you think I should adjust the oil?? Thanks….
Hmmm… I’m not familiar with sweet potato syrup, so I’m really not certain, but I suspect it might work. (I wouldn’t adjust the amount of oil in the recipe.) LMK how it turns out!
The sweet potato syrup worked well for my taste. My sense is that this granola’s texture was more sticky due to the honey, which is not really my preference. The sweet potato syrup has sugar in it rather than honey or syrup, which kept the texture nicely crisped. I used organic apricots, which I would not do in the future, simply b/c of their texture. I think a berry would be better. Thanks for another 5 star recipe, Jenn! Will buy more bottles at the farm market this summer!
This recipe is fantastic and very versatile! I left out the dried fruit, wheat germ and salt. Added pumpkin seeds and used coconut oil, maple syrup and rice malt syrup. I used a large non stick pan and used the stove top…toasted the nuts, seeds and coconut first and set aside. Then toasted the oatmeal, added the oil, sweeter mixture and nut/seed mixture. Worked for me as I didn’t want to heat up the oven. Very nice with greek yogurt and fresh fruit.
This has been my go-to granola for a couple of years. Recently, though, I cut down on sugar in my diet. I switched to plain yogurt with homemade applesauce for breakfast, but I would love to be able to top it with some low sugar/low fat granola. Any ideas?
Hi Paula, I think you could use this recipe, but just cut back on the honey. It will still be good; it just won’t clump as well. Hope that helps!
I made one batch of this and love it. Unfortunately my wife does not like coconut. Any suggestions on substitution?
Glad you like it, Steve! And yes, you can omit the coconut; just use more of any of the other dried ingredients in the recipe.