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.
I’ve made this before and it was fantastic. This time I didn’t have vanilla extract so I used almond extract instead and I added coconut flakes. I ran out of parchment paper but it turned out just fine without it. Just a bit harder to clean up. This will always be my go to for granola!
Great to hear, Erica! Thank you for your review.
Granola was the best I ever had! Thank you for this recipe.
I’ve made this recipe and enjoy it very much! Unfortunately, I must have been daydreaming and added everything together at once. I didn’t want to throw it all away so I put it in the oven. I’m waiting to see what happens next. I hope I didn’t ruin it but probably did. What can I expect??? Thanks
Hi! What did you decide to do, Sharon?
Hi Kate,
It still tastes great! I’d probably prefer to not have my raisins cooked but other than that, it’s a sweet, crunchy snack/dessert…and my husband loves to add it to his cereal for breakfast or with yogurt and chocolate chips for dessert!
Thank you
Hi Sharon! You want to add the raisins in at the end. See the last step :) I appreciate your review!
Awesome recipe. So easy and exciting to make. Made it for the second time in two days. Came out so well. Will try out the variations as I go along.
Thank you!
This recipe is soooo delish and easy. It was my first time making granola at home, and I don’t think I will ever buy store-bought again!! My husband is a big fan and loves the different variations we can try too. Thank you for posting, Kate!
I’ve been making granola for years and this is the best (and easiest) I’ve ever made. Thank you!
This recipe is excellent! Incredibly quick and easy, and simply delicious. Now I am looking forward to making all kinds of variations! I made my first batch with avocado oil, and I used hazelnuts and cashews (because I had some that needed to be used up). I left out the dried fruit, but I can always add it in at serving time. The finished granola completely filled a 2-quart Mason jar. I have enjoyed so many of the recipes from your blog, and this granola recipe inspired me to buy your cookbook. Thanks so much!
Have to agree…best granola recipe, lots of ways to modify. When I don’t make it, my boys get grumpy cuz they put stuff on everything!
Made the muffins and they were grey. Making the granola now but can I use steel cut oats wh are quick cooking from Bob’s Red Mill?
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that and that seems strange. You won’t be the same results with steel cut and likely be a lot harder.
Hey Kate – I am now fully addicted to this granola and always keep a jar stocked up for breakfast. Best, easiest, not too expensive ingredients recipe I’ve found. Also find that if I add the honey at the half way point when I’m pressing it down with the spoon I can use less honey and it makes bigger chunks.
So easy and yet so yummy! I’m making my second batch now. My family finished the first batch so fast. We consumed it faster than store bought. Even my picky 8 year old ate it. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I love using this recipe as a guide. I add sunflower seeds, pepitas, pistachios, mixed nuts and eventually some chocolate chunks. It’s so good that I make it as gifts for people.
Can i use Quaker Quick 1 minute oats for this recipe?
Hi! I don’t find quick oats work the best as it doesn’t clump. But, you can try it if you like.
So good!
This is my favorite granola recipe! I’ve made so many different versions, all delicious. A tablespoon of cocoa powder is a nice addition too!
Thank you for sharing, Katherine!
Made this with my daughter and it did not stick together. Any suggestions?
Hi Sherry! Im sorry to hear that. Did you let is cool completely?
Add @ 1 tbsp chia powder per single batch. Helps it clump better and adds “more good for you” ingredients. It’s basically granola cereal without the chia but with, then it becomes a hand snack. Btw, orange zest is a huge plus as are flavored syrups. I personally enjoy the bourbon barrel syrup with this recipe. Hope this helps.
Great recipe! I reduced the coconut oil a bit and used sunflower seed only. Thanks from Addis Ababa!
I followed the recipe completely except I added agave syrup instead of maple.
Mine didn’t even roast well nor do they taste nice. What’s the mistake that I did?
Hi, Unfortunately changing the sweetener can impact your results.
