Have better, healthier, and happier mornings with a Granola recipe complete with oats, dried fruits, seeds, nuts, and sweeteners!
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and you can have the best breakfast when you make granola at home. Granola is a quick, easy, and simple dish that can keep you active in the morning.
Instead of buying granola, you can make it at home and enjoy it anytime you want. The best part about having your own granola is that you get to decide what you put in it and how yummy it will be.
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Once you try this Granola recipe, it will surely be one of your favorite healthy recipes. Every bite will give you a burst of flavor and satisfaction that will help you start your day right!
How to Make Granola
In this Granola recipe, you can expect to get a crunchy, sweet, and healthy meal for everyday dining. With a little bit of mixing, baking, and tasting, the best Granola dish will be within your reach.
Everyone in your family will surely love you for serving something as delicious as granola!
Ingredients
These are everything you will need for the best Granole recipe you will ever make:
Whole grains
Every Granola recipe starts with healthy and yummy whole grains.
Whole grains have a nutty and earthy flavor that will taste even better with natural sweeteners, seeds, and dried fruits. These form the base of the granola for a good texture and flavor at every bite.
These grains will also give a crunchy and crispy texture that will make it a real “granola.” Once baked, the grains will have a toasted quality that improves the dish’s quality.
In this recipe, I suggest using jumbo oats for a satisfying meal in the morning. You can also use barley, wheat, kamut, rolled oats, quinoa, and more. According to Healthline, the grains will be great for the heart, weight, and energy!
Nuts
Any granola recipe will certainly taste better with nuts.
I love using almonds and cashews because of how nutty, sweet, smoky, and buttery they taste. Nuts will also give the dish a chewy texture for a pleasant experience. They will surely go well the whole gains.
There are plenty of nuts you can use. Sometimes, I use walnuts, pecans, pistachios, and even macadamia nuts. From nuts, you can make Cashew Butter and Chocolate Almond Milk to go with the granola, too!
Pumpkin seeds
Whenever I make granola, my go-to seeds are always pumpkin seeds.
Pumpkin seeds have a salty and nutty flavor with a crunchy texture that goes well with this recipe. When you bake them, the seeds will have a crispy texture outside and a tender quality inside.
These seeds may be small, but they are still loaded with lots of health benefits. BBC Good Food found that pumpkin seeds can have good effects on your heart, bladder, and blood sugar levels.
Seasoning
Granola is always better with seasoning.
Even if you already have nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, you will still need spices for the granola. I suggest using sea salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and nutmeg for the best flavors.
These can help balance the sweet, nutty, and salty flavors of the food for a delicious meal. To try other spices, you can go fo coconut oil, cocoa powder, and even almond extract.
Banana chips
Did you know that you can have chips in your granola?
Make the granola as healthy as possible by using chips that are made of fruits. I especially love using banana chips for granola. They have a mildly sweet and milky flavor and a slightly crunchy texture.
According to the Clinical Nutrition Center, banana chips are excellent sources of different nutrients. Now you know that they’re not just about flavor, but they carry lots of health benefits as well!
Dried mangoes
When it comes to dried fruits in your granola, you should definitely add dried mangoes.
Dried mangoes have a sweet and tarty flavor that tastes well with banana chips. They will have a crunchy and flaky texture that feels so good with the granola. You can buy these in stores or make them at home.
These are excellent for fighting off stress and increasing your energy! Its fiber content can also improve your digestion and heart. No doubt dried mangoes can make your granola tastier and healthier!
Coconut flakes
Include more fruits in your granola and toss in some coconut flakes.
If you want to add more nutty flavors to the Granola, then I definitely suggest adding coconut flakes. These add a pop of color and a nutty and sweet flavor to the dish for an appealing quality.
Livestrong mentioned that coconut flakes are good for more energy. As an alternative, you can try adding desiccated coconuts for an equally delicious flavor. Coconut Chips can also be good options for your granola!
Dried berries
You can never have too many dried fruits in your granola recipe.
Remember to add your dried berries. I like using dried goji berries and cranberries because of their savory, sour, and sweet flavor. These berries also give the dish a soft and chewy texture.
