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.
Excellent granola. I used pecans for the nuts, added some ground ginger with the cinnamon, used unsweetened shredded coconut but no other fruit, and put two tablespoons of chia seeds in the oil/honey. Had oven at 325 for my dark baking sheet. I’m looking forward to making this regularly.
Great to hear, Mary!
This didnt clump or stick together at all…? Followed the recipe completly using coconut oil & maple syrup, pecans. I added some coconut did that stop it from sticking? Ended up with a tray of chruchy oatmeal “/
I’m sorry to hear that. Did you let it rest completely? If it gets over cooked, it won’t stay together as soon.
I had the same problem. Maybe too much oil?
I find that honey works better to help it stick.
Great recipe. Made some for friends for Christmas. They liked it.
That’s great to hear, Carole!
I made this granola with black walnuts, it turned out absolutely delicious. Thank-you
January 30,2024
Hi! All my family members love your revipe and frequently ask for it. I normally put a lot seeds and nuts in it and my brother always says he would prefer granola without that. But I can’t really do it only with oats right? Do you have any ideas about what I could add alongside the oats? He doesn’t like dried fruit or cpcunut or anything like that. I was thinking to maybe add some puffed spelt or puffed rice, but I am not sure whether that will work in the oven….
You can add dried fruit (once cooled) and coconut too.
You can make without extras. I have a nut allergy and sometimes can’t get seeds that are safe either so I’ve made this several times with just oats (no fruit or seeds or nuts) and it’s still so good. We eat it with yogurt and sometimes just by the chunk.
I only did the oats part with oil, vanilla and maple syrup. No nuts at all and it was gorgeous.
This recipe turned out so great! My whole family loved it. I added coconut flakes, chopped walnuts and a lot of pumpkin seeds. I pressed it into the pan for the last bit and then let it cool without stirring and it was nicely clumpy. Will make again for sure!
That’s great! Thank you for your review, Brenda.
Hi Kathryne,
I’ve been making your delicious granola for a few months now, and constantly have friends asking for some of my next batch. I prefer the clumps, but don’t always get them. I’ve recently seen recipes that add an egg white to the oil mixture to achieve the larger clumps. Would that work in this recipe? Thanks for all your great recipes!!
I haven’t tried that sorry! I find figuring out the right timing for your oven can help and ensure it cools long enough.
Thanks! This is great, and I finally have clumps in my granola.
Great to hear, Budd!
I’ve been making granola for years and this has become my go-to recipe. I love being able to alter the ingredients, in fact, I have a double batch of gingerbread granola in the oven right now for holiday guests.
That’s great to hear, Janet! Thank you for your review.
Recipe excellent. I used 1/2 Maple Syrup and 1/2 cup honey., used pecans, olive oil and used dried blueberries, cranberries and apricots. Had all on hand. next time I will use more maple syrup but that was all I had on hand.
I thought I had lost this recipe! Thank you – it’s the best (and easiest to personalize – never the same) I was raised in Kansas City-has a special place in my heart!
I LOVE this recipe! I add coconut, pecans, almonds, walnuts and dried cherries! I serve it with plain Greek yogurt and it’s absolutely decadent! And it clumps great! Also a great gift! Happy Holiday!
What calories are in this? I did make it and its amazing
Hi Nicola! The nutritional information is below the notes section of the blog. I’m happy you enjoyed it!
Thank you for making homemade granola an accessible thing for me!
I’ve made this recipe 5+ times, it’s super easy and makes incredible granola. I’ll never buy packaged granola again!
I love to hear that, Emily! Thank you for your review.
I love this granola! Have made it in the oven for years but am in the middle of a kitchen remodel. Can I make this in a slow cooker/crock pot?
Thanks,
Katie
This recipe is best as written.
Easy to make and it’s perfect. Just the way we like it, not to sweet and nice and crunchy. I will definitely make this again.
Made this a few times now with gluten free oats and various nuts. I used smooth peanut butter with the maple syrup instead of coconut oil and it was delicious.
Quaker brand granola was recalled… there was no granola to be found on the grocery store shelves. I eat granola to keep up my breastmilk supply. This granola saved the day. Delicious, easy, and perfectly clumpy! It was a milk saving miracle. Thanks for the recipe!!!
Fantastic recipe. My go too. To make things easy I use a trail mix that has seeds, nuts and fruit!
Great recipe! I have made three times now and made a big batch as Christmas presents. Only changes I made were upping the cinnamon and adding nutmeg as I like strong flavours. Thank you :)
I made this recipe, and it was really good! I used pecans and sliced almonds then mixed maple syrup & honey to make the 1/2 cup. I also added coconut and raisins as instructed then drizzle the mixture with a small amount of syrup and honey at the halfway point.
Oats pre-cooked or raw? Are they quick oats?
They are raw oats that will be baked per instructions. I hope you love it!
I love granola so was excited to try this easy recipe. However, after 12 minutes when I went to stir it was burning. I lowered the heat to 275 as I think my oven runs hot. I used Walnuts, Sweetened Coconut and added dried Cranberries at the end. Will try again and cook at lower heat. Good flavor.
Thank you for your review, Deb! I appreciate it.
