This is the ultimate homemade healthy granola recipe! It's made with a combination of rolled oats + nuts & seeds and naturally sweetened with honey, cinnamon, and vanilla. Add it to Greek yogurt bowls, on top of smoothies, or have it by itself as a grab-and-go snack. 😊
As a dietitian, I make a batch of homemade granola at least once a month and this is my favorite basic granola recipe. While I love making apple cinnamon granola in the fall and cranberry orange in the winter, this one is a go-to year round! It's a great way to use pantry staples, easy to make, and you have more control over the ingredients than you do when you grab for store-bought granola. Plus, it's made with wholesome ingredients and the best thing is that you can use it in so many different ways!
I use it to add a satisfying crunch to a yogurt parfait with a plain Greek yogurt bowl, fresh berries, banana slices, or a chia blueberry compote, and a drizzle of almond butter or peanut butter. It's one of my favorite healthy snacks! You can even give it as a house warming gift in a cute mason jar.
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitution Ideas
This easy granola recipe is made with simple ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Check the recipe card at the bottom for measurements and full recipe.
- Rolled Oats - my suggestion is to use rolled oats (you may see "old fashioned oats" or "traditional oats" on the label). Rolled oats will maintain their texture and heartiness when baked whereas quick oats are smaller and won’t give the crunch for a good granola. Oats are whole grains and contain dietary fiber which has been shown to have many health benefits, including improving gut health and lowering cholesterol.
- Nuts & Seeds- this recipe calls for sliced almonds, walnuts, hemp seeds, and pepitas (pumpkin seeds). They all get nicely browned when baked. But you can use any different nuts or seeds that you enjoy or have on hand. Nuts and seeds are a good source of plant protein and also contain healthy fats to support brain health and hormone health.
- Sweetener - this recipe calls for raw honey which is a great natural sweetener. Pure maple syrup works too. The sugar is what helps to bind the oats together to make clumps in this granola mixture. Honey is antimicrobial, and if you use local honey it can help with seasonal allergies.
- Avocado Oil - oil will help the granola get nice and crunchy. I use avocado oil for this granola. You could also use olive oil as a replacement. Both olive oil and avocado oil contain healthy fatty acids.
- Vanilla Extract - vanilla extract adds a bit more sweetness that blends perfectly with the other ingredients.
- Cinnamon - adding cinnamon makes it a more flavorful granola and adds antioxidants. If you prefer, you can use difference spices like pumpkin pie spice, ginger, or allspice.
- Kosher Salt - just a pinch of salt is perfect for enhancing the other flavors.
- Dried Cranberries - or your favorite dried fruit to add more sweetness at the end. Feel free to leave them out or use chopped dates if you want less added sugar.
How to Make this Healthy Granola Recipe
Below are the instructions for how to make this recipes with visuals that I hope are helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325℉ (160°C) and prep a large baking sheet with greased parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients including the oats, nuts, seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Do not add the dried cranberries yet!
- Step 2: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients including the oil, honey and vanilla. Then, add the wet mixture to the dry and stir together until well combined.
- Step 3: Spread the oat mixture on the baking sheet in an even layer and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 8-10 minutes. Baking time will vary depending on your oven and sheet pan. The granola is done when it’s golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the granola cool before breaking it apart.
- Step 4: Once the granola has cooled, stir in the chopped cranberries and break it into clumps.
Hint: Don’t stir it right after taking it out of the oven! Let it cool for as long as possible first. The air will help create the granola clusters.
Dietitian Tip
Making your own granola is so easy and it's a great way to use up pantry staples! And while granolas you can buy at the grocery store have their place in my pantry, making homemade granola gives you more control over the quality of ingredients. My favorite part is how good it smells while it bakes!
Variations
One of the best things about a healthy homemade granola recipe is that you can customize it to your taste and dietary preferences. Below are some ideas!
- Nuts and seeds - use any combination of your favorite nuts and seeds! Pecans, pistachios, macadamia nuts, cashews, brazil nuts, chia seeds, flax seeds or sunflower seeds all work.
