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.
I absolutely love this recipe! It’s easy and so delicious. I usually have everything in my pantry for this recipe so I can make it last minute. The possibilities for making it your own version are endless. I’ve only stuck to the pecan, almond, coconut version and have it on my Greek yogurt with a bit of honey and it’s amazing!
Loved this recipe! Delicious and simple
I make this every week now! My favorite go-to granola recipe. So easy to change up the flavors each time with different nuts, seeds, spices, and dried fruits.
Absolutely yum!!
Would butter in place of the oil? I don’t have coconut oil on hand and would prefer my granola to be sweet rather than savory
Use olive oil, not butter.
Made granola for the first time ever. This one is so delicious. The whole family love it. Will make again.
I love this recipe. I put pecans, walnuts, raisins, dried cranberries and chocolate chips in mine. But it’s delicious.
Ive just made the granola with walnuts and it’s absolutely delicious *****
Delicious! First time I made this, it turned out perfectly. Can’t wait to experiment with the extra variations. Thank you so much!
Absolutely scrumptious!
Easy to make.
Healthy ingredients.
Thanks for sharing this.
This is so delicious and on our weekly rotation. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe with us.
Really easy to make, super tasty and lasts for a month in an airtight container in a shelf.
Oh my! So delicious and so easy to make. Mine turned out exactly as you promised. I must agree that it seems crazy to ever buy granola again. Thank you, Kate, for another amazing recipe.
I have chronic kidney disease and can only use Himalayan salt how much would I use in a single batch.
Hi Lynn, if it’s fine Himalayan salt, you could use 1 teaspoon, though you can scale back if needed to suit your dietary needs.
Absolutely lovely granola.
I love this recipe! I have been using raw, sprouted pumpkin seeds with salt do I do not add extra salt and it tastes great. I also use almonds and walnuts. (I add fruit when serving, not in the baking.) I add shredded coconut after 15 minutes then stir it in and bake another 5-10 minutes, until the coconut starts to brown.
I accidentally forgot to add the maple syrup and realized it when it was time to add the coconut so I put it back in a bowl, stirred in the syrup, pressed it back into the pan and put it back in the oven. To my surprise, it clumped up better than ever and had a nice sheen to it. Tasted fantastic!
Previous batches did not clump as well. It could be that I am baking too long as you suggested but I am going to play around with the recipe more and see what happens. It makes a great gift. Thank you for the recipe!
Love this recipe! It’s quick and easy with lots of options! It always turns out great and has put me totally off store-bought! Thank you for sharing!
Dear Kate,
I don’t know why I haven’t commented sooner as I’ve been making your granola for a few years now…
I absolutely love it and panic when I am getting low!!!! It makes me love my yogurt and berries so much more!!!!
When I dare to share, I get tons of compliments !!! I really should double my batch !!!
Thanks so much for my favorite treat!!!!( and it’s so easy!!!!)
Sincerely,
Kathleen Huggins
This recipe was simple to follow and the results were great. I was about to buy some granola and it occurred to me why not make it myself. So thanks for this recipe.
Would agave work in this recipe instead of maple syrup?
Hi Jo, agave is sweet, but doesn’t have as much flavor as honey or maple syrup.
I have made five or six batches of this granola and love it! Love it when I use olive oil. I tried using coconut oil and I had to throw the batch out because of the awful taste that the coconut oil imparted to it. It tasted like soap! Gross!
I made the Healthy Granola recipe and it turned out great! I used dried mango and cranberries and almonds. Delicious and easy! Cheaper than buying granola, and I can make sure it’s gluten-free. Thank you for the recipe! I’ll be using it as my stand-by granola recipe.
My granola came out good but no clumps. I love granola clumps! Maybe I will use more syrup next time.
This recipe was delicious! I enjoyed making it with coconut oil, nuts, honey, coconut flakes & dried cranberries.
It’s more budget friendly than store-bought & tastes amazing, thank you!
I had pecans left over from Christmas baking and found this recipe. I’ve made it several times since the holidays and everybody loves it! It’s been a good giveaway, too, like when I visit someone and take some in a colorful bag tied in ribbon.
This will be a giveaway for NEXT Christmas, I’m sure of it! Thanksabunch.
I really love this recipe. Apologies for waiting so long to comment on it, as I have been using this recipe over a year ago. This is the only granola recipe that I use. It is easily adjustable for the toppings. I use coconut oil. For my taste, I use a lot more cinnamon. I use half Penzey’s Korintje cinnamon and Pumpkin Spice. My daughter loves this recipe. I have shared it with co-workers, and they love it as well. Thanks, Kate!
Amazing recipe. I’ve been making this every couple of weeks to replace store bought granola. I find using a scale to measure ingredients like honey and oil directly into the mixing bowl really speeds up the process ( and clean up afterwards)!
Best granola made it 4 times
This is the BEST recipe for homemade granola. Every time I gift it to someone, I am asked for this link. My fruit and nut adds: chopped dried apricots, cranberries, golden raisins, and tart cherries; chopped pecans, cashews, sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, and a sprinkling of sesame seeds (or whatever I have on hand).Always add the coconut flakes halfway through.
Thank you!
Wow!!
Great !!For MANY years, I’ve ENJOYED making Granola..
I knew the recipe by heart.. and I’d “toss in” several “extras”..
