This easy homemade granola is just 5 basic ingredients, can be customized and is a delicious, healthy snack or breakfast. And it stores and travels great!
Granola to me means wholesome goodness.
It’s crunchy, it’s sweet, it’s oh so satisfying.
It works for breakfast, for snacking, it's great for travel. We love the stuff!
However, store-bought versions can be expensive and loaded with fat and calories.
They can also have some funky, less than wholesome stuff in it. Not exactly what I'm looking for.
So I make my own healthy granola!
I've shared this healthy citrus granola that I love in spring and summer, this chocolate pumpkin granola that's perfect in the fall and we have this cranberry white chocolate granola around the holidays.
Granola all year long!
Oh and these 5-minute granola bites are great for kids for an after-school snack.
Today though, we're keeping it super simple with my go-to homemade granola recipe.
This is what I make on REPEAT in my kitchen and it's so dang tasty.
Just 5 basic pantry ingredients and lots of ways to use it.
So let's get cooking.
Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make granola. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Ingredients Notes:
- Rolled oats - I use and recommend old fashioned rolled oats for this recipe. Quick oats might work but I haven't tried that substitution so I'm not sure if they'd bake differently.
- Peanut butter - Just a regular creamy peanut butter works great here, too. You can sub almond butter if needed to make this peanut-free.
- Honey - Yay for a natural sweetener, no added sugar needed. You can also substitute maple syrup if needed.
- Vanilla extract - Be sure you're using the pure vanilla extract, not an imitation kind. I haven't tried this with almond extract or other types, but you certainly could!
- Cinnamon - We just need a little and it adds some great background flavor. You could skip it if you're not a fan.
You've probably got everything you need already in the pantry!
Since I've made this A LOT - as well as gotten feedback from you lovely readers over the years - I wanted to share some tips and tricks.
This way, you can have success from the get go in your own kitchen.
Tips and Tricks:
- You'll need to watch your oven, as granola can go from golden brown to burnt pretty quickly. I've lowered the temp on this recipe over the years and that helps, but I recommend you check it at 25 minutes and keep a close eye on it. (Particularly the first time you make this. You'll get a feel for it after that.)
- You can get HUGE granola clusters if you flip the granola carefully with a large spatula halfway through the cook time. The more of it that stays stuck together, the more clusters you'll get. You can also press it down together after you flip it and that'll help make those big clusters.
- Granola is still soft when it comes out of the oven. It hardens up as it cools.
And as mentioned, this stores and keeps great!
You can store homemade granola in a covered container in the pantry for up to 2-3 weeks.
A tupperware container, a bag, a bowl, a canister, use whatever you've got.
My kids love this granola too! I waited until about age 2 to introduce it to M since it's so crunchy.
It took her a full 30 minutes to eat the very small bowl I gave her, but she was determined. It's that good.
I personally love snacking on this all on its own. It's kind of addictive.
Here are some other ideas of our favorite ways to enjoy it.
Serving Ideas:
- Top your morning yogurt with fruit and granola for an easy parfait.
- Pack some for school lunch or in a small container to have at the office for a mid-day snack.
- Take it on road trips, to kids sports events or to the pool. It travels great!
- Make healthy granola muffins - so tasty!
- Crumble it on top of some frozen yogurt or ice cream for a crunchy dessert topping!
Of course, you can also use this as a basic granola recipe and tailor it to your tastes.
I love that it's customizable that way.
Here are some ideas for optional mix-ins for your granola.
Granola Add-Ins:
- Dried fruit, such as raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried blueberries or chopped dried apricots
- Chopped nuts, such as peanuts, walnuts or pecans
- Unsweetened shredded coconut
- Chocolate chips (mini or regular) or peanut butter chips or cocoa nibs
- Chia seeds or sunflower seeds
It’s all about you. Make it your way. ❤️
But do try this healthy homemade granola. It's so easy to make and so much more budget-friendly and wholesome than what you can buy.
