Big, crunchy clusters of lightly sweetened oats and almonds, along with a touch of cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla, and honey, make this the best Easy Homemade Granola Recipe!
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Store-bought granola doesn’t hold a candle to the homemade stuff. You can make superior granola in your own kitchen and not only is it delicious and far less expensive, it’s also better for you. Homemade granola doesn’t have the excess sugar, unhealthy fats, and preservatives used in the kind of granola you get at the store.
And did I mention it takes about 5 minutes to put it all together to make the best granola? Talk about a win!
Plus, you can take this simple granola recipe and make it your own by adding any mix-ins you like. Use dried fruit, seeds, coconut, nut butters, or even chocolate to create your own gourmet granola flavors. Don’t worry, if you need some inspo, I’ve got lots of ideas below!
(If you love oats, be sure to check out our post on How to Make Oatmeal or Best Homemade Granola Bars!)
What you’ll need for this Homemade Granola Recipe
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats – Chewy, hearty old-fashioned oats are the base of any granola recipe.
- Sliced almonds
- Light brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Kosher salt – A pinch of salt brings out all the other flavors in this easy granola recipe.
- Butter – Granola needs a little bit of fat to help it crisp and assist with flavor and binding. Butter is my go-to because, well, butter, but vegetable oil or melted coconut oil work, too.
- Honey
- Vanilla extract
- Egg white – The secret to getting big clusters in your granola is to use an egg white to help bind the oats together.
Easy Granola Recipe Variations
Want to mix things up? Keep the base recipe the same, then swap in any of these:
- Nuts and Seeds – I keep it super simple and straightforward with sliced almonds in this recipe, but you can switch them out for whole almonds, pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cashews, peanuts, pistachios, coconut, flax seed, or whatever else you like.
- Sweetener – I prefer a sweeter granola, which is why I have both brown sugar and honey in this basic granola recipe. If you prefer a less sweet granola you could decrease or even eliminate the brown sugar and just use the honey to sweeten the oats. Real maple syrup or agave are good alternatives as a natural sweeteners.
- Spices – A little cinnamon gives warmth and depth of flavor to this granola. You could double or even triple the amount of cinnamon in here with good results if that’s a flavor you want more of, or use cardamom or gingerbread, apple pie, or pumpkin spice blends if you have them in your cupboard.
- Other flavors and mix-ins – The sky is really the limit here, but some of my favorites are peanut butter, cocoa powder, dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, raisins, apricots, apples), and chocolate chips. If you want to add chocolate chips, they will need to be added after the granola is completely cooled.
How to make Granola
As I mentioned above, making granola at home is incredibly easy. Here’s what you need to do:
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 300ºF and position the center rack up a level so it’s on the second row from the top. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a small bowl, stir the melted butter, honey, vanilla, and egg white.
- Toss to coat. Drizzle the egg mixture over the oat mixture, stirring together until well-combined.
- Bake. Pour the granola out onto the baking sheet and spread it into a thin, even layer. Bake for 30-35 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through the cooking time, until the granola is golden and crispy, and the almonds are lightly toasted.
- Cool. Remove the pan from the oven and let the granola cool completely before storing.
How to make Granola Clusters
To make granola clusters, press the granola into a compact layer before baking so that it clumps together in big pieces. Don’t stir the granola during baking or after until it has cooled completely. You could also drop small clusters of granola onto your baking sheet and bake that way for clusters that are separated from the start, but you might need more than one baking sheet for this approach.
Granola Recipe Tips for Success
There’s not much to making homemade granola, but here are a few additional tips and pointers.
- Getting granola clusters. If you want large chunks of clumpy granola, flatten it into an even layer with a spatula, adding pressure so the granola is nice and compact.
- Use old-fashioned oats. Also known as rolled oats! Don’t use steel-cut oats (they’ll be way too hard) or quick oats (the texture won’t be as chewy).
- Keeping it crispy. It’s important to let the granola cool completely before storing it. If you rush it, it will get a soft, stale texture instead of being delightfully crisp.
How to Make Granola FAQs
We think of granola as a wholesome food with a lot of great nutritional benefits like added nuts and seeds. But granola does have added sweeteners or sugar to consider that help both with the flavor and binding the granola together.
This really depends on the kind of granola you are buying and you get what you pay for, right? It’s no contest that homemade granola tastes far superior since most store bought granola just tastes like sugar to me.
A batch of homemade granola might cost more to make than a box of granola from the store, but there is a tradeoff in being able to customize how you like your granola and knowing what goes into it. You get more toasty nut and oat flavor from the homemade stuff.
Comparing this granola recipe to the really amazing granola I like to buy from our local farmer’s market, homemade granola is actually quite a bit cheaper and I can make an entire batch for the cost of one small bag from the farmer’s market.
If your homemade granola isn’t crunchy then it’s most likely because it needed to bake longer. Also, be sure to store the granola in an airtight container. Leaving it out, particularly if the climate is humid, can cause granola to lose some of it’s wonderfully crunchy texture.
The best way to eat granola is to portion it out into individual servings. It’s easy to start snacking on this and not want to stop because it’s so good! I also like to pair it with some fresh fruit and Greek yogurt which is high in protein leaves me feeling satisfied and full longer than if I just snacked on handfuls of as much granola as I wanted.
Best Granola Recipe Serving Suggestions
Homemade granola is perfect for just eating out of hand. It’s great for taking on hikes or to the park and my kids love snacking on it that way. I especially love to layer this granola with flavored or Greek yogurt and fresh fruit or berries to make fruit and yogurt parfaits for breakfast or even as a healthier dessert.
It’s also excellent with milk poured over it and some strawberries sliced in. You can even add a handful of granola to a salad, especially one with fruit like berries or apples, to add crunch!
How long does Homemade Granola last?
Homemade granola lasts for about 2 weeks in an airtight container. But if your family is anything like mine, it probably won’t last that long. You could even freeze the granola to keep it fresh longer.
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Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Granola Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup salted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 egg white
Instructions
- Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper. Move the center rack up a level so it's on the second level from the top.
- Mix the oats, almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a large mixing bowl until combined. In a small, separate bowl, stir the melted butter, honey, vanilla and egg white together, then drizzle over the oat mixture, stirring together until well-combined.
- Transfer the granola mixture to the prepared baking sheet and spread it out in an even layer. If you want large chunks of granola, flatten into an even layer with a spatula, adding pressure so the granola is nice and compact. Bake for 30-35 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through for even toasting, until golden and crispy and the almonds look lightly toasted.
- Remove from oven and let the granola cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Keeps for 2 weeks at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in January, 2018. The photos and content were updated in July, 2022.
Our family loves granola! But, we can no longer find the kind we like at the store. Definitely need to test out some homemade granola! This sounds perfect.
We LOVE homemade granola and make a huge batch every Sunday night to last the week. This version sounds delicious, love the subtle flavors
I make homemade muesli all the time, and I was wondering what made granola so much more.. clustery? (Is that a word hahaha).. I never thought of adding an egg white! How clever!
I am so with you on homemade granola! It’s so much more economical than buying it at the market (some of those gourmet blends especially can get really pricy!). I also love how many different variations you can make, and how easy it is to switch it up. Dried cherry and almond granola with cinnamon and honey is our favorite!
Is it 305 calories per serving and how big is 1 serving size? This recipe sounds delicious!
Yes, it’s 305 calories per serving and each serving is about 1/2 cup of granola. It really is yummy! I hope you enjoy it!
This recipe is delicious. My sister loved it so much I had to give her half the batch to take home! I don’t like nuts so used pepitas. Worked great. Only change I made was to whip up the egg white into