Granola Recipe

I love having granola for breakfast, and making it at home is so easy! This healthy homemade granola recipe is filled with yummy things like shredded coconut, spices, honey, and just a hint of molasses, as well as good-for-you ingredients like wheat germ, sunflower seeds, and nuts. In my opinion, it’s the best granola recipe. So much better than store-bought granola! Once you try it and make your own granola, I’m sure you’ll agree.

Oats are such a yummy and nutritious food—plus, they’re so versatile! One of my favorite ways to use this delicious granola is on top of Chocolate Acai Bowls for breakfast. Other favorite oatmeal breakfasts include  Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal or Almond Joy Oatmeal. And let’s not forget oatmeal cookies! White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies…what can I say? I love oats.

Why This Recipe Works

• Easy homemade granola. Granola is so simple to make at home, and this easy granola recipe makes a TON. Not only is it easy to make, but it’s also healthier to make at home and WAYYYY cheaper. Every time I see a tiny bag of granola at the grocery store for $7 I’m inspired to make my own healthy granola recipe instead. 
• Customizable. I love this granola recipe as is, but there’s a lot of room for adjusting it to your own tastes! Add extra cinnamon and dried apples for apple cinnamon granola. Or, ditch the cinnamon and add almond extract for almond vanilla granola. See what I mean? 
• Granola with molasses. Like peanut butter and chocolate, oats and molasses belong together. That’s why I also add a hint of molasses to my Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. Molasses adds warmth and sweetness for the best homemade granola recipe.

Ingredient Notes

• Old-fashioned rolled oats: Of course, the base of this granola recipe is oats! Do not use quick oats, as they don’t have the right texture. To make this homemade granola gluten-free, make sure to use certified gluten-free oats and skip the wheat germ. 
• Sweetened shredded coconut: I love a granola recipe with coconut, so naturally I have to have some here! Not only do I love the flavor coconut brings to this granola, but it also adds a delightful texture.
• Wheat germ: Wheat germ granola tastes a little nutty, and wheat germ is also an excellent source of folate, magnesium, zinc, and more. Just be sure to skip it if you’re gluten-free. 
• Sunflower seeds: Another nutritional powerhouse, sunflower seeds are an excellent source of antioxidants and can help lower inflammation and balance blood sugar in the body. Pumpkin seeds would also be a yummy addition!
• Sesame seeds: Besides nutritional benefits, sesame seeds add little bits of crunchiness throughout this homemade granola recipe. 
• Nuts: No granola recipe is complete without adding nuts! I prefer to use sliced almonds for almond granola, but you can use any nut you like. Walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, or a mix of different nuts are all good options.
• Honey: I love to make this granola recipe with honey because I love the flavor of almond honey granola. It adds sweetness and thickness to the “sauce” that is then added to the dry ingredients. To make this granola recipe vegan, use maple syrup instead.
• Molasses: Like honey, molasses adds sweetness and thickness to the sauce for this granola. I also love the warmth that molasses brings to the flavor of this granola. 
• Cinnamon: My warm spice of choice for sweet homemade granola. If you don’t like the flavor of cinnamon or you’re planning to add other flavor components that don’t work well with cinnamon, just leave it out. 
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla is the backbone of many sweet recipes as it plays well with every other flavor. You can add any flavor extract you like to this granola to mix it up and make it your own, but I recommend still adding vanilla extract to the mix.

Here’s a video on how to make homemade granola. Or, keep reading for written instructions.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep oven and pans. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease two large baking sheets or line them with parchment paper, then set aside (you may need more or fewer baking pans, or you may need to bake in batches).
2. Mix dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine 10 cups of old-fashioned oats, 3 cups sweetened shredded coconut, 1 cup of wheat germ, 2 cups raw sunflower seeds, 1 cup of sesame seeds, and 3½ cups of sliced almonds (or nut of choice). 
3. Mix wet ingredients. In a medium saucepan set over low heat, combine 1½ cups of brown sugar, 1½ cups of water, 1½ cups of vegetable oil, ½ cup of honey, ½ cup of molasses, 1½ teaspoons of salt, 2½ teaspoons of cinnamon, and 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
4. Cook granola “sauce.” Cook the wet ingredient mixture on low to medium heat on the stovetop, stirring constantly, just long enough for the sugar to melt. Do NOT allow the mixture to boil.
5. Combine dry and wet ingredients. Once the sugar has melted, remove the sauce from the stovetop and pour it over the oat mixture. Thoroughly mix the two together so the sauce completely coats all the elements of the granola.  

6. Bake granola. Distribute your granola mixture as evenly as possible on your greased or lined baking sheets. I recommend baking granola in a thin layer, so I do this in batches. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. If you like extra crunchy granola, add on another 10-15 minutes of bake time. 
7. Let granola cool. Once you’ve finished baking your granola, allow it to cool completely. Note that granola will crisp up as it cools. Snack on a few granola clusters, then store it in an airtight container.

Recipe Tips

Use your LARGEST mixing bowl for this. I’m not kidding. Otherwise, you may want to use two large bowls to divide the mixture so it’s easier to stir. 

Bake this in batches. Baking granola in a thin layer ensures that it gets more crisp, so I bake my granola in 2-3 batches. 

I prefer my granola on the slightly softer side, but if you prefer crunchier granola, you may want to add another 10-15 minutes of bake time. However, keep in mind that granola gets crisper as it cools!

Don’t turn the oven temperature up. It can be tempting to turn the oven to a higher temperature because you would think it would bake granola faster, but this is actually the quickest way to BURN your granola. Believe me, I am speaking from experience. 😅

Stirring the granola part way through baking helps ensure that it gets evenly cooked. I recommend removing the pan from the oven to stir it! Stirring it inside the oven is a good way to spill pieces over the side and onto the bottom of your oven, where they will burn, smoke, and smell terrible. Another thing I have learned from experience.

To make this homemade granola gluten-free, make sure to use certified gluten-free old-fashioned oats, and leave out the wheat germ. You can also try substituting the wheat germ for flax seeds, but I have not tested this.

For a vegan option, make this granola recipe with maple syrup instead of honey. 

Many granola recipes add dried fruit. I would add dried fruit after baking. Golden raisins, dried apricots, or any of your favorite dried fruits would be yummy! For a sweeter granola, chocolate chips would also be a tasty addition once the granola has cooled. After you make this recipe for the first time, you can use it as a base recipe and add your favorite mix-ins.

While granola is delicious served over Greek yogurt and fresh fruit, it isn’t just for breakfast! Try it over ice cream for a fun dessert.

Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing

Make Ahead: Stored properly, homemade granola lasts four weeks or about a month, so it can be made several days or even weeks in advance. In fact, homemade granola is great to make in advance for gifts! When my sister was preparing to leave for college and rooming with me, I may or may not have eaten half the bag of granola our aunt gifted her…

Storing: Allow granola to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container or ziptop bag for four weeks or a month in a cool, dry place.

Freezing: Good news, homemade granola can be frozen! Store it in a ziptop bag or a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe FAQs

More Oat-standing Recipes

• Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
• Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Cake
• Oatmeal Granola Raisin Bars
• Baked Oatmeal Bites
• Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

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