The Very Best Granola
This delicious healthy granola recipe is the best! It's naturally sweetened with maple syrup (or honey). Just add oats, coconut oil, nuts and dried fruit.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
Do you love granola? Me, too! Today, I’m sharing my “basic” granola recipe, which is also the best granola recipe. Granted, I’m partial, but it really is the best and I use that term sparingly. Over two hundred five-star reviews agree!
In fact, I love this recipe so much that I shared it in my cookbook, Love Real Food. This granola makes a wonderful snack or breakfast (add your milk of choice and maybe some fresh fruit). It also stores beautifully, so it makes a great homemade gift.
Once you try homemade granola, you won’t go back to store-bought granola. It’s so much better!
This granola recipe is also a far more healthy granola option, since it’s made with whole grains, unrefined oil and naturally sweetened. You just can’t beat freshly baked granola packed with delicious and good-for-you ingredients.
Plus, homemade granola is super easy to make. You’ll only need one bowl and some basic pantry ingredients. Ready to make some?
Watch How to Make Healthy Granola
Now that you have my base recipe, you can play around with the mix-ins and spices to make it your favorite granola.
By the way, you can preserve that freshly baked flavor by storing this granola in the freezer. Just let it warm to room temperature for a few minutes, and enjoy.
Healthy Granola Ingredients
Oats
Heart-healthy, hearty, whole-grain old-fashioned oats keep their shape during baking. Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats if you need gluten-free granola.
Nuts and/or Seeds
I used pecans and pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) to make this batch. Other options include walnuts, which are rich in Omega-3s, whole or slivered almonds, cashews, peanuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts and sunflower seeds.
Unrefined Oil
Oil helps make this granola crisp and irresistible. I prefer unrefined coconut oil, which is delicious (you can barely taste the coconut, if at all) and produces the perfect texture.
You can use extra-virgin olive oil instead, if you’d like your granola to be a little more on the savory side. If you’re watching your saturated fat intake, olive oil is a better choice!
Natural Sweetener
I love using real maple syrup in my granola. Honey works great, too. As a bonus, these natural sweeteners infuse your granola extra-delicious flavor that sugar would not.
Salt and Spice
For flavorful granola, don’t skip the salt! Too little and your flavors won’t sing. I prefer using fine-grain sea salt in this one (I always cook with fine-grain sea salt), but regular salt will do, too (just use a little less).
I added cinnamon to this batch for some subtle warming spice. Ground ginger (use half as much) and pumpkin spice blends are other options.
Dried Fruit
Dried fruit lends some extra sweetness, chewy texture and irresistible fruity flavor. I used dried cranberries for this batch. I also love tart dried cherries, raisins and chopped dried apricots.
Optional Mix-Ins
For fresh citrus flavor, stir fresh citrus zest (up to 2 teaspoons) into the mixture before baking. I love adding orange zest, in particular.
You can add chocolate chips after the granola has completely cooled (otherwise, they’ll melt).
If you’d like to add unsweetened coconut flakes, you can add it halfway through baking for perfectly toasted results (see recipe note).
Chunky Granola Tips
Some of you, like me, love big clumps in your granola. Here are my tips to achieving the best clumps:
- Your oats need to be a little crowded in the pan so they can stick together, but not so crowded that they don’t toast evenly. I recommend using a basic half sheet pan (affiliate link) for this granola recipe. It’s the perfect size and the rimmed edges make sure no granola falls overboard.
- Be sure to line the pan with parchment paper so the sweetener sticks to your oats rather than the pan.
- For maximum clumps, gently press down on the granola with the back of a spatula after stirring the mixture at the half-way baking point. Then put the pan back into the oven to finish baking.
- Don’t bake the granola too long—just until it’s lightly golden on top, as described. It might not seem like it’s done yet, but it will continue to crisp up as it cools. Over-baking the granola seems to break the sugar bonds.
- Lastly, let the granola cool completely before breaking it up. I’ve even left it on the pan overnight, covered.
Even with all those techniques in place, I occasionally end up with a batch of granola that isn’t as clumpy as my others, for reasons that I can’t explain. It’s always delicious, though!
Granola Variations
This recipe is my favorite, go-to granola recipe. Over the years, I’ve played around with it to create a bunch of fun variations. Here they are for inspiration:
- Orange and Almond Granola: This recipe includes orange zest (2 teaspoons), whole almonds and golden raisins.