The dried berries will add sweet, sour, and savory flavors to the dish. These are soft and tender when eaten. In fact, they can improve your stamina, relax your muscles, and relieve you from constipation.
Raw honey
Which sweetener should you use for your granola?
Give your granola a richer flavor with a natural sweetener, raw honey. It has a caramel, citrus, and fruity flavor, making you feel warm and calm whenever you taste it.
The granola will surely be better with good-quality honey. It’s not just tasty, but healthy too. Medical News Today found that raw honey can help relieve cough, constipation, and wounds.
Virgin olive oil
Before you cook the granola, be sure to add olive oil!
Olive oil may have a pungent, peppery, and bitter taste, but it certainly gives the dish a richer flavor. Once you bake the granola, the virgin olive gives a toasted and warm quality. It’s the perfect good fat option to add to your granola recipe.
I can already guarantee that this will be your next favorite go-to food from the list of ingredients alone!
Directions
Moving on to the fun part, let’s make your granola!
- Mix everything in a bowl using a spatula.
- Evenly spread the contents on a lined baking tray.
- Preheat the oven to 250°F or 120°C.
- Bake the granola at 150°C for ten minutes.
- Take the granola out of the oven, mix them, and spread them evenly again.
- After ten minutes in the oven, take the granola out of the oven and stir it again.
- Then, press the granola with a spatula.
- Bake for another ten to 15 minutes.
- Let it cool at room temperature.
- Break it into clusters.
- Your granola is ready to serve!
This recipe is perfect if you’re on a diet, always on the go, or even turning over a new leaf for a better “you” this year!
Tips
How to Instantly Improve Granola
How do you like your granola so far? If you want to improve it, then here are some tips I can share!
First, use good-quality ingredients. Always go for fresh, healthy, and tasty ingredients to make your granola. Check the quality of your oats, seeds, nuts, and dried fruits before you mix them.
Then, mixing according to a specific order of ingredients is key to better-tasting granola. The best way to do it is to mix the dry and wet ingredients that need to be baked to infuse the food with aroma and flavor.
Next, add the mix-ins once the granola is baked. You may have noticed that we only added some of the dry ingredients after the baking process. It is the key to keeping your dry ingredients crispy and fresh.
Finally, use egg whites for bigger clusters. Some people want to have less clusters and almost like cereal, but if you want big chunks for snacks, you can mix in an egg white in the first step of this recipe.
Granola Recipe Variations
The great thing about making a granola recipe at home is you can do any version that you want!
For whole grains, you can go for jumbo oats, barley, farro, kamut, and quinoa. Remember that these grains cook at different times, check their baking time before you put them in the oven.
Meanwhile, there are plenty of other options for your nuts. You can use pecan and pepitas, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, and even macadamia nuts. Instead of pumpkin seeds, you can go for chia or sunflower seeds, too.
If you don’t have virgin olive oil, then you can use coconut oil instead. On the other hand, other options like maple syrup, agave nectar, brown sugar, date syrup, and coconut sugar are also great options.
To add flavor, you can also use almond butter, cocoa powder, peanut butter, and coconut sugar. You will never run out of ways to make granola because each time you make it can be a whole new version to love!
More Granola Recipes
- Peanut Butter Granola – it’s the perfect option for peanut lovers!
- Peanut Butter Granola Bars – pack your granola in bars for eating them outside.
- Chocolate Granola Bars – chocolate and granola make such a great combination, don’t they?
- Granola Bars – every bite is surely healthy and delicious.
Recommended Tools
- Spatula: Mix the granola with a spatula.
- Baking tray: Spread the granola on a baking tray.
- Bowl: Mix everything in a bowl.
- Oven: Bake the granola in the oven to make them crisp and crunchy.
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How to Serve Granola
What makes me love granola even more is how fun it is to eat!
While it is a popular choice for breakfast and brunch, you can still eat it as a snack, lunch, or even dinner. Whenever you want to eat something healthy, granola can be your go-to food.
One of the classic ways to eat granola is to mix it into milk or yogurt. I usually use Almond Milk or Chocolate Almond Milk to soften the granola and give it a creamy and milky quality.
Do you like parfaits? Just layer the granola with yogurt and fresh fruits to make your own granola parfait. You can also make your smoothie bowls taste better with some granola clusters.
