Cranberry Orange Granola
Simple and healthy, maple-sweetened granola with orange zest and dried cranberries. This granola just happens to be gluten free and vegan, too!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
I feel like I’ve been trudging through mud all week. That’s a phrase my mom uses fairly often when she’s having a hard time getting stuff done. For some reason, I’ve always imagined that the mud is actually chocolate pudding, which offers a more delicious visual.
So I’ve been trudging through chocolate pudding all week. Obstacles here, there, everywhere! I can’t tell you how many trips to the grocery store I’ve made over the past few days. You know how it goes. The first grocery store is out of Brussels sprouts, the second doesn’t carry spring roll wrappers and the third store’s freezer section doesn’t offer any frozen spinach. Then you finally get home and realize that you forgot to put Parmesan on the list. Good grief.
That’s not just me, right? I’ve decided that my version of paradise includes a grocery store that carries everything I need. No, I take that back—my version of paradise includes a self-stocking kitchen. Why doesn’t that exist yet? It’s 2015!
I found myself day-dreaming about self-stocking kitchens while this granola filled my house with the heavenly scent of fresh orange and warm maple syrup. I’ve been on a granola kick again and this kind is my new favorite. It’s extra clumpy and extra delicious.
I always strive to use only natural sweeteners in my baked goods, but this one required a minor adjustment. I know from past experience that rubbing zest into sugar brings out the flavor of the citrus tenfold, so I rubbed the zest into a couple of tablespoons of sugar. That did just the trick!
I’ve also learned how to make extra clumpy granola. The key is to crowd the granola a bit after you toss it halfway through cooking. Use a spatula to squish it down into a thick, even layer. Then let the granola cool completely before breaking it apart. This batch actually had all night to cool and harden before I took these photos.
This granola is an irresistible snack, of course. It’s also fantastic with plain or vanilla yogurt for breakfast. You could add some fresh fruit if you’d like—clementine segments would be quick and delicious, and you can never go wrong with slices of ripe banana!
Microplane zester
Measuring cups and spoons from Sur la Table
▸ For more of my favorite cooking tools, shop my healthy kitchen!
Cranberry Orange Granola
Simple and healthy, maple-sweetened granola with orange zest and dried cranberries. This granola just happens to be gluten free and vegan, too! This recipe yields about six cups of granola.
Ingredients
- Zest of 1 large orange, preferably organic
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar of choice
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (use certified gluten-free oats for gluten-free granola)
- 1 ½ cups raw pecans (or other nuts or seeds*)
- 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt (if you’re using standard table salt, scale back to ¾ teaspoon)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup melted coconut oil (or olive oil)
- ½ cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the orange zest and sugar. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar until it’s bright orange and fragrant. This step will ensure that your granola is infused with orange flavor.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, pecans, salt, cinnamon and orange sugar. Stir to combine. Pour in the coconut oil and maple syrup. Mix well.
- Pour the granola onto your prepared baking sheet. Spread the granola into an even layer. Bake for 24 to 28 minutes (if you used honey instead of maple syrup, check at 22 minutes), stirring halfway, until the granola is turning lightly golden in color. The granola will crisp up as it cools.
- Let the granola cool before stirring in the dried cranberries. Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, or keep it in the freezer for longer shelf life.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my honey almond granola.
*Nut and seed substitutions: If you are using large, whole nuts (pecans, walnuts, etc.) follow instructions as directed. If you are using small nuts or seeds, like pepitas, or large coconut flakes, wait to stir them into the granola until you remove it from the oven halfway through cooking.
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.
thankiew for this wonderful recipe! loved it! one of my staples now! <3<3
I’ve made this several times, each time with my own little twist, like half pecans, half pistachios plus adding the juice of that orange but the zest with the sugar is the best, I’ll never change that. My husband turns his nose up at any other granola now.
I just made this granola and I omitted cranberry which I don’t like. But it turns out really awesome with fresh orange aroma. It is a perfect match for my breakfast yogurt. Thanks a lot.
Just made this for some yogurt-fruit-granola parfaits tomorrow a.m.
Suuuper tasty…but it didn’t clump at all :/ I followed the recipe verbatim…but no clusters whatsoever.