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
P.S. Please share your granola creations with me on Instagram - I love seeing what you make!
Homemade Granola
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 heaping teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 ½ cups oats, I use old-fashioned
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix together peanut butter and honey in a medium bowl, until smooth. Stir in vanilla and cinnamon until well incorporated. Add oats and stir until they are well coated.
- Spread mixture onto parchment paper in an even layer.
- Bake at 300 for 15 minutes then flip the pieces over. This helps it get crunchy all over. If you flip carefully using a large spatula and leave lots of it stuck together, you'll get really huge clusters. (You can also use the spatula to push it back together to help form clusters.)
- Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5-15 minutes. Watch it carefully! Granola goes from golden brown to burnt very quickly and your first time making it, you'll need to pay close attention to see how your oven does and how much additional time you need.
- Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool completely to firm up. (It can be soft out of the oven but it does get hard and crunchy after it cools.) Store in an airtight container and enjoy!
Notes
- Dried fruit, such as raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried blueberries or chopped dried apricots
- Chopped nuts, such as peanuts, walnuts or pecans.
- Unsweetened shredded coconut
- Chocolate chips (mini or regular) or peanut butter chips
Video
Nutrition
This post has been updated with new photos and additional recipe details and tips. The original post was published in March 2015.
Haley McCoy
This was amazing! So simple & so good.
Kathryn
I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it Haley!! It's a staple in our house!
Susan
Can I use syrup instead of honey.
Kathryn Doherty
Yes, it should work fine to substitute maple syrup for the honey. Would love to hear if you try it!
Hanna L.
I did it with maple syrup and it's delicious!
Kathryn Doherty
I'm so glad you loved it Hanna! Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
Kiki
Just made this, I love it! Perfect ratio of peanut butter and sweetness from the honey.
Kathryn
Yay, so glad you love it Kiki! It's one of my breakfast favorites 🙂
Kiki
I may add mini chocolate chips next time to make it dessert 😀
Kathryn
Great idea! I'd still eat it for breakfast though - I love a little chocolate in the morning! 😉
Zana
How long will it last in a mason jar or sealed?
Kathryn
Hi Zana! This granola should last up to 10 days in a sealed container.
Esther M.
I just put this in the oven and can't wait to add my fruit and yogurt for a nice little snack while I meal prep!! I used almond butter instead of peanut (not a huge fan of PB) and added 1/2 cub cacao nibs as well. I hope it turns out ok. Will toss in some dried apricots too once it's done.
Thanks for a great and easy recipe ... looking forward to making some of your other creations!
In good health,
Esther
Kathryn
Those sound like some delicious additions! I hope you love it Esther 🙂
Ev
Hi, I'm wondering if I can omit the peanut butter? If yes, do I need to add anything to make up for the omission?
Kathryn
Hi Ev! Yes, you can make a substitution for the peanut butter. I'd suggest almond butter or cashew butter, as those are similar in flavor profiles and still bring the healthy fats and binding qualities to the recipe. Let me know what you think!
Julie S
I make this at least twice a month since coming across it! It’s consistently been a favorite snack or breakfast with yogurt and fruit, with milk or simply by itself. So easy to whip up, easy cleanup and so so yummy!! It also makes the house smell good when I take it out of the oven which is always a nice bonus 🙂
Kathryn Doherty
I'm so happy to hear you love it Julie! (I have the last of a batch in my pantry now, so I'll be making it again soon too!) Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
Andrea Gross
My 13 yrs old daughter & I are trying to eat healthier. So no more store brought snacks. We just made this granola. It was super easy! The next time we are going to add nuts. Thanks!
🚴New Beginnings🚵
Kathryn
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the granola Andrea - it's one of my favorites! And good for you on working on eating healthier! 😊
Tracy
Can quick oats be used? Any modifications to cooking temperature or time? I'm trying to use what I have on hand.
