A healthy homemade granola recipe is the best idea for a wholesome breakfast, brunch, snack, or even a dessert. It's easy to make, vegan, and gluten-free.
Life is so much easier when you have a make-ahead breakfast recipe you can call for whenever you're craving something nourishing and delicious.
Best Homemade Granola Recipe
If you found my blog post you probably look for a good granola recipe and want to learn how to make a quick and easy homemade granola recipe for your hearty yogurt or milk breakfast dish.
Do you love perfectly sweet, crisp, and toasty granola that's refined sugar-free, and incredibly flavorful?
You are in the right place then. I'm sure you're going to love this super simple granola recipe. It's the perfect make-ahead meal prep for busy mornings or lazy weeknight dinners. But we love to enjoy it as a yummy treat all throughout the day, too.
All that without guilt, of course, because our homemade granola is naturally sweetened and lower in calories compared with its store-bought counterpart.
All right granola-lovers, ready to make a batch? Let's make it together!
Crunchy Granola Recipe Ingredients
I used to buy brand-name granola from the market but since I made my homemade granola without sugar, I never returned to that store-bought version ever again. It's super affordable, cheaper, and way healthier. All you need is just one bowl, 10 basic pantry ingredients, and 30 minutes or less to make this tasty homemade granola recipe. Here is what you'll need:
- Rolled / Old Fashioned oats (certified gluten-free)
- Walnuts
- Pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- Sunflower seeds
- Pure maple syrup
- Unrefined coconut oil
- Dried cranberries
- Pure vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon
- Salt
As always, you can find the full recipe with a list of ingredients with measurements in a printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Time needed: 28 minutes.
How to make a vegan homemade granola recipe from scratch?
- Mix dry ingredients
First, preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl combine oats, walnuts, pepitas, sunflower seeds, ground cinnamon, and salt.
- Add wet ingredients
Next, pour out the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Mix well until all dry ingredients are evenly coated by the wet ingredients.
- Bake it
Arrange your granola on the prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper. With a spoon, spread it out into an even layer. Bake for 22-24 minutes or until golden and very fragrant, stirring halfway through. Every oven is different so be careful not to let it burn (it burns very quickly).
- Add dried cranberries and enjoy
Let your homemade granola cool completely, then stir in dried cranberries. Try not to eat a handful before fully chilled. 🙂
Enjoy it as a cereal with almond milk, cashew milk, or oat milk topped with fresh or frozen fruits, stir it in your morning smoothie, or eat it by spoonfuls with creamy peanut butter. Yum!
Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or freeze in a freezer-friendly container for up to a month.
FAQ for this Gluten-Free Homemade Granola Recipe
Homemade granola is a crunchy mix made from baked whole oats, seeds, and nuts mixed with natural sweeteners and oil sprinkled with some dried fruit.
Yes, homemade granola is a healthy option for your clean eating diet menu. It's packed with fiber, antioxidants, proteins, healthy fats, and other micronutrients that are highly beneficial for your health. Moreover, it provides you with plant energy during endurance activities, like working out.
Certainly yes! You know exactly what you put in your granola mixture while store-bought granola contains lots of sugars, artificial sweeteners, and harmful fats. In fact, homemade granola is way healthier, tastier, and more economical compared to any store-bought version. Plus it's so customizable, you can add nuts, seeds, or dried fruits of choice.
If you buy most of the ingredients (if not all, like I do 🙂 ) in bulk, homemade granola is definitely less expensive than store-bought. The best part is that you are in control of the ingredients used in prepping your granola snack mix. What's more important, it's surprisingly easy to make in no time at all. Plus, your home will smell amazing, I'm sure your family will ask you to make another batch very soon 🙂
When eaten in moderation, granola is a great choice for an easy-to-take-on-the-go breakfast or snack. Because it's super filling and satisfying (thanks to a large amount of fiber), the granola will keep you full longer and help you avoid unhealthy snacking until the next meal.
The best way to store granola is in an airtight glass container that's entirely clean and dry. You can keep it that way for up to 2 weeks at room temperature so it's available anytime you need it. Also, you can freeze it in freezer-friendly containers or bags for up to 1 month. After freezing, let it warm at room temperature before serving.
