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.
Hello. I am dying to try this but I am wondering if you could use monk fruit to lower the sugars a bit
I recommend this best as written. I haven’t tried monk fruit so I can’t say for sure.
Delicious!! Have been making it for years!
Great to hear, Lori! Thank you for your review.
Recipe looks amazing but I’m struggling to find a reliable way to convert cups to grams in the UK – a lot of websites saying different things! If you have shared it before could you please let me know?
Can’t wait to try – thank you!
Matt
Hi Matt! Thank you for your review. I know others have used conversion chart previously. I hope you are able to try it!
Can I use the walnuts, almonds, and dried fruit of my trail mix instead of buying raw nuts and seeds? I recently bought a lot of it and figured I could use it for this recipe instead of buying.
This is best as written. I hope you try it!
Just made a batch of this and it is really nice. I did not have maple syrup so I sub with coconut blossom and honey. I used cashews, pepita, sunflower seed, golden flax seed, golden raisin and cranberries as those are that I have. Will definitely make this again. Thank you for sharing.
Best granola I’ve ever made! Used chopped pecans, maple syrup, and olive oil. The fine grain sea salt makes a huge difference in the flavor. Has a great rich flavor – not too sweet. Thanks!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Jessica!
Mine always sticks to the waxed paper and I end up having to throw half of it away or eating bits of the waxed paper so disappointing
Hi Monica, you don’t want to bake wax paper. It is not meant to be baked. You want to use parchment paper.
Hi! Would this still work with quick oats?
It works best as written. I hope you try it!
Thank you Kate for another great recipe. This is our second time making this granola – delicious with just the right amount of sweetness and crunch. Our new favourite.
I love to hear that, Patty! Thank you for your review.
Love it!!!
I have used this recipe a lot,it’s my favourite go to.It tastes really good , looks good ,just the right crunch.
Thank you so much for this recipe.
Marjorie in Canada.
You’re welcome, Marjorie!
I highly recommend adding two whisked egg whites to this recipe and VIOLA. You got clustery granola (don’t worry, you cannot taste the egg whites at all)
:)
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I made this and it turned out great! I used pecans and walnuts and pepitas. I added coconut as well at the half-way mark! I’m so thankful I came across your website! Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe.
This is my favorite go to for making granola. So much better than store bought. My family does not leave around very long. I usually make a cranberry, orange and coconut. I use orange essential oil for the orange flavor.
Great to hear, Linda! Thank you for your review.
This granola is freaking fantastic!! I could not stop eating it off the pan while it cooled. It ended up being my lunch because I ate so much that I was too full to eat lunch afterward lol. I made it exactly as written and it’s perfect!
Great to hear, Cheri! I appreciate your review.
Just made this recipe- so delicious!!! I will never buy store bought granola again. Thank you so much for posting this recipe!!!
That’s great! Thank you for sharing Gina.
This is the best granola I have found the only recipe I’ll be using!
I love it! Thank you for your review, Joyce.
Great recipe! I found I could cut way back on the syrup/honey and still get a plenty-sweet result.
Thank you, Jim! I’m glad you loved it.
Great recipe! Fast and fun to play with different flavors every time I make it. Loved the version I made this morning: coconut oil, maple syrup, combo of almonds and walnuts, dried apricots, candied ginger, and hemp hearts.
Thank you, Shelby! I appreciate your review.
My first time making any type of granola. My husband has very refined taste. He loved It! And it was just as easy to make as you said. I am not a baker and usually hate to cook. I followed the wonderfully written directions and watched the video. I’m making it again today and using coconut oil, which you had also suggested alo g with cashews, papitas, dried cranberries sunflower seeds and honey
I was looking for a homemade granola recipe after having the best yogurt bowl at a restaurant recently. This recipe had the ingredients I was looking for (pecans and pepitas) so decided to give it a try. This is absolutely delicious and simple to make. I added a tbsp of flaxseed as well. I’ll be making this weekly and can’t wait to share with friends. Thanks for a great recipe!
