Easy Homemade Granola Recipe

This easy recipe for homemade granola is loaded with healthy oats, nuts and seeds, perfect for breakfast! With just a hint of sweetness, simply choose your favorite nuts and seeds to make a treat your whole family will enjoy.

First, let me tell you why we love this recipe so much that we make it throughout the year. While living in Idaho, we started making granola because we needed an alternative to the expensive store bought options. So, a friend showed us just how to make this easy homemade granola recipe.

Homemade means you can make this recipe your own. The versatility is endless! Initially I followed the granola recipe exactly how written, but then found variations fun to try and delicious! While you consider what variations you can use, consider what’s in season or simply what you have in your pantry. This recipe works well with so many combinations.

For me, I prefer using walnuts, almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds in my granola because these ingredients are easily found in bulk and always well stocked in our home. Plus, having two growing boys, these ingredients don’t break the bank!

Additionally granola stores well and is great with milk, over yogurt or ice cream, or as a snack, If you’re looking for a great gift idea, this granola is a great idea! Friends and family will think you spent hours in the kitchen making this delicious treat, when really, it’s super easy to make!

What’s our favorite way to enjoy homemade granola? Definitely over homemade dairy free yogurt with fresh strawberries!

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VARIATION OF HOMEMADE GRANOLA

As I mentioned, for a number of reasons, we use almonds, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds. Cashews are the most expensive of the above, but they add a great flavor!

• Are you looking for a gluten free option? If you use a gluten free oat, like Bob’s Red Mill, then this homemade granola recipe can easily become gluten free.
• Additionally, consider changing which nuts you use in this recipe. Pecans can make a great alternative to cashews in late fall and early winter because they are in season. Also, if you’d like to lower the amount of sweetener needed, pecans will add a taste of sweetness to this granola.
• Similarly, consider changing which seeds you use in this recipe. Recently I started adding chai seeds to this recipe. Packed with protein, they are super healthy and easy to find as a bulk ingredient.
• Another great option, consider adding unique nuts, like macadamia, hazelnut, brazil nut, or even pistachio to make a specialty granola.
• Last, but not least, dried fruit makes a great addition to this easy homemade granola recipe. Can I be honest? I haven’t yet added dried fruit to ours. Not because it isn’t a great idea, but simply because I’m just not a fan of dried fruit in my cereal, or yogurt, or as a snack.

Be sure to let me know what variations you create and which are your favorite!

TIPS FOR MAKING HOMEMADE GRANOLA

DON’T worry about which sweetener you choose to use. Therefore, you can use honey or maple syrup because both work well. Because I simply use what I have in my pantry, sometimes I use honey and other times I use maple syrup to sweeten my granola.

DO use a liquid form of oil. Since I always use coconut oil, I first melt it, and then add it to my sweetener. If you use a solid form of oil, it will not coat all your dry ingredients evenly.

DO use refined coconut oil if you don’t like coconut flavor. Refined coconut oil does not have a coconut taste, while unrefined coconut oil will add a hint of coconut. Personally, we love the hint of coconut flavor and usually it’s a tad cheaper.

DO use two cookie sheet pans for this recipe. If you create too thick of a layer of granola, then this may cause the granola to not fully dry. I keep my layer about one inch thick. Cut the recipe in half if you only have one baking sheet, so you don’t face this problem.

DO use the lowest temperature setting on your oven. Why? Because cooking foods at lower temperatures preserves more nutrients than cooking at higher ingredients.

DON’T add dried fruit to your granola until after you bake it. Since dried fruit is already dry, there’s no need to bake it. Instead, once your granola cools down, add as much dried fruit as you like.

HOW LONG WILL HOMEMADE GRANOLA KEEP?

Since homemade granola doesn’t contain preservatives, like many store bought varieties, it will likely keep 2 weeks to a month when stored properly.

If you want to guarantee freshness and keep the crunchiness we all love, then consider using mason jars. Additionally, remember to store your containers in a dark place.

NEED A HALF RECIPE?

With four people in my family, we can pretty quickly devour 20 cups of granola. If you’re making for just one or two people, you may want to consider making a half recipe. Here is what you’ll need:

• 6 1/2 cups rolled oats (regular or gluten free)
• 2 1/2 cups nuts (sliced or in pieces)
• 1 cups seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (refined or unrefined)
• 34 cup water
• 1/2 cup sweetener (honey, maple syrup, or alternative sweetener)

WHAT COMBINATION IS YOUR FAVORITE?

Do you make this easy homemade granola recipe for your family? Let me know in the comments some of your favorite combinations.

CHECK OUT MORE OF MY BREAKFAST RECIPES

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Gluten Free Granola