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 original recipe lose its crispness—and now it’s the only way I make granola. 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.
Whether you’re snacking straight from the jar or sprinkling it over Greek yogurt for a wholesome breakfast, this granola always satisfies. It also makes a lovely homemade gift for the holidays.
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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Can olive oil be used instead of the vegetable oil? I looking for a healthier oil. I haven’t tried this recipe, but it looks delicious!
Hi Sally, I worry the flavor of olive oil would be too strong but, if you don’t mind, it will work.
If you like coconut; try coconut oil..healthy and delicious!
This granola is delicious, thank you. I made several tweaks, no pecans or walnuts, or honey. I added pine nuts, half unsweetened coconut, agave syrup and dried Montmorency cherries. YUMMY! Thank you so much, I’ve finally found a keeper.
can maple syrup be substituted for honey?
Hi Lexa, Not sure it will be quite as sticky, so you might not get as many clumps — but other than that, it should work 🙂
How much protein is in this granola recipe?
Hi Lisa, Just added the nutritional info underneath the recipe. Hope that helps!
When I add 1/2 cup of this soy protein (non-GMO, non-sweetened, non-flavored), the amount of protein per serving goes from 8 to a little over 12 grams.
https://mikegrubic.myshaklee.com/us/en/shop/healthyfoundations/protein/product-_p_instant-proteinsupsup-soy-mixp
FYI. I initially used bulk-store dates. 17 of them weighed 90 grams. I now found the ones mentioned in the recipe. 17 of them weighed 313 grams. Makes a big difference in taste and consistency.
First time making granola. I added a little unflavored unsweetened non-GMO soy protein powder and replaced some of the honey with maply syrup and Agave.
But what concerns me is before I altered the recipe, my recipe software on the computer said that a 3/4 cup serving was almost 500 calories. Is this normal for granola and should not be a concern given that much is coming from fruit, nuts, and seeds?
Yes, granola is very high in calories b/c of the nuts. As for worrying about it, I would say it depends on your individual health goals. Some people are on calorie restricted diets, while others simply watch the quality of the calories. Hope that helps 🙂
Hi – can I replace some of the nuts with more oats to cut down on the calorie content? If so, what ratio would work?
You can swap out the nuts for oats or any other dry ingredients (like seeds or dried fruits) as long as you keep the ratios the same. Enjoy!
The best granola ever. As suggested in the procedure, I altered the nut ratio between almond, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecan nuts and Brazilian nuts and slightly adjusted the wheat germ and coconut flakes. I am not keen on dry fruit so I omit them when I make it – I sometimes though I add some fresh strawberries when enjoying a bowl of this granola.
The recipe is fantastic: It is fast and easy, and the taste is unbeatable in comparison to granola/cereals from supermarkets. I love it and so does my family (especially my mum – she eats it almost across the day when I make it). It is nowadays my breakfast when I would like cereals in the morning.
This is an excellent granola – no more buying it ready made in the stores, this is way better, and I had all the ingredients in my pantry already! Packed with quality ingredients, no fillers. I also added a few tablespoons of flax seed, some hemp hearts, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla. If you are using a dark colored honey, it browns the granola quickly in the oven so you will want to watch your baking time. This recipe doesn’t make a very sweet granola so you may want to add more sweetener to your taste.
Outstanding! My whole family loved it. Thanks, Jenn!
This is a really good granola recipe. I had never made granola before- I thought it was hard to do. Boy, was I wrong! I used walnut oil (because I had some open) instead of vegetable oil, and subbed maple syrup for the honey. I didn’t have any wheat germ. The result was marvelous. I didn’t wait for it to cool all the way before I had to have a bowl. YUM!!
Overall a delicious recipe and next time I make it I will follow the instructions more carefully…. I cut the oil and honey down to 1/4 cup each and accidentally mixed in the dried fruit before baking. It was still delicious, but it did not form “clusters” and the burned flavor of the dried fruit overpowered the delicate taste of the granola. In short, I would recommend following the instructions more carefully.
This is some tasty granola. And, yes, it turned me into a granola snob – I was short on time this weekend, so I picked up a bag of ‘small-batch, artisanal’ granola at the store…and it was so inferior to this recipe that today I caved and made a fresh batch. I think this will make a great hostess gift for the upcoming Xmas season!
Is it okay to use coconut oil in place of the vegetable oil?
Hi Jeanie, Yes, I think coconut oil would work well.
This is absolutely tasty! I have made it twice in two weeks and my husband can’t stop raving about it. I will never go for any store-bought granola anymore. I didn’t have walnut and used agave nectar instead of honey, but otherwise followed the recipe. Thanks for sharing!!
Delicious and you are right. This granola makes one become a granola snob.
Hi, just wondering how you work the oven conversion for simple gas ovens with no fan.
Thanks
Joel
Hi Joel, Here’s a good link with conversions: http://www.dovesfarm.co.uk/resources/conversion-tables/oven-temperature/
This recipe (and the chocolate pie one) are hereby relegated to once a year. I cannot stop snacking on this!! I used chopped apricots and that was a very good choice indeed. Yum does not begin to cover it. The house smells awesome. I added vanilla and that really sent me over the edge into something that made me glad I was by myself.
