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 made some with a little tailoring due to what I had on hand. It was AWESOME!
I used regular oats because it was all I could find … I can only imagine how much more awesome it will be with the right oats!
I added ginger and nutmeg for more flavor and since I didn’t have the money in my grocery budget for an orange to zest, I cut the maple syrup down to 1/3 C and balanced it out with some high pulp orange juice.
I also made it very NOT gluten free by adding wheat germ.
In the fall I want to try freeze dried pumpkin as a mix-in idea …
That’s great, Chrys! Thank you for your review.
Mine stuck to the parchment paper bad. What did I do wrong?
Hi CJ! I’m sorry to hear that. Did you stir it halfway?
Yes and it wasn’t sticking at that point. I baked it a total of 20 min.
Hi, CJ. Sounds like your oven may run hot. Try to reduce sometime the next time you make it and let me know.
I reduced heat to 300(which is actually 325) and baked for 20 min. and it came out great.
love this recipe! I use the Lakanto Maple Syrup and it is great and sugar and gluton free! thank you for this. I make it regularly and have with a little yogurt for breakfast.
This was my first time for making granola it was Wonderful. Agian another great recipe. Thanks Karman I love granola and it’s the Best
I’ve made this granola several times- always great! We sprinkle it over yogurt. It’s a family favorite.
That’s great! Thank you for your review, Paige.
Can you tell me why you use olive oil and not canola or vegetable oil? I made it with olive oil and it tasted great but I wonder if i can use canola oil instead. Thanks!
I have made this granola for several years and it is my go to recipe.
My family always request this granola, their favorite.
I follow the recipe exactly and it always turns out tasting so good.
Also, this granola makes great gifts!
Just made this today and it is so good. I used quick oats, almond slivers, and chopped pecans because that’s what I had on hand. I doubled my cinnamon and did not add any dried fruit or additional add ins. For sweetener I did 1/4 cup honey and 1/4 cup sugar free maple syrup and I added a splash of almond extract in addition to the vanilla. It is delicious!
Great recipe. Second time making granola with this recipe. Added dried cranberries and flax seed. Fabulous with Greek yogurt or by the handful!
I love this recipe, I have made it several times. I use olive oil and honey… I never buy store bought granola now. I always make my own.
Made this for this first time today, wanting to make a healthier granola cereal than what’s pre-packaged in the store. Delicious. I did make some personal tweaks such as more cinnamon, more vanilla, switched out the oil for unsweetened applesauce.
I just made this a couple hours ago, and just now tried it-absolutely delicious!!!!!
I put in a little extra cinnamon, used high quality olive oil, passed on the dried fruit, pressed it firmly together with a spatula right when I took it out of the oven and did a final sprinkle of flakey maldon salt. The perfect sweet and salty goodness! Let it cool completely like the recipe reads, that’s when it crisped up perfectly and then I broke it up in clusters! Thank you for such a delicious granola recipe K!
Wonderful to hear, Jasmine. Thank you for your review.
Love this recipe! Its my go-to for homemade granola.
I just use less dried fruit to reduce calories/carbs.
Thanks for sharing!
I love it! Thank you for your review, Melanie.
My partner and I are going through a little rough patch and living an ocean away doesn’t help the situation. We both happened to be thinking about granola when I mentioned it and made it a FT GRANOLA PARTYYY. I made enough for the basketball team I coach and they ate all of theirs on their own. Needless to say I was jealous.
Each had some different ingredients but apparently both very delicious and a great activity. Thank you!
I don’t like the taste of neither coconut oil nor olive oil. Can I replace them with butter?
Butter would change the recipe if it would work. I’m not sure without testing it, sorry!
Love this recipe. I have made this several times. I am the only one here who eats it but that is not a problem. I love it with my homemade yogurt and by its self. Also eat it sometimes at night with milk. You can not go wrong with this recipe
Thank you, Jean!
I think I’ve made this three times now. So. Darn. Good.
Sometimes mine clumps, sometimes not so much, but either way it’s always delicious! Thanks for a great recipe and awesome tips.
great, simple recipe!
Very easy to make…. I actually made a batch and a half… so yummy…. I did add coconut flakes, very good
Just made this. We added dried apples, dates, a few chocolate chips, and dried apricot pieces!!! Fantastic recipe 20 min for us was the perfect time too especially with an impatient 12 yr old when it comes to her granola!!! THANK YOU!
You’re welcome, Julie!
I’ve made this granola (or some variation of it) at least a dozen times now and it always comes out great! However, I’ve never had it clump together into pieces that I would need to break apart. I consistently use coconut oil (although once I used olive oil with the same results) and I always use a quarter cup of honey and a quarter cup of maple syrup as the sweetener. Is there something I’m missing or something I can do to help it clump together? Thanks in advance,
-aaron
Awesome granola recipe, like pretty much all recipes I tried from your website!
In addition to the original recipe ingredients, I added millet, whole buckwheat, sesame seeds and crushed flaxseed. So good!
I feel I’m gonna twist this recipe with many different ingredients like puffed rice, and I’m not worried about the result.
Thanks for the great recipes!
My 5yo claimed this to be better than the store-bought granola that he had loved before. So the highest compliments! Thanks for the recipe.
I’m going to try this! My husband loves peanut butter, so I’m wondering if you can advise how to make it with that?
Hi! This recipe isn’t designed to be made with a nut butter. But, it does go great with peanut butter! A big scoop of peanut butter with the granola and some fruit, delicious.
Easy recipe and sooo delicious! Whole family loved it.
That’s great, Tiffany! Thank you for your review.