Kathryn
Hi Tracy! I haven't tried it with quick oats but I'm sure they would work just fine! Keep an eye on them as they cook but I don't think you'd need much adjusting, time-wise. Hope you try it!
Kimberly Ingram
I'm curious about the nutritional information. Is the 798 calories for the entire batch?
Kathryn
Hi Kimberly! Yes, that was for the whole recipe. (The nutritional info on my site got added after I posted this recipe so I didn't see that.) I updated it to reflect a serving of about 1/4 cup. I hope that helps!
Anamaria
I have this granola in the oven and my house smells amazing for this brisk fall morning! Can't wait for my boyfriend and stepson to try it. I'll feel so much better about feeding this to my boys in the morning than store-bought stuff! Thanks!
Kathryn
I'm so happy to hear that Anamaria! I hope you all love it!
Kristen
Followed this recipe exactly and my granola is completely charred/burnt. I went to flip it at 20 minutes and I noticed it was browning a lot so checked it 5 minutes later instead of at the 30 minutes mark and it’s completely ruined. I’m so sad, I used organic oats and honey so it was expensive to just have to throw away. I make another granola recipe all the time and have never had it burn. My oven has never been off in temperature so I don’t understand. 🙁 either 315 is too hot or 25-30 minutes is too long I guess
Kathryn
Oh Kristen, I'm so sorry to hear that! I have always been OK with this recipe as is, but I'm sure there are things that can affect the timing, beyond just oven temperature. (I'm thinking the type of peanut butter used may influence things as well. I've made it with two different types and they did seem to cook differently.) I'll add a note to the recipe card but I'd suggest, if you want to try it again, baking at 300 for 20-25 minutes and seeing if that does better.
Gail
Me too.
I ha e only had mine in oven for 10 flipping minutes and it’s completely black and ruined.
So expensive to throw away as it was gluten free oats and organic honey.
Gutted
Kathryn Doherty
Gail, I'm so sorry this didn't work for you. I am confused though as to how this recipe could be burnt and black after just 10 minutes in an oven that's at 300 degrees F, which is a really low heat setting. Seems like something else might be wrong? Maybe the organic honey maybe isn't meant to be cooked?
Daphné
Can de change honey for maple syrup? What makes the granola stick together?
Kathryn
Hi! Yes, you can substitute maple syrup for the honey. The oats get coated in the liquid mixture and everything binds together as it cooks. Hope you enjoy it!
Rhian
Made this twice now and is delicious. Substituted a proportion of the oats for some nuts for crunch, and I love it.
Kathryn
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it Rhian - thanks for sharing! My 4-year-old son is currently obsessed with this granola so I've been making it on repeat. They are usually not a huge fan of nuts in things but I love that idea so I may have to try and sneak some in 😊
James
I also had an issue with it burning, but not as bad as someone else has mentioned (it was just slightly burnt). Not all of it was burnt and what wasn't was really good, about to make another batch now! I'm going to add a little more vanilla and a little more cinnamon to try and get some stronger flavors in there.
Kathryn
Glad you enjoyed it! Oh, and you can try turning your oven down a bit or keeping a close eye on it at the end to avoid any burning.
Stephanie
Tried this recipe out over the rainy weekend, and it was super easy to make and came out absolutely delicious. My mom that suggested I just bought granola instead of making it was munching on it all weekend. Thank you for this incredible recipe.
Kathryn
Yay, I'm so happy you loved it! 😊
Sue Murray
I just made this and it came out fantastic! I did add some sweetened coconut because I had it!! Thank you for the recipe
Kathryn
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it Sue! I just made some more this weekend too 🙂
Amanda
We made 2 batches and we love it!!! The first batch just as written and it was amazing. The second one we added about a tbls of cocoa powder and a tsp of chia seeds. Ty for sharing this!🤩
Kathryn
I'm so glad you loved it Amanda! Great additions too! I just made another batch this weekend myself - my kids adore this granola!
Lindsay Cotter
So easy and perfect for breakfast or snacking!