This granola is by far the best I have ever eaten. I follow the ratios of the recipe pretty much to the T, but I generally add vanilla, leave out the coconut (I’ve never been a fan), and replace the wheat germ with flax seeds (as I generally have these on hand). The recipe is a great base to add whatever kind nuts/grains you are in the mood for, and I normally double the batch. It stays fresh for 1-2 weeks in mason jars. I LOVE all of Jennifer’s recipes, but this is one of my favorites!
My family loves this granola! For a treat, sometimes, I’ll add mini chocolate chips and put it over ice cream. Love it! Thanks Jenn!
This was the first recipe I made on your site. I cut down some of the oil and it mad a very loose granola which was great for yogurt, which is what I use it for. Given the basics of the recipe, I changed it up some, adding some different nuts and dried fruit. I hope to make some of this to give to family members at Christmas.
Made this today and it was wonderful,thank you for the recipe.
I’ve made this several times and I LOVE it! Actually I can’t stay away from it. But, so much of it sticks to the pan and I hate to waste all that great granola. The last time I sprayed the foil and that helped a bit but didn’t solve the problem. Any more advice?
Hi Karen, I have noticed that some brands of foil (typically not the standard brands) stick to everything. Have you tried Reynolds Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil? Heacy duty is important for this recipe, as it’s usually nonstick. If you can’t find it (or have already tried it), try parchment paper…should work great.
I often make mine in a large fry pan on the stove top…works great!
Yes, we have turned into granola snobs now! 🙂 My family likes this the best over Greek yogurt drizzled with a little honey.
I made this but changed a few things.
I used coconut oil for the canola so left out the coconut since I didn’t have any and traded aguave, molasses and maple syrup combo for the honey. 🙂
This is a great recipe and can be changed according to what you have on hand or the taste of the day.
Thank you!
Jenn, this was delcious! Thanks for another fabulous recipe!
Add an bit of brown sugar (1/8 Cup) to make it have a sweet accent. Ahh.. PERFECTION!
This is my first shot at making my own granola. i am hooked to cranberry granola from a local market, but cant keep it as a staple in my house at $5Lb. I think this is the recipie they use. I just copied the ingrediant list and up popped this recipie! thanks for all the cooking tips!
I made this with slight changes to get the sugar carbs down a bit – used unsweetened coconut, bumped the nuts up to 3/4 c and left out the dried fruit. It is still fantastically good! I also turned the oven off at 20 minutes and let it sit in there for another 15 so I didn’t have to worry about burning it. Perfect golden brown.
Another great recipe that I will be trying very soon!
thanks for sharing!
Love!! Recipes I’ve used in the past have called for a little brown sugar.
Made this granola this morning and after it cooled, placed it in a bowl on the counter. My kids and husband have been nibbling on it all afternoon. The combination of nuts and dried fruits (used cherries, raisins and cranberries) is tasty. I did have a slight problem with sticking to the foil, and the granola is more chewy than we are used to, but that is probably due to the extreme heat and humidity we have here today.
This looks easy and tasty! Thanks!
I am always on the look out for a good granola recipe. Can’t wait to try this.
this looks wonderful – can not wait to try it.
This is YUMMY. A real treat. I divide it into the snack size ziploc bags. Just the right amount for a snack or milk. A great way to control portion size. Weigh the first couple of bags until you get the visual, then fill away. Great for lunches or afternoon snacks.
This is so much better than the granola I get at the store. I add Corn Flakes to mine to change up the texture and I omit the coconut. (Never have been a coconut fan!)
I don’t think I will be able to go back to store bought granola ever again! This is to die for!!!
I have my own tried and true Maple Walnut Granola recipe, but I’m gonna try this one too. I’ll let you know which one i like the best!
This is a fabulous granoa recipe. I have shared it with so many. I let it cook a little longer so that it is very brown. Great recipe!
Looks so good! I love homemade granola. This looks super similar to the one I make, except yours has more good stuff in it.
Awesome recipe! The sesame seeds add a wonderful flavor. I made mine with dried cherries, yummy!
This looks great. I love how versatile granola can be!
This is just YUMMY! We finished it so quickly 😛
This granola has got to be the best granola I have ever had. I am hooked!!! Love it! Thanks for sharing it with the world!
I’m having trouble with it sticking to the pan toward the end. Am I supposed to spray the foil with non-stick spray?
This is FABULOUS!! I love eating something that tastes so good and is actually good for me! This will be a staple in my frig from now on!
Tashu – the key to keeping it clumpy is to mix in the dried fruits while it’s still warm, then press it into an even layer to cool completely. Once it’s cool, break off big chunks. The less you handle it, the better.
I really enjoyed this granola recipe. Thanks. What can I do to make it more “clumpy?”
Wendy – A teaspoon of vanilla added to the honey and oil mixture should do the trick. Enjoy!
ooo… what a great gift! Looks yummy!
This recipe looks fabulous! My family loves Vanilla-Flavored Granola (Bare Naked is what we currently buy). If I wanted to give this a vanilla flavor, would I simply just add vanilla before baking and if so, how much do you recommend? Thanks!