The Best Homemade crunchy Granola Recipe
This golden, crunchy granola recipe has been a favourite in my home for years. Easy and fun to make, it’s naturally sweetened, rich in protein and fibre, and incredibly tasty. Perfect as a gift or a treat for yourself, it also fills your home with a wonderful aroma. Everyone who’s tried it asks for the recipe – so I decided to share it here!
This granola is not only easy to make but also super fun to prepare, especially with kids. They love pouring in ingredients and watching it bake into golden, crunchy goodness. Plus, you can customize it to suit your tastes, making it perfect for any dietary needs – vegan, nut-free, gluten-free.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Quick and Easy: Whip up a batch in under 30 minutes.
- Kid Friendly & Fun: Kids love helping with pouring and mixing.
- Healthy & Nutritious: Packed with protein and fiber to keep you energized.
- Versatile: Mix & match ingredients to create your perfect flavour.
- Beautiful Gift: Fill a nice jar, tie a ribbon, and give it as a thoughtful, homemade present.
- Kids Love It: Even my picky eaters!
How To make homemade granola crunchy?
The key to crunchy granola is to make sure you bake it long enough. You know the granola is ready to come out of the oven when it is toasted to a nice light golden brown colour. If you take it out before it gets golden, it will not be crunchy enough. However, you need to watch it closely at this stage, as it can quickly burn. It will further crisp as it cools, so as long as it is a nice golden colour it is ready to be removed from the oven.
How To Make Homemade granola clumpY?
I find that using honey works best for clumpy granola. You can also pack it down after you stir it, and don’t stir it again once it comes out of the oven until it has completely cooled.
What to eat with my homemade granola?
Serve your granola with yogurt or milk and some fresh berries. My favourite is blueberries, raspberries and some sliced strawberries. You can also add sliced banana, kiwi fruit, mango, fresh peaches or cherries, or your favourite melon (cantaloupe or watermelon).
Golden, Crunchy and Healthy Homemade Granola
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 Cups Whole Oats Old-fashioned rolled oats (Make sure to use certified gluten-free oats for gluten-free granola).
- 1/2 Cup Nuts I prefer sliced almonds and chopped pecans. But you can also try chopped walnuts, peanuts or pistachios or whatever nut you prefer.
- 1/2 Cup Seeds I use green pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds but feel free to use whatever seeds you prefer.
- 1/4 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp fine-grain sea salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 2-3 Tbsp Maple Syrup or Honey
- 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
- 1/2 Tsp Vanilla extract
Optional:
- 1/2 Cup Dried fruit (chopped if large) I use dried blueberries and/ or dried cranberries but feel free to add whatever dried fruit you prefer.
- 1/2 Cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 ° Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts, seeds, cinnamon and salt. Stir to combine.
- In a small saucepan melt the coconut oil, honey and/or maple syrup together.
- Once the coconut oil and honey (and/or maple syrup) have completely melted, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Add the melted coconut oil, honey (and/or maple syrup) and vanilla to the dry ingredients and mix well until the oats and nuts/seeds are completely coated.
- Pour the granola onto the prepared pan and use a large spoon to spread it in an even layer.
- Bake for 20 – 30 minutes, stirring and checking every 7-10 minutes. Watch closely as you don’t want the granola to burn. When the granola starts to turn slightly brown, remove from the oven. The granola will further crisp up as it cools.
- Let the granola cool completely and then add the shredded coconut and dried fruit.
- Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, or in a sealed freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