Not a deal breaker because it’s still delectable, but a few clumps wouldn’t hurt:)
Thanks!
I just made this (literally, I just sat down from putting it in containers), it was my first ever attempt at granula and it is delicious!! The recipe turned out just perfect. Thank you for this!!
I make this recipe a LOT! Everyone in my family loves it, and it just doesn’t last long. This year, I’ve made some as Christmas gifts. Thanks for sharing your recipes!
Just made this granola, and my kitchen smells amazing! I’m currently pregnant and have been loving all things citrus lately, so it was good timing that I came across this recipe. I did use coconut sugar, and it made more of paste and did not resemble the bright orange color in your picture, but I didn’t have any trouble getting it to blend into the oat mixture. Thanks for all the great, healthy recipes—my husband and I make something from your blog at least once a week!
What perfect timing to crave citrus! Winter is a great time for a citrus treat. So glad you loved it, Jen.
Thanks so much for sharing this fantastic recipe! I made this yesterday and am eating it now over vanilla bean Greek yogurt…and OMG it’s amazing! I’ll be making this again and again and can’t wait to try more of your recipes :) Thank you!
Delighted to hear this, Heather! Let me know which other recipes you try.
Hi Kate,
1) I adore all the recipes I’ve tried on your blog—and I’ve just gotten my copy of your cookbook! I can’t wait to dig into those.
2) I loved this granola—but mine stuck to the pan quite badly, so I had to scrape it off. Is it because I didn’t use parchment paper? (I imagine that if I had, it would have just stuck to the paper, but maybe I’m wrong.) I also used all honey rather than maple syrup. Could that have been a factor?
Thanks! Keep rocking!
Hey, Louise. I’m so glad you love the book! And yes, that’s exactly what the parchment paper is for– this will stick to metal pans, but the parchment paper keeps it loose while it cooks.
Thank so much for your reply! I’ve been enjoying this granola every morning since I made my first batch. I can’t wait to make it again with parchment paper!
Thoughts on how this would work with minute-oats instead of old-fashioned rolled oats? I have a lot of minute-oats sitting in my pantry and would rather use up those if possible.
I made both the “very best granola ” and this cranberry orange. Both are awesome but the crab-orange is especially awesome! Thanks for sharing these great recipes. Our wellness committee at work is hosting a healthy breakfast this week, but I think my family might eat it all before then. So I’ll be back at the grocery store for more ingredients to make two more batches :)
I’m so glad you enjoy this version, Brenda! I hope your colleagues enjoy it, too.
Sugar is a natural sweetener!
I love this granola! I make it all the time. Instead of cranberries I use dried cherries for a little extra tartness.
Sounds wonderful! Thank you for your review.
Made this last night (first granola attempt!) and it was really good! I used a combination of walnuts and almonds, and olive oil instead of coconut oil. My only issue was that I didn’t realize wax paper is NOT the same as parchment paper, and some of my granola stuck pretty badly. Entirely my fault, and lesson learned :)
Regardless, this will be a repeat for me! I’ve been enjoying it with coconut yogurt for breakfast and sneaking little granola snacks all day!
Very delicious – best muesli/granola i have ever tasted!
Fantastic, Bonnie! Thanks for your review.
How long should this last for?
Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, or keep it in the freezer for longer shelf life. Hope this helps!
This granola is a lovely combo of flavors. I made it twice; once as directed and the second time with the following modifications (loosely following ingredient amts for a granola recipe I’ve made regularly for 20+ years): added about a half tsp of orange oil to the sugar to up the orange flavor; upped the amt of oats, using 5 cups of rolled oats and adding a cup of wheat germ to boost the nutrition value; chopped the pecans rather than leaving whole for better distribution; left out the salt as it was too noticeable and decreased the cinnamon to a1/4 tsp., again not to overpower the orange flavor. Also, preferred honey as a more delicate sweetener that doesn’t compete with the subtle orange flavor. Now my husband and I “negotiate” over which granola recipe we make–the old standby or this new one, which is my favorite! Thanks much for the recipe.
Thanks for sharing how you make this, Judy! I love that you and your husband have a granola debate. That’s great!
