homemade Granola (crispy & easy)

This easy homemade granola is crisp, deeply toasted, and perfectly salty-sweet, with oats, almonds, coconut, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Bake it loose and crunchy for sprinkling over yogurt, or use the simple variation below to make bigger clusters.

After a few rounds of testing, I found that baking this homemade granola low and slow at 250°F gives the oats, almonds, and coconut time to toast evenly without scorching the sugars.

Stirring every 15 minutes creates a loose, crisp granola that's perfect for sprinkling over yogurt; if you prefer bigger clusters, I've included the simple adjustment below.

Serve it with fruit, yogurt, ice cream, or use it as a crunchy overnight oats topping or for creamy flax seed pudding!

Jump to:

• 🥥 Ingredients & Substitutions
• 🥄 How To Make Homemade Granola
• 👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips for Crunchy Granola
• 💬 How To Store Granola So It Stays Crunchy
• ☕️ More EASY Breakfast Recipes
• Homemade Granola Recipe

🥥 Ingredients & Substitutions

• Old-fashioned oats: Best for a crisp, substantial texture. Quick oats will brown faster and create a finer texture.
• Almonds: Use unsalted almonds so you can control the seasoning. Pecans or walnuts work too.
• Coconut: Shredded coconut adds chewy-crisp texture; coconut flakes can be substituted.
• Brown sugar & maple syrup: The combination gives you deeper caramel flavor than maple syrup alone. Or see my list of what to use in place of maple syrup.
• Oil: Vegetable oil keeps the flavor neutral; coconut or olive oil can be substituted but will add their own flavor.

🥄 How To Make Homemade Granola

*For a printable version, see recipe card below.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, coconut, and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, vanilla, oil and salt. Add oil mixture to oats mixture and stir until combined.

Pour mixture onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, tossing every 15 minutes to ensure even toasting and a loose, even crunch. For bigger clusters: stir once halfway, press firmly, don't stir again at all, and leave completely undisturbed when cooling.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 1 hour. Transfer granola to a tightly-sealed container, and store at room temperature for up to 1 month.

👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips for Crunchy Granola

• Bake low and slow. The 250°F oven allows the oats and nuts to toast evenly without the maple syrup, brown sugar, or coconut getting too dark.
• For loose granola: Stir every 15 minutes so everything browns evenly.
• For bigger clusters: Stir only once halfway through, then press the granola firmly into the pan and leave it undisturbed while it finishes baking and cooling.
• Cool completely. Granola continues to crisp as it cools; storing it warm traps steam and makes it soft.
• Add dried fruit or chocolate afterward. Mix them in once the granola is baked and cooled so dried fruit doesn't burn and chocolate doesn't melt.
• If your granola softens: Re-crisp it in a 250º F oven for 10-15 minutes, then cool it completely again before storing.

💬 How To Store Granola So It Stays Crunchy

Let the granola cool completely, then store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months. If it loses its crunch, spread it on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F for 10-15 minutes, then cool completely.

☕️ More EASY Breakfast Recipes

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