This homemade Granola is one of the easiest recipes out there, and it’s loaded with lots of healthy goodness. Simply combine all the ingredients, spread it on a pan, and bake! It literally takes 10 minutes to put together, and once it’s in the oven, the amazing fragrant smell will overwhelm you with delight.
This is my favorite granola that I absolutely love for breakfast, and always use it in my yogurt parfait. There’s absolutely nothing better than starting the morning off by topping fruit and yoghurt with some healthy crunchy nuts, filling oats, and a little sweetness from the coconut and maple syrup.
Healthy Easy Granola Recipe
- Healthy
- Simple and Easy
- Filling
- Perfect for Breakfast
- Versatile – customize with your favorite ingredients
Granola is one of those perfectly versatile foods because you can do so much with it. My friend loves making trail mix with it by adding extra ingredients like lots of dried cranberries or apricots, chocolate chips, and even more nuts. It’s a great treat to take on a long hike to give you that extra zip of energy. For something totally different, try adding it on top of salads for a nice sweet crunch.
Ingredient Notes
- Nuts – I used sliced almonds and chopped pecans or walnuts. You can substitute most nuts in granola, great options would be cashews, peanuts, pistachios, pepitas or sunflower seeds.
- Coconut – Coconut adds more flavor and crunch. If you don’t like coconut, feel free to omit it. You can use shredded coconut or flaked, sweetened or unsweetened.
- Olive oil – While I used olive oil which flavors this granola more on the savory side, you can substitute this with coconut oil.
- Oats – Use rolled, old fashioned, or whole oats.
- Salt – Helps to balance the sweetness, so don’t skip it.
- Maple Syrup – I use real maple syrup to provide a healthier sweetener than sugars.
- Vanilla – A touch of vanilla enhances flavors.
How To Make Granola
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the almonds, shredded coconut, pecans, rolled oats and salt.
- Add wet ingredients: To the dry ingredients bowl, stir in the maple syrup, olive oil and vanilla until well combined.
- Prepare and bake: Evenly spread the mixed ingredients on a sheet pan. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes.
FAQ’s & Expert Tips
FAQ’S
Is granola healthy?
Granola has been found to increase levels of healthy gut bacteria, compared with refined breakfast cereals. It also contains lots of healthy oats and nuts.
Is it cheaper to make your own granola?
Homemade granola is tastier, healthier, and cheaper than the store-bought version. Making granola in your own kitchen isn’t hard, time-consuming, or expensive.
What else can I add to my granola?
Granola is very versatile, some great mix-ins would be dried fruit, such as raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries or dried apricots. Other mix-ins could be chocolate chips, peanut butter chips or even add a bit of spices such as cinnamon or pumpkin spice.
TIPS
- Granola is very versatile and you can add or substitute many nuts, seeds, or dried fruit. If you add in too many ingredients, you may need to increase some of the wet ingredients so the mixture isn’t too dry.
- Always cool granola completely before storing.
- For something different, I’ll toss a handful of granola into either muffin or pancake batter to add texture and crunch.
Storing Granola
Granola can be stored in an airtight container, in a cool, dry spot for up to 6 months. Storing it in the refrigerator is not recommended since it can cause some of the ingredients to become soggy. Also, it’s very important to cool to room temperature before storing it to stop any condensation from making the granola soggy.
FREEZER
You can freeze granola just as you would cookies or other treats, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in a resealable freezer bag.