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This Homemade Granola is full of oats, nuts, and dried fruit. It is much better than store-bought granola. Serve it with milk or yogurt for a delicious breakfast.
Featured in this recipe
This is a MUST-make granola recipe that can be made ahead of time, stored, and even bulked up with more delicious ingredients to make the best homemade granola. Save money by making your own homemade granola that tastes SO much better and has all the healthy add-ins that you love. Mix together all the ingredients to make a sweet and savory snack that your family will love!
Take this homemade granola and add it to yogurt, milk, or ice cream, or just eat it by the handful. This granola is perfect for snacking or adding to all your favorite breakfast or snack recipes. Double or triple your batch and share it with your friends and family! It is quick and easy to make with limited ingredients that still blend and taste amazing together!
Recipe Ingredients
Mix all the crunchy, soft, sweet, and savory textures and flavors in a mixing bowl. Then get ready to amaze your tastebuds with a healthy granola recipe! This is a delicious granola that mixes dry ingredients combined with wet ingredients, then baked. It is that simple!
- Oats – Old-fashioned oats are perfect for this recipe. You don’t want to use quick oats, but rolled oats are best.
- Almonds – Sliced almonds give it a sweet and soft crunch.
- Brown sugar – Adds sweetness as well as some light texture to the almonds and oats.
- Salt – Balances out all the ingredients and helps with flavor.
- Cinnamon – Perfect for adding a hint of spice to give it a savory, comforting flavor.
- Craisins – Soften the crunch with a sweet and chewy texture from dried cranberries!
- Oil – A lighter oil like canola oil or coconut oil works best!
- Honey – Combines the granola and gives extra sweetness to each piece, for a natural sweetener.
- Vanilla extract – Always adds a splash of flavor!
Substitutions and Add-Ins To Try
Even though this is an amazing recipe for homemade granola all on its own, there are several great substitutions to try. Most of these ideas came from reader comments. Some wanted a gluten-free granola or had sensitivities to be aware of. Others wanted to add in all the things and bulk up the homemade granola recipe. So if you have another suggestion, feel free to share!
- Nuts – Add in more or substitute your favorite nuts like pecans, walnuts, or cashews. If you can find them sliced or chopped, that would be a great way to get the crunch and flavor but also not be overly big in the granola mixture.
- Wheat germ – Try oat bran, flax seed, or poppy seeds!
- Substitute oil – Take out the oil and use apple sauce or half and a half mixture to help balance the flavors.
- Maple syrup – If you don’t have honey on hand or want another sweetness to boil in, try maple syrup!
- Fruits – Dried fruits are great for adding in like apricots, raisins, cherries, and bananas.
- Add-ins – Coconut flakes, dry cereal, chocolate chips, or marshmallows for a more fun and sweet granola.
Tips for the Best Granola Recipe
Here are a few ways and ideas to help make your granola even better! This granola is loaded with fiber and vitamins, and low in calories. It is a healthy balance for a snack from young to old. You will love the flavor combination and how much flavor this granola has!
- Parchment paper – Cover your baking pan with parchment paper to help it from sticking to the pan. This will help eliminate extra scrubbing on your baking sheets.
- Bags – Be prepared for your day, lunches, or kids’ snacks by placing ¼ of a cup to ½ a cup into small baggies. A healthy snack is ready to go on hikes, walks, or shopping at the mall.
- Yogurt parfaits – Make a quick breakfast ahead of time layered with yogurt and granola in a cup. It works great for an on-the-go breakfast or snacks throughout the day.
- Clusters – If you are wanting to make your homemade granola into clusters, then combine the granola with a cookie scoop and bake on a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
“I discovered this recipe a few years ago and I cannot tell you how much I have loved it! I use the 8 cups of oats as my base and then I usually use a combination of almonds, flax seed, wheat germ, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. And I always use coconut oil. Everyone that has ever eaten this at my house always asks for this recipe and I think they are always glad to find this blog if they don’t already know about it. This granola is so good on its own but goes to a whole other level with some greek goddess honey yogurt and fresh berries, or with homemade applesauce it is like a dessert for breakfast or a snack! Thanks for sharing so many great recipes!”
-Hannah
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Absolutely. This recipe was originally posted before the whole coconut oil trend really took off. But it would be a great switch if you want to give it a try.
Feel free to try all kinds of additions to this delicious granola. One reader suggested flax seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds. The possibilities are endless!
