Orange & Almond Granola
This homemade granola recipe is infused with amazing orange and honey flavors. It also features toasted almonds, cinnamon, vanilla and old-fashioned oats! This gluten-free granola makes a great breakfast or snack.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
Of all the granola recipes on this blog, this orange-infused granola might be my new favorite. Granted, I’m on an orange kick right now (don’t miss this orzo salad and this green salad).
The combination of fresh orange zest, honey, cinnamon, toasted almonds, vanilla and golden raisins is undeniably divine. It reminds me of the flavors I encountered in my celebratory post-cookbook trip to Morocco this spring.
On the solo leg of my trip, I remember spreading homemade orange jelly across pastries in the gorgeous riad where I was staying, feeling both spoiled and lonely. The sights and scents were too beautiful to keep to myself.
This granola would be a fun and simple weekend project to make with your loved ones. It would also make a delicious gift for your friends, family or new neighbors. Enjoy it plain as a snack, or add milk or yogurt for a wholesome breakfast.
While we’re talking about granola, I have a tip for you. Don’t over-bake your granola! Properly baked granola will still be a bit soft to the touch right out of the oven, but it will continue crisping up as it cools. If you wait until the granola is dark and crispy before pulling it out, your granola will be dry and taste more toasty than anything else. You’ll lose the nuanced flavors of the spices, nuts and honey or maple syrup.
Most of my other granolas are entirely naturally sweetened with honey or maple syrup. This one includes the usual natural sweetener, plus two tablespoons of regular sugar. Think of the sugar as sandpaper, if you will—you’ll rub the orange zest into the sugar to extract maximum orange flavor. Then you’ll stir the orange zest and sugar combination into the other ingredients for incredible orange-flavored granola.
If you were just mixing orange zest into the other ingredients without first mixing it with sugar, you would need a lot more orange zest and you would end up with a lot more bald oranges! Give this trick a try with your other citrusy baked goods and you’ll get more flavor out of them.
Orange & Almond Granola
This homemade granola is infused with amazing orange and honey flavors. It also features toasted almonds, cinnamon, vanilla and old-fashioned oats! This granola recipe makes a great breakfast or snack. Recipe yields about 8 cups.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons orange zest (from about 1 ½ oranges, preferably organic)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 ½ cup raw almonds
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (if you’re using standard table salt, scale back to ¾ teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil
- ½ cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup raisins, preferably golden
Instructions
- Preheat the 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 very fragrant. This step will ensure that your granola is infused with orange flavor.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, almonds, salt, cinnamon and orange sugar. Stir to combine. Pour in the olive oil, honey and vanilla, and mix well.
- Pour the granola onto your prepared baking sheet. Spread the granola into an even layer. Bake for 19 to 23 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 raisins and breaking up the granola into chunks as necessary. 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 and cranberry orange granola.
Make it gluten free: Use certified gluten-free oats.
Make it vegan: Substitute maple syrup for the honey.
Make it nut free: Substitute pepitas for the almonds.
Change it up: You can use other dried fruit (chopped if large) for the raisins. Dried apricots or cherries would be really nice here. You can also change up the nuts; pecans are great.
Recommended equipment: A Microplane is the perfect tool for removing zest from citrus, and you’ll get the most reliable baking results in a proper half sheet pan. (Those are affiliate links.)
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.
We discovered your granola recipe about 10 days ago and are already making our second batch. My Italian exchange student eats tons of it and I also can’t stop nibbling it either. The orange/sugar addition gives it a very unique, delicious taste.
I love that! A great granola this time of year as the citrus is starting to get more delicious!
Do you think I could use less/no oil or substitute orange juice without affecting quality or taste?
Sorry, I recommend this recipe as noted. I don’t know how orange juice would work.
Hi Kate,
Would it be possible to make this without the refined sugar or is it necessary for combining with the orange zest?