Kathryn
Yes! We eat it with yogurt in the morning and I like to grab a handful ALL throughout the day! 😊
Toni | Boulder Locavore
I definitely need to give this a try!
Kathryn
I think you will love it!
Judy
This my second go as round. Loved it so much the first time I doubled the batch this time however no cluster 🙁 what did I do wrong ? And can I fix it ?
Thanks !
Judy
Kathryn
Hi Judy! If you had too much loaded on the pan, that might have been the problem. It needs to be in an even layer to cook through well. And to get the best clusters, I have to carefully flip it and try to keep it as stuck together as possible mid-way through the baking. Then it also helps to really let it cool down before you scoop it. I think it sets back up into clusters as it cools. I hope that helps!
ashley
I am excited to make this recipe! I've never made granola before so excuse the potentially silly question, but- if I am adding dried fruits/nuts/chocolate, should I bake it all together or add the extras after it's cooked? I was thinking maybe nuts and dried fruits could be baked in but chocolate chips should be added after? Let me know what you think! Thank you!
Kathryn
I'm excited for you to try homemade granola Ashley! I hope you love it! And not a silly question at all... I add dried fruits and any type of chocolate chips after the granola has baked. (If you sprinkle the chocolate chips on the granola right after it comes out of the oven, it'll get all melted into it. Yum!) As for nuts... you can add them in the last 5 or so minutes of baking. You don't want them to burn. But that way they'll toast up a bit (and continue to toast a bit as the granola cools down). You can also add small nuts after the granola comes out. I do that with things like slivered almonds. I hope that helps!
Nancy
Could I use almond extract instead? I used all my vanilla extract on the last batch 😂
Kathryn Doherty
I think you could but it will change the flavor a bit. You'll also want to use less almond extract than the amount of vanilla called for since it's a bit stronger. Would love to hear how it turns out!
Nancy
Delicious!! I love have versatile this recipe is. You can add your own extra! Love it!
Kathryn Doherty
I'm so happy to hear you love this granola Nancy! We do too; I make it at least once every couple of weeks! 😊
Nicole
Can I put the mixture in a baking sheet without parchment paper?
Kathryn Doherty
Sure, that would be fine. I just like using the parchment paper (or even aluminum foil) for easy clean-up.
HHue
Was yummy! Curious if you quadruple the recipe. You mention a lot about how to keep it for a few weeks. We made a little over a triple recipe (8 cups of oats, a tad over 1 cup of peanut butter..) and it took about half that batch to get to the not hungry point for a 3 year old, a 4 year old, and one adult. Also, as regular oats contain about 5 grams of protein per 1/2 cup and natural peanut butter without extra fillers contains 8 grams per 2 Tablespoons, curious how you got 7 grams per 1/4 cup or granola..closer to 3.75 grams. Do you use a higher protein peanut butter or oats?
Kathryn Doherty
You can absolutely quadruple the recipe! We tend to snack on it or use it as a topping for yogurt, so a regular batch lasts us for a while, but if you have a hungry crew, definitely make more. I pay for an automatic nutrition calculator that's part of my recipe card to be able to display nutrition information. It's updated regularly but can be off sometimes. You can always input a recipe manually using an online calculator if you want to check particular stats using the products you use in your kitchen. This is a good one: https://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator Hope that helps!
Juliet
Can coconut butter be used in place of peanut butter?
Kathryn Doherty
I haven't tried that substitution myself, but I think it would work fine. The flavor will be quite different, but it may be a good option if you can't use peanut butter or almond butter. Would love to know if you try it!
Emma Smith
Just curious what brand of peanut butter you use!
Kathryn Doherty
Hi Emma! I have used a natural style peanut butter from Trader Joe's - their creamy salted peanut butter - for this recipe. I've also made it with almond butter and these days we tend to use Jif creamy peanut butter. (I made this granola over the weekend and that's what I used.) Hope that helps!