Homemade Granola

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!

Best granola

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!

Oats, nuts, coconut, and cinnamon in a bowl

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!

How to make granola

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!)

Homemade granola recipe

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.

Homemade granola

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:

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Homemade Granola

rate this recipe:
4.93 from 264 votes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Love granola? Learn how to make your own! Feel free to customize this recipe with your favorite nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.

Ingredients

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.

 

257 comments

4.93 from 264 votes (154 ratings without comment)

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Megan
    08.21.2022

    5 stars
    Yum! I made a quadruple batch and froze half. I love the addition of almond butter. Great recipe!

  2. Tianna
    08.05.2022

    I use this recipe alllll the time to make my own granola! I love it so much that there’s absolutely no type of granola I find at the store that I would rather buy. So simple, so customizable… and the smell of cinnamon that fills the house when it’s baking is so delightful 🙂

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.10.2022

      Hi Tianna, I’m so glad you loved it so much!

  3. Mical
    07.20.2022

    5 stars
    How long does this last if in an airtight container? One week? Two weeks?

    • sarah
      08.06.2022

      5 stars
      i think it can last around a month if u store it after letting it cool completely!

  4. Lisa
    07.14.2022

    5 stars
    I just made this granola and it is five stars. I added a little honey to it at the end after it baked and I added the dried fruit but other than that I followed the directions and it is super delicious. Can’t wait to try it in the morning with our Greek yogurt. Thank you for the recipe!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.16.2022

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  5. maria
    06.23.2022

    5 stars
    loved this granola but it was too large of a batch. If I half the recipe, is the baking time the same?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.26.2022

      Hi Maria, the baking time should be the same, I would check just a few minutes earlier to be sure.

  6. Teresa
    06.16.2022

    5 stars
    Yum! I’ve been making this for months!
    Love it!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.18.2022

      So happy you’ve been loving it!

  7. Chris David
    05.28.2022

    I loved this recipe so much . It’s really awesome

  8. Margaret Murray
    05.23.2022

    Hi there! My granola is in the oven right now! I’m looking forward to it. Can you tell me what the nutrition balance is? Thanks!

  9. Jason
    05.08.2022

    5 stars
    After making this granola recipe, I only wrote down one adjustment: “make double batch!”. Yeah, it’s that good.

    Thank you for the recipe, this will be go-to recipe for me. I like how it’s not too sweet, and the salt balances everything out perfectly without being overbearing.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.09.2022

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  10. Janet
    05.08.2022

    Has anyone subbed out coconut oil, and if so, what did you use? Thanks!

    • Terra
      05.18.2022

      I was wondering the same, I have a major allergy

      • Jeanine Donofrio
        05.19.2022

        Hi Terra, I think any neutral oil should work (like avocado oil)

    • F
      06.19.2022

      4 stars
      Hi Janet,

      I use sunflower oil as I’m not too big on coconut oil in cooking. Sunflower oil is neutral. Olive oil too , walnut oil, rapeseed oil and avocado oils have a unique odor associated with them so check beforehand. If you aren’t a vegetarian, I once watched on TV a British medic-chef substituting using egg-whites for oil/fat.

      Regards, F

  11. Patty
    04.19.2022

    5 stars
    Probably the best granola recipe ever! I add flax seed and chia seeds for some extra goodness.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.20.2022

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  12. Landon
    04.06.2022

    5 stars
    This is so good! Just curious how many calories are in 6 Tbsp of granola?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.08.2022

      I’m sorry, we don’t calculate nutrition facts but you can plug the ingredients into a site like my fitness pal.

  13. Abigail
    03.16.2022

    5 stars
    This granola is seriously the best granola ever! It is so easy to make, turns out perfect every time, and gives you the freedom to play around with what you put in it. My go to is peanut butter with half almonds half walnuts, cranberries, coconut, and half maple syrup half honey! It goes perfect on my yogurt l, as a snack with fruit, over milk, or as a sweet treat! I can’t get enough!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.16.2022

      I’m so glad it’s been such a flexible recipe! Your variations sound so delicious!

  14. Karyn
    03.12.2022

    5 stars
    Love this granola. Turns out perfect every time.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.13.2022

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  15. Angel
    02.22.2022

    5 stars
    Loooooove this recipe! It comes out great every time.

  16. Megan
    02.20.2022

    This is truly the best granola recipe!! I typically use honey and PB instead of maple syrup and almond butter (just bc $$) and it always turns out so great!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      02.21.2022

      I’m so glad you’ve loved it! Happy to hear it’s worked well with honey and peanut butter.

  17. Ginny
    01.30.2022

    I love all your recipes & tips, but I have a question. In your tips for the perfect hard boiled egg, which is the perfect one ? Bright yellow or paler yellow ? How long is Cook time on that 1, 10 or 12 minutes ?

    Thanks for the hp ! I eat hard boiled eggs almost daily. & am looking for some tips ?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      02.01.2022

      Hi Ginny, that is a personal preference, so it’s up to you! Some people like the yolk more firm, some like it less.

  18. Mae from Www.veganchefmae.com
    01.28.2022

    3 stars
    I’ve made this a few times recently. It’s really easy and yummy! I’ve been adding cacao nibs and chocolate chips ? I’m running low on walnuts so I think I’ll make it with peanuts next time.

  19. Andi
    01.24.2022

    3 stars
    This is better without the salt. The amount that the recipe calls for is way too much! Otherwise, it is a really good recipe.

  20. Diane
    12.21.2021

    I’m wondering if you think I could replace the coconut oil with almond oil? Coconut allergy….

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      12.22.2021

      Hi Diane, that should work.

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.