Hi Kally! You can use a raw sugar and organic would help too! I found it gets the infused orange flavor the best. Otherwise, it doesn’t get mixed evenly and orange flavor doesn’t truly shine.
Kate your cooking blog is the best I have found anywhere, I have served many friends and family delicious dishes from this very website. As well as this I am grateful to have found http://bit.ly/TheMediterraneanchef which includes recipes even my 6 year old enjoys. I hope all of you find inspiration for cooking and enjoy every single bite!!
I was introduced to this deliciousness (and this page), by a dear friend. I couldn’t wait to make it myself, and now I’m looking forward to playing with the different sugars, oils and fruits! This recipe is easy, and so good! Always a winning combination :)
Thanks so much!
This was my first time making homemade granola and wow, it was delicious!! Thanks for great recipe!
You’re welcome, Melissa!
The orange vanilla flavor reminds me of the Pillsbury orange rolls that I loved when I was a kid.
First attempt at making granola and absolutely love the orange twist. I could even lessen the maple syrup – it would still be delish, I’m sure. Thank you for brightening up this season! xxx
I love this recipe (Orange & Almond Granola)! I’ve made it twice and passed it in to several of my friends.
Thank you for sharing this with others! I appreciate your comment and review.
The first time I made this, I accidentally left it in the oven a little too long and it came out a little extra crispy. I made it for the second time today and it turned out perfectly! I added a couple tablespoons of chia seeds and a dash of almond extract. Delicious!
At the grocery store, there is this orange walnut chocolate granola that I love SO much. I love the citrus chocolate combo.
For your recipe, should I add the chocolate chips at the end? I was thinking of adding a bit of unsweetened cocoa powder as well. Your thoughts?
Thank you!!
Hey Debra! That flavor combination sounds delicious. Yes, definitely add the chocolate chips at the end, or they’ll melt into your granola (they might even burn). You could also try adding some unsweetened cocoa powder. I’ve never tried that myself, but I’d start with a tablespoon or two and just add more to taste, if desired. Please report back with your results!
Can I use monk fruit sweetener to rub the orange zest into rather than regular table sugar?
Hi Dawn, I don’t have much experience there, sorry!
This is absolutely the BEST granola! I love the olive oil paired with the citrus, amazing! Reminds me of a favorite donut from Blue Star in LA!
Hands down the best granola recipe I have ever had! This recipe plus your gingerbread granola and triple coconut granola (both delicious too!) are on constant rotation in our house. Thank you!
Easy and delicious. I used pecans, regular raisins, and light tasting olive oil. It is soooo much better than what you can buy in a store!
This is so yummy. I often make the granola recipe from your cookbook and love it. Today I have finally gotten around to branching out since citrus is in season here in the Southern Hemisphere and WOW this was fantastic. Nice bright citrus flavor and at the same time warm and just slightly sweet. Delicious.
I stuck to the recipe exactly and added 1/3 cup unsweetened cacao powder and 1/2 cup cacao nibs to make it orange dark chocolate granola and it turned out SO GOOD. Thank you so much! Best granola recipe ever! From the Philippines :)
This is very good. My favorite, though, is still the original healthy granola. This was fun to try.
Ooh I just love this recipe! Thanks
You’re welcome, Debbie! I’m happy you are enjoying it.
This challenging year has brought with it more time to be at home, and that has also meant the chance to cook more by myself.
This is our first time to make granola and not only was it funny, but the result couldn’t go better: my daughter said it’s 1-million-% delicious and I do agree. The recipe is so easy and flexible that we’re already thinking of trying other combinations like dried tropical fruits together with coconut oil, for a “caribbean” flavour.
Thanks Cookie+Kate for this recipe! And by the way, merry Christmas, a wonderful new year and health above everything!
Ho-ly mo-ly. This granola is SO good. The orange-cinnamon spice is warm and comforting, yet complex and interesting. I make this every week because I don’t like to be without it. I eat it with yogurt and fruit (right now, persimmon, which goes great with the flavors), but also right out of the container as a snack.
