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.

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.

Breakfast is good for you.

Whether in a bar or a bowl, wholegrain cereals are very good for our bodies. The 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.

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.

Healthy granola is easy to make and an excellent option for breakfast or snacks.

This easy homemade granola is a beautiful recipe that you can make at home. It is very versatile because you can add/replace some ingredients with things you like.

I love versatile recipes. They give you the freedom to pick and choose ingredients you like or adapt the product based on your available ingredients.

What ingredients go into this granola recipe?

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 leftover 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 meal, 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 the 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.

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

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.

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.

How to serve this homemade granola:

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.”

What about variations to this recipe?

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.

How to store the granola:

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. If you consume it in these two weeks, it will not go stale.

Try my other recipe of Homemade granola with berries!

More breakfast recipes to love:

Apricot Oat Bars Recipe

Savory Bread Pudding

Banana Pancakes

Blueberry Bread Pudding With Cheddar