This is one of our base recipes. Homemade granola is easy, delicious, and made with pantry staple ingredients! When you make your own, you get to control the ingredients, including the amount of sugar added (store bought granola usually has way too much!). This base recipe provides you with simple ratios and ingredient suggestions to teach you how to make granola to YOUR taste in endless varieties!
Learn How to Make the Base Recipe
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Culinary Tips for the Best Homemade Granola
This recipe calls for 2 Tablespoons – ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup oil, and ¼ cup natural liquid sweetener. Measure the ingredients in that order to make clean-up easier! Technically, you should use a liquid measuring cup for the oil and sweetener, but dry measuring cups help cut down on dishes. Measure the brown sugar first; it needs to be measured in a clean cup, otherwise it will stick to the bottom. Then, by measuring the oil before the liquid sweetener, the liquid sweetener will just slide right out!
While we prefer rolled or old fashioned oats, you can make this granola recipe with quick oats too!
A 13 x 18 baking sheet will hold a full batch of granola. Any smaller, and you will need two pans. Spreading the granola out thinly allows it to cook evenly and get nice and crunchy.
Cook the granola until golden, but don’t expect it to be hard when you remove it from the oven. It will harden and crisp as it cools.
Be sure to stir and re-spread the granola immediately after you remove it from the oven, otherwise it will stick to the pan. If you prefer chunkier granola, cook the mixture on parchment paper, and allow it to cool slightly before stirring once removed from the oven.
Add the dried fruit once the granola cools to prevent it from hardening.
If you have kids, let them help you with this recipe! It’s very kid-friendly.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Brown Sugar: substitute coconut sugar or cane sugar.
- Canola Oil: substitute avocado oil.
- Liquid Sweetener: use honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar. To make your granola vegan, use maple syrup or agave.
- Oats: while we prefer rolled or old-fashioned oats, quick oats work too! Don’t use steel cut oats, as these have to be cooked.
- Nuts: use any single nut or a combination of raw nuts – almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, and/or peanuts. Don’t use toasted nuts, because they would be double toasted after cooking the granola.
Base Recipe Variations
Remember that this is a base recipe, so the goal is for you to customize it to your taste! The recipe is very forgiving. Think outside the (granola) box!
Use these additional ingredients for even more flavorful granola.
- Flavor Extract: use vanilla, almond, or coconut. Use smaller portions of almond and coconut, as these have stronger flavors.
- Spices: use cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, pumpkin spice, apple spice, or a combination.
- Dried Fruit: use any dried fruit – raisins, chopped figs, cranberries, cherries, and dried blueberries all work well. If using larger fruits such as dried apricots, figs, or prunes, dice into smaller pieces before adding.
- Dark Chocolate Chips: substitute mini chocolate chips, but note that they don’t offer the same nutrition as dark.
We like to buy our spices from the Spice House. They have great quality, variety, and flavor!
Don’t want to turn your oven on? Try our stovetop granola base recipe!
Prefer a higher protein granola? Add more nuts in place of oats.
Looking for a granola recipe without nuts? Replace the nuts with more oats.
Want some granola inspiration?
Use these recipe variations for inspiration, then have fun exploring other flavors, ingredients, and textures!
Equipment Recommendations for the Best Granola
Use these kitchen tools for recipe success!
Check out our essential equipment guide to stock your kitchen with ALL the tools you need to prepare anything and everything!
Is Granola Healthy?
Granola can definitely be part of a healthy diet. Thank goodness, because it sure is tasty! The star ingredients in this crunchy granola recipe are oats, nuts, and dried fruit.
Oats
Oats are whole grains, making them rich in disease-fighting phytonutrients and antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Any variety of oats provide a good source of fiber and complex carbohydrates. Fiber is important for digestion, satiety, stable blood sugar, good cholesterol, and healthy gut bacteria. Complex carbohydrates are important for steady energy and focus.
Learn about the different types of oats in our popular article!
Nuts
Nuts are a great source of plant-based protein and healthy fat. Almonds and pecans are high in monounsaturated fats which are good for heart health. Walnuts contain healthy omega-3 fats.
Dried Fruit & Less Sugar
Dried fruit contains carbohydrates, vitamins, and antioxidants. The sugar in most dried fruit is naturally occurring and is paired with fiber and other plant compounds, making it a healthier option than refined sugars and sweets. For optimal nutrition, choose unsulphured and unsweetened varieties, such as raisins, dates, or figs.
While this recipe does call for natural sweeteners, the amount used only adds up to 1 teaspoon (4 grams) per 1/4 cup serving of granola.
For more information about the best ingredients to use, check out our ingredient guide!
Serving Suggestions for Homemade Granola
This simple granola recipe is great for an easy breakfast, a satisfying snack, or even a healthy dessert!
- Top a yogurt parfait made with plain yogurt and fresh fruit
- Garnish a smoothie bowl
- Sprinkle on top of peanut butter coated apples or bananas
- Eat by itself for a tasty, balanced snack!
Learn how to build a healthy balanced meal with our Whole Life Plate, meal plan, and book!
How to Store Granola
Homemade granola will keep for at least a month in an airtight container at room temperature.
Want more healthy oat recipes?
Do you love oats as much as we do? Check out our other favorite base recipes made with oats, and as always, adjust to your taste!
Baked Oatmeal Cups Base Recipe
Homemade Granola Base Recipe
Ingredients
Base Recipe
- 2 Tablespoons – ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup canola oil or nut butter
- ¼ cup natural liquid sweetener
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups old fashioned oats
- 2-3 cups raw nuts, seeds, or coconut
Additions to YOUR taste
- ½-2 teaspoons flavor extract
- ¼-1 teaspoon spice(s)
- 1 cup dried fruit
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250° F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, liquid sweetener, optional flavor extract and/or spice(s), and salt.
- Add the oats and nuts to the bowl. Using a spatula, stir until well-combined.
- Spread granola in an even layer on one or two baking sheets (depending on the size). Cook for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven and stir. Once cool, add optional dried fruit and/or chocolate chips. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!
This Post Has 4 Comments
I could eat this every day! Especially good with cinnamon or dried blueberries or cherries.
Love the addition of cinnamon, and even other spices like cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, etc! I think my family keeps almost every kind of dried fruit on hand; blueberries and cherries included 🙂
I love this recipe! I have been using it for years and you are right! Once you make your own, you will never get store-bought again. It’s super easy, turns out great every time, and I love how I can use it as a base and change it up every now and then if I feel like it by adding a little vanilla or cinnamon. But I usually stick with this base using maple syrup. I don’t always have the dried fruit in my pantry, and it’s great without that too. It is so good on my yogurt parfaits and my son loves to just snack on it by itself. Thank you for this one!
Thank you! We love that you and your son enjoy this recipe as a snack or a meal!