Great recipe! I have been sharing jars with friends and everyone agrees it is much better than store bought.
Thank you!
Wonderful, Linda! Thank you for your review.
Could I add things like hemp seeds or chia seeds? If so, when? Thank you!
I haven’t tried it, sorry! I would maybe add them as you serve it? Let me know if you try it.
I added chia seeds before I cooked the granola and it turned out just fine!
Love this recipe. My only variance is that I scaled back to 3/4 tsp salt and increased cinnamon to 3/4 tsp. So yummy either way!
This is my go to granola recipe! Its so yummy and very versatile, you can literally throw in any mix ins you want! I often use almonds, walnuts, quinoa, flax seed, and chia seeds!
Ashley, did you add the smaller seeds right at the beginning? Did you have any issues with them burning?
Great flavor, delicious
I just made this today. It taste really good but am disappointed that it did not clump together at all. What did I do wrong?
Hi Katy, did you let is rest until completely cooled? How long did you bake it for?
This is my third time making your granola. It is delicious! I had never made granola before because it had a lot of expensive ingredients. I love it’s simplicity, taste & consistency. I make it just the recipe calls for and to us it is perfect.
Yum just made this! Super crunchy and satisfying. Not too sweet. Great for me and the kids for breakfast or a snack. Thanks Kate!
You’re welcome, Iman!
Hi! I love this recipe! I’ve made it in the Oven Can I make it in a pan??
Hi, This recipe isn’t meant for canning. Sorry! But it can keep for two weeks. Does that answer your question?
I made my first batch yesterday and have just had it for breakfast today. It is so tasty! But, I was expecting it to be as crisp as store bought and it wasn’t anything like as crisp. Is it meant to be? If so, what can I have done wrong? It seemed like a heck of a lot of oil to add, but if I added less, would it be even less crispy?
Hi! Did you let is set until it cooled completely? How long did you bake it for?
Yes I left it for around 2 hours, haha, cos I forgot about it! The only thing I can think is that by mistake I had the oven too low for the first 15 minutes or so – Gas mark 3 instead of 4. So I then turned it up and left it in for longer than recommended. Next time I’ll be more careful!
I just made this granola for the first time and absolutely love it! I’d love it even more if I could get it a little clumpy. I was hoping for it to stick together at least some, but no luck. I baked it for 23 minutes and let it sit and cool for 2 hours. I used olive oil and maple syrup as the oil and sweetener. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Hi Alex, It is seem a little over done? Did you stir it halfway?
I use your recipe all of the time for my granola! I love it and so does my family! Thank you
Made your granola this morning and have been snacking on it all day!! Not too sweet. Really nice flavor.
Husband really liked it (which is huge, because I can NOT cook).Also shared with my sister and mom and they loved it and asked for the recipe!
Looking forward to eating this tomorrow with some yogurt for breakfast.
Thanks for sharing !!!
Very good granola and easy to make. I will not be using coconut oil next time… the flavor of it was way too dominant. Otherwise, it’s a winner!
Hi Kate, my name is Deborah , and I Love ❤️ your Healthy Granola Recipe this is my second time making it, two pans cooling as I write. Posted first time on Pinterest with a pic about 2 weeks ago and now making again today 2/22/21. Thanks for a great and easy Recipe Deborah
Thank you, Deborah! I’m delighted you are enjoying this recipe do much.
Great!!! This is my granola recipe now! Thank you!
Best granola ever! I have made this granola over 3 times now, and every time it’s perfect! I call it my “one bowl wonder”! The only thing I have changed is to add 1/2 teaspoon more of cinnamon, as I really enjoy a more cinnamon-y taste. Thank you for this awesome recipe! :)
I love that! Thank you for sharing.