Kate,
I have made your homemade granola too many times to count and it always turns out FANTASTIC! I’ve made it for co-workers and they can’t believe it’s homemade. I recently made some for a girls trip to Washington and everyone loved it. Before the trip ended, everyone made sure to write down the recipe to make at home. I passed along your website so they could enjoy all of your recipes. Just want to say, thank you for all.you share.
Sincerely,
Lboogie Casper
My favourite granola recipe. I’ve been making yogurt and granola for over 45 years. This one is perfect.
Thank you for your review, Marsha!
I make this sodium free using unsalted nuts, seeds, and omitting the salt from the recipe. I use it for breakfast, on top of Greek yogurt, and for snacking. Thank you!!
I already make mine almost like you make yours except I add hemp hearts when I find them cheap enough (which I did today) and ground flaxseed and chia seeds. I use only maple syrup for sweetener. My problem is I love it too much and could easily eat it three meals a day
This is my favorite granola recipe! It’s the perfect texture and combination of sweet salty and savory
This recipe is delicious! I also added macadamia nuts and hoped dates!
This is now my go to granola recipe! I have made it 3 times and the most recent is the best!! Third time’s a charm!!
My favourite granola recipe ever. I’ve made it at least 6 times and I’ve shared it with many of my friends. ❤️
Thank you for sharing your recipe with us. ☺️
You’re welcome, Debbie!
I made this recipe last evening and had it for breakfast today. It turned out perfectly clumpy as you described and it’s delicious. This recipe is a keeper. I made it with honey and pecans yesterday, but next time I will try with maple syrup and almonds. It reminds me of the granola my mom made in the 1970’s. Much better than anything I have bought and I’ve tried many premium and organic brands.
Excellent recipe. Making it again today. I added flax seeds and a bit more cinnamon to the honey almond variation but following the basic recipe, it’s easy to make it to your own taste preferences.
This recipe is abs delicious! Any idea how many calories per 1/2cup 125g portion?
Hi Jan, All the nutrition information is below the notes section. I’m glad you love it!
Just tried this. Still in the oven, but I forgot the vanilla. I hope it still comes out good!
I followed the recipe but used half honey/half maple syrup, added chopped dried apricots and raisins (beautiful with the pecans!). This shall be my regular recipe I think.
Hi. The flavor of this is wonderful. I made it exactly as instructed but there was no clumping at any stage. It rested for over 2 hours without being touched. What do you do to have clumps?
I’m sorry to hear that! How long each time did you bake it before you mixed it and after you mix it? Did it taste crunchy like almost too done?
I made this but halved all ingredients just as I didn’t have enough nut. I flipped over the mixture halfway through but then when there was still 4 min left on the clock I smelt burning – the pecans had all burned! What went wrong?
Oh no! How close did you have this to a heat source? Does your oven tend to run warmer?
Love the look of this recipe but I’m from UK so what is the equivalent measurements in metric please
Hi! Been wanting to make my own granola for a while and your recipe looks awesome. Wondering if it’s possible to cut down on the oil and sugar which is the reason I often don’t buy it in the stores. I know both are needed to get the right texture and flavor but would love any suggestions as to how much I can cut both back. Thanks!
This is best as written. Changing the oil and/or sugar will impact results and would require a different recipe to see if a certain combination would work. Sorry to disappoint!
Spraying the parchment with cooking oil will make the granola come out in large pieces. Thank you for this recipe, it is super yummy!
I’m delighted you loved it, FKo!
The best granola I have ever eaten. I now make it regularly (2.5 x recipe so my largest bowl can accommodate it) and love sprinkling it over fruit (peaches, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries) and yogurt. Makes a superb breakfast.
This. Is. The. Best. Granola. Ever. And so easy! It is better than store bought granola by a mile. I made a batch and already know it’s going to be a staple in my house as well as gifts for friends and family in the future. Love!
I’m delighted you love it, Lindsay! Thank you for your review.
I’ve based many granola batches on this recipe. My husband said, “Your granola is my favorite cereal. It tastes much better than store-bought granola.” One of my sons makes it, too. I have chosen the olive oil/maple syrup options, use up to 3 kinds of nuts, and add dried blueberries.
I love this recipe! I’ve been making it for years now. But I have a bit of a sweet tooth so I cook it as instructed without dried fruit, but once it comes out of the oven I add either chocolate chips or peanut butter chips so they melt a bit and when I stir it together it helps make nice chocolatey or peanut buttery clumps
Oh that sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing, Kelly.
Love this recipe! Delicious as is and a great jumping off point for adding different things to it. I do sub a little of the oats with homemade grape nuts and some of the honey with molasses, so it’s not quite as sweet. Next batch I’m going to try adding chia seeds and some ground flaxseed to see if it clumps a little more. I’m not great at making up my own recipes, but I’m really good at messing around with other people’s recipes. Thanks for sharing!!!
You’re welcome, Penelope!
Hey would you happen to know how many calories are in a portion? Thanks!
Hi Rob, all the nutrition information is below the notes section of the recipe.
I am an appalling cook but even I can make this one. It is SO good and is way better than anything you can buy in the supermarket – even those crazy expensive designer granolas.
Thank you!
You’re welcome, Fiona!