- Triple Coconut Granola: This recipe calls for coconut oil, large coconut flakes and shredded coconut.
- Cranberry Orange Granola: This recipe is quite similar to this one, but a little sweeter and full of vibrant orange flavor.
- Honey Almond Granola: Just what it sounds like, plus chopped dried apricots! Delightful.
- Gingerbread Granola: This granola includes molasses and extra warming spices, plus coconut flakes, dried cranberries and chopped candied ginger.
Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments! I love hearing from you and hope this granola recipe becomes your new favorite.
Healthy Granola
This delicious healthy granola recipe is naturally sweetened with maple syrup (or honey). It’s made with oats, coconut oil and your favorite nuts and fruit. Make it your own! Recipe yields about 8 cups granola, enough for about 16 half-cup servings.
Ingredients
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (use certified gluten-free oats for gluten-free granola)
- 1 ½ cup raw nuts and/or seeds (I used 1 cup pecans and ½ cup pepitas)
- 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt (if you’re using standard table salt, scale back to ¾ teaspoon)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup melted coconut oil or olive oil
- ½ cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup dried fruit, chopped if large (I used dried cranberries)
- Totally optional additional mix-ins: ½ cup chocolate chips or coconut flakes*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts and/or seeds, salt and cinnamon. Stir to blend.
- Pour in the oil, maple syrup and/or honey and vanilla. Mix well, until every oat and nut is lightly coated. Pour the granola onto your prepared pan and use a large spoon to spread it in an even layer.
- Bake until lightly golden, about 21 to 24 minutes, stirring halfway (for extra-clumpy granola, press the stirred granola down with your spatula to create a more even layer). The granola will further crisp up as it cools.
- Let the granola cool completely, undisturbed (at least 45 minutes). Top with the dried fruit (and optional chocolate chips, if using). Break the granola into pieces with your hands if you want to retain big chunks, or stir it around with a spoon if you don’t want extra-clumpy granola.
- Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, or in a sealed freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. The dried fruit can freeze solid, so let it warm to room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Recipe adapted Meg Gordan’s granola, which I’ve tweaked over the years.
Make it gluten free: Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats.
Make it nut free: Use seeds, like pepitas or sunflower seeds, instead of nuts.
*If you want toasted coconut in your granola: Stir the coconut flakes into the granola halfway through baking. They’ll get nice and toasty that way.
Serving suggestions: This granola is awesome on its own, with milk or yogurt and fresh fruit, and you can even throw a couple handfuls into a salad for granola “croutons.”
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This granola recipe is amazing. Easily the best granola I have ever had, and so easy to make.
One thing that i did differently (an extremely happy accident) is that I threw everything into the one bowl, including the dried fruit, and put it into the oven. The dried fruit comes out chewy and a lovely texture.
Thanks so much!
Thank you for sharing! I appreciate your review, Mark.
Best granola recipe- I made it with half the amount of maple syrup and it’s plenty sweet enough. 5 stars!
Thank you, Nicola!
I love this recipe! Could someone please tell me the serving size and calories in a serving? For some reason the nutritional information will never display for me.
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Tried the recipe with reduced quantity maple syrup and fig and ginger honey. No fruit added only plenty of nuts and seeds. Liberal with the cinnamon and ginger spice. It tasted amazing with coconut yoghurt and fresh strawberries. Shared with friends and now they want the recipe. Never buying granola again!
Thank you for sharing, Maisie!
This granola is fantastic! The first time I made it, I used maple syrup and it was not as clumpy as I wanted so the next time I used honey and it was perfect and delicious. I love it as does everyone who has tried it!
Thank you for your review, Liz! I’m glad you loved it.
Not sure what I did wrong but it cooked faster than the recipe says to and some of my pecans burnt and it didn’t clump. Maybe my oven? I used honey. But great taste, I added toasted coconut, dried cherries, and golden raisins. Will definitely work on perfecting! Thanks!
Hi Alice! I’m sorry this didn’t turn out perfect. It could be your oven. Did you let it cool completely on the baking pan?
Pecans can be finicky. I usually add pecans at the same time as the coconut.
Mine burnt and didn’t clump as well. I really wanted it to be great! :(
Such a great recipe and so simple to make! I’ve already made it many times. I did not change anything and my family and friends just love it! It is a staple in our home now. Thank you for posting it.