Hi, I’m Faznim from Singapore! Made these and it was a hit for my whole family. Even my 8 yr old loves it. Was hoping to keep it for my breakkie at work but it was gone by the next day. Will definitely be our staple for breakkie in future. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
I made a more sensible version of this, which was great, but calling this healthy as-written is pretty misleading. The amount of sugar in this recipe is close to double what is written in the above nutrition facts, assuming you use honey and regular supermarket dried cranberries. Even if you used just maple syrup and no dried fruit at all, there’s still more than the indicted 11 grams of sugar in 1/16 of this recipe. It feels like there is purposeful deceit in the nutrition facts (to say nothing of the title). Take this recipe for what it is: a good proportion of oats to nuts and a good oven temp and baking time. Add this much sugar at your peril.
Hi Jordan, I’m sorry you feel that way. My nutrition information disclaimer can be found on my blog. I do my best to provide as accurate of information as I can with information available. I can ensure you the information is reflective of the recipe. I’m not sure where you are finding a difference.
This recipe is amazing !!! I have made it twice. Bingers beware!! I could not stop eating it !! The texture and taste is incredible and can be eaten around the clock!!! I used extra virgin olive oil and it looked just like the pics – thanks for the recipe just wish I could stop eating it !❤️
Clearly an unpopular opinion, but I really didn’t like the way this granola turned out. All the honey and oil sank to the bottom while it was baking, and made the bottom of the pan soggy. The whole batch is not crispy, I find it chewy. I followed the recipe exactly, including letting it cool all the way before storing. I did throw in a handful of flax seeds, but that was only change. I also think it’s too sweet. I’m a little bummed.
Hi Bailey, I’m sorry to hear that. Did you mix it in a bowl or on the pan? The sweetener and oil mixture should have coated the dry mixture.
Today is our 2nd time making this! It taste better than store bought! We will never buy again. Thank you for sharing.
Wonderful, George! Thank you for your review.
Super delicious recipe and it tastes better than store bought.
I’ve been making this granola for the past couple of years, and my family loves it! So easy to make, and I love that I can use whatever seeds and nuts I have on hand. I usually leave it without add-ins (unless I want coconut) and add dried fruit or chocolate chips if we want when serving. Just popped a batch in the oven, and can’t wait for it to be done so I can top my yogurt.
I searched for a “light” granola recipe and yours was the first to pop-up. I love my recipe and so does the husband! I just wanted to see if I could find one that was lighter and not loose the goodness! Anyhow, in comparison we are making granola the same way! Exactly! I’ve been tweaking my recipe for years! Koodos for a wonderful recipe. I love all the variations and will try the citrus for sure.
Thanks again!!
Debbie H
In Montana
We love this. I make it with pecan, pumpkin seeds, chia and hemp seeds and add choc chips and raisins after baking. Delicious. My picky kids ask for this. Mine doesn’t clump together but we don’t care :)
WHERE in the oven should granola be placed for baking?
In the middle? … toward the top?
Thanks!
Hi, In the middle :)
This has been been my go to granola for several years, it is delicious!
Shared with family and friends, now their favorite also!
Wonderful!
Hi! I’ve made this before and it’s always turned out Delicious! But I made another big batch last weekend, but once I packed it up and tried it, I realized that I added too much salt. (Maybe I grabbed the wrong measuring spoon?? sniffle sniffle—it makes me so sad because I love your granola!). Is there a way this can be remedied? Could I make another batch with NO salt and mix it together with the too salty batch? I hate wasting food, so would love any ideas you have to fix this situation. Thank you!!
Thank you for the Great recipe. It truly is the Best Granola and so easy to make. Saving so much money making this.
Thank you!
Cheryl
We are addicted to this fabulous recipe ,we love it for breakfast and times when previously tempted to either have a chocolate or crisp type snack. I leave some pieces on the slightly large size for those moments.
I love all of your recipes that I have tried. Thank you.
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Rosemary.
Hi
First time making this and loved it! Absolutely fantastic and healthy! How can I make this into bars?
Hi! I would recommend my granola bars instead.