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    The Bossy Kitchen > Recipes > Savory Recipes > Breakfast & Brunch

    Best Homemade Granola

    Published by: Gabriela May 14, 2022 · Last modified: August 19, 2023 Leave a comment
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    Jump to Recipe

    This is the best homemade granola, with a naturally gluten-free combination of oats, seeds, nuts, and a wonderful texture and crunch.

    Cooked granola in a bowl0

    This recipe is part of my Breakfast collection, where you can find a variety of foods you might find interesting. You can try these Banana Pancakes, or this savory recipe for Blueberry Bread Pudding With Cheddar. Learn how to make a Strata or try these delicious Easy Banana Nut Muffins.

    Jump to:
    • Why should you try this recipe?
    • Recipe Ingredients:
    • How to make this recipe
    • How to serve
    • Variations
    • How to store
    • More breakfast recipes to love
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why should you try this recipe?

    It is gluten-free: Naturally gluten-free, this homemade granola is healthy, low in sugar, and packed with beautiful ingredients full of nutrients and flavors. It is ready in less than 40 minutes and super easy to make.

    Great for adding fiber to your digestive system: Whether in a bar or a bowl, wholegrain cereals are good for our bodies. Fiber is necessary to keep your gut healthy, and you will undoubtedly notice a difference if you start incorporating whole grains into your daily breakfast.

    Fuel to start the day: People often skip breakfast because they do not have time or simply because they are not hungry.

    But cliche or not, many cultures around the world start their day with a meal that is considered the most important of the day.

    We need fuel to function correctly, and after not eating anything for about 12 hours overnight, we are definitely running on fumes in the morning.

    Your body is like a car engine, and you need food if you want to get the most out of your day.

    Breakfast provides the energy we need for daily life.

    There is some evidence to suggest that both children and adults who eat breakfast regularly perform better and are less likely to be overweight than those who do not.

    Versatile: This easy homemade granola is a beautiful recipe that you can make at home. You can add/replace some ingredients with things you like.

    Recipe Ingredients:

    (See the recipe card for quantities.)

    Ingredients for homemade granola0

    Cereals and other dried ingredients:

    Oats

    Rolled oats are the main ingredient of this recipe. They are also called old-fashioned or whole oats.

    These oats look flat and have an irregular round shape. When processed, the oats are steamed to make them softer, then pressed to flatten them.

    They are naturally gluten-free.

    Rolled oats absorb more liquid than steel-cut oats and are commonly used to make granola, granola bars, and other baked goods like muffins or cookies.

    Can I use steel-cut oats to make granola? What about instant oats?

    I would not recommend it. Steel-cut oats are too chewy and dry for granola recipes. While some people might enjoy the texture, most people don’t. 

    Instant oats are the most processed oats out there.

    You can use them instead of rolled oats, but if you want to have some health benefits, you will need to stick with rolled oats.

    Sesame seeds

    These seeds have a rich, nutty flavor and bring a good amount of healthy fats, fiber, and vitamin B.

    Chopped mixed nuts

    Mixed nuts could be anything you like, from pecans to cashews, almonds, peanuts, or walnuts. There are so many options out there, and all are good for you.

    Oat bran

    Oat bran is the skin of the oats that is left over after the grains are processed.

    It is highly nutritious, and we add them because they bring extra fiber, extra protein, extra vitamin B, and other nutrients that are beneficial to our bodies. You can replace the oat bran with wheat germ or flaxseeds.

    Unsweetened shredded coconut

    We aim here for less sugar in our meals, and for this reason, I recommend unsweetened shredded coconut or coconut flakes.

    Coconut flakes are not the same as shredded coconut. You can replace the flakes with shredded ones, but keep them unsweetened, please, so you can experience what this recipe is about.

    As a very flexible and versatile recipe, if you don't like coconut, you can skip it entirely.

    Pumpkin seeds

    Pumpkin seeds or pepitas have lots of health benefits. I like them in this recipe for their texture and color. I used raw seeds, as they will roast in the oven together with the oats.

    Brown sugar

    For this recipe, I used dark brown sugar. It brings an extra level of flavor to the cereals due to the amount of molasses in the sugar.

    Syrup ingredients:

    Sunflower or any light oil

    Vegetable oil is used to coat and protect the oats from burning while baking in the oven.

    You do not need any fancy oil here. I used sunflower oil because this is what I have in the house.

    Because we also use coconut flakes, you can replace vegetable oil with coconut oil for extra flavor.

    The cereals also need moisture, so we combine the oil with water, which is the next ingredient on our list.

    Water

    Water adds moisture to the grains, so they cook evenly in the oven without burning.

    Salt

    Salt is the magic ingredient in any baked goods. It balances and enhances the flavors of the product, so please do not skip it.

