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Granola started off as a healthy treat, full of whole grains, sprinkled with wholesome nuts and dried fruit. Over the years, commercialism and appealing to the masses caused cereal companies to reinvent granola, adding all sorts of preservatives and unappealing additives. Making homemade granola is super simple. Because you control what goes into it, you can also determine the calorie and sweetener levels, and it takes less than half an hour to make a batch. Once you make your own granola, you’ll never buy a bag from the store again.
My daughter plays soccer. She needs energy and she loves granola. She asked me if I could make some, how could I say no to this face (pictured left)?
She was pretty specific about what she wanted it in. Sliced almonds, dried cranberries, and chocolate chips. :) No problem girly, you know I love ya.
You can adapt this recipe to suit your personal tastes. My daughter isn’t big on walnuts, so we use sliced almonds and sunflower seeds. She also prefers dried cranberries to raisins. And of course, she had to have chocolate chips. Here are some ideas for substitutions and add ins:
DRY
rolled (old fashioned) oats
ground flax seed
wheat germ
NUTS (UNSALTED)
sunflower seeds
pumpkin seeds
sliced almonds
pecans
walnuts
hazelnuts
Note: If you use salted nuts, you may want to omit the salt that is mixed with the cinnamon at the opening of the instructions!
FRUIT
dried cranberries
flavored Craisins
raisins, brown or golden
other dried fruits (banana chips, dried blueberries, etc)
SWEETENER
brown sugar (light or dark)
maple syrup
honey
agave nectar
shredded coconut
FLAVORING
pure vanilla extract
other extracts such as almond, lemon, cherry, etc
spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc)
Easy Homemade Granola
adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking
2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Canola oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup dried cranberries (we used cherry flavored Craisins)
1/3 cup chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, toss the oats with cinnamon and salt.
In a medium bowl, stir together the oil, honey, brown sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until completely combined.
Pour the honey mixture over the oats mixture and use your hands to combine them. Gather up some of the mixture in each hand and make a fist. Repeat until all of the oats are coated with the honey mixture.
Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread it out evenly, but leave a few clumps here and there for texture. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and use a metal spatula to lift and flip the granola. Sprinkle the nuts over the granola and return the baking sheet to the oven.
Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and use a metal spatula to lift and flip the granola. Return the baking sheet to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven. Let cool completely.
Sprinkle the dried cranberries and chocolate chips over the granola and use your hands to transfer it to an airtight container. The granola will keep for 1 week.
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Sounds like a great granola recipe. I'm a fan of homemade granola on a yogurt parfait.
Iv'e got a soccer player too..this would be some great energy food! Your picture of your granola makes me want a bowl with ice cold milk right now!
Yum! Lucky daughter – I'm jealous! She sure picked some good ingredients!
this looks delicious and surely more healthy than store bought
Don't you love it when your child request you to make something….especially when it is good for you! I wouldn't say no either! :) Looks yummy too! I eat granola every morning on my yogurt (am eating it right now as a matter of fact!)
Que rico tiene que estar para el desayuno. Gracias por la receta
Yum! One of my favorite things is homemade granola! Love the chocolate chips! ;)
I love granola. I like to put it in my yogurt. I will definitely try this recipe. Thanks Amanda!
Homemade granola is so much better than store-bought! Sometimes we add m&m's…evil, I know:) It's great for taking on a hike!
Your daughter is beautiful Amanda, & I love that she chose what she wanted in her granola. For some reasom the comment box isn't appearing so I was unable to leave a comment earlier. All seems well now! I love your take on granola!!
I love my homemade granola! I add coconut with chocolate chips. That girl knows good food!!! :)
This looks great Amanda. I love granola and have always fancied making my own. Will definitely give this a go. Thanks for providing the different options too.
OH boy does this look good and such a gorgeous dish too!
Wonderful photo!
I love homemade granola, and this recipe looks swell, as it doesn't use too much oil. I tried a different recipe last month that said that spinning half of the oats in the food processor to nearly powder consistency before mixing them in would help create clumps, if you like clumpy granola. This trick works like a charm!
Homemade granola is my favorite!
Your daughter and her friend look cute in their pink jerseys.
I've been meaning to make homemade granola for about a year! I don't know why I haven't yet. Like a big dummy I've been buying the stuff.
~ingrid
That looks great! I have made some of my own granola before, and you're right — it's just better! I'll have to get back to making some of my own soon.
Do you make them in powerbar form as well?
I made granola for the first time yesterday and it was a revelation! I'll always make it now. Yours looks great, I want to get some coconut pieces for my next batch.
This looks wonderful, Amanda, and I particularly like the mix of flavors you've chosen and your light hand with added oils. Linseeds (so good for us) are another great addition to homemade granola. Have you tried it?
Thanks for all your great comments everyone! I am going to make a new batch tomorrow, I loved it as cereal! :)
OOOOOH!!! YUM! I make my own granola too but this looks fabulous! I may have to try this to change it up a bit!!
I know this post was over a year ago. After making this recipe up, I thought it was great, but there is TOO much salt, which I am sure is great for someone who is sweating and needs the replacement, but it just tastes way too salty for us. Next time I make it I would completely remove the salt or add just a pinch or two.
Hi Aimee. I’m adjusting the recipe as it should have stated unsalted nuts. Thanks!
I agree, this recipe is WAY too salty. And yes, there is added salt in it. Right under the cinnamon is 1 teaspoon of salt. I wish I would have read the comments before making this.
Right you are, salt is mixed with the cinnamon and oats at the beginning. I am going to adjust the recipe ingredients so that the nuts are listed as UNsalted, as they should have been from the beginning. Sorry about that, and thanks for bringing it to my attention!
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