Made this for some co-workers and it was a huge hit… I loved how it tasted and how it made my house smell. Thank you! Tracy
You’re welcome, Tracy! Thanks for the review.
Best granola I’ve ever had! Great tip about enhancing the orange flavour by rubbing it in sugar. I’ll try that technique with other citrus subbing salt for sugar in savoury recipes.
Thank you, Kim!
Hmmmm, this didn’t quite work as well as I’d hoped on first go. Holding off on rating because I think it’s partially my fault – I only had coarse sea salt, which might be too much – but I also don’t taste the orange very much. Should I increase the zest next time?
I’m sorry it didn’t quite turnout for you. The salt would make a difference for sure. Did you make the orange sugar mix?
Love it! I’ve made it three times!
Love that, Kathy! Thanks for the review.
I just made this granola to take to California for my dad’s birthday. Of
course I had to taste it and I can say this is one of the most delicious
granola recipes I have ever made, and I’ve made a lot. Thank you for this
wonderful treat and I will be making another batch for myself.
You’re welcome, Nan!
Absolutely beautiful, much better than store bought, crunchy but not so crunchy that it hurts your teeth or would take out a filling of your teeth which happened to me eating an Acai bowl out not so long ago! Made one with coconut oil and now I’m trying one with olive oil as coconut oil has gone hard. Thank you, Kate, ever so much for this recipe!
My new favorite granola
Wonderful, Marcy!
This is THE BEST Granola recipe I have made. And I’ve made a lot of granola. This is a granola that draws you in to nibble and take a spoonful and come back for more and come back again. This granola is my breakfast potluck go-to!
found this recipe a few months ago. Oh my, so delicious! I make a batch about every two weeks. Thank you.
I’m glad you love it, Julia! Thank you for your review.
I have made your granola several times now. I add different fruits/nuts but it ALWAYS comes out great. Today I am making dark cherry with orange zest in it. I can’t wait to taste it because my house smells so good right now. Totally put me in a Christmas mood! Thank you for this simple and easy recipe that is healthy and tastes great.
Thank you for sharing your variations, Cathy!
I made this three times in the past couple of weeks, gifting some in jars for Christmas and eating the rest as quickly as I made it. My kids and husband all love it!
The only wrinkle I’m trying to iron out is that every time the nuts start to slightly burn. I don’t mind the toasty taste, but I’m wondering if I should cut down on time or oven temperature-? I still want to achieve a nice crunchy granola. So far even reducing the time to 20 minutes total does remedy the problem. Thoughts?
Kristina, I did one with raisins and just poked them in a bit to avoid that burnt skin flavour. Perhaps cutting the pecans up might make them less likely to poke out? Also, I took mine out early (because I only did half the quantity, not because of burning) and, although the mix looked nice and toasty, only some of the mix clumped (though the rest was a lovely toasted muesli, anyway) so I thought I would try a lower temp next time rather then a shorter oven time. All ovens are slightly different. Hope this helps, anyway. Kerri
Trying to modify. My husband has lung disease and I can’t go to the stores. But I found your granola recipes and think I can make a half portion. Thank you!
Stay home and stay safe!!!
Hi Michelle! I hope you and your husband stay safe. I hope you can make this and that it provides some comfort.
The best granola, hands down! Thank you so much for all your recipes and your awesome cook book.
I made this recipe yesterday. I’ve never been a big fan of granola…until now!! When I saw it had orange zest in it, I wanted to try it. It was easy, and tastes awesome!!! Thank you for a fantastic recipe!! Sooo much flavor!!!
Hooray! I love to hear this recipe won you over. Thanks for sharing!
Amazing recipe. I’ve made a lot of granola, but never thought to use citrus zest. I went with pecans and walnuts, subbed agave for the honey/maple and added coconut flakes and a little vanilla extract. Pressed and cooled how you said and ended up with some good chunks. Will definitely be making this again. And again.
Wonderful recipe. I substituted 1 cup of apple sauce and reduced the maple syrup and oil to 1/4 cup each, trying to reduce calories. It was perfect!
Great to hear that worked for you, Sandy!
