Believe me when I tell you that once you’ve had homemade granola, you can never go back to the store-bought stuff. It’s crunchy, flavorful, and so stinking delicious—plus, it’s WAY cheaper than the pre-packaged kind. Good thing it’s also easy to make and relatively quick, because once you start, you’ll want to keep a batch in your kitchen at all times.
I love putting this granola over yogurt, stirring it into bland breakfast cereal to give it a texture upgrade, or just eating it straight from the jar. Back in college, when I was working my way through school and had almost no time to cook during the week, I would make this recipe (and homemade yogurt) on weekends. It became my go-to grab-and-go breakfast. I could scoop some into a container, add yogurt and fruit, and I was set for the morning. Cheap, simple, and delicious—that’s my favorite kind of recipe.
Why Homemade Beats Store-Bought
The first time I made granola at home, I was shocked at how much flavor I’d been missing in the store-bought versions. Most packaged granola is overly sweet, has a weird artificial aftertaste, or turns stale before you get to the bottom of the bag. Homemade granola, on the other hand, tastes fresh and vibrant. You control the ingredients, so there’s no mystery additives, and you can tailor it exactly to your tastes—extra crunchy, extra nutty, less sweet, more cinnamon… you get to decide.
Plus, the smell of it baking in the oven? Absolutely heavenly. Cinnamon, oats, and roasted nuts fill your kitchen and make it feel like you’ve just stepped into a cozy café.
My Take on the Classic Recipe
This recipe is adapted from the Healthy Granola Recipe by Cookie & Kate, but I made a few tweaks based on my preferences. First, I ditched the coconut oil and olive oil suggestions. Olive oil has a bold, savory flavor that I don’t feel belongs anywhere near my morning yogurt. Coconut oil can be delicious in granola, but it’s also a mega-saturated fat—and personally, I find it too heavy for this recipe. Instead, I go for vegetable or canola oil. They’re neutral in flavor, affordable, and in the case of canola oil, also heart-healthy thanks to its monounsaturated fats.
I also decided to amp up the flavor. The original recipe had a nice base, but I wanted something warmer and more aromatic, so I added extra cinnamon and just a whisper of cloves. That tiny pinch adds depth without overpowering the other flavors.
Ingredients
Granola Base
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (for gluten-free granola, use certified gluten-free oats)
- 1 ½ cups raw nuts and/or seeds (I usually do 1 cup pecans and ½ cup almonds)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (plus a pinch of clove if you like)
- ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
- ½ cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fruit (Recommended)
- ⅔ cup dried fruit, chopped if large (I usually choose dried cranberries or raisins)
Optional Add-Ins
- ½ cup chocolate chips or shredded unsweetened coconut (I usually add coconut—see recipe notes for instructions on that)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Preheat & Prep
Preheat your oven to 350℉ and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. This keeps cleanup easy and ensures your granola doesn’t stick.
2. Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, nuts/seeds, salt, and cinnamon. If you’re adding that pinch of clove, toss it in now. Stir well so the spices coat everything evenly.
3. Mix the Wet Ingredients
Here’s a little trick I swear by: use a 1-cup liquid measuring cup and pour oil in until it reaches the ½-cup line. Then fill the rest of the cup with your maple syrup or honey up to the full 1-cup mark. This prevents the syrup from sticking to the cup—it just slides right out. Pour this mixture over the oats and nuts. BOOM! I just saved you lots of time. That’s what we do here at Stir & Chill.
4. Add Vanilla & Stir
Add the vanilla extract to the bowl, then stir until everything is lightly coated and glistening. Every oat should have a little shine from the oil and syrup mixture.
5. Bake
Spread the granola evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 23–30 minutes, stirring halfway through for even browning. Flatten it back out after stirring. The granola will continue to crisp up as it cools, so you don’t need it to be super dark in the oven.
Cooling & Adding Toppings
Let the granola cool completely before adding dried fruit or chocolate chips (otherwise the chocolate will melt). Cooling also helps the granola set into clusters. If you like large chunks, break it up gently with your hands. If you prefer smaller pieces, stir it around with a spoon once it’s cooled.
Storage Tips
Once cooled, store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 weeks. For longer storage, you can freeze it in a sealed bag for up to 3 months. Just make sure it’s fully cooled before freezing to avoid soggy granola when it thaws.
Variations to Try
- Nut-Free: Replace nuts with more seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
- Tropical Twist: Add coconut and dried pineapple or mango.
- Dessert Granola: Add mini chocolate chips, white chocolate chunks, or drizzle with melted chocolate after baking.
- Autumn Spice: Add nutmeg and ginger for a pumpkin spice vibe.
Why You’ll Keep Coming Back to This Recipe
Homemade granola is endlessly customizable. You can make it sweeter or more savory, lighter or richer, chunky or crumbly. And once you’ve made your own, you’ll start to look at store-bought granola with the same skepticism as canned soup—it’s fine in a pinch, but it just doesn’t compare.
This recipe makes a big batch, so you’ll have plenty to share—or hoard for yourself. Either way, once you get a taste of this crunchy, golden goodness, you’ll understand why I always keep a jar of it in my kitchen.
Delicious Homemade Granola
Ingredients
The Granola Base
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats *For gluten-free granola use gluten-free oats
- 1 ½ cup raw nuts and/or seeds *I use 1 cup pecans and ½ cup almonds
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon *you could even add a pinch of clove if you wanted to!
- ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
- ½ cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fruit *Recommended*
- ⅔ cup dried fruit chopped if large (I usually do dried cranberries or raisins)
Optional Add-Ins
- ½ cup chocolate chips or shredded unsweetened coconut * I usually add coconut. See recipe notes if you want to do that!
Instructions
The Granola Base
- Preheat the oven to 350 ℉ and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the oats, nuts and/or seeds, salt, and cinnamon and stir to combine.
- Using a liquid measuring cup that holds at least 1 cup, pour the oil into the cup to the ½ cup line. Then add the honey/maple syrup up to the 1 cup line (this is a lazy way of saving time and making sure your honey/syrup won't stick to the cup). Then pour the contents into the oat mixture.
- Add the vanilla and stir until the oats and nuts/seeds appear lightly coated. Then pour the granola onto the baking sheet and spread it into an even layer.
Baking & Toppings
- Bake until golden, about 23-30 minutes (your preference), stirring about halfway through (be sure to flatten it out again after stirring). The granola will crisp up a bit more as it cools, so it doesn't need to be a deep golden brown to be cooked.
- Let the granola cool completely (about 45 minutes if you use a cooling rack under the pan) before topping with dried fruit (or chocolate chips if you're into that). If you want big chunks, break the granola into pieces with your hands. If you want smaller pieces, use a spoon to break the granola up a bit.
Leave a Reply