I used agave syrup as a sweetener. If I use honey, will it stick to the oats and make clumps? Also, can I substitute coconut sugar for the liquid sweeteners? If so, how many cups do you think I should use? Thank you!
I’m happy you have really loved it, Selam! Honey is a great option. I wouldn’t recommend coconut sugar as it won’t mix-in well.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and including the nutrition information. I have Type 1 Diabetes and am often at loss when computing my carb:insulin ratio with house-made foods. About ready to enjoy my first bowl of this granola with milk and just wanted you to know how much I appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Mine burnt at 350 degrees. I did not have parchment paper so maybe that was the problem.
Hi Amelia. Parchment paper does help. I’m sorry this didn’t turn out for you. Did you toss it half was and was it placed in the middle rack of your oven? If it is too close to a heat source, it could burn.
(I have a commercial oven and am not a newbie at baking.)I used parchment paper and mine burnt at 350 degrees as well. Mine also didn’t clump. I’m going to try at 325 and add some honey next time to see if that will help with creating clumps. I still love the recipe and the idea of making my own granola. I’m going to play around with the recipe and tweak it a bit.
I just made your recipe for Healthy Granola (which seemed easy to follow … for a guy!)
One question. Why should I place the granola in airtight containers for two weeks?
Hi Gordon! I’m happy you thought it was easy to follow. You want to make sure the granola stays fresh and clumpy. Otherwise, it will loose the crunch.
Is this made with Quick Cook Rolled Oats, Instant Oats or some other type of rolled oats? Thanks
Hi Mark! This is made with just old fashioned rolled oats.
My go-to recipe for granola. Super easy to make and so delicious with almond milk and some fresh blueberries!
Thanks for the review, Sharon!
Loved this recipe!! Nice to have control over what’s going in my granola and saves a ton of money too!! Thank you :)
You’re welcome, Hannah!
This granola recipe is fantastic!! I used half maple syrup, half honey, pecans and walnuts, cranberries. I cut the salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
One thing I would love to know, what are the calories, fat, etc. guess I can try and figure that out for myself.
Highly recommend this recipe!!
P.s. to my previous comment.
I don’t turn it half way through the cooking and it came out great. I also used melted refined coconut oil, turned out great. I can’t make this fast enough for just the two of us!!
Thank for the recommendation! The nutrition information is below the notes section. Ensure you allow cookies in your browser.
IT’S IN THE OVEN AND IT SMELLS DIVINE!
I hope you loved it, Susan!
Made it last night and it turned out awesome. Will definitely be making again! I used maple syrup— so delicious
Thanks
Thank you for your review, Theo!
We as a family of 4 love this granola. Going to try the other recipes out as well. Thanks so much I eat breakfast now!!!
You’re welcome, Christine!
This is my go-to granola recipe. I made two batches for our Boundary Waters camping trip and have another batch in the oven now for snacking at home. I use almond extract instead of vanilla and a 1 1/2 cup mix of whatever nuts and seeds I have … chia, flax, sunflower, sliced almonds and walnut pieces usually. Also love adding big unsweetened flakes of coconut that I crumble with my hands. Like you, Kate, I prefer adding the dried fruit after the pan’s out of the oven or they get a little hard for my taste and stick to molars. Thank you for this solid recipe! Two enthusiastic thumbs up :)
Thanks for sharing your version, Kelly!
Got inspired to make my own granola after I read the list of ingredients in the store bought one I had. I used avocado oil, a mixed nut blend (Costco), half rolled oats, half quick oats, and chopped medjooled dates. Turned out fantastic! Love this recipe ❤️ Next I’m gonna try agavae for sweetener, and more seeds! Thank you so much for posting this recipe !!!!
Thank you for your feedback, Brie!
We have been making this amazing Cookie & Kate granola every 2 weeks now for 2 years! It has become our breakfast staple which everyone loves! It fills our home with tantilizing aromas of maple/cinnamon/oats/homey whole food goodness.
Extra pumpkin seeds, cinnamon and shredded coconut are essential ;) served with greek yogurt, seasonal fruit and berries make for the best start to every day!
I have tried so many of your recipes, I am so grateful for your Love Real Food cookbook: hello?…black bean sweet potato enchiladas! Kale pesto (genius)! Buddha bowls with carrot ginger dressing! wow! delicious food you feel great making AND eating.