The granola looks amazing, I don’t suppose you have the measurements in gms do you as I’m in the uk and don’t know how much a cup is!
Thank you
Wonderful granola! Thank you so much for this recipe! I have made the exact recipe (which is delicious) and have made some with a few tweeks. I like coconut in my granola so I add a cup of unsweetened coconut. I also add the juice of the orange to the oil and maple sugar mixture and cook at 300 degrees for a longer period so the coconut doesn’t burn. This helps dry out the granola from the juice without burning. Just adds a bit more orange flavor.
Thank you for sharing how you made it, Julia!
This is the first time I’ve ever made granola. OMG Yum ..I made this yesterday and had it for breakfast this morning. I used a mix of pistachios and cashews. Amazing.
Thanks so much for the recipe.
I’m glad you loved it, Leah! Thank you for your review.
Love this recipe. We prefer the maple syrup over honey, both were excellent. I use the zest in the sugar trick in other recipes, like cranberry orange bread, gets the flavor all through out. I have found a company called decas farms that actually sells orange flavored cranberries. Amazing in your recipe. We are still avoiding multiple trips to store and making things homemade has really been fun. Making again today.
So easy and favorable as well as nutritious. Takes me back 40 years when I made my own granola and teething biscuits for my toddlers.
Tip: measure the oil first then the honey or maple syrup flows easily & completely from the measuring cup. Merry Christmas
This is by far the best granola recipe I’ve had! I love the suggestions such as the cranberry orange. Turned out fantastic! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I’m glad you loved it, Sharon! Thank you for your review.
LOVED this recipe!! Subbed pecans for hazelnuts. Second time I cheated a little and added 2x orange zest and some ginger. Dangerous!!
We are addicted to this granola and I make about two batches a week! The technique of rubbing the orange zest into the sugar really does infuse the orange essence into the granola. Such a perfect flavor complement to the dried cranberries and the coconut oil and maple syrup combo is perfect. Thanks for another wonderful recipe.
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Stacey.
Definitely the best granola I’ve ever made. And probably the best granola I’ve ever eaten!!! Delicious!
Perfectly delicious!!! Made this for a gluten-free, refined-sugar free friend (used coconut sugar instead of white sugar) after she got out of the hospital and she loved it with her yogurt or just to snack on. It’s hard to find recipes for someone like her but this was wonderful – thank you!
Hi! I love your original granola recipe and plan to try this one, too. Quick question: the yield for the original recipe says 8 cups, but this one says 6 cups (despite the same amounts of oats and nuts; here there is actually more dried fruit). Not sure why this would be. Thanks, Kate!
Hey Jenni, good question and I can definitely see the confusion! I remember from my cookbook’s granola recipe that the yield in cups varies depending on how much the granola clumps or doesn’t clump. Technically, it’s yielding the exact same amount, just varies in cups from batch to batch. Hope that makes sense.
This recipe is fantastic. Despite not paying attention and adding the cranberries before cooking it still tastes good. I used coconut sugar and ran out of honey so I made up the <1/4 cup with regular pancake syrup. Despite myself it came out so good. I can't imagine how good it would have been if I had made it "right".
Thank you for sharing, Taryn!
I’m not a big dried cranberry fan, so I made this granola with the same amount of frozen cranberries chopped small in my food processor. No other changes, except I reduced the oven temperature to 300 and increased the baking time to 45 minutes since the mix was a little wetter with the fresh cranberries. Yum.
Hola disculpa que escriba en español, gracias por compartir tus recetas, y he Probado la granola y. Queda muy buena
Made this granola today. Absolutely delicious!! And very easy to make!! I’ll be making this again and again. Thank you for sharing this recipe Kate!
You’re welcome, Kim!
I made this for my extended family and friends for Christmas brunch and for gifts. I am making more batches by demand and I have referred many others to your recipe at their request! This is perfect!
I made another of your granola recipes and will try this one soon. I added cranberries after cooking and they were fine for a while and then hardened. Do you have any suggestion as to keep this from happening? I live in a very dry climate.
Hi Rhon, I’m sorry to hear that! Are you storing the granola in an airtight container?
Yes, airtight. It’s no big deal. Love the granola. I’m wondering about trying dates next time.