If you want to make bars, you can blend up dates and maybe a little peanut butter and add it to the recipe until it holds its shape, you can try using this recipe here and adding the vanilla granola ingredients that you like.
Follow the directions on the recipe, but instead of spreading the granola on baking sheets, pour the granola into a 5-6 quart slow cooker sprayed lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Cook on the high setting for 2 hours stirring well every 20 minutes (this is important so that granola doesn’t burn on the sides of the slow cooker).
Storing and Making Ahead
This is truly the best granola recipe! You can make it ahead, store it, and even eat it the day of, or enjoy it for up to 30 days. Once your granola has cooled to room temperature, store your homemade granola in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag.
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More Great Breakfast Ideas
Looking for a way to mix up your breakfast routine? After you’re done making Homemade Granola, here are some more delicious breakfast ideas to consider.
How To Make Homemade Granola
Elise’s Homemade Vanilla Granola
Video
Equipment
- Sauce pan
Ingredients
- 8 cups oats
- 2 cups sliced almonds
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup craisins or raisins
- 3/4 cup canola oil or coconut oil
- 1 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300-degrees. Combine first 6 ingredients (dry ingredients) in a large bowl.
- Combine oil, honey, and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute.
- Pour the honey mixture over the oat mixture. Mix until all ingredients are moistened.
- Divide and spread mixture over 2 large cookie sheets and bake for 20-30 minutes. Remove from oven. Use a spatula to stir the granola on the pan. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
- For chewy granola: While the granola is still slightly warm and soft, transfer to an airtight container or bag it in large resealable plastic bags.For crunchy granola: Allow granola to cool completely. Break up granola and transfer it to an airtight container or bag it in large resealable plastic bags.
- Serve plain, with yogurt, or with milk.
Notes
How to Store Homemade Granola
This is truly the best granola recipe! You can make it ahead, store it, and even eat it the day of or enjoy it for up to 30 days. Once your granola has cooled to room temperature, store your homemade granola in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag.Nutrition Information
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Delicious! What is the best way to store this?
We store it in gallon size ziplock bags!
Looks yum!. Needing clarification please. Is the nutritional breakdown for the whole recipe (16 servings) or per serving size. If so, what is the suggested serving size? Watching carbs for a diabetic family member. Thanks
Thanks for pointing that out – I went and updated the nutrition information, as it was incorrect before. The nutrition information is now for one serving and the suggested serving size is 1/2 cup. As for your diabetic family member, this recipe probably isn’t your best bet. Granola is typically high in carbs.
I plan on making a full order of it today but is there a way to make this recipe in bars. My grandson would like to eat it like a bar at work. If not into a bar how do I get it to clump more. Mine came out very loose.
If you want to make bars, you can blend up dates and maybe a little peanut butter and add it to the recipe until it holds it’s shape, you can try using this recipe here and adding the vanilla granola ingredients that you like: /10-happy-morning-hacks/
this maybe a stupid question but since cocoanut is solid is it the same measurement when it melts.
What exactly do you mean by “melts”? Like when it is baked?
Never mind I answered my own question. I do want to say that I did half the recipe since I have never made granola before and wasn’t sure how your recipe would taste. Well let me say I cannot stop eating it. It is so wonderful and would like to ask another question.
I plan on making a full order of it today but is there a way to make this recipe in bars. My grandson would like to eat it like a bar at work. If not into a bar how do I get it to clump more. Mine came out very loose.
Hi… recipe says combine first 8 ingredients….but there are only 6 outside the liquids. What am I missing?
Thanks for catching that! I just edited the recipe to say 6 ingredients.
I really want to make this, but I couldn’t find wheat germ at the store. I looked in the baking aisle at Walmart. Is there another place to find it?
Thanks!
This looks delicious but I live by myself and 8 cups is a lot. Will this recipe work if I just halve everything?
Yes, of course! You will love it! It lasts for about a month if you store it in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag.
I made this recipe yesterday, first time making granola. I added heaping cup of each-sweetened coconut, sunflower seeds, and pecan halves. Gave a big squeeze extra of honey to make up for extra dry ingredients. Learned a BIG lesson. Do not overcook. I thought I wanted it dry and crispy, and figured I needed more heat and time. Wrong. Half of the recipe was too brown, thought my son and husband split that half and took to their work today. I was going to throw it away. I did also add more of the cinnamon. I had it for lunch today, and had to force my self to stop eating it. Wonderful, and I will make again, and again. Put in a full pound of dried cranberries. Will do cherries next.