Much gratitude to you, Kate for your continued creative contributions to feeding my family!
Sheryl
I love that! That’s a lot of granola too. Thanks for sharing it’s been a staple for you, Sheryl! Thanks for sharing your favorites. :)
This Granola is fantastic! I made it with my daughter tonight for her yogurt topping in the mornings before school. We added pepitas, dried cherries, and almonds.
Thank you, Jody!
I make this all the time, it’s so good. I usually add orange zest and walnuts as well as the raisins but last time added lemon zest, pecans and lavender. This recipe is a keeper and fun to play with.
Thank you!! Ellen
Thank you for your review! Lavender sounds interesting. :)
My second batch of your granola recipe is in the oven. We already devoured the first batch. I added a little some cereals that we purchased that we didn’t care so much for….so we’ll get rid of them that way. So happy to have found this recipe. thank you so much!
Susan
Tucson, AZ
It’s very easy to do! This recipes doubles well, just make sure you spread out evenly to two pans.
Delicious and so easy!! Makes the house smell good too. I made it with walnuts and dried cranberries. Looking forward to trying other combinations this fall.
Fall combinations sound delicious! Thanks for sharing, Mindy!
Delicious!! Sooo easy yet so tasty. Would absolutely recommend!
Thank you, Gigi!
This was my first time making granola and I don’t think I can go back to buying it in the store (overpriced and overly sugary). I used olive oil, honey, raw almonds, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries and dried tart cherries. I’d say the hardest part is not eating any while it is cooling. Can’t wait to experiment more. Also want to try your museli recipe!
Hooray! Thank you Julia, for your review.
Really good. I think I made a mistake by including sunflower seeds that were already roasted and salted, not raw. And then added the 1 tsp of sea salt. It’s not bad at all I’m just not huge on salt and I can definitely taste the salt. I had to add a little more honey to try and counteract the salt but I can still taste it. I think next time I’m going to leave out the salt altogether. I also haven’t added the dried fruit yet so that might help even it out. The only dried cranberries they had at Walmart were sweetened and they had an absurd amount of sugar.. which I am trying to watch. Thank you for very much for the recipe! I want to try the gingerbread one, too. Did you make the candied ginger or purchase them pre-candied? Would also like to maybe find or make a variant sweetened with stevia or something. Seems kind of complicated to make them myself. I am a novice kitchen hobbyist haha. But I do love granola. That is for damn sure. Thank you!
Oh no! Thanks for sharing, Jeremy. I purchase the candied ginger. You should be able to find the at most grocery stores.
Wow!! I made this today and we love it!! I added the fruit while baking. I also used half honey and half maple syrup. This will be a go to for breakfast and snacks. Thank you so much!!
You’re welcome, Felicia!
Love this recipe as a base for creating yummy granola. Have shared it with friends and family. My husband has sworn off of store bought granola as long as I keep us stocked with this! I use a combo of pumpkin seeds and thinly sliced almonds (1 cup total) and have thrown in 1/4 cup Ghiradelli mini chocolate chips when it has cooled. Have filled ball jars with it, tied on a ribbon, and makes a great gift.
I love it! Thanks for sharing, Christy.
I love this granola! I’ve made it several times now. I use about half of the maple syrup (so 1/4 cup), and I use a mix of walnuts and pecans. For some reason, I could only find an avocado/coconut oil blend, but I don’t think it made a difference.
That’s great Melanie! Thank you for your review.
Loved it. I did substitute Choc-zero (mung fruit) for the honey. It was excellent.
Thank you for your comment and review, Jessica!
This recipe is perfect! I used coconut oil and honey, cashews, almond slivers, golden raisins, craisins, dark chocolate I cut into small chunks, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, and some pumpkin spice! Turned out super yummy. I ate most of it by itself but had a lot of it with my yogurt and fresh berries. I will definitely be making this again and again. I think I will try making granola pancakes with this. Thanks so much for the recipe!!! Love granola!!!
Thank you for sharing, Brenna!
It is the best recipe ever..i’ve tried many tines and started to play with it adding some favourite stuff..
Love this easy recipe. It is absolutely perfect as is, but also super flexible for whatever additions/changes you want to make. Thank you for sharing!
This is my favorite granola recipe. It is super easy and delicious!!