Husband, half awake this morning: “That granola was SO good I ate the whole container…” then later in a text: “that granola was awesome!” 5 stars from us, and 5 from my coworker..she LOVED it! Thank you!
* Made with pecans, coconut oil, craisins, fresh maple syrup and dark chocolate chips. #YUM
You’re welcome, Kelly! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
Kate, this granola is AMAZING. I never leave a review on recipes but this time I had to.
Thank you so much.
Do you know if it would work without sugar (honey, maple syrup…)?
This granola tastes super yum! I had an issue with it being SUPER crumbly. Any suggestions to keep the granola more “together”? Thx!
Hi! Did you let it cool completely?
I did!
Hi Kate! I love your recipe book and am on an endeavor to make every single recipe! I have been making this granola for over a year, and absolutely love it. My husband warns me when it is getting low, as he can’t go without! I’m planning to make the applesauce/yogurt with this topping when I have friend visit in a few weeks.
this is the BEST, easiest and quickest granola recipe. I have made it probably 30 times. depending on the “add-ins” that you put in after the granola cooks it can taste completly different. I like to drop spoonfuls of almond butter prior to it baking – you are left with yummy chunks of almond butter. nom nom nom. thanks cookie & kate! x
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Hope. I appreciate it!
This is my favorite granola recipe, and I’ve found ways to tweak it that might be useful for others.
Want it to turn out more crunchy?
Step 1: Bake at 275F for 45-60 minutes.
Step 2: Leave in the oven overnight or until the oven is completely cool before storing. This ensures all possible moisture is outta there.
Want more clumps and chunks?
Step 1: substitute 1/4 of your old fashioned oats with quick oats.
Step 2: soak your dried fruits in water and/or a little rum 30 minutes prior to baking. This way you can add them in at the same time as your other ingredients instead of disrupting your clumps halfway through the bake.
Step 3: do not stir your granola halfway through, this disrupts the clumping process.
I love the original version for a cereal or midday snack.
To use as a yogurt or salad topping I prefer it more crunchy.
And I love me some clumps!!
Thank you for a great recipe!
Made the granola now a few times. It’s DELICIOUS. I increased the cinnamon to a teaspoon. We LOVE it. So happy we found it. Thank you so much
Love this recipe, I keep making it every week!
super simple and easy to make!
i used pepitas, cashews, pecans, and dried cranberries in my mix. it smelled amazing as it bakes in the oven. let it cool and the granola mix got crispy. i also really liked that it had a tiny bit of salt to balance the sweetness. finally, it had the right amount of sweetness! it’s perfect and will be making this going forward.
This is truly the very best granola. I made it last week and we ate it all. I had to make it again. Great with yogurt or ice cream or just by the handful. Thank you for such a great recipe that is so easy to make and so delicious!!
Granola recipe is easy and so delicious! (I used walnuts, almonds and raisins)
This is an amazing recipe!!! Instead of cranberries we did raisins. We did half honey and half maple syrup. Instead of pecans and seeds we did slithered almonds and we added some coconut shredded flakes:) We also added extra cinnamon:P These taste like Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal! We are definitely making these again! Thanks!
I love it! Thank you for your review, Emmie!
I started making smoothie bowls a while ago and one of my favorite things to use as a topping is granola. I was getting tired of spending so much for so little and wanted to try making granola myself because I’m also one to always have oats on hand. I’m SO glad that I came across Kate’s. It is such a quick, easy, and YUMMY recipe!! I keep it simple as a topping (no added extras) and it doesn’t even need it because it’s so good on its own. I’ve made it a few times already and it’s definitely one I’ll be keeping on hand for a long time. :)
I don’t recommend using olive oil, you can really taste it and it’s not good..
I’m sorry to hear that. What brand did you use?
First time making my own granola. I love that I got to make it to my taste, with the oats perfectly toasted. I’m never buying the supermarket kind again! I used pumpkin and sesame seeds, dried cranberries and blueberries, canola oil, and honey. I think I’ll try a little less honey next time, but overall I love it!
I’m excited you loved it, Steph! Thank you for your review.
Thanks for sharing – my batch is finally cool enough to snack on. Will probably have to make a replacement batch in the morning… it’s delicious!
Just made this and it is truly delicious! It really is a luxurious granola and would cost a pretty penny if you were to buy this in a store!
My girls also love it, which is a real plus! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
I love to hear that! Thank you for your review, Davina.
I’ve been making your granola recipe for a year now. Delicious and easy. I love making my own, knowing exactly what is in my food. My husband eats it almost every morning.
I make this granola weekly, I love it. It also makes your house smell amazing.
Delicious! Such an easy and tasty granola recipe, and a lot cheaper than the store-bought gluten free granola. I stirred in some chia seeds too, after the oil and syrup so they’d stick. Turned out great! Just hard to follow the “leave undisturbed for 45 minutes” part ;)
Thanks Kate!
I’m happy you love it, Nat!
So enjoy this recipe! I add the salt and cinnamon to the oil/maple syrup first and mix it all together before pouring over the oats. Great crunch too!
I make this weekly! Probably since last May :) I do 2/3 shredded coconut and 1/3 unsweetened cacao nibs in it and it is divine. People always ask me for the recipe, thank you!
I have made this recipe several times with my own modifications and it is delicious!!! A little salty for some people but I think its perfect
This is the best granola recipe! I like the versatility and use a variety of combinations with nuts and seeds. I always cut a cup of the oats out and add extra seeds to make it even more healthy. I also put in flax, sesame, and sometimes chia seeds.
Fantastic recipe! I’ve been making batches and gifting to family and friends and everyone raves about it. Perfect amount of sweetness. Delicious!