What to Eat with Homemade Vegan Granola
- Any dairy-free milk or yogurt
- Your smoothies of smoothie bowls
- As an ice cream topping
- Sprinkle it over fruit salads
- Mix it into your oatmeal
- Eat it with spoonfuls of fresh DIY peanut butter
- Enjoy it plain, on its own, it's totally irresistible!
Why You'll Love This GF Healthy Granola Recipe? It's:
- An essential vegan staple food
- Healthy road trip snack
- Kid-friendly
- Delicious, last-minute food gift idea in a jar
- Budget-friendly
- Contains no-sugar
- Quick lunch box idea for kids
- It's aromatic and so versatile
- Truly satisfying!
More Vegan Breakfast Ideas
- Protein-Packed Chocolate Quinoa Bowl
- Mouthwatering Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Creamy Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
- 6 Ingredient Refined Sugar-Free Apple Cookies
- Crispy Potato Latkes
- Mini GF Chickpea Flour Frittatas
- Silky Chocolate Avocado Pudding
- Vegan Frittata Without Eggs or Tofu
- Weight-Loss Friendly Chocolate Chia Pudding
📖 Recipe
Fragrant & Healthy Homemade Granola (Vegan + GF Recipe)
Equipment
- Bowl
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 4 cups gluten-free rolled / old fashioned oats not quick, instant or steel cut oats
- 1 cup raw walnuts crush them with your hands in halves or quarters
- ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ cup unrefined coconut oil melted
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- First, preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and line a large baking tray with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl combine oats, walnuts, pepitas, sunflower seeds, ground cinnamon, and salt.
- Next, pour out the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Mix well until all dry ingredients are evenly coated by the wet ingredients.
- Arrange your granola on the prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper. With a spoon, spread it out into an even layer. Bake for 22-24minutes or until golden and very fragrant, stirring halfway through. Every oven is different so be careful not to let it burn (it burns very quickly).
- Let your homemade granola cool completely, then stir in dried cranberries. Try not to eat a handful before fully chilled. Enjoy it as a cereal with almond milk, cashew milk, or oat milk topped with fresh or frozen fruits, stir it in your morning smoothie, or eat it by spoonfuls with creamy peanut butter. Yum! Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or freeze in a freezer-friendly container for up to a month.
Notes
- Be sure to like your baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Don't bake your granola for too long, but just until lightly gold and aromatic. It may seem it's not done yet but it'll continue to crisp as it cools.
- Use unscented coconut oil if not a fan of coconut flavor. In my opinion, it adds a beautiful coconut note to your homemade granola. Alternatively, you can use any neutral oil like grapeseed oil or canola oil.
- You can use chopped almonds, pecans, or slivered almonds instead of walnuts.
- For a nut-free version, omit walnuts and add more pepitas and/or sunflower seeds.
- In the end, you can add dried fruits of your choice instead of cranberries like dried apricots, raisins, or blueberries. Also, you can add non-dairy chocolate chips or coconut flakes after your granola is completely cool and crispy.
- After baking your granola, let it cool completely before storing it in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Don’t forget to pin or share this post so you’ll have this easy vegan granola recipe ready when you need it!
Did you try this healthy homemade granola recipe? If you tried it, please rate it, leave a comment below, and share your photo on Instagram with the tag @go_eatgreen and hashtag it #go_eatgreen. I would love to see your pictures and your comments just make my day!
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Love, Marinela💚
M.Metcalf
Awesome!! First time I’ve made my own granola..
i avoid the store bought ones because of the high sugar content..
this one exceeded my expectations!
Marinela
I'm glad to hear that you liked my recipe for homemade granola. I agree with you, store-bought versions contain so much sugar while this is naturally sweetened and super simple to make. Thank you for sharing your experience with us, I really appreciate it!
Michelle
I love making homemade granola and this vegan and gluten free recipe is a new favorite. It's simple and delicious and so easy to customize with different nuts and fruits.
Marinela
I'm so glad this easy granola recipe has become your new favorite, Michelle. Yes, it's so versatile, you can add any nuts and dried fruits of choice. Thank you for your lovely comment!
Aneta
For me, having greek yogurt and some granola is the perfect start-up breakfast because it has many benefits . Its filling, healthy and gives me energy to start my day 🧡
Thank you for this delicious recipe 🤗
Marinela
Absolutely agree with you, Aneta, having granola for breakfast is such a filling and nutrient-dense meal we all need to go through the day with lots of plant-based energy. I'm glad you loved my simple granola recipe. And thank you for your lovely comment!