Recipe For Homemade Granola

This recipe for homemade granola is easy to make, mildly sweetened, and totally delicious with any additions you’d like to add.

I have to be honest. I’ve never much cared for store-bought granola. It’s too sickeningly sweet for me, and the flavor is usually blah. I like to be in more control over how sweet my breakfast is, as well as the level of flavor.

An up close view of Homemade Granola in a canning jar.

This recipe specifically addresses those issues. It’s a very versatile recipe that allows you to be in control over what your morning granola ends up tasting like.

About This Granola Recipe

  • Mildly sweet – This is purposely under-sweetened. I like this because then I can adjust the final sweetness when I add sweetener to my morning bowl of granola.
  • Basic spices – This recipe calls for cinnamon and nothing more. Use this to your advantage. You can double up on the cinnamon for a true cinnamon flavor, or you can add additional spices (see list below), in addition to the cinnamon called for in the recipe. This will really round out the spices.
  • Additions – This recipe calls for (optional) walnuts. However, you can omit them or opt to use something else (see list below).

Granola Additions

Nuts

  • Cashews
  • Almonds
  • Pecans
  • Peanuts

Dried Fruits

(added for baking with the oats)

  • Raisins
  • Dried cranberries
  • Dried Acai berries

Spices

(added for baking with the oats)

Other Additions

  • Coconut shreds (added for baking with the oats)
  • Dark chocolate chips (add after baking and cooling completely.)
  • Any fresh fruit (add after baking and cooling completely.)

Tips For Making The Best Homemade Granola

  1. Watch your first batch carefully. Every oven bakes differently. You may need more or less baking time.
  2. Keep the temperature low. It’s tempting to raise the temperature to bake it faster, but don’t. Granola needs to essentially dry out. This means baking it low and slow.
  3. Any nuts you use should be raw. Using roasted nuts will leave you with little pieces of charcoal in your finished granola.
  4. Stir, stir, stir! It’s important to stir your granola every 10-15 minutes during baking. This is a not something you can walk away from. Set your timer to remind you. Forgetting to stir will leave you with burned granola.

Why Is My Homemade Granola Not Crunchy?

If you have finished your granola and it still feels soft instead of crunchy, you haven’t baked it long enough. Remember, making granola is essentially a process of drying it out in the oven.

Can You Freeze Granola?

Yes! However, you need to store it in an air-tight, freezer-safe container. Keep this in the freezer for no longer than 3 months.

How Long Will Homemade Granola Last?

While store-bought granolas can last on your pantry shelf for a long while, homemade granola is a little different.

This particular recipe is best kept in the fridge and will last for about a week.

Is Homemade Granola Bad For You?

As with most things, granola can be healthy or unhealthy, depending on how you make it. It’s pretty safe to say that this particular recipe is pretty darn healthy as far as granola goes.

However, healthy is a subjective term. If you eat low carb, you probably wouldn’t consider this healthy on any level. So your particular style of eating will dictate whether this is healthy for you or not.

Is It Cheaper To Make Your Own Granola?

In most cases, yes! Unless you get a great price on store-bought granola, homemade is most often cheaper.

What You’ll Need For This Recipe For Homemade Granola

Traditional oats – Do not use quick oats or steel-cut oats. Traditional ( or old fashion) oats are the only oats that will work here.

Walnuts – These are optional and can be omitted or substituted with something else. See the list above.

Unsweetened apple sauce – Don’t use sweetened apple sauce or your oats will end up too sweet. And if you eat clean, the added sugar won’t work.

Honey – You can use maple syrup as well. But the finished granola will be less sweet. Honey adds a bit more sweetness to the finished granola.

Ground cinnamon – You can omit this if you wish, but if it’s a different flavor you’re after, it’s better to add other spices in addition to this cinnamon.

How Do You Make Granola From Scratch?

All the ingredients for this Recipe For Homemade Granola in a white mixing bowl.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Put all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Spreading the mixed oats over the parchment lined cookie sheet.

Spread over a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes so it doesn’t burn. Baking times may vary by oven.

The baked granola cooling on the parchment lined cookie sheet.

Allow to cool before serving. It will harden more as it cools.

The finished granola in a canning jar.

Transfer to a storage container and keep it in the fridge.

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An up close shot of granola in a canning jar. A bottle of cinnamon sits behind it.

Homemade Granola

Start your morning off right with some truly healthy granola! Add any additions you prefer either before or after baking. This is a fantastic base recipe to build your favorite granola with.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings (approximately 4 cup yield in total)
Calories: 204kcal

CLICK TO WATCH THIS RECIPE IN ACTION!

Ingredients

  • 3 cups traditional oats (old fashioned)
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional, but tasty)
  • ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
    Put all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
    All the ingredients for this Recipe For Homemade Granola in a white mixing bowl.
  • Spread over a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 50-60 minutes, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes so it doesn't burn. Baking times may vary by oven.
    Spreading the mixed oats over the parchment lined cookie sheet.
  • Allow to cool before serving. It will harden more as it cools.
    The baked granola cooling on the parchment lined cookie sheet.
  • Transfer to a storage container and keep in the fridge.
    The finished granola in a canning jar.

