If you are a granola fan, you'll absolutely love this Healthy Granola Recipe. Don't let the idea of homemade granola scare you. I'll show you how to get big chunky clusters, chewy nutty bits, all mixed up in warm cinnamon spices. It's amazing!
Jump to:
Homemade Healthy Granola Recipe
This Easy and Healthy Granola recipe takes the prize for the best granola we have ever made, hands down. It’s got the perfect balance of sweet and chewy, it’s crunchy and chunky and it’s full of all different textures and flavors. And while some granola recipes are loaded with refined sugars and butter, this recipe uses natural sweeteners, healthy fats, and unrefined oils so it’s incredibly healthy.
But above all, it is just downright tasty. It’s great with milk, in yogurt parfaits or straight off of the baking sheet by the handful. One bite and you’ll see what we mean!
Homemade Granola Ingredients
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats - we prefer the texture of these over instant oats. They’re sturdier and add a nice chewy element. If you are looking to make this granola gluten-free, just be sure to choose a brand that is certified as such.
- Coconut - we like shredded coconut, which you can find in the baking section at your grocery store. The choice of sweetened or unsweetened depends on whether or not you want a little extra sweetness.
- Sunflower Seeds - you could also use pepitas for a similar flavor and texture.
- Almonds - whole, slivered or sliced almonds will work, or else substitute another nut if you prefer. Walnuts are delicious in this granola! If you want to make this granola nut free, just omit these completely.
- Flax Seeds - in order for your body to digest flax seeds, they need to be ground. So either purchase them pre-ground, or you can grind them yourself in a coffee grinder or blender.
- Sesame Seeds - another optional but very tasty mix-in.
- Cinnamon - this adds a nice cozy spice flavor.
- Water - you want your water to be warm, to prevent the coconut oil and maple syrup or honey from seizing up.
- Coconut Oil - coconut oil is an unrefined oil that is more nutritious than refined oils. You could substitute olive oil if you would like a bit more savoriness.
- Honey - you can also substitute maple syrup, but be sure and use pure maple syrup. Otherwise, you’ll be eating maple-flavored corn syrup which is not so healthy! You can also try using half honey and half maple syrup. This works great when making a naturally sweetened granola recipe.
- Vanilla Extract - pure vanilla extract is best.
- Sea Salt - this is a very important ingredient and really brings all of the flavors together.
How to Make Healthy Homemade Granola
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, almonds, flax seeds, sesame seeds and cinnamon. Mix well to combine.
- In a blender, add the warm water, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt. Blend until combined.
- Pour the maple syrup mixture onto the oat mixture and mix until the oats are completely covered in the liquid.
- Spray a large baking sheet with pan spray, then spread the granola evenly onto your prepared baking sheet.
- Put into your preheated oven and bake for about 1 ½ hours, stirring every 15 minutes to 30 minutes. You want the granola to be lightly golden brown.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and stir once more. Let the granola cool completely, then break up the granola with your hands and transfer to an airtight container. Enjoy!
How to Make Chunky Homemade Granola
Like chunky granola? Us too! Here are a few helpful hints to get you the chunkiest results:
- After your granola has been in the oven for 30 minutes and you have mixed it, press it down with a spatula before putting it back in the oven.
- Make sure your granola is really packed into your baking sheet well, without any extra space around the edges. If you don’t have a baking sheet with rimmed edges you could even split it up into two Pyrex dishes.
- Be sure to either spray your baking sheet with pan spray, or else use parchment paper or a Silpat so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- It’s going to be hard to resist, but let your granola cool down completely before breaking into chunks.
Some of Our Favorite Granola Variations
Granola is great because you can mix up some of the ingredients from time to time and experiment, depending on what you and your family like, or what you have around the house. Here are a few of our favorite variations to make Homemade Granola healthy:
- Craisins - we often have these around the house, and everyone seems to love them. They add great little bursts of flavor.
- Dried Fruit - some other dried fruits to try are dried cranberries, apricots, raisins, cherries and dates. You can add just one, or try mixing a few.
- Nuts - besides almonds and walnuts you could try pecans, cashews or even hazelnuts.