I typically do half coconut oil and half olive for flavor and health (coconut oil has really high saturated fat).
Thank you, Jenny! I’m excited you loved it.
Wonderful! I added 1/8 tsp of ground cardamom because I love cardamom and I thought it would be a perfect addition. All of your granola recipes are a hit in my household!
Amazing!!! I LOVE granola but haven’t made it myself before. This recipe is better than any store bought – even the super expensive gourmet brands. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe. I’m hooked!
Great, Diana! Thank you for sharing.
Love your recipes. Make the granolas all the time. You know balance and that’s not an easy thing to learn. The salty sweet but also the slightly chewy crunchy texture means the right balance of sticky and toasty. Wonderful
WOW! Thank you for such a unique variation to granola!
I am a registered dietitian nutritionist and teach culinary nutrition. I just made a batch and adapt it even further. It is fabulous as is, but I modify everything (down to the cleanest most accessible ingredients) and still found it terrific with out the added sugar and honey. For my “sugar smart” criteria, I made it by using the orange juice to sub in for both- just let it soak into the granola then add everything else. That zest then really makes it pop! -for the added sticky- chewy- sweetness the dried fruit completes it. Thank you for the idea and inspo.
– Jennifer MS, RDN
Dear Kate,
I love this granola and made it as soon as I bought oranges. It’s perfect for a quick breakfast, leaving a delicious orange taste in my mouth. Would you consider making a chocolate granola recipe? My mom loves chocolate and I want to make something special for her birthday.
My husband and I make granola weekly, so I’m no stranger to homemade granola. Even so this recipe was useful to me. My granola turned out divine, with a strong orange flavor. I followed the recipe except I roughly chopped the almonds and subbed cranberries for raisins. I baked for 25 minutes in a convection oven, keeping a close eye on it the last couple minutes. So good!
Sunshine in a bowl.. just wondering if I could sub steel cut oates .. thank you for ur wonderful recipes ..
Hi! This is best as written. Steel cut oats would likely be too hard.
I made this to give for holiday gifts, and it is all gone. Delicious! Don’t forget to add the raisins/dried fruit after the baking process- if you bake the raisins, they burn a bit and taste bitter. But this is so good! I am off to the grocery store for parchment paper so I can make another batch.
Hello, can i chop those raw almonds up and eat them with the granola ?!
I would rather prefer eat those almonds chopped than raw.
This recipe looks too good to not try it and answer would be great.
AMAZING granola recipe. Love the orange zest. I change up the nuts and add whatever I have, walnuts or pecans and add pumpkin and flax seeds. It’s a keeper and a 10 star recipe
That’s great, Anita! I appreciate your review.
I made this today, it is delicious. Only had avocado oil but that seems to work. You may think a tablespoon of vanilla is a lot but do it, the flavor with orange is quite nice. There will be competition here to see who gets some!
I’ve made both the cranberry/orange and the orange/raisin versions of this, and both are great.
I would recommend a slightly shorter baking time, though, and I’ve ended up with some burned nuts and oatmeal each time. I’d say 18 minutes should be the maximum baking time, because 23 minutes burns everything.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Kathleen.
I don’t like granola. But I LOVE THIS! I even just made it for my huge family breakfast get together but with pistachios and orange zest as well. I am running low so making more tonight as it seems to be the only thing I enjoy eating for breakfast!
I’m excited you enjoyed this, Jodie! Thank you for your review.
Very easy to make & came out delicious!
Great to hear, Tracey! I appreciate your review.
We thought the original healthy granola recipe was spectacular…as if it’s even possible, this one is even better. Delicious!! Just as quick and easy to make. Thank you for another great recipe. We got your cookbook and can’t wait to try those recipes!
Love this granola and so do my friends and family! I think Gingerbread is my favorite, though.
