Crunchy, golden homemade granola is one of the easiest and most delicious breakfasts to make and have handy in your pantry. What makes my recipe extra special? It is fool-proof and you'll get big clumpy granola clusters without needing eggs to bind them. This healthy granola recipe is so popular that I have been asked to share it hundreds of times. So, here it is!
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✅ Why Homemade Granola Is Best
I hate how sweet store-bought granola is. I am also not a fan of added flavours. I love a good old-fashioned granola with plenty of golden crunch and just the right amount of sweetness.
Whether it is a savoury granola or a sweet version, when you make homemade granola, you can control the amount of fruit, nuts, fat or sugar that goes into it. Agree? Of course, you do!
Here is why you should try out my healthy granola recipe
- I use an amazing combination of butter and orange zest to flavour my granola. Seriously, it is literally the BEST granola you will ever taste! Everyone raves about it.
- Plus, it is a super easy, mix-in-one-bowl-and-bake recipe. You can make a large batch to store in your pantry or even give away this delicious healthy granola packed in jars as Christmas presents. It stays crispy and fresh for at least 4-5 weeks!
- And the cherry on top - this homemade healthy granola has everything you need for a quick, satisfying, nutrition-packed breakfast - fiber, carbs, protein, fats and loads of essential nutrients.
❤️ Benefits Of Rolled Oats in Granola
My healthy granola recipe is packed with oats. Oats are one of the most well-balanced grains that contain the powerful soluble fiber beta-glucan with immense health benefits. Beta-glucan helps in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels, improving gut bacteria and making you feel full and satisfied for longer.
Oats are one of the most nutrient-dense foods and an excellent source of carbs, protein, fiber, fats, antioxidants and many vitamins and minerals. When eaten regularly, they help improve heart health, lower blood pressure, widen your blood vessels to enable the easier flow of blood, regulate bowel movement and help maintain a healthier weight.
📝 Granola Ingredients
Oats - Use rolled oats for this granola recipe. Unlike the US, rolled oats are not labeled as gluten-free in Australia. This is due to growing and processing practices that result in rolled oats being mixed with grains containing gluten. If you have gluten sensitivity, make sure you buy gluten-free rolled oats from brands like Red Tractor, Carman's, Bob's Red Mill, Aussie Oats or Quakers.
Coconut - Shredded coconut used in this recipe can be found in the baking section of the supermarket. You can substitute with desiccated coconut.
Fruit - I use dried cranberries for their tartness and raisins for their sweetness. You can substitute with dried cherries, chopped dried apricots, sultanas or goji berries. If you would like to reduce the sugar content of this recipe, leave the dried fruit out.
Nuts - Almonds and pecans are the perfect nut combination for this delicious healthy granola. They develop a beautiful crunch as they bake which adds texture to the recipe.
Seeds - Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) are not only super nutritious but add lovely pops of green to the granola.
Sweetener - I use organic maple syrup for this recipe. I also use a tablespoon of golden syrup. Golden syrup or light treacle is a form of refined sugar syrup. It is extremely sticky and helps bind the granola better. Honey is a good substitute for golden syrup. Alternatively, just leave it out as I have done in the past and the granola is still fabulously crunchy with big clumpy clusters.
Fat and Flavour - Unsalted butter is absolutely divine in this granola. It combines beautifully with the orange zest to make the granola almost taste like a decadent baked treat. You can substitute with unrefined coconut oil or light olive oil but you won't get the granola clusters.
🥣 How To Make Granola Clusters
The secret to making healthy granola clusters that clump well to produce big chunks of granola is simple - press down the raw granola mixture to compact it and bake for a longer duration on very low heat. You don't need eggs or any other binder. The butter, maple syrup and golden syrup combination also help in creating those big granola chunks.
- Add butter, maple syrup and golden syrup to a small saucepan.
- Simmer gently on low heat for 5-7 minutes until butter has completely melted.
3. Add rolled oats, coconut, almonds, pecans, pepitas, cranberries, raisins, orange zest and salt to a large bowl.
4. Add the melted butter and maple syrup mixture over the dry ingredients in the bowl.
5. Mix all ingredients thoroughly with a silicone spoon until all the dry ingredients are completely coated with the butter mixture.
