Granola to me means wholesome goodness. It’s crunchy, it’s sweet, it’s oh so satisfying. It works for breakfast, for snacking, it’s great for travel. We love the stuff! However, store-bought versions can be expensive and loaded with fat and calories. They can also have some funky, less than wholesome stuff in it. Not exactly what I’m looking for. So I make my own healthy granola! I’ve shared this healthy citrus granola that I love in spring and summer, this chocolate pumpkin granola that’s perfect in the fall and we have this cranberry white chocolate granola around the holidays. Granola all year long! Oh and these 5-minute granola bites are great for kids for an after-school snack. Today though, we’re keeping it super simple with my go-to homemade granola recipe. This is what I make on REPEAT in my kitchen and it’s so dang tasty. Just 5 basic pantry ingredients and lots of ways to use it. So let’s get cooking. Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make granola. Just tryin’ to be helpful. If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Ingredients Notes:
Rolled oats - I use and recommend old fashioned rolled oats for this recipe. Quick oats might work but I haven’t tried that substitution so I’m not sure if they’d bake differently. Peanut butter - Just a regular creamy peanut butter works great here, too. You can sub almond butter if needed to make this peanut-free. Honey - Yay for a natural sweetener, no added sugar needed. You can also substitute maple syrup if needed. Vanilla extract - Be sure you’re using the pure vanilla extract, not an imitation kind. I haven’t tried this with almond extract or other types, but you certainly could! Cinnamon - We just need a little and it adds some great background flavor. You could skip it if you’re not a fan.
You’ve probably got everything you need already in the pantry! Since I’ve made this A LOT - as well as gotten feedback from you lovely readers over the years - I wanted to share some tips and tricks. This way, you can have success from the get go in your own kitchen.
Tips and Tricks:
You’ll need to watch your oven, as granola can go from golden brown to burnt pretty quickly. I’ve lowered the temp on this recipe over the years and that helps, but I recommend you check it at 25 minutes and keep a close eye on it. (Particularly the first time you make this. You’ll get a feel for it after that.) You can get HUGE granola clusters if you flip the granola carefully with a large spatula halfway through the cook time. The more of it that stays stuck together, the more clusters you’ll get. You can also press it down together after you flip it and that’ll help make those big clusters. Granola is still soft when it comes out of the oven. It hardens up as it cools.
And as mentioned, this stores and keeps great! You can store homemade granola in a covered container in the pantry for up to 2-3 weeks. A tupperware container, a bag, a bowl, a canister, use whatever you’ve got. My kids love this granola too! I waited until about age 2 to introduce it to M since it’s so crunchy. It took her a full 30 minutes to eat the very small bowl I gave her, but she was determined. It’s that good. I personally love snacking on this all on its own. It’s kind of addictive. Here are some other ideas of our favorite ways to enjoy it.
Serving Ideas:
Top your morning yogurt with fruit and granola for an easy parfait. Pack some for school lunch or in a small container to have at the office for a mid-day snack. Take it on road trips, to kids sports events or to the pool. It travels great! Make healthy granola muffins - so tasty! Crumble it on top of some frozen yogurt or ice cream for a crunchy dessert topping!
Of course, you can also use this as a basic granola recipe and tailor it to your tastes. I love that it’s customizable that way. Here are some ideas for optional mix-ins for your granola.
Granola Add-Ins:
Dried fruit, such as raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried blueberries or chopped dried apricots Chopped nuts, such as peanuts, walnuts or pecans Unsweetened shredded coconut Chocolate chips (mini or regular) or peanut butter chips or cocoa nibs Chia seeds or sunflower seeds
It’s all about you. Make it your way. ❤️ But do try this healthy homemade granola. It’s so easy to make and so much more budget-friendly and wholesome than what you can buy. Enjoy! XO, Kathryn P.S. Please share your granola creations with me on Instagram - I love seeing what you make! This post has been updated with new photos and additional recipe details and tips. The original post was published in March 2015. Oats: I use and recommend old fashioned rolled oats. You could also try this with quick oats but it may affect the cooking time. I don’t recommend using steel cut oats. Peanut butter: A regular creamy peanut butter works great. You can also use almond butter if needed. Honey: You can substitute maple syrup if you prefer. Timing/temp: Be sure to watch the granola near the end of the cooking time to make sure it doesn’t burn, especially near the edges. I’ve reduced the oven temperature for this recipe over the years to help prevent that but you’ll need to keep an eye on it in your oven the first time you make it and start checking it at 25 minutes. (You’ll have a better feel for it after that.) Storing: This granola keeps in a covered container in the pantry for up to 2-3 weeks (if it lasts that long). Optional add-ins:
Dried fruit, such as raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried blueberries or chopped dried apricotsChopped nuts, such as peanuts, walnuts or pecans.Unsweetened shredded coconutChocolate chips (mini or regular) or peanut butter chips
Serving ideas: Serve granola with yogurt for a breakfast parfait, pack as a school snack/office snack/travel snack or serve with ice cream of frozen yogurt for a yummy crunch.