Hooray! I’m glad you loved it, Ashley.
Delicious, easy and quick. Have tried other recipes but this is by far the best, exactly as is with no subs. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Michele! Thank you for sharing.
Making this recipe weekly now!!! Thank you – love it!
So good, as your recipes always are. I’m hoping I can find a way to cut down the amount of sugar in it, I’m not sure if replacement granulated would work. My partner and I agree: the granola is addicting!
That’s great to hear, Izzy! Thank you for sharing.
This granola is Divine!!I’ve made it a few times and each time I add different spices and the results are delicious.Todays additions are a Tbsp of organic Reishi cacao blend from Blume, dried organic Tart cherries and a Tbsp of cinnamon with 1/2 cup maple syrup and honey Thank you Thank you! So good!
I love to hear that! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for this recipe. I made granola for the first time today and I wanted really clumpy granola. Followed this recipe and used cashews for nuts, dates, raisins and guava fruit rollups for dried fruit. Then I baked at 125°C for an hour. I got the clumpiest, tastiest, loveliest granola ever! Now I’m thinking of making more and gifting them too cos they’re that great!
This is the best granola I’ve ever had…thank you so so much. I used honey, pepitas and some toasted coconut and it was so yummy. Love your book so much and have gifted it to many friends. Thanks much!
You’re welcome, Anne!
This. Is. Amazing. I used dried cranberries, dark chocolate chunks, maple syrup, and coconut oil. It was so good that I’m having trouble trying other variations. So much better and healthier than store bought. Thank you for the recipe!
Happy to hear you loved it! Thank you for sharing, Tiffany.
I Love this recipe! I make a double batch at least twice a month! I keep half and send the other to my granddaughters who are 8&5 they can’t get enough!I usually put cashews, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds in my batches! Thanks so much for the healthy recipe!
You’re welcome, Tricia! i appreciate your review.
I just made the granola recipe and it appears it’s turned out perfect and it tastes very yummy!. I’ll know for sure when I make my granola, fruit and vanilla yogurt bowl for breakfast or lunch tomorrow!!
Great to hear, Mare!
Do you know calories per serving if made with olive oil and maple syrup?
Hi Sarah! If you want specific nutritional breakdown outside of what I provide, I suggest you use an online nutrition calculator. I’m glad you loved it!
Love Love Love! I have tried many receipe and this is the one I come back to! I use 1/4 coconut oil, 1/4 olive oil, 1/4 honey, 1/4 maple syrup and gets its super crunchy. I have tried various nuts and fruits in this reciepe and I always super easy and crunchy! Thank you!
Perfection! I love granola and it was getting pricey to buy organic options and often were not quite what I wanted. I’ve been wanting to make my own for ages. This is so easy and quick to make. Tried using both 1/2 cup of maple syrup and 1/4 cup; both were fantastic. I too used walnuts, pepitas and cranberries. Plan on playing with different spices. Note to all: Remember to stir midway, it really makes a difference. Will never buy store bought again. Great job. Thank you.
I’m excited you finally tried it, Cheryl! Thank you for taking the time to review.
This really is the best granola recipe, I’ve tried so many and none turn out as good as this! I use date syrup instead of honey and it still turns out amazing. Definitely a big hit in my house, we eat it for breakfast or just a snack.
Thanks for the recipe
You’re welcome, Jodi! Thank you for your review.
I was surprised to see salt in the recipe. I used less than noted but tasted the salt when eating it. I really liked everything else and will leave salt out next time
Delicious. Easy. Economical. Fantastic granola recipe with lots of options!
Thank you for your review, Gail!
Way too salty!
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy this recipe, Nadine.
I’ve been making this for close to eight years and our youngest (3) has fallen in love with it (we just stopped using dried fruit to be safe and then cut down on liquids to compensate). Thanks for all your delicious food recipes, we use so many on a regular basis and have found plenty of perfect healthy food for the whole family to enjoy.
You rock Kate!
Tanner
Thank you, Tanner!
