I enjoy this healthy homemade Granola recipe almost every morning for breakfast because it’s packed with all the good stuff, with the big granola clusters I love, and the perfect flavor and crunch.
Can’t stop, wont stop, my obsession with this Healthy Granola
Can’t stop, wont stop, my obsession with this Healthy GranolaMy relationship with this homemade Granola recipe has been healthy and strong for over a decade. I’m not exaggerating when I say I enjoy it every. single. day, usually in the form of a hearty handful on my favorite two good vanilla yogurt, with cottage cheese and fresh berries. And when I’m feeling extra, it’s an essential topping on my Pitaya smoothie bowls or my toast with peanut butter, thinly sliced apple and a sprinkle of cinnamon and granola. YUM!
More reasons to obsess over homemade granola:
Healthier: it has less sugar and is lower Calorie than anything you’ll find at the store.
Freezer Friendly: It will keep for months in the freezer, stored in a freezer safe bag.
Great for Gifting: food gifts are how I show love, and giving a little bag of homemade granola with our cute tags (see below) is fun for Christmas neighbor gifts, friends birthdays, or as a healthy snack for a new moms when I drop off dinner.
Now that we’ve established it’s the BEST, let’s make it, shall we?
How to Make Granola:
Mix Dry Ingredients in a bowl: whole grain oats, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, raw sesame seeds and raw unsweetened coconut flakes.
Make Syrup: Combine the butter, sugar, honey, salt, and vanilla in a saucepan. Cook the mixture until it boils, then remove it from heat and stir in baking soda.
Combine: Pour the syrup over the oat mixture then toss everything to evenly coat it.
Bake: Pour the mixture out onto a parchment lined or greased baking sheet and bake for about 18-20 minutes, tossing once during baking.
Serve: Allow the healthy granola to cool completely in the pan to allow it to harden up and create those clusters of granola that we love.
Recipe Variations:
- Vegan: Substitute coconut oil for butter and agave nectar for honey.
- Add Dried Fruit: Reduce oats by about ½ cup and add a heaping ½ cup raisins, craisins or dried cherries, mango or fruit of choice.
- Nut Free: Substitute seeds (like pumpkin or sunflower), or dried fruit.
- Gluten Free: Use gluten-free oats.
Give Granola as a gift!
If you’re like me and enjoy spreading love in the form of homemade goodies, I’ve got you covered with the details you need to package this granola for gift giving. these up cutely.
My TBFS amazon storefront contains all of the items needed, including the labels and bags I used.
FREE Printable Granola Labels: Front Side / Back Side
Christmas Granola Gift Labels: Front Side / Back Side
More Healthy Snack Ideas:
- Applesauce Oat Muffins
- Granola Bites
- Protein Bars
- Kale Chips
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie
- Crispy Bean and Cheese Burritos
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Recipe
Healthy Granola
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cook or steel cut)
- 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut (I like Bob's Red Mill)
- 1 cup sliced raw almonds
- 1/3 cup raw brown sesame seeds , or flax seeds
For the Syrup:
- 1/3 cup butter or coconut oil
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and spray a large sheet pan with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients: Add oats, sunflower seeds, coconut, almonds, and sesame seeds to a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Make Syrup by adding butter to a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, honey and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and once boiling, remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla.
- Combine: Pour syrup over the dry oat mixture and mix well until everything is evenly coated.
- Bake: Pour mixture onto prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and toss mixture, then gently press down on it with your spatula to flatten it back into the pan. Bake for another 8-12 minutes until golden brown.
- Press and Cool: Remove pan from oven and use the back of a metal spatula to press the hot granola firmly down into the pan. Allow granola to cool completely in the pan before stirring or breaking it up (this will yield clusters that stick together).
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe January 2019. Updated June 2020 and April 2024.
This recipe is adapted from a family friend from many years ago–thank you Glinda Straddeck!
This post contains affiliate links.
Hey! How many grams/cups is the 104 calories accountable for? Thanks!
Each serving is 1/4 cup.
Hello,
I’d like to know what is the purpose or reason to add baking soda.
Thank you!
It helps soften the syrup and keep it from being grainy. Baking soda helps break up the brown sugar molecules and prevent them from crystalizing.
Hi. What is the reason you call for regular rolled oats and not the quick cooking kind? I’m going to try it, but have a lot of the quick cooking kind.
Regular oats give the granola a heartier texture then the quick oats will, but you can substitute them if you like. The cook time should be reduced as well, if using quick oats.
Wow! This is the granola recipe I’ve been trying to create for years! It’s excellent and fast. Great job. Thank you for sharing!
I want to make this for my diabetic husband. What can I use in place of brown sugar?
I’m sorry I couldn’t say. I haven’t tested any other sweeteners and how they would effect the syrup for the granola.
Have just made this and it’s delicious! I baked it for longer and can not wait to have some with my yoghurt tonight 😍
I’m so glad you liked it!
Easy to make, tastes great and I love the crunch.
I didn’t pay close attention to the recipe and when making the syrupy mixture didn’t notice the part about leaving the baking soda out until the after it was removed from the heat. So I had to make the syrupy mixture a 2nd time and then poured it over the dry ingredients.
Absolutely love this granola. Easy to make. Tastes delicious!
Great recipe! Easy to make and delicious!! I found this by googling healthy granola and chose it because it also said easy. I made some substitutes (gluten free oats and added a few pistachios because I didn’t have sesame seeds). I hate to admit it, but I forgot the baking soda/aka didn’t have any…oops. The granola turned out just fine. Thank you!
Im so glad you liked it, and thanks for sharing your adaptions!
I was wondering, what is 1 serving? 🙂
1/4 cup
I saw you post this on Instagram last week and I knew I had to make it. It turned out AWESOME!
All of the ingredients were easy to find except the brown sesame seeds which I ended up finding at a natural foods store in their “bins”. I love that it made a big batch so I froze the extras, like you suggested. Thank you!
I’m so happy you liked it! Thanks for your comment. XOX