Homemade Crunchy Granola

Crisp and lightly sweet, this easy Homemade Crunchy Granola has coconut and dried cranberries for an extra boost of flavor! So simple to make, you’ll want to have this on hand at all times for breakfast and snacks.

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Before I ever made Homemade Crunchy Granola for my family I was buying bags of it, thinking it would be a healthier breakfast alternative than frosted flakes and sugar smacks. But they wouldn't touch it. I wouldn't touch it. Somehow in my mind granola got lumped in with something you take on a hike or to survive when you're lost in the woods. Dry, boring, and more of an 'end of days' thing.

But then one day I found a recipe for granola in an old issue of Better Homes and Gardens at my dentist's office and I thought I'd try it. And my family loved it! I tried it and I loved it too! Yes, I ate my first granola at the age of 45 and I've never looked back.

Over time that original recipe evolved into this easy crunchy granola with crispy oats, nuts, coconut, and dried cranberries. Delicious just like it is, I often change out the nuts, adding flax seeds or sunflower seeds, omitting the coconut, and adding different fruits or chocolate chips... the combinations never end!

(p.s. this easy homemade granola is also inspired by the granola and yogurt breakfast at the Living Room Cafe in San Diego where The Boy and I spent many hours studying and canoodling during our college days ❤️)

❤️ What you'll love about this granola

• Quick - The granola mixes up in 5 minutes and bakes in less than 45 minutes.
• Easy - No complicated steps. Just mix and bake!
• Customizable - Add whatever ingredients you like to make this homemade granola your own! From seeds and nuts to fruits and spices, it's all good!
• Versatile - This crunchy granola is perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a snack. As good with yogurt as it is with ice cream!
• Perfect for gifts - Make a double batch of granola and pack it in decorative bags or mason jars to give as gifts!

Ingredients

Simple ingredients, treated right, make the best recipes. These are simple ingredients and the resulting homemade granola is simply amazing!

A few notes about the most essential the ingredients:

• Oatmeal - You want to be sure to use old fashioned or rolled oats in this recipe. Instant or quick oats won’t work for this recipe, because they are essentially precooked and shaped oat flakes. When baked they tend to lose their texture, leaving you with a granola that is too chewy.
• Almond flour - There is almond flour in my granola and that may seem weird, but it serves a few purposes. Not only does it add more of a toasted almond flavor to the granola, it also binds the honey and everything else together for better clumps. Clumps in granola are good!
• Nuts - In most of my recipes containing nuts I tell you to toast them first to maximize their nutty flavors. Because this homemade granola recipe has a low and slow bake, I have you use untoasted or raw nuts that will toast as they bake.
• Dried fruit - This easy homemade granola has sweet dried cranberries (also called craisins), but you can change them out for any other dried fruit; raisins, apricots, apples, or even dried pineapple are good choices. The key is to add them after baking. If you bake them they could dry out and over time become hard. Adding them at the end keeps them at their peak of chewy and sweet.

See recipe card below for quantities.

Substitutions

Here are a few simple substitutions you can make and still make a delicious homemade granola. If changing an ingredient, make sure to keep the new one with the same measurements so you get the same results.

• Oil - I like to use a neutral nut or vegetable oil like sunflower or avocado oil, but you can use whatever oil you prefer. Some people like to use olive oil or melted coconut oil, but remember that these oils can bring a lot of their own flavor. I would use an extra light olive oil or refined coconut oil.
• Nuts - If you don't want or can't eat nuts, you can leave them out of this recipe completely or replace them with a seed such as sunflower seeds or pepitas, or even with a dried cereal like chex or cheerios. (Check with your allergist before making seed substitutions.)
• Honey - I love the floral sweetness of honey in this recipe, but you can change it out with maple syrup or agave nectar. Honey is also stickier in general and so your granola will clump together better, if you like that like I do!

Variations

This Homemade Granola starts with delicious flavors that are easy to change up, add to, and make your own!

• Maple and sea salt granola clusters - In addition to the honey, add an equal amount of maple syrup. The addition of another sticky sugary ingredient will encourage clumping. Sprinkle the finished granola with flaky sea salt.
• Black and white - Skip the coconut and cranberries. After your granola has cooled, add in a combination of yogurt chips and chocolate chips.
• Spicy - Trust me, a pinch of cayenne or chipotle powder will add just the right touch of tingly zing to your granola.

Instructions

When you see how easy this Homemade Granola recipe is, your pantry will never be without its addictive crunch. Let's go!

Start by preheating your oven to 300°F and lining a large sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Step 1: Place oats, nuts, and almond flour in a large bowl.

Step 2: Heat oil, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until it is bubbly and the brown sugar is completely melted.

Step 3: Pour the warm honey syrup over the oats and nuts.

Step 4: Mix well until all of the syrup is evenly distributed.

Step 5: Spread the granola evenly on a parchment paper or foil lined large baking sheet and bake in a 300°F oven for 20 minutes.

Step 6: After 20 minutes, add unsweetened flaked coconut and mix in. Stir the granola thoroughly, making sure to mix the outside edge parts into the middle.

Step 7: Bake another 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Stir in the dried cranberries.

Step 8: Allow to cool completely on the sheet pan

To further encourage clumping of your granola, press it together very tightly on the pan as soon as it comes out of the oven. Let cool at least an hour before breaking apart into clumps and storing.

Hint: It is very important to allow the granola to cool completely on the sheet pan before storing. This allows any residual moisture in the granola to evaporate. Placing in the container while still warm will leave you with chewy, not-so-crunchy granola.

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