I’ve made it several times with olive oil and it turned out great. But when I tried to make the recipe with coconut oil, I melted the oil and mixed it with the maple syrup, but had to walk away for a minute before I added to the oats. When I came back the coconut oil and syrup were chunky – the coconut oil was starting to solidify already. I just threw it out and used olive oil instead. Did I do something wrong with the coconut oil?
Thanks, Reg
Was the maple syrup cold? Gently reheat in the microwave next time. The coconut oil solidified.
This granola is absolutely delicious and at the same time, so nutritious!
I’m amazed at what the addition of the orange peel massaged into the sugar did for the flavor. I’ve never had anything like it. I used mexican vanilla, and since I was almost out of honey, I used a combo of honey and maple syrup. Also used EVOO. It’s fantastic on yogurt, in milk, and just plain. (I imagine it would be heavenly on ice cream.) Thank you so much for providing that wonderful recipe. I recently discovered your site, and am very impressed. I come to it regularly now.
I’m glad you love it, Christina!
This is by far the best granola recipe I’ve ever used! It is a little sweet compared to other granolas, but has an amazing flavor and texture. I pressed mine into the pan at the start and when flipping, then let it completely cool (for 1-2 hours) before breaking it up into big chunks.
Great to hear, Kelsey! I appreciate your review.
This is THE BEST granola recipe! My whole family loves it, especially my grandchildren. My 4-year-old grandson gives me two thumbs up and says, “This is delish, Nonna!” when he eats it.
I have not tried this recipe yet but I am planning on making it today!
My plan is to make for Christmas gifts. I have Ball canning jars to package up to give as my gift.
My question is can I make the granola ahead by a couple of weeks and store at that time in the jars.
I just want to be sure I don’t spoil the freshness of the granola by making ahead.
I was hoping by storing in these glass jars it would preserve the freshness.
I will do whatever you recommend.
Can’t wait to make and share with family and friends for the holidays
Thank you
This was sooooo incredibly delicious! And easy to make! Unfortunately I was out of oranges (next time!) but I ended up adding craisins and dates (pulverized in my Ninja), plus peanut butter, and it was incredible! This tastes even better than the (expensive) Trader Joe’s Almond Butter Granola which I eat everyday.
Honestly, my husband is laughing at me, I’m jumping up and down for joy that I actually made something delicious and that’s going to save money! THANK YOU!
I’m glad you loved it, Caroline! I appreciate your review.
Kate, I made your orange granola and it’s a winner! I used avocado oil and a little natural almond extract along with the vanilla. Also added an extra cup of oats and used slivered almonds. The sweetness is just right for me.
Thanks for all the wonderful recipes- I know it’s been a while but I was sorry to read about Cookie. I hope you’ve found a new fur baby to help heal your heart.
The Almond Orange Granola recipe has been a winner for years! I make a double batch and give it away in cute containers. People always ask for the recipe! I’m happy to steer them your way.
Thank you, Jennifer!
I made this 3 times already and love it!! I made one batch without the orange zest and it was delicious. I’m a pastry chef, and will make this for the rest of my life! Thankyou so much from Australia for this beautiful recipe.
Love your blog and love your recipes !
i have a question though – why is the olive oil used in the recipe ? is it for flavor or to bind the ingredients together ?
It helps hold together with the sweetener.
Ive made this recipe 4 times, it is not too sweet, you can taste the nice little salt flavor… the ratios are absolutely perfect, this recipe is a keeper. I tried the coconut-granola too.. so good.
can you post a chocolate hazelnut version? would you add cocoa powder to the mix? thank you!!!
This granola is delicious! Similar to others my family kept eating it as they were walking by while it was cooling. The combination of all of the ingredients is perfect. As a note I had dried cranberries instead of raisins on hand and they complemented the other flavors nicely.
Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome, Meg! I appreciate your review.
Delicious!!! Best recipe I’ve tried!
Great to hear, Deborah! I appreciate you review.