- Chocolate Chips - tried and true semi-sweet are our favorite, but there are also a ton of flavor options for chocolate chips to choose from if you want.
- Candied Ginger - this adds a nice sweet and spicy punch.
- Raisins- this adds a fun chewy texture and a lot of sweetness too. If you add raisins, add them after the granola has finished baking so they remain soft and chewy.
- Shredded Coconut- Coconut chunks are a nice addition here too.
- Peanut Butter-Add a ½ cup peanut butter to make this a peanut butter granola recipe.
Storing Granola
- Room Temperature: You can store this Healthy Homemade Granola recipe in a covered, airtight container at room temp for up to 2 weeks, if you manage to make it last that long! We keep ours in a large Tupperware container in the pantry.
- Freezer: Granola also freezes well. Just transfer the granola that you’d like to freeze into freezer bags and store for up to 3 months. Once you are ready to eat it, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature. It’ll be good as new!
What to Serve with Healthy Homemade Granola
While some store-bought granolas are a little too dry to enjoy on their own, our Easy and Healthy Homemade Granola is honestly delicious as-is. But one of the best things about granola is that it can be eaten in so many different ways:
- Yogurt. Yogurt and granola are a match made in heaven. For something new, try keifer. Greek yogurt is a great way to get a little more protein with your granola.
- Milk. Pour your granola in a bowl with some milk and you’ve got yourself homemade cereal. If you prefer a milk substitute, that works too. One of our favorite ways to eat it is actually with vanilla almond milk. Yum!
- Nut Butter. In a bowl, mix your favorite nut butter (we love peanut butter!) and a touch more honey with a cup or two of baked granola, adding a touch of milk just to get it all mixed in. Roll into balls and enjoy!
- Fruit. Cut up your favorite fresh fruit and sprinkle granola over the top to add a little healthy crunch.
- A combination. One of the best ways to eat granola is in a parfait. Layer any combination of the ingredients above with your granola for a delicious, nutritious breakfast, or late-night snack!
- Smoothie Bowls. Try it with these Vanilla Blue Sky Bowls.
Healthy Homemade Granola Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 Cups Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
- 1 ½ Cups Coconut Flakes
- 1 Cup Sunflower Seeds
- 1 Cup Almonds
- ½ Cup Flax Seeds Ground
- ½ Cup Sesame Seeds
- 2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
- 1 Cup Water warm
- 1 Cup Coconut Oil melted
- 2 Cups Honey can use honey or pure maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tablespoon Sea Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, almonds, flax seeds, sesame seeds and cinnamon. Mix well to combine.
- In a blender, add the warm water, melted coconut oil, honey, vanilla, and salt. Blend until combined.
- Pour your wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix until the oats are completely covered in the liquid.
- Spray a large baking sheet with pan spray, then spread the granola evenly onto your prepared baking sheet pan.
- Put into your preheated oven and bake for about 1 ½ hours, stirring every 30 minutes. You want the granola to be lightly golden brown.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and stir once more. Let cool completely, then feel free to break up the granola with your hands and transfer to an airtight container. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More of the Best Breakfast Recipes
- Chia Oatmeal Energy Balls
- Coconut Peanut Butter Power Balls
- Einkorn Pumpkin Muffins
- Strawberry Cream Scones
- Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole
- Coconut French Toast Bake
- More Easy Breakfast Recipes
- More Meal Prep Ideas
If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it and leave a comment on this post. I love hearing feedback from you. It helps me and other readers too! If you love Pinterest, feel free to leave a comment and photo there too. Also, if you like to share, use the hashtag #thecarefreekitchen on Instagram and tag me @thecarefreekitchen so I can find you and give your post some love. You can also find me on Facebook at The Carefree Kitchen. Thank you!!
You will absolutely love this Easy and Healthy Homemade Granola recipe. It’s perfectly crunchy, super easy, healthy and downright delicious. This Easy and Healthy Homemade Granola takes the prize for the best granola we have ever made, hands down. It’s got the perfect balance of sweet and chewy, it’s crunchy and chunky and it’s full of all different textures and flavors.
Leave a Reply