Notes

Please note that the nutrition data below is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 164mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1.7mg

Recipe from the Gracious Pantry® archives, originally posted 5/13/10.

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70 Comments

  1. This looks delicious! I have some wheat germ and baby flake oats in my freezer that need to be used up. Do you think they would go well in this recipe, and if so, how much?

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Stacey – I’m not sure about the wheat bran, but the baby flakes may do well. Just keep an eye on them because they may not need as long in the oven.

  2. Forgive me, Gracious, for I have sinned! I made granola from another site’s recipe. What a mistake! It was nowhere near as tasty as this, and I still have some left. Usually by this time in the week I am thinking about making another batch. I have a lot of this left! I can’t throw it away… but nobody wants it! I do have a batch of your yummy granola in the oven RIGHT NOW though!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Rise – Hahaha!!! Oh dear. I forgive you… just this once… 😉 Maybe the birds will want the other stuff? But on the other hand, you don’t want the grains expanding in their tummies. How about making some granola bread?

  3. I add Bob’s Red Mill flaked or shredded unsweetened, unsulfured coconut, ripe mashed bananas and / or chopped apples to my granola. The apples tend to dry out and become chewy or even crunchy so if you don’t like the texture add them half way through baking. If you add enough ripe mashed bananas your granola will clump and you will need to break it up a little. This is a good thing!!! Also, if you use enough bananas you can eliminate the honey or at least reduce it. If it comes oout not sweet enough you can always add honey or molasses before you eat it.

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Patt99MI – Love that idea! I may have to try my hand at another granola recipe! 🙂

      1. Have you thought about making it somehow without honey? I like the idea of more bananas….do you think this might work?

        1. The Gracious Pantry says:

          Carrol – You can make it without any sugar at all if you prefer. It won’t be sweet, but should still be tasty. Especially with added fruit. In fact, I may just make a batch of no-sugar granola. Sounds like a fun challenge! 🙂

  4. I’m so glad I found this base recipe for granola, I often make it as is or build upon what you’ve provided…it’s so simple and versatile! However, after making it a couple of times I realized a crucial ingredient is missing: sea salt! I add about 1/2 tsp just to bring out all the flavors and since the oats are bland on their own. Just my two cents 😉

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Allison – I didn’t add salt on purpose. But if you enjoy them more with it, by all means! Glad you liked them! 😀

  5. I keep meaning to make granola but get put off by the large amounts of sugar and oil – despite how tasty it is! This looks like a fab recipe which I shall have to try.

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Emma – Let me know how you like it!

  6. Hello!

    I just tried my hand at making this recipe. I’m pleasantly surprised…I’m not much of a cook or baker. Do I store in the fridge or pantry?
    Thanks!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Romel – I would put it in a jar with a tight lid and keep it in the fridge.

  7. I just tried a different recipe and it tasted okay but turned out horrible. It burned and didn’t get crunchy. I have everything I need to make your granola except the apple sauce. Can it be replaced with anything else?

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Allison – You can use oil instead although you may have to play around with the amount a bit. You may not need a full 1/2 cup.

  8. I used your apple butter because I still had some from last fall and I ran out of applesauce and it turned out fantastic! I’m going to try using your pumpkin butter this fall!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Sarah – Wow! Glad it worked out! 🙂 I take it you canned the apple butter?

  9. Yes, I’m a huge fan of canning! I know you have said that you’re not sure about it, but once you learn how (and have the equipment) it’s so worth it!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Sarah – I hope to learn next month actually! I’m really excited about it too! 😀

  10. Hi! I just wanted to let you know I love your site! I used to follow you with email, but we moved in November 2013! I forgot to change my email with you and last night decided I wanted to make the clean eating granola. I could not for the life of me remember where I found that recipe. I started throwing things together and then all of the sudden it came to my mind…..applesauce and honey!!! I remember GRACIOUS PANTRY! I just finished signing up with my new email address. Thanks for this great site!!! Love this granola too. I’m in the process of climbing back up onto the clean eating wagon!!! 🙂

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Liz – I’m so happy to have you as a subscriber, and flattered that you remembered! 😀 You’ll do great!

  11. I just tried making this recipe. It looked and smelled delicious in the oven but as soon as i went to stir it after 8 minutes parts were already looking burnt. I tried backing the oven temp back to 300 degrees and stirring every 5 minutes but it all ended up burning. Any suggestions for next time? The few pieces that weren’t burnt had so much potential!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      M Stamps – Could be something with your oven, or even just the placement of the rack in the oven. Next time, try lowering the rack to the lowest part of the oven and if it still starts to burn, I would put a loose piece of foil over the top.

  12. Looks delicious! I will be trying this later this week 🙂

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Kat – Great! Let me know how you like it. 🙂

  13. Travel a lot so this will be going with me! What is a serving size?

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Almond – 1/2 cup