6. Spread the granola mixture evenly on a large (half-sheet sized / 46cm X 33cm / 18 in X 13 in) rimmed baking sheet.
7. Press down and compact the granola mixture to less than 1/2 inch height. This step is very important if you want to make large chunks of granola clusters.
8. Bake in the preheated oven until golden and crunchy. Cool completely in the tray (at least 2-3 hours) before breaking apart and storing.
❄️ Storage And Freezer Tips
Pantry
The best way to store homemade granola is to cool it completely after baking it and packing it away in air-tight glass containers or jars in a cool corner of your kitchen or pantry.
My healthy granola stays fresh and crunchy for at least 4-5 weeks if stored properly in air-tight containers.
Freezer
If you make a large batch of homemade granola, it can be frozen! How great is that? To freeze, simply pack away in air-tight lidded containers with an as little gap inside as possible and store in the freezer. You can also freeze granola in vacuum-sealed bags. Granola freezes well for up to 3 months. To use from the freezer, simply thaw at room temperature for a few hours.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
This healthy granola is a favourite snack in my home. I will often find my boys just opening the jar and grabbing a big chunk of the granola to munch on. It is truly delicious and absolutely addictive! Here are some other ways you can eat granola,
- Try my healthy granola over a bowl of organic yoghurt, topped with fresh berries and a drizzle of honey. Yum!
- Make a delicious chilled treat! Add my healthy granola to these divine Yoghurt Granola Honey Popsicles.
- Top this Blackberry Chia Pudding with my homemade healthy granola.
- Add my healthy granola to a bowl and top with your favourite milk of choice, fresh strawberries and sliced bananas.
👩🍳 Recipe FAQs
Granola is predominantly made up of oats which are considered the most complete food as they contain fiber, carbs, protein, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Oats also contain beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that helps lower cholesterol, blood pressure and boost heart health and digestive health. Combined with the nuts, seeds, dried fruit and the toppings you could add (like yoghurt, milk and fresh berries), my healthy granola is a delicious breakfast option providing nutrition and sustained slow-release energy.
When baking my healthy granola, makes sure that you press down and compact the raw granola in the baking sheet. Bake the granola at a very low temperature for a long period. After baking, cool the granola completely. All these steps will ensure that your granola will be crunchy and break into large chunks or clusters.
Yes, you can! Granola freezes well and can be stored in an air-tight container or vacuum-sealed bags in the freezer for up to 3 months. To eat, simply thaw at room temperature for a few hours.
💛 More Breakfast Recipes
Recipe
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Ingredients
- 4 cups (360 g) rolled oats
- 1 cup (80 g) shredded coconut
- ⅔ cup (120 g) raisins
- ½ cup (75 g) dried cranberries, (craisins, sweetened or unsweetened)
- ¾ cup (50 g) raw almonds
- ⅓ cup (40 g) raw pecan nuts
- ¼ cup (35 g) pumpkin seeds, pepitas
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- Zest of 2 oranges
- 125 g unsalted butter
- ½ cup (120 ml) maple syrup
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 130°C.
- Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with baking paper (half sheet measurement)
- Add rolled oats, coconut, raisins, cranberries, almonds, pecan nuts, pepitas, salt and orange zest to a large bowl.
- Add butter, maple syrup and golden syrup to a small saucepan. Simmer on low heat for 5-6 minutes until butter has completely melted. Mix well.
- Add the butter mixture to the bowl with the oat mixture. Mix thoroughly until the butter mixture coats everything evenly.
- Tip the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet (half-sheet sized / 46cm X 33cm / 18 in X 13 in). Spread evenly to completely cover the baking sheet with the granola mixture. Press down on the mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula and compact it (this step is very important if you want chunks of granola)
- Bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the tray to rest in the warm oven for another 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool the granola completely in the tray. This takes about an 1-2 hours.
- Once cooled, granola will be crispy and dry and you will be able to break it into clusters. Store granola in a large air-tight container in a cool corner of your kitchen for up to 4 or 5 weeks.
Yum! So easy & healthy. Forgot to buy oranges so added a good whack of cinnamon instead for extra flavour.
thank you Helen. So glad you enjoyed this and the cinnamon sounds lovely!