- Dried Fruit - add a different dried fruit if cranberries aren’t your thing. Chopped dates, regular raisins or golden raisins, dried apples, dried blueberries, or dried apricot, cherries, mango, pineapple or papaya are some options.
- Vegan - the recipe isn't vegan since it uses honey as a sweetener. But you can easily replace it with maple syrup to make this recipe vegan. If you like a sweeter granola, you can bump up the amount a bit or add some brown sugar.
- Chocolate Coconut - add unsweetened coconut flakes (add these halfway through baking if using) and dark chocolate chips (add AFTER baking so they don't melt).
- Peanut Butter - add a spoonful or two of peanut butter to add flavor.
- Fruity granola - if you like it more fruity, add golden raisins, tart dried cranberries or cherries, and dried apples along with the dates.
Equipment
You'll need a sturdy large sheet pan for this recipe. I have Nordic Ware Naturals Half Sheet (set of 2) and use them multiple times a week. They don't warp like other sheet pans I've had and they cook things evenly every time. Grab them here.
Storage for this Healthy Granola Recipe
Granola is at the peak of freshness a day or two after it's made. But one of the great things about granola is that it stores well for a long time.
- Fridge (or room temperature) - store cooled granola for up to 3 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature.
- Freezer - store hemp granola in an airtight container for 3-6 months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for about an hour.
Expert Tips
- When mixing the wet and dry ingredients, be sure everything is really well coated.
- I kind of mash the granola down into a thin layer with the back of a spatula onto the sheet pan. This helps everything cook evenly.
- When the granola mixture is done baking, remove it from the oven and let it cool to room temperature before stirring it or breaking it apart. This is what helps form the big clusters.
- Add in the cranberries after the granola has baked and cooled. I tried adding it with the other ingredients and I personally thought it was too chewy and it hardened a bit when bakes. Adding it after the granola bakes keeps the cranberries nice and tender.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, this homemade granola is nutrient-rich. It contains dietary fiber for a healthy gut, and heart-healthy fatty acids that also support brain health and hormone health. This recipe also contains several vitamins and nutrients including antioxidants, potassium, iron, Vitamin B6 and magnesium.
As long as you use gluten-free oats, this is gluten-free granola! In general, oats are a naturally gluten-free food. However, many oats are processed in a facility that also processes gluten-containing foods so there is a risk of cross-contamination. The best way to tell if the oats you use are gluten-free is to make sure that gluten or wheat is not listed under the "may contain" statement on the nutrition facts panel.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with healthy homemade granola:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Best Healthy Granola Recipe, easy homemade with video
Equipment
- 1 large baking sheet (half sheet pan size)
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds (I use roasted, salted pepitas)
- ¼ cup hemp seeds
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325℉ (160°C) and prep a large baking sheet with greased parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients including the oats, nuts, seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Do not add the dried cranberries yet!
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients including the oil, honey and vanilla. Then, add the wet mixture to the dry and stir together until well combined.
- Spread the oat mixture on the baking sheet in an even layer and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 8-10 minutes. Baking time will vary depending on your oven and sheet pan. The granola is done when it’s golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the granola cool before breaking it apart.
- Once the granola has cooled, stir in the chopped cranberries and break it into clumps.
- Hint: Don’t stir it right after taking it out of the oven! Let it cool for as long as possible first. The air will help create the granola clusters.
Notes
- When mixing the wet and dry ingredients, be sure everything is really well coated.
- I kind of mash the granola down into a thin layer with the back of a spatula onto the sheet pan. This helps everything cook evenly.
- When the granola mixture is done baking, remove it from the oven and let it cool to room temperature before stirring it or breaking it apart. This is what helps form the big clusters.
- Add in the cranberries after the granola has baked and cooled. I tried adding it with the other ingredients and I personally thought it was too chewy and it hardened a bit when bakes. Adding it after the granola bakes keeps the cranberries nice and tender.
- Fridge (or room temperature) - store cooled granola for up to 3 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature.
- Freezer - store hemp granola in an airtight container for 3-6 months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for about an hour.
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