Thank you for sharing your experience with this recipe. I’ve made the mistake of overcooking too. I prefer it more on the soft/chewy side, but if it gets overcooked I mix it in with yogurt and it is really good. Thank you for sharing your tips! I love the idea of adding sunflower seeds – yum!
P.S. my great grandma’s name was Echo and I have always loved it, so glad to see someone else with such a great name:)
I discovered this recipe a few years ago and I cannot tell you how much I have loved it! I use the 8 cups of oats as my base and then I usually use a combination of almonds, flax seed, wheat germ, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. And I always use coconut oil. Everyone that has ever eaten this at my house always asks for this recipe and I think they are always glad to find this blog if they don’t already know about it. This granola is so good on its own but goes to a whole other level with some greek goddess honey yogurt and fresh berries, or with homemade applesauce it is like a dessert for breakfast or a snack! Thanks for sharing so many great recipes!
Thank you so much for your comment! I like your addition ideas! We have used coconut oil the last few times and it really adds to the flavor– yum! Thanks so much for spreading the word about us and for your nice comment! P.S. We agree about the name “Echo”… we have several Echos in our family, we love the name!
Does this granola need to be stored in the fridge? Thanks.
No, it keeps fine on the shelf but the fridge works too! 🙂
Hi, Is there a substitute I can use for in place of the canola oil? Would coconut oil work well in this recipe? Thanks! 🙂
We posted this recipe before using coconut oil was cool haha.. I think coconut oil would be AMAZING and now that you mention it, I will probably make it with coconut oil next time!
Love to make this but what can I substitute for the wheat germ (sensitivities)? Can I substitute oat bran?
I am totally clueless when it comes to wheat allergies! Give it a try and let me know how it turns out!
I substitued the wheat germ with oat bran and also added apple sauce to replace some of the oil, turned out very good. I love it. Next time, I think I will add some maple syrup. Thanks so much!
That is so great! I am so glad you came back to let us know, thank you!!!!!
I sometimes use flax seed meal in place of wheat germ.
I made this recipe today and I didn’t have any wheat germ so I substituted it for flake seeds! I loved it! It doesn’t have a stronger flake seed taste. Next time I might try chia seeds as the substitute.
I made this tonight and it was great! I replaced 1/2 cup of canola oil with applesauce and it was so yummy. Thank you so much for sharing!
Okay, well, I just made this for breakfast this morning. OH. MY. GOODNESS. It is so, so good! I served it with yogurt, blackberries, and strawberries. Fabulous!! Thank you for the recipe! I've got my own recipe blog (dinner-inspiration.blogspot.com), and I'll definitely be putting it up there! 🙂
You can use either one. I think the Old Fashioned just take longer to harden up.
Do you use old fashioned oats or the quick cooking oats?
I have made 4 recipes off your blog now (found it blogstalking) and am in LOVE with them all… but this granola takes the prize! Hope it is ok to add you to my blog list so I can find out when you update with a new recipe. Thanks for the amazing yummy ideas!
You really can't go wrong with homemade granola, the stuff from stores doesn't even compare!!
This looks yummy! Let me know when you want a crock-pot granola recipe! :o)
WOULD LIKE A RECIPE FOR SLOW COOKER. WOULD ALSO KNOW HOW TO SEND THIS FROM FACEBOOK TO MY RECIPIES FILE . WOULD APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH SINCE I AM DIABETIC & MY SON & I HAVE CANCER ALSO MY HUSBAND IS GREAT NUTRITION FOOD ISSUES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH IF YOU COULD HELP ME WITH THIS .
I have not made this recipe in a slow cooker, but after doing some research, this is my recommendation. Follow the directions on the recipe but instead of spreading the granola on baking sheets, pour the granola into a 5-6 quart slow cooker sprayed lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Cook on the high setting for 2 hours stirring well every 20 minutes (this is important so that granola doesn’t burn on the sides of the slow cooker).
I’m so sorry for the health problems you and your son are having. I hope you will find strength, comfort, and peace as you battle these illnesses.
Would lovr granola for crockpot recipe. Thanks
Heather, please see my recommendation to Sue below. Thank you!