    Vanilla extract

    Try to buy a good vanilla extract that doesn't taste artificial. Good vanilla brings happiness to a dish, so please buy the best you can afford.

    How to make this recipe

    Step 1.

    Preheat the oven to 350F. Place parchment paper on a baking tray or cookie sheet and set aside.

    Step 2.

    Two bowls with ingredients for granola0

    Combine the oats, sesame seeds, chopped nuts, oat bran, coconut, pumpkin seeds, and brown sugar in a large bowl.

    Mixed Dry ingredients for granola0

    Step 3.

    Whisk together the oil, salt, water, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients, and stir to combine. Mix well.

    Step 4.

    Spread the mixture into a large baking pan or a cookie sheet.

    Uncooked granola on a baking tray

    Bake for 30 minutes, occasionally stirring, until the mixture gets crisp and golden.

    Step 5.

    Remove the tray from the oven and allow it to cool before storing the granola in an airtight container.

    Cooked granola on baking tray with blue towel0

    How to serve

    Serve it with milk, fruits, yogurt, or on its own. While some people might find this weird, I like to warm up the milk, especially on colder days when I need something to “stick to my ribs.”

    Variations

    This is a basic recipe that you use for a quick batch of granola. However, here are more ideas to make this homemade granola even better:

    Flaxseeds - Prepare the basic recipe, and add ¼ cup of flaxseeds, whole or crushed, and ¼ cup of sunflower seeds. Mix and proceed with the rest of the instructions.

    Berries - Prepare the basic recipe, bake, and remove from the oven. Add ½ cup of dried berries like cranberries, raisins, blueberries, currants, or strawberries, and mix them with the cereals.

    Apple&Cinnamon - Prepare the basic recipe without the coconut. Add two teaspoons of ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients. Bake, remove from the oven, and add ⅔ cup of dried apples to the mixture stirring well.

    Voila, how easy is this? What is your excuse now to still eat store-bought granola instead of making your own? This healthy homemade granola is the best.

    Cooked granola in a bowl Pinterest photo

    How to store

    Store it in an airtight container for up to two weeks. I would not store it in the fridge, as it might lose the crunch due to the humidity.

    Some people freeze it for later use, but I never tried it. If you consume it in these two weeks, it will not go stale.

    Try my other recipe of Homemade granola with berries!

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    📖 Recipe

    Cooked granola in a colorful bowl square photo0

    Best Homemade Granola

    This is the best homemade granola, with a naturally gluten free combination of oats, seeds, nuts, and a wonderful texture and crunch.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast & Brunch
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10 servings
    Calories: 440kcal
    Author: Gabriela

    Ingredients

    Dry ingredients:

    • 2 ½ cups rolled oats
    • ¼ cup sesame seeds
    • 1 cup chopped mixed nuts
    • ⅔ cup oat bran or wheat germ
    • ⅔ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
    • ½ cup pumpkin seeds
    • ½ cup dark brown sugar

    Wet Ingredients:

    • ⅔ cup sunflower or any light oil
    • ⅔ cup water
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350F. Place parchment paper on a baking tray or cookie sheet and set aside.
    • Grab a large bowl and place oats, sesame seeds, chopped nuts, oat bran, unsweetened shredded coconut, pumpkin seeds, and dark brown sugar in it.
    • Grab a medium bowl and whisk together oil, water, salt and vanilla extract. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and mix well.
    • Spread mixture into the prepared baking tray and bake for 30 minutes, stirring once in a while, until crisp and golden.
    • Remove the tray from the oven and allow it to cool, before storing the granola in an airtight container.

    Notes

    How to serve this homemade granola
    Serve it with milk, fruits, yogurt, or on its own.
    How to store it:
    Store the granola in an airtight container for up to two weeks. I would not store it in the fridge, as it might lose the crunch due to the humidity.
    Variations of the recipe:
    Flaxseeds – Prepare the basic recipe, and add ¼ cup of flaxseeds, whole or crushed, and ¼ cup of sunflower seeds. Mix and proceed with the rest of the instructions.
    Berries – Prepare the basic recipe, bake and remove from the oven. Add ½ cup of dried berries like cranberries, raisins, blueberries, currants, or strawberries and mix them with the cereals.
    Apple & Cinnamon – Prepare the basic recipe without the coconut. Add two teaspoons of ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients. Bake, remove from the oven, and add ⅔ cup of dried apples to the mixture stirring well.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 0.5mg | Sodium: 90mg | Potassium: 314mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it Today!Mention @thebossykitchen or tag #thebossykitchen!

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    Gabriela the creator of The Bossy Kitchen

    Hi! I am Gabriela and this is my virtual home. I am a self-taught cook and a trained Pastry Chef. I inherited the cooking genes from my maternal grandma and the love for baking from my paternal grandma.

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