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.
Yesterday afternoon’s warm granola sampling coaxed me to make batches for friends this week. What fun to open a new culinary door in my white-haired, wrinkly years! Thank you.
You’re welcome, Elizabeth!
Followed instructions burnt the cranberries and pecans.
Hi Adel, Thank you for your comment. Per the instructions, the dried fruit isn’t to be added until after it’s baked. How long did you bake it for and did you toss it halfway?
I’m making my 4th or 5th batch today and absolutely love it. I usually use cashew pieces, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries. So appreciate your comments for making it clumpy. The best!
This granola recipe is so tasty & delicious!! It was very easy to make. **Make sure you add dried fruit AFTER baking the granola. If not, you’ll have hard pieces of dried fruit rocks. I hand removed them and replaced.** I can’t wait to experiment with different types of nuts & dried fruit.
Fall is my fav out of the seasons so I ADORE this recipe with Pumpkin Pie Spice from TJ…O-M-G. Heaven and the uses during this season is endless. Thank you for a great starter base
You’re welcome, Mo! Thank you for your review.
Well, I am I. The process of making this recipe when I realized I should have waited to add the fruit. This will be interesting!! It does look good though. Lom
Oh no! Yes, add the dried fruit at the end (step 5).
Hi,Your article so fantastic. I enjoy your article. Many many thanks for sharing.
I’ve been making this for a couple of years now with a few tweaks, half and half maple syrup and honey, mixed seeds, dried berry & cherry mix, coconut and almond flakes. My 30 something son says it’s “absolutely delicious” and won’t eat shop bought now!!!
Just made my 10th batch of this recipe because it is always fantastic! I have tried lots of variations, but always coconut oil as the fat. Maple syrup is my favorite sweetener, and honey is my least favorite. I made one batch with agave syrup and it had a very nice flavor and texture. I’ve also played with many combos of nuts/dried fruits and my favorites have been 1) dried mango with shaved coconut and pumpkin seeds, 2) walnuts and dried figs (eaten with fresh bananas), and candied ginger with cardamom (just be careful to not overdo this spice–it’s very strong!), pecans, and shaved coconut. My only advice is to use a 16×22 inch baking sheet (you can get one for $20 or so, and they come in so handy for roasting veggies without overcrowding the pan) and 1.5*the recipe, roast for 12 min, turn and roast for 15 more. Also, try one bowl with yogurt and fresh fruit right after the batch comes out of the oven–it is delicious still warm and a bit chewy before it hardens! Thanks for the recipe Kate!
I’m excited you can’t get enjoy and are trying variations! Thank you for sharing, Adam.
Really good recipe, but your oven temp may vary. Twenty minutes was too long for mine; the raw pecans burned. It still tastes good – just a bit more toasty than I would like. I’ll try 15 minutes next time or lower the temp to 300.
Hi Jennifer, ovens can vary. I would suggest the same temperature, but try cutting your time down and make sure it’s in the middle of your oven.
I’ve just made this recipe and it was a success. I’ve even added more nuts and cranberries than the recipe asked for. It’s a keeper. Thank you for sharing your recipe with me.
Lise
This is absolutely delicious! It’s definitely going to be my go to granola recipe.
Really helpful advice, I can’t wait to experiment further. The basic recipe is delicious and so filling for a good start to the day! Thank you for sharing so that we can all enjoy great food.
Making this for the nth time today. My kid eats this daily with plain yogurt and fruit. It makes me really happy to have something healthy for her to prepare for herself. She has struggled with eating since infancy and when I find something like this it’s so great. I just keep the granola jar filled and the yogurt in the fridge and that’s breakfast!
Lately I’ve been adding some sesame seeds, about 1/4 cup. It’s a nice addition.
That sounds delicious, Clara! Thank you for your review.
The best granola recipe I’ve tried!!!
I’m glad you loved it, Renae! Thank you for your review.
I used coconut oil and honey when trying this recipe, and because I was light on pecans, I only used 1 cup of pecans but added extra shaved coconut toward the end of the baking cycle, per your recommendation. For fruit, I diced up some dried apricots. This is possibly the first time I’ve made 16 servings of anything and haven’t gotten sick of eating it every day! It’s delicious with milk/soy milk for breakfast, but also good on Greek yogurt by itself or with some cardamom pear sauce I had lying around, as a dessert! Making my second batch now. Still light on pecans but I’m gonna try padding them with sunflower seeds, added when I add the shaved coconut since they’re small and will bake rather quickly. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe!
You’re welcome, Inger! I’m glad you loved it.
Love this recipe! So easy and so good. I add dried fruit and coconut as well as Turmeric. It varies every time I make this. So good and so easy!
Well if this isn’t the best granola! My son has a very expensive granola habit so I decided I could make one just as good and for much less. Simple google search brought your recipe up first and with 5 star rating. I had all the ingredients, whipped it up and voila! My son loves it!! So do I! I will make a triple batch next time, divide it, and flavor each one a little differently and then freeze. Thank you so much!
This is my first attempt at homemade granola and it turned out delicious! I’m done with store bought!! Thank you for sharing your recipe and instructions.
Hooray! I’m delighted to hear that, Jeannette.
I made this again yesterday for the 5th or 6th time. This time I used honey, coconut flakes, dried cherries and cashews. After taking it out of the oven, I let it cool in the pan. I hame back an hour later to store it but it was almost gone! This recipe is a winner. Definitely add any coconut, seeds, nuts half way through baking. They still get toasty without burning. Adding the dry fruit after baking keeps it nice and soft. Thank you for another wonderful recipe!
I love that you have made it so many time, Sara! Thank you for sharing.
