This easy granola recipe is the perfect topping for a yogurt parfait or fresh fruit bowl, sweetened only with a touch of vanilla and honey or maple syrup.
I make a lot of yogurt and yogurt-containing recipes, so I always make sure I have some granola on hand since it's just one of those perfect culinary pairings. I love it with this strawberry smoothie bowl, black raspberry bowl, cranberry yogurt or yogurt parfait, or simply over some plain homemade yogurt or whipped yogurt.
Not a yogurt fan? It's also amazing over a fresh berry salad or as a cereal with your favorite choice of milk. And once you get used to making it, you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner! 🙂 For other easy breakfast ideas, try these peanut butter protein balls or this smashed avocado toast with egg.
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Only 5 minutes of prep time
- Minimal, easy to find ingredients
- No added processed sugar
- Stores well for at least 2 weeks
- Wholesome, filling breakfast or snack add-on
🌿 Ingredients
As promised, the ingredients for this granola recipe are simple and easy to find at any large grocery store. I like using sliced almonds, but you can use your favorite chopped nuts instead like pecans, walnuts, cashews or any combo of nuts!
Once the granola cools, you can any favorite add-ons like chocolate chips or dried cranberries.
See recipe card below for exact quantities.
📝 Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Then, add the oats, nuts, cinnamon and salt to a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Pour in the melted oil, honey or maple syrup and vanilla. Use a silicone spatula or large spoon to stir well.
Step 3: Keep stirring until everything is coated evenly.
Step 4: Pour the granola out evenly onto the lined baking sheet. You'll want about a centimeter of height so that you end up with some larger clumps of granola.
Step 1: Bake your granola for 25-30 minutes and turn the baking sheet around after about 15 minutes.
Step 2: Let the granola cool fully for at least 30 minutes on the baking sheet, and then break apart with your hands or a knife and store in an airtight container. Feel free to add any optional add-ins like chocolate chips or dried fruit after it's cool.
📋 Substitutions
As written, this granola is gluten free, dairy free and vegetarian. Note that you'll need to use certified gluten free oats in the case of celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
- Rolled oats - also called "old fashioned oats"; please note that quick oats or steel cut oats do not work well for this recipe
- Almonds - use any combination of sliced or chopped almonds, cashews, pecans or walnuts; I like using sliced or slivered almonds for this recipe but I often add other chopped nuts too if I have them on hand
- Cinnamon - feel free leave out if you don't have any on hand
- Sea salt - table salt is fine too!
- Coconut oil - you can substitute olive oil or canola oil
- Honey - substitute maple syrup or agave syrup for vegan granola
- Vanilla - you can also use pure vanilla powder or almond extract, or just leave out
📖 Variations
Here are a few of my favorite variations on this granola recipe:
- Nut free granola - substitute sunflower seeds, pepitas or a combination of both for the almonds
- Granola with cranberries - mix ⅓ cup of sweetened dried cranberries into your granola once it's cool (raisins work well too!)
- Granola with chocolate chips - add ⅓ cup of chocolate chips to the granola after it cools for a super kid-friendly variation; even though the granola is delicious as is, it's hard to turn down once chocolate chips are in the mix 😉
🔪 Equipment
I used the following equipment to make this recipe:
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- large mixing bowl
🍱 Storage
Granola will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
🎉 Top tip
Make sure you let your granola cool completely for at least 30 minutes once it comes out of the oven. That way, it'll reach its full crispness and will be ready to store for at least two weeks.
Enjoy!
💭 FAQ
To make your own granola, the three main ingredients you'll need are old-fashioned rolled oats, an oil such as melted coconut oil, and a sweetener such as honey or maple syrup.
Nuts such as sliced almonds or chopped pecans, walnuts or cashews all make great add-ins for granola, as well as dried fruit or chocolate chips mixed in after baking and cooling. Common flavorings include ground cinnamon and vanilla or almond extract.
You'll want to bake your granola slowly at a temperature around about 325°F for 25-30 minutes to achieve crunchy granola. For less crunch and browning, you can reduce the heat to 300°F.
Before you bake your granola, make sure to lay it out evenly on a lined baking sheet with most of it sticking together so that you end up with larger clumped pieces at the end. Additionally, make sure that you don't lay it out too flat; about a centimeter of height is a good rule of thumb.
🍳 Recipe
Easy Homemade Granola
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Mix: Add the oats, nuts, cinnamon and salt to a large mixing bowl. Pour the melted oil, honey or syrup and vanilla over them and stir well to coat everything evenly.
- Bake: Pour the granola out evenly onto the lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, turning the baking sheet around halfway through. You'll want about a centimeter of height so that you end up with some larger pieces or granola.
- Enjoy: Let cool fully for at least 30 minutes on the baking sheet, sprinkle in the optional dried fruit or chocolate chips if desired, and store in an airtight container at room temperature. You can use your hands or a knife to break apart the larger pieces.
Thoneka Ngezana
Hi. I would like to be notified with your recipes
Allison
Hi Thoneka--wonderful! You can subscribe for my free newsletter anytime at https://www.onehappydish.com/subscribe/ and I'll send you all of the latest recipes. Thanks for your interest! 🙂
Allison
This granola was so good with vanilla Greek yogurt and fresh strawberries!