Improve your mornings with this homemade granola. It's crunchy, nutty, gluten-free, and has the perfect amount of sweetness. Use your favorite dried fruits, nuts, seeds, and sweeteners to customize it to your liking!
Why this recipe works
- You can choose the dried fruits, nuts, seeds, and sweeteners you like
- It's naturally gluten-free
In the Fall, I’ll go out of my way to step on the dried leaves.
I love hearing that satisfying crunch underfoot. And if the leaf doesn’t crunch, I’m disappointed. The worst are those leaves that look perfectly crunchy, only to have them either disintegrate without a sound or kind of mush up.
So disappointing.
I also like crunchy foods. Well, let me rephrase that…I like texture contrasts in food, like nuts in brownies or chocolate chips in ice cream. You know, something to chew on.
I do like crunchy foods solo, like potato chips, but it has to be the right kind of crunch. Not so hard that it echoes around in your head like you’re shaking gravel in a can, or not so soft that you might as well be chewing a piece of paper. Or your cereal has gone all soggy in the milk, you know what I mean?
So when I talk about crunchy foods that can hold their texture when mixed into something else, the best example is my crunchy homemade granola I mix into my morning yogurt.
Jump to:
Granola with the right kind of crunch
Granola is one of those “Goldilocks” foods. It can be plywood hard or leather soft, neither of which are what I want in my morning parfait.
No, I want nuggets and texture, something to contrast with the creamy yogurt and soft fruit. Something to chew on.
My easy granola recipe has a texture that is the perfect crunch of a granola bar, yet still crumbles into pieces of nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and toasted oats.
Even better, this healthy homemade granola recipe is gluten-free, so those folks who avoid gluten can share in granola goodness!
What you need
Homemade granola is so versatile...just use what's in your pantry. Make changes and alterations as you want.
I’ve made this recipe once with melted butter and once with canola oil, and the oil actually works better because the other flavors are able to shine a bit more.
I've also substituted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) for the sesame seeds, and substituted ¼ cup of cornmeal for some of the almond meal. Like I said, whatever you have on hand can work.
The egg white is crucial, though not strictly required. That’s what binds the mixture and gives that wonderful crunchy texture. You can even use egg whites from a carton so you won't have a yolk to mess with.
Substitute as the whim strikes!
How to make granola
Making this simple granola recipe takes five easy steps.
Step 1: Make a sweetened syrup
Combine the maple syrup, light brown sugar, water, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt (photo 1). Remove the saucepan from heat and let the mixture cool to lukewarm.
Step 2: Mix up the base
Combine the oats, chopped almonds, dried fruit, chia seeds, sesame seeds, and almond flour in a large bowl (photo 2). If you're using the egg white, whisk it in a small bowl until it's frothy. If you leave out the egg white, the granola won't be as crunchy and won't hold together as well.
Step 3: Add the syrup to the base
Once the maple syrup mixture has cooled, whisk in the oil or melted butter, then the egg white. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and mix well (photo 3).
Step 4: Bake the granola
Spread the mixture evenly across a half-sheet baking pan lined with a Silpat silicone pan or parchment paper. Press down firmly to compact it before baking using the bottom of another pot.
Bake at 325°F for 40 to 50 minutes until dark golden brown, rotating the baking pan every 15 minutes to promote even browning (photo 4).
If the granola's surface is still tacky to the touch once cooled, return the baking pan to the oven and continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes, checking every 5 minutes. Don’t let the granola get too dark or it will taste bitter.
Step 5: Break up the granola
Once the granola is totally cool, break it into pieces (photo 5). I usually nibble a bit, purely for quality control purposes, of course.
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions you might have...
Not only is it cheaper to make granola, it will be healthy (no additives or preservatives) and you can make it to suit your taste. And it doesn't have to be the same way twice!
The egg whites act as glue while the granola is baking, as well as adding crunch. However, the sweetened syrup also helps because it will melt in the oven and then stick to the other ingredients as it cools.
Since quick oats are just rolled oats (what is called porridge oats in the UK) that have been steamed, they should be fine in this recipe. I wouldn't use steel-cut oats (UK's pinhead oats) since they won't be cooked (and softened) in the oven.
Pro tip: Mix up your ingredients
You can add ¼ teaspoon of almond extract or Fiori di Sicilia with the vanilla for more depth of flavor.
Use a single type of dried fruit (like raisins, cranberries, blueberries, or cherries), or mix up a medley. Feel free to substitute for or leave out the dried fruit, nuts, seeds, shredded coconut, etc.
Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or in the fridge up to 1 month (if it lasts that long!). It freezes well, too!
Granola is for breakfast and snacking
I do have to caution you, this crunchy homemade granola recipe is highly addictive! I can and do eat it out of hand, either as I'm breaking it up or straight from the refrigerator. It’s hard to stop, it’s that good!
Consider yourself warned…
I suggest you make a batch of this easy, gluten-free granola right now. Make it your way, to your liking. Breakfast will never be the same!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
Tammy
Related Recipes
There are many ways to enjoy a treat if you're on a special diet. Here are a few ideas that are all gluten-free, and I have many more. Have a go!
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Recipe
Gluten-Free Crunchy Homemade Granola
Ingredients
- ½ cup pure maple syrup, honey, or golden syrup
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, see Recipe Notes
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups rolled oats, not quick-cooking
- 1¼ cups almonds, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup dried fruit, see Recipe Notes
- ½ cup chia seeds, or flax seeds, whole or ground
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- ½ cup almond flour
- ⅓ cup canola oil, olive oil, coconut oil, or melted butter
- 1 large egg white, at room temperature, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 325°F. Line a rimmed half-sheet baking pan with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Combine the maple syrup, light brown sugar, water, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Remove the saucepan from heat and let the mixture cool to lukewarm.
- Meanwhile combine the oats, chopped almonds, dried fruit, chia seeds, sesame seeds, and almond flour in a large bowl.
- If you're using the egg white, whisk it in a small bowl until it's frothy. If you leave out the egg white, the granola won't be as crunchy and won't hold together as well.
- Once the maple syrup mixture has cooled, whisk in the oil or melted butter, then the egg white. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and mix well.
- Spread the mixture evenly across the prepared baking pan. Press down firmly to compact it before baking using the bottom of another pot.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until dark golden brown, rotating the baking pan every 15 minutes to promote even browning.
- Set the baking pan on a cooling rack until surface of the granola is crisp. Leave the oven on while the granola cools.
- If the granola's surface is still tacky to the touch once cooled, return the baking pan to the oven and continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes, checking every 5 minutes. Don’t let the granola get too dark or it will taste bitter.
- Once the granola is totally cool, break it into pieces (and try to resist eating it all at once).
- Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or in the fridge up to 1 month (if it lasts that long!). It freezes well, too!
Sharon says
Sounds great! Can’t wait to try this!
Debbie says
I saw this on Friday AM, I had planned to make gronola with my class that day! The kids really like cinnamon, maple syrup and sunflower seeds, we can’t add nuts at school. I leave out the additional sugar and the recipe works well. This is a great recipe to make with young kids. Thanks Tammy!
Debbie
Jamie says
Hello, this recipe looks great! I know you mentioned this granola stores for 2 weeks in an airtight container. Could this granola last longer and stay fresh, do you know how the egg white impacts the shelf life?
Tammy says
Hi Jamie, Thanks for the question! I've stored the granola in my refrigerator for a month or more, and frozen even longer. It doesn't effect the quality, and I haven't had any issues with the egg whites. I wouldn't store it much past 2 weeks at room temperature more because of it getting stale than going bad (I like it crunchy!). I hope this helps. 😉