Granola is a crunchy breakfast cereal with oats, nuts, seeds, and sweeteners. It is most commonly served with milk, yogurt, or fresh fruit. In recent years, granola has been hailed as a more suitable alternative to traditionally consumed cereals, thanks to its nutrient-dense properties. While most grocery stores and farmer’s markets sell one or more varieties of granola, this dish is incredibly easy to make at home, often for a fraction of the cost!
Ingredients for homemade granola
Homemade granola recipes are easy as they require only a handful of ingredients.
Oats
Old-fashioned rolled oats work the best to achieve a crunchy and chewy granola texture. While instant oats can also be used to reduce the cooking time, the dish may not have as much texture. Gluten-free oats can be used for those looking for an alternative.
Nuts and seeds
Various nuts and/or seeds can be used to make granola, such as pecans, pepitas, walnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, and sunflower seeds.
Oil
Adding oil is important to achieve the crunchy texture of granola. While coconut and olive oil are most preferred, many also use butter for binding and crunch. Those looking to cut back on oil can switch to egg white and applesauce to help the granola clump together.
Sweetener
Honey and maple syrup are commonly used to sweeten granola because they add a natural sweetness that is difficult to achieve with regular sugar. Their liquid consistency also helps coat the ingredients well. If honey or maple syrup is unavailable, brown sugar, agave nectar, or date syrup (or even regular dates) can be used to sweeten granola.
Salt and spice
A little bit of salt and spice goes a long way to bring all the flavors together. A pinch of fine-grain sea salt and a touch of cinnamon, ground ginger, or pumpkin spice can add warmth.
Dried fruit
Dried fruits are an incredible addition to granola for a little extra sweetness and a chewy texture. Dried cranberries, tart, dried cherries, raisins, or chopped dried apricots give granola a delicious chew.
Other mix-ins
Mix-ins like fresh citrus zest, chocolate chips, or unsweetened coconut flakes add flavor and pizzazz to a simple granola recipe.
DIY homemade granola recipes
Granola is incredibly easy (and versatile) to make at home. It requires a handful of ingredients that are generally already a part of one’s pantry.
Basic 3-ingredient granola
Let’s start with a basic granola recipe that only calls for three ingredients—rolled oats, coconut oil, and maple syrup. This simple granola recipe requires no sugar and can easily be customized to one’s taste and preferences.
- Preheat the oven to 300℉.
- Mix the oats, oil, and maple syrup and lay these out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Bake the mixture for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once baked, let the granola cool until it reaches a crunchy consistency.
- Store this in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Orange and almond granola
For a kick of flavor, try this orange and almond granola recipe.
- Start by rubbing together some orange zest with a couple of tablespoons of sugar. Do this until their flavors are infused together, and the sugar turns bright orange.
- Combine the oats, almonds, salt, cinnamon, and orange sugar in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the liquids, such as olive oil, honey, and a touch of vanilla extract, and mix well.
- Pour the mixture onto a prepared baking sheet in a single layer and bake it in a preheated oven at 350℉ for about 20 minutes until it turns golden brown.
- Let the granola cool down and then mix in dry fruits.
- Store it in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.
Triple coconut granola
Get a hit of the tropics with this triple coconut granola recipe. It uses ingredients like oats, cinnamon, slivered almonds, sea salt, ground ginger, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, coconut flakes, shredded coconut, and dried fruit (of choice).
- In a large mixing bowl, pour in the oats, almonds, cinnamon, salt, and ground ginger. Add the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla, and mix well.
- Spread the mixture on a prepared baking sheet and bake it at 350℉ for 15 minutes.
- Add the coconut flakes and the shredded coconut, stir well, and mix for another 5-10 minutes until the granola reaches a light golden color.
- Allow the granola to cool before storing it in an airtight container at room temperature.
Tips to make crunchy granola at home
To make crunchy and clumpy granola at home, having some tips on hand can help.
- Crowd the oats in a pan (just enough to ensure they stick together but cook evenly).
- Line the pan with parchment paper or a rubber mat so the sweetener does not stick to it.
- To encourage clumping, press down on the granola with the back of a spatula at the halfway baking point.
- Avoid baking the granola for too long, as this could burn it. Bake just until it reaches a light golden color and then allow it to cool.
- Let the granola cool before breaking it up. This technique makes it easier to control the clump sizes.
