Easy Homemade Granola
This crunchy, golden mixture of old fashioned oats, pure maple syrup, and warm spices comes together in minutes and bakes into perfect clusters that are far better than anything you'll find at the store. You control everything: the sweetness level, the crunch factor, and the mix-ins. No more settling for stale granola or paying premium prices for basic ingredients.
Equipment
- Large rimmed baking sheet - 18x13 inches or half-sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- Silicone baking mat - optional, alternative to parchment paper
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon - or spatula
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Wire cooling rack
- Airtight storage container - or glass jar
- Spatula - for pressing and stirring
Ingredients
- 4 cups old fashioned rolled oats - 360g
- 1 cup raw almonds - 120g, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup raw pecans - 70g, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes - 60g
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds - 35g
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds - 35g
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup - 120ml, or honey
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil - 80ml, or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Optional Add-Ins (added after baking)
- 1 cup dried cranberries - 150g
- 1/2 cup dried apricots - 80g, chopped
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips - 90g
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a large bowl, combine oats, chopped almonds, chopped pecans, coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, and sea salt. Toss until evenly distributed.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.
- Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes until every oat, nut, and seed is evenly coated with no dry patches.
- Pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet and spread into an even 1/2-inch thick layer. Press down firmly with a spatula or measuring cup to compact it.
- Bake for 15 minutes without opening the oven. Remove pan, gently stir, bringing edges toward center, then press down again. Return to oven and bake another 10-15 minutes until evenly golden brown.
- Remove pan from oven and place on a wire cooling rack. Press down one final time with a spatula. Do not disturb the granola while it cools for at least 1 hour.
- Once completely cool, break granola into clusters. If using, mix in dried fruits or chocolate chips. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
- Use old-fashioned oats only: Quick oats turn mushy and steel-cut oats won't soften properly in the short baking time.
- Don't skip the pressing step: Firmly pressing the granola before and during baking is the secret to creating those coveted clusters.
- Watch carefully near the end: Granola goes from golden to burned in just a few minutes, so stay vigilant during the last 5 minutes of baking.
- Cool completely undisturbed: Moving or stirring the granola while it's cooling will break up the clusters before they have a chance to set.
- Customize the sweetness: Start with less maple syrup if you prefer less-sweet granola; you can always add more next time.
- Add dried fruit after baking: Adding it before can cause it to burn or become too hard. Chocolate chips should also be added after the granola has cooled completely.
- Storage: Keep granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Refresh stale granola: If granola loses its crunch, spread on a baking sheet and bake at 300°F for 5-10 minutes.
- Nut-free variation: Replace all nuts with additional seeds like pumpkin, sunflower, sesame seeds, or hemp hearts.
- Double the batch: This granola keeps so well that it's worth making extra to always have some on hand.