Hi,
I’ve now been making this recipe for my family for nearly two years and absolutely love it! I try to always keep it in the cupboard (I make mine all organic, much cheaper than ready made).
So easy and delicious!
Works perfect for breakfast or a quick fix anytime during the day.
It certainly is the perfect granola for me ; )
This is an amazing recipe. It tastes incredible and the texture is perfect. It’s even better than the ones I buy!! Thank you so much!!
This recipe is easy and granola is delicious! I made it a few times already and always come out well (I’m refusing to buy ready-made granola since I discovered this recipe). I did a few tweaks – I added less maple syrup, added 2 tbsp of peanut butter, 1/2 tsp of ground ginger and 1/2 tsp of turmeric and it works wonderfully
Somehow every time I make granola bars- they stick to the parchment paper- please help
Love the granola recipe. Make it with 3 cups oats, 2 cups faro, cup wheat berries , 1/2 cup basamati rice, salt, vanilla, 3/4 cup olive oil and maple syrup,
use almond and pepitas, add a little balsamic vinegar and lemon juice
Have made this for my husband and I are few times and we really really enjoy it. Thank you so much!
I have been making this granola with variations over the past year and my family love it. My son notifies me as soon as we start to get low. I serve it with homemade yogurt and whatever fruit is in season.
I’m happy to hear that, Sue! Thanks so much for sharing.
My family and I loved your recipe! I was asked to make another batch. It was easy to make and tastes better than store bought. Thank you:)
You’re welcome!
This granola is fantastic. I hate it when people adjust recipes before even trying them the way they were written, BUT I didn’t have any traditional oatmeal (sorry).
I used one minute oats and it turned out amazing.
I disagree with the comments saying to add less sweetener. I added honey and it was amazing. I wouldn’t want it less sweet for me personally.
Great recipe!! My family loves it and great snack to send to school for my little ones. I’m looking for a peanut butter granola recipe. Any tips?
I missed the step to turn it 1/2 way it is was kinda burnt on the edges. But more so it has an odd taste. Not sure what I did wrong. I know odd is not very specific…. maybe more
Of a metallic taste.
And how long will it keep? Do I need to refrig it?
Oh oh no! I’m sorry you didn’t love it. It likely cooked to long and lost some of it’s flavor. Try adjusting the time next time too. Your oven might cook warmer. Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, or in a sealed freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I made this recipe and it is amazing and so easy. My whole family had gone mad for it, it’s like catnip. My son has taken the recipe back to uni today as he can’t go without it. We will never buy granola again
Thank you so much for sharing x
I just got done making thus…I used filberts for the nuts, I did have t use the flat side of a meat tenderizer on the nuts in a baggie to break them down a little. (For those of you who don’t live in the great Pacific Northwest , filberts are also known as hazelnuts!) I also used a smidge more honey and added a 1/4 tsp of cloves. I also added some mangos that I had dried.
Soooooo easy and the house smells great! I’m having a hard time leaving it alone to cool…but the sample I tried was great!!!
My first batch is waiting for the oven . I will say, reading thru the comments, 350 is considered baking and 200- 225 is considered toasting. A slow toast for 45 min to an hour will keep it from burning and ensure that lovely crisp in the end. I rarely bother stirring at all. Only towards the end does it need to be watched and removed once it looks slightly browned.
Hi Kish, thanks for sharing. If that works for you, thats great. However, I prefer the recipe as written. But I’m glad you made it work for you!
Love this. I added chia seeds in mine and used walnut oil. Cant wait to try it with orange zest.
This granola is DELICIOUS!
I can’t eat the shop bought stuff as I have a nut allergy, so I adapted this with sunflower and pumpkin seeds instead of the nuts and added dried cranberries and blueberries at the halfway mix-up.
There is no way this will last 2 weeks though. The kids have been sneaking a nibble every time they come through the kitchen and it’s half gone already!
Thank you :D
I am excited to try this recipe, but I’ve never made granola before. I’m wondering if you have to add sweetener, as I am trying to cut out sugar. What will happen if I leave out the honey/maple syrup and just sweeten with dried fruit? Thanks.
Addendum: I made the recipe with 1/3 cup honey and almond extract instead of vanilla. It was delicious! I’m going to try reducing the honey each time to see how low I can go.
Extremely easy and tasty. Other recipes have the “wrong” amount of oil.