I’ve made this recipe so many times. It is easy to customize! I use 3 1/2 cups gluten free, old fashioned oats and 1/2 cup steel cut oats for extra crunch. I also substitute avocado oil for the coconut oil as we are watching our cholesterol. And, a full teaspoon of cinnamon isn’t too much! A cup of slivered almonds and 1/2 cup of pecans is perfect for us. Thanks for the great recipe!
Very nice recipe. I had some malt syrup laying around from a failed attempt at making bagels and used that for the syrup. My oven runs a little hot, so 350 was too much. Next time I will set it to 325.
First time using this recipe, came out very good.
Thank you so much for this simple & delicious recipe! I now have the confidence to make my own granola, and I make regularly. It tastes so much than the store bought kind!
That’s great, Jen! Thank you for your review.
I make double of this recipe every two weeks. It makes two gallon bags full. We freeze one of the bags to use the next week. My husband and I love this. I like to put the granola on top of my hot oatmeal and then add milk.
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Betty.
This really is the very best granola. I make a batch every week and it’s become famous along my friends. I use pecans, pepitas, cashews and stir in coconut flakes halfway through. The clumping method of pressing-down and letting it sit is an important step and works!! Thanks you for this delightful recipe, Kate!
Not a huge fan sadly.
I’m sorry you didn’t love it, Amy.
Granola turned out good but needed more syrup when it didn’t clump. Also for my oven 350 was too hot. You have to monitor it closely or it will burn. Otherwise real yummy.
Hi Kate.
I cannot eat things too sweet and was wondering if you think this is very sweet or not bad? I feel like I will pass out if I eat too sweet and can only handle 1 bite of frosting for instance.
This sounds great and exactly what I was looking for!
Blessings ~
Hi Landea, I think it’s a good balance. It’s not nearly as sweet as frosting. I hope you try it and enjoy it!
Delicious! I made the gingerbread recipe and it was a big hit. The whole family loved it and it was gone in a flash. I plan to try the other variations too.
I’m glad you love it, Beth! Thank you for your review.
So good amazing i love it
This is delicious! Today I made granola for the first time ever and thanks to this recipe as the base, it turned out great! I put in amaranth, chia seeds, pecans, dried cranberries and I grated fresh coconut (one of the perks of living in the Yucatan). I chose the options of honey and coconut oil. I would highly recommend this recipe!
Great recipe! The only thing that I’ll change a next time, is the amount of sweetner. It’s way too sweet for me hihi, but my boyfriend thinks it’s just right.
Thanks for sharing!
I’m loving it. Its very tasty and light. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
This truly is the very best granola! Super easy to make and never lasts long in our household.
I suggest looking at this after 10 minutes, with or without stirring. I baked it for 20 minutes and it’s burnt—even the center part. I’ll still eat it though!
Hi Arli, I’m sorry to hear that! Did you stir it half way? Was it on the middle rack?
I made your basic granola recipe and LOVE it! I added some different chopped nuts and mct oil along with some almond oil your recipe was a great guideline since I had no idea where to start! I needed something to take the place of a granola that’s was costing me $7.00 for 8 ounces that I felt was too pricey so thank you!
Hi, do i need partchment paper or will butter do the trick?
Hi Tom, I recommend parchment for this recipe so it doesn’t stick and you can maintain the clumps.
This recipe is delicious and soooo easy. Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome, Pam!
So delicious! Was looking for a healthier granola and this is a great recipe!! Thank you!!
Making granola again today. My house smells so good.
Made this double batch with pecans, shivered almonds and shredded coconut. Spiced with cinnamon, ginger, salt and vanilla. Binder is honey and Coconut oil.
I love this recipe! I mix it up with whatever nuts and seeds I have to hand – walnuts, unsalted peanuts, pecans, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds … They’ve all gone in at one time or another! Gorgeous with milk, yoghurt or as a topping for overnight oats (and your recipe for that is also the best one I’ve found!) Thanks!
You’re welcome, Samantha!
I add to scoops of natural peanut butter after melting the coconut oil and honey together!
Hi, Kate. I LOVE this granola! I’ve made it countless times, but could never get it to clump no matter what I did. Recently I ran out of coconut oil so I subbed in California Olive Ranch Keto Blend (walnut oil and evoo) the last two times I’ve made the granola. I’ve gotten plenty of fabulous clumps! Not sure why the oil made the difference, but it was the only change. I stir in shredded coconut halfway through baking. Thanks for posting the recipe!
Wonderful, JoAnne! Thank you for sharing.
made the recipe last night (did not add dried fruits) and this morning had it over DF yogurt and added some fruits to it and it was heavenly! not too sweet, crunchy and the nuts add that extra flavor.
thank you for sharing this recipe, I am sure I will never buy granola ever again!
Thank you for this delicious recipe! My kids and I love this granola in the summer in fancy breakfast berry “parfaits”.
We recently dehydrated strawberries and would like to to add them to a chocolate granola. Any tips on how to adjust this recipe for chocolatey goodness?
Hi! I would added that all at the end when it’s cooled. I’m not sure about melting chocolate or adding that into the baking.
I agree with you–I think this really is the best homemade granola recipe. A GREAT base recipe, too, easily adaptable to all kinds of variations. I also tried subbing in avocado oil for the olive or coconut (don’t usually have it), and it worked really well, too, FWIW.
I had gotten very bored with my overnight oats routine or just yogurt in the morning, and this has been a great change of pace! Another great recipe–thanks for this!
Love love love it! This beats any pre-made granola bought at the store. I use half the honey and it still tastes just as good. Thank you!
Easy recipe so interchangeable to flavour it up or down . Thank you for sharing .
Made this the other day and LOVED it! making another batch today. Might need to rein in my consumption a bit in future as I’m not sure it is THAT healthy in the quantity we are consuming!!