The granola cooked wonderfully in 20-21 minutes and had Just the right sweetness. But it was far too salty, and I like salt! I even used only 3/4 tsp of sea salt. I’m going to have to make another batch with no salt and mix the two together.
We love this granola, it’s simple and easy and delicious. I’ve passed the recipe to three other people, and they love it, too. I use olive oil, Himalayan sea salt, 1 cup pecans, and about 2/3-3/4 cup of mixture of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and slivered almonds (all from Costco)…basically using up some nuts I have lying around. And we like extra nuts. I’ve also used both organic maple syrup and organic raw honey (both from Costco) and love them equally. I’ve also used old fashioned oats AND quick cooking oats, and both crisp up just the same–the quick cooking are just in smaller pieces. Enjoy!
Thank you for sharing, Michelle!
Very tasty but burns at the times given. I stirred at 10 minutes and at another 10 it was burned on the edges and a little too browned overall, so will know to either cut temp or time the next attempt. I also cut back the honey to 1/4 cup.
This came out delicious, and I appreciate the tip on pressing the granola down when it comes out of the oven. I prefer chunks of granola and this did the trick! I can’t wait to try some variations, but the original recipe is delicious and will be a staple for me.
Great to hear, Lesley! I appreciate your review.
I’ve made this recipe 2x in as many weeks. I’m addicted!! I use it in a fruit, yogurt, coconut bowl and it’s fantastic!! I may have to make an additional batch this week and start making double batches because having the container with it on the counter, the family is taking handfuls of it every time they walk by!!
I love to hear that, Mare! Thank you for your review.
Weird question.
Could peanut butter be used instead 9f coconut oil.?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. Sorry!
Love this recipe, so flexible! I opted for the coconut oil and used 1/4c maple syrup and almost 1/4c honey, with a little brown sugar for crisp(about a tablespoon). Turned out beautiful! Just the right amount of sweetness. For nuts we used hazelnuts and walnuts (had a bunch in the fridge), and for fruit chopped dried apples and fancy three color raisins. So delish! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Trazia!
Hi, thank you for the recipe.
Can i use the Microwave to bake the granola, instead of the Oven?
This is designed to be baked in the oven. I hope you are able to try it!
Hi Kate, thanks soooo much for this easy and very tasty granola. I’ve tried other recipes and this is by far the best and easiest.
First time I made I used simple syrup (half sugar/half water) in place of honey or maple syrup. Added salted pumpkin seed’s & sunflower seeds then reduced added salt. Pressed down with spatula as best I could after stirring. Granola was very yummy not too sweet but also not any clumping.
Second time I used maple syrup. Used same seeds. Cut salt to 1/2 t because of salt on seeds. Stirred half way through baking (12 min) then pressed entire sheet of granola down with smaller sheet pan to compact very well. Came out very clumpy:). Cooled 1.5 hrs. A little sweeter than before but not overly sweet.
You’re welcome, Judy! I appreciate you taking the time to review. Sounds like a great way to adjust to this to what you have.
I made this recipe today and love it. Thanks for sharing. Love you dog, I have a dog too.
First of all, let me say that this is the best granola I have ever had! Period! My only problem with it is my inability not to grab repeated handfuls of it every time I walk by the fridge. I’m not sure this will be healthy for me in the long run without an increase in self-restraint! I have a question about storage: Looking at the ingredients, none of which require refrigeration and all of which are shelf-stable for extended periods of time, I am wondering why you only recommend 2 weeks max storage un-refrigerated? Having to store it in the fridge or make smaller batches that can be consumed within 2 weeks is a bit of a pain. It seems to me that because the ingredients are shelf-stable, the finished product should be as well. What am I missing? Thanks.
Super easy and super good! I made two batches. One with honey and no fruit and a second with date syrup and chopped dates. Loved both. I used 1tsp of Redmon’s sea salt, I’ll probably leave the salt out on my next double batch. I think I like a sweet granola;). Thanks for a great recipe!
Thank you for your review!