If you want to try it for dessert, then use it as a topping for your favorite ice cream flavor. It will surely make your trail mix taste so much better, too. For a more filling breakfast, serve the granola with your salad, cereal, or oatmeal.
Here are more recipes that can help you enjoy your granola more:
- Overnight Oats – mix your oats with granola for a tastier breakfast.
- Fruit Salad – let the granola add a healthy crunch to your salad.
- Fruit Smoothie – pair your granola with a thick and smooth drink.
- Almond Milk – enjoy it like cereal by pouring in some almond milk.
- Vanilla Ice Cream – make your ice cream tastier when you sprinkle granola on top.
- Fluffy Pancakes – taste something light and crunchy with pancakes and granola in one.
Storage Tips
- At room temperature: Pour the granola into a container or a resealable bag, and you can use it for up to six months.
Frequently Asked Questions
How healthy is granola for you?
Granola can be one of the best meals you can add to your diet. If you eat it in proper amounts, then you can get the essential nutrients your body needs. It’s also good for counting your calories and losing weight.
As long as you eat it in the proper amount, it’s certainly going to improve your diet and lifestyle!
What is granola made of?
A classic granola recipe is made of whole grains of any kind, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, fat, and flavoring agents. You can use almost any variety of ingredients you want!
Is granola or oatmeal healthier?
It depends on your preference and dietary needs. Oatmeal is high in fiber and carbohydrates while granola is a good source of protein. Compared to granola, oatmeal is lower in sugar.
Overall, both are great for your health. Just assess which aspects of your health you want to improve to choose the one that best suits your needs!
Can I eat granola with milk?
Of course, you can. I especially love eating granola with milk when I want to enjoy it like cereal. It softens the granola while still keeping its flavor and quality in the best condition.
This post may contain general information and does not constitute professional medical advice. Always seek information or advice from a qualified medical professional. Please read the full disclaimer for details.
Homemade Granola
Ingredients
- 540 g jumbo oats
Nuts and Seeds
- 160 g cashews
- 160 g almond nuts
- 40 g pumpkin seeds
Dried fruits
- 30 g banana chips
- 65 g dried mango
- 20 g coconut flakes
- 30 g dried goji berries
- 70 g dried cranberries
Sweetener and flavoring
- 125 ml raw honey
- 125 ml virgin olive oil (light)
- 10 ml vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix the ingredients in a bowl.Make sure that the bowl is deep enough to allow you to incorporate them properly. You can use a spatula, a wooden spoon, or a ladle to mix them until combined.
- Spread the ingredients evenly on a baking tray.For lining your baking tray, you can use parchment paper with extra hanging over the sides that you can fold at the edges. Fold the parchment paper inside according to the size of the tray.
- Bake it. In this recipe, preheat the oven to 250°F or 120°C before baking the granola at 150°C for 10 minutes.
- Take the granola out of the oven, mix , and spread evenly again. After 10 minutes in the oven, carefully remove the granola from the oven and stir it together. Compress the granola with a spatula for extra crunchy granola clusters.
- Bake it again.Baking it for the second time will add the crispiness and the granola clusters. Keep the temperature at 150°C for best results.
- Allow the granola to cool then break into clusters. I can recommend leaving the granola to cool for at least 45 minutes before breaking it apart or into clusters with a spatula or a spoon.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the granola and mix together.Once the granola is cooled and clustered, you can now add in the other dry ingredients for nutrition and flavor.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- If you’re on a gluten-free diet, use Certified Gluten-Free Oats as a substitute.
- In case you have a nut allergy, feel free to replace the nuts with seeds and other dried fruits.
- Evenly spread the mixture on the lined baking tray so that every ingredient is baked properly.
- Baking it for the second time will add crispiness and granola clusters. Keep the temperature at 150°C for best results.
- I recommend leaving the granola to cool for at least 45 minutes before breaking it apart or into clusters with a spatula or a spoon.
- You can opt for certified gluten-free oats and replace some of the spices with pumpkin pie spice. Add in some nuts and chocolate chips, and you have yourself a gluten-free granola recipe!
- Enjoy no-oven granola by cooking the ingredients in a large skillet on a medium to high heat stove. Mix constantly to avoid burning.