But this recipe was scrumptious!
Previously, I had never used Salt , but I am so grateful that u wrote a REMINDER to not neglect the salt.
Additionally, I ALWAYS DOUBLE the vanilla in any recipe.. AND I often “add a bit of Almond extract”.
I did both of those “tricks” and the aroma in my home was very inviting!!
Aroma was enticing. Eating it was a DELIGHT!!
Thank u!!
Hi Kate. This is a fabulous recipe, but today I have a glitch. I’ve made it twice and it was great, but todays batch is wet and oily. I thought I did everything the same, but clearly I screwed it up somewhere. Is there a way to “save” it? I used coconut oil and thought I measured right, but something went wrong somewhere . Any ideas on salvaging this batch?
So good! We just finished the first batch and the next is in the oven as I write. I made it exactly as written and it is so balanced and crispy. Thank you!
I halved your recipe and used honey and coconut oil and it came out very tasty, but a little chewy. I’m thinking that I didn’t spread it out thin enough, but would love your feedback for my next try.
This is the easiest and most delicious granola recipe I’ve ever made.
Thank you so much for the recipe! My husband loved it!
This was delicious. I just made my second batch … the first didn’t last very long!
I have trouble getting the granola crisp and not sticky when I use coconut oil. What am I doing wrong? How can I correct?
Hi Janice, the trick is in step #4. 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.
YUM! I wish I could post a picture of how amazing this came out. I’ve recently cut way back on my refined sugar intake which is what led me to find a recipe to make my own granola. Staying true to the recipe I used honey, coconut oil, and slivered almonds. My local co-op didn’t have juice sweetened or unsweetened dried cranberries so I skipped those but plan to try them next time. After stirring half way I pressed the mix down in the pan to encourage clumping and again as soon as it came out of the over before cooling. Perfection! I broke up the cooled sheet of oats into clumps and am enjoying it now with milk. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!
It’s great isn’t it! I made it with semi dried figs & goji berries it was gorgeous
Amazing! I just made this today and I love it-so delicious! Never going back to store made! Thank you!
Can I swap butter in for the oil 1:1 or would you adjust?
Hello Kathryn,
YUMMY….Deeeeelicious!!!
Thank you!
Suspecting that heat might destroy some of the nutrients and flavor in nuts and seeds, I bake only the oats w/oil, half the sweetener (1/4 cup), salt & cinnamon.
Then, after it has cooled I add the other tasty ingredient
Whaddyathink?
Steve
This is my go-to granola, it’s SO good!! I make it with gluten-free oats, maple syrup, pumpkin spice and coconut. Amazing!
I’ve never made granola so this was my first attempt. I used olive oil and maybe a touch less maple syrup than called for.
This couldn’t have been easier to make and it’s DELICIOUS. I made a half batch and my husband devoured it already.
This is the best nutritious granola I have found! It doesn’t contain all the sugar that the store bought ones do, and it’s so easy to make. I make it every two weeks and we use it for cereal and on top of greek yogurt.
I love this recipe! It is delicious and I have just made my third batch. I love it on yogurt, just the way it is and love it as a cereal with milk. I am going to try the granola bars as well. Yum yum!
I just made the granola and it’s better than costco. I will not buy store bought granola again. So healthy! Thank you so very much!!
Wow, this is sooooo good. Mine didn’t clump, when it was cool it just crumbled into pieces — no breaking up big clumps possible. However, that didn’t matter. It was so good I could have eaten the whole thing right away. I had to get it put away quickly. I added sliced almonds to mine and no chocolate chips. Mostly raisins, pecans, and a few chopped dates. Ohhh ahhh
Mine did not clump either,I didn’t follow the instructions carefully as I added dried cranberries when I baked it looks like you’re supposed to do it after.
I did the same thing (didn’t read directions throughly) and added my diced dried mango (only dried fruit I had on hand) with everything else – it’s cooling now, but wondering how yours tasted Suzanne?
This was great and very easy to make,
I love the taste of the granola. However, I have made it at least 8 times and always with the best orgaic and quailty ingredients and have never succeeded in getting any clumps. I would love to hear anyone’s recommendation on this.
I think the key is not touching it for the first 45 minutes after pulling it out of the oven.
LOVE this recipe! I have been making this for over 3 years now. Take it out of the oven half way through the cooking and mix it well then redistribute it on pan and press down with either another sheet pan or a hamburger press. When it comes out of the oven the second time add fruit and don’t touch it till it is completely cooled. I get plenty of clumps.
I add 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds and a little water. I also think honey works better than maple syrup for clumping. When you flip it half way pat it down. Now mine clumps
I guess my oven is too strong. Baked at 175C, came after 10 minutes to the granola almost burnt, mostly on the edges. It’s still edible but I wonder what I did wrong :(
Love it! Used half maple and half honey. Husband raved about it. Thank you!
This is our go-to granola recipe. I love trying out different nut and add on combos. One of my favorite combos has been using hazelnuts and far chocolate chips for nutella vibes. It sooo good! Thanks for the recipe :)
I just made this granola. It tastes so good! Very glad that I came across this recipe!
We really like this recipe and have made it a couple times. We changed it up the second time and used molasses in place of some of the sweetener and it turned out really well. Also when melting the oil with the sweetener we let it get too hot which gave the granola an almost caramelized texture.