Granola Recipe

Learning how to make granola is one of the best low-effort, high-reward tasks you can do around your house. Seriously, I’ve never found a store-bought granola that compares to the healthy granola recipes I’ve made at home. I’m always in awe of how simple, low-cost ingredients come together to create this cozy, satisfyingly crunchy treat.

It’s no surprise that this granola recipe is my favorite. It’s filled with delicious treasures like plump golden raisins, slivered almonds and sweetened shredded coconut. Butter, brown sugar and honey bind everything together, and the oats are bronzed on the stovetop to golden-brown perfection. The recipe is perfect as-is but can easily be tweaked with ingredient swaps or extra mix-ins to fit your cravings.

Granola Ingredients

• Quick-cooking oats: We like to use quick-cooking oats because, as the name indicates, they cook more quickly than old-fashioned oats. If you’re following a gluten-free meal plan, look for oats made in a facility without gluten products.
• Honey: To avoid a mess when measuring honey, lightly oil the measuring cup before using it. The honey will come out easily, and you’ll get the full measure without having to scrape the cup.
• Brown sugar: Brown sugar is a granola staple, but you can swap in natural sweeteners like maple syrup, agave nectar or extra honey.
• Butter: Melted butter binds the granola ingredients. We usually use unsalted butter, but salted works in a pinch. To make the recipe dairy-free, you can use coconut oil. It has a similar consistency with a slightly nuttier taste.
• Slivered almonds: Crunchy and rich, nuts are essential in granola recipes. We use slivered almonds here, but you can use pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts or macadamia nuts instead. Pepitas are a great substitute, too.
• Golden raisins: Golden raisins are plump and sweet. If you’re not a raisin fan, try another dried fruit like cranberries, apricots or cherries.
• Sweetened shredded coconut: I prefer shredded coconut vs. flaked coconut in granola recipes. Flaked coconut is too large and overpowers the texture.

Directions

Step 1: Toast the oats

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In a large nonstick skillet, toast the oats over medium heat until they’re golden brown. Remove the oats from the skillet and set them aside.

Step 2: Cook the butter and sweeteners

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In the same skillet, cook and stir the brown sugar, honey and butter over medium-low heat until the mixture is bubbly, one to two minutes.

Step 3: Toss it all together

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Stir in the slivered almonds, golden raisins, sweetened shredded coconut and toasted oats until they’re coated with the brown sugar mixture.

Step 4: Let it cool

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Remove the skillet from the heat and let the granola cool to room temperature.

Editor’s Tip: Once the granola is stirred together, pour it on a parchment-lined baking sheet to prevent overcooking. Spreading it out also helps it cool more quickly.

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Recipe Variations

• Add mix-ins: You can add countless mix-ins to granola, so get inspired by your favorite granola recipes. Try adding chocolate chips, mini M&Ms, vanilla extract, fresh citrus zest and candied ginger or orange peel. You can also add baking spices like pumpkin pie spice or chai spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg.
• Give it a PB&J vibe: Use peanuts instead of slivered almonds, and add a little strawberry jam to the brown sugar mixture. You can also add melted peanut butter, although the granola might become a little sticky.
• Brown the butter: Before adding the brown sugar and honey, brown the butter in the skillet for a deeper, richer flavor.

How to Store Granola

Store homemade granola in an airtight container. When stored in a cool, dry place, like the pantry or a snack cabinet, granola should last up to one month.

Can you freeze granola?

Yes, you can freeze granola for up to three months. Place the granola in a freezer-safe container and stash it in the freezer. To thaw, set it on the counter for a few hours until it reaches room temperature.

Granola Tips

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Is granola healthy?

Everyone has their own definition of what ingredients they consider healthy or unhealthy. Granola is generally loaded with wholesome ingredients like oats, nuts and fruit. However, it can become unhealthy when it contains a lot of added sugars. To make this a healthy granola recipe, cut back on the sugar and use unprocessed oils.

How should you serve granola?

It doesn’t take much to turn granola into a meal. Sprinkle this granola recipe over yogurt (we love plain Greek yogurt!) and add some fresh fruit to create a delicious breakfast. You could also serve granola with milk to enjoy it like cereal or add it to desserts. We love it sprinkled over chocolate-dipped pretzels, apple sections with peanut butter or chocolate-covered frozen bananas.