How to Make Homemade Granola

This easy homemade granola recipe is crunchy, lightly sweetened with honey or maple syrup, and easy to customize with your favorite nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.

For my family, the days of buying granola from the supermarket ended the moment I first made it at home. Honestly, I don’t see the point in buying it when homemade granola is so easy and quick to make, and it tastes better. Not to mention the quality of the ingredients.

Why You Should Make Homemade Granola Instead of Buying It

It’s very easy! Seriously, it is. And quick: half an hour plus waiting for it to cool down.

You can choose your favorite ingredients so that the granola contains only what you and your loved ones enjoy.

Low sugar content. And it’s controlled. Instead of refined sugar, we add honey or maple syrup, which is a healthier alternative to white sugar.

Quality of ingredients. When cooking for yourself and your loved ones, you obviously won’t add palm oil, any chemical preservatives, or excessive amounts of sugar to your granola.

Room for creativity. You can experiment with the ingredients and flavors endlessly. Below, I’ll explain how to select the combinations of products to achieve a balanced mix.

Granola Constructor. How to Customize Your Granola?

At first glance, the variety of granola ingredients can seem overwhelming: so many different components, how can I combine them, in what proportions, to make it tasty, beautiful, and nutritious? But in reality, a homemade granola recipe is a simple construction consisting of several parts (product groups). Take 1–2 ingredients from each group and mix them in fairly free proportions. There are just a couple of points to keep in mind to make the granola perfect, but more on that later.

Oats. The base of the granola and its largest part. Use regular old-fashioned oats. Don’t use quick oats, as they don’t hold their shape well during baking and don’t look as good.

Nuts. This is the nutritious part, full of beneficial substances. Almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews, walnuts. Any kind really, even pine nuts. Pistachios look cool, especially if they are bright green.

Seeds. Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and my special love – flax seeds. They add texture, nutrients, and very valuable fiber. (You might ask, why do I love flax? Because it has no taste, but has immense benefits).

Dried fruits. Raisins, dried apricots, cranberries, goji berries, coconut flakes. Dried fruits add sweetness, flavor, and vitamins to granola.

Sweet syrup. Honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup makes the granola sweet, slightly binding the ingredients together and giving them a caramel color during baking.

Fats. Oil helps the ingredients bake evenly and makes them crispier. Coconut oil is my favorite, as it has a delicate, slightly sweet flavor. Olive oil also works, but it has a stronger aroma that not everyone likes.

Additional flavors: Vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger add aroma and flavor.

Chocolate. I put this as a separate point. You can add chocolate drops instead of nuts or seeds, or along with them. Add some chocolate at the beginning of making the granola and some at the end. This way, some of the chocolate melts and covers some oats, while some chocolate drops remain crunchy. If you are making granola with chocolate, you can reduce the amount of sweet syrup (maple or honey) or remove it at all.

The important quantities in the proportion below are the oats, sweet syrup, and oil. Stick to the given amounts (check out the recipe card below).

But you can play around with all the other ingredients as you like. More of one thing, less of another, in various proportions. The given amounts for nuts, seeds, and dried fruits are just guidelines.

Tips for the Best Homemade Granola

Use old-fashioned rolled oats.
Regular rolled oats work best for homemade granola. I don’t recommend quick oats because they don’t keep their shape as well during baking.

Make sure everything is well coated.
When mixing the dry ingredients with the oil and honey or maple syrup, mix thoroughly. All the oats, nuts, and seeds should be evenly coated with the liquid ingredients.

Spread the granola in an even layer.
Use a large baking sheet or pan so the granola isn’t piled too thickly. This helps it bake evenly and become crispy.

Don’t add dried fruit before baking.
I add dried fruits after the granola has cooled. Otherwise, they can become too hard or even burn during baking.

Let it cool completely.
Don’t worry if the granola doesn’t seem very crunchy when you take it out of the oven. It becomes crispier as it cools.

Feel free to experiment.
The amounts of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits are flexible. You can change them according to your taste. Just keep the amounts of oats, sweet syrup, and oil close to the recipe.

How to Make Homemade Granola

1. Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C).
2. Melt the coconut oil.
3. In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, seeds, and salt. If you’re adding chocolate, mix in half of it.
4. Add the honey or maple syrup to the melted coconut oil and mix well.
5. Pour the liquid mixture over the dry ingredients and stir well, making sure everything is evenly coated.
6. Spread the granola in an even layer on a baking sheet or large baking pan.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to ensure even baking.
8. Remove the granola from the oven and let it cool completely.
9. Add the dried fruit and the remaining chocolate, if using, and mix well.
10. Transfer the granola to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 1 month.

How to Make Granola Crunchy and Get Bigger Clusters

If you like granola with crunchy pieces and bigger clusters, there are a few simple things to keep in mind.

First, make sure all the oats, nuts, and seeds are well coated with the oil and sweet syrup. This helps them bake evenly and become crispy.

Spread the mixture in an even layer on a baking sheet. If you want larger clusters, press the granola down slightly before putting it in the oven.

During baking, I usually stir the granola every 10 minutes to make sure it bakes evenly. However, if you prefer bigger clusters, you can stir it more gently and avoid breaking the pieces apart.

And most importantly, let the granola cool completely before stirring it again. It becomes much crispier as it cools, and the clusters become firmer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use quick oats to make granola?

I recommend using regular old-fashioned rolled oats. Quick oats are softer and don’t keep their shape as well during baking, so the texture of the finished granola won’t be the same.

Can I use maple syrup instead of honey?

Yes. You can use honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup. Use the same amount as in the recipe.

Can I make granola without nuts?

Absolutely. You can replace the nuts with more seeds, coconut flakes, or other ingredients you like. The amounts of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits in this recipe are flexible.

When should I add dried fruit to granola?

Add dried fruit after baking, when the granola has cooled. This keeps the dried fruit softer and prevents it from burning.

Why is my granola not crunchy?

Granola becomes crispier as it cools, so let it cool completely before judging the texture. Also, make sure the ingredients are well coated with the oil and syrup and spread in an even layer while baking.

How do I make granola with bigger clusters?

Press the granola into an even layer before baking and stir it gently during baking. After baking, let it cool completely before breaking it into pieces.

How long does homemade granola last?

Store cooled granola in an airtight container at room temperature. It can be stored for up to 1 month.

What do you eat granola with?

Homemade granola tastes great with yogurt and fruit, in smoothie bowls (in the photos, I have a smoothie made from acai berries and banana), with milk, with ice cream.

If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Share your experience or any creative twists you made in the comments below. Let me know if you have any questions. Your feedback helps me create even more delicious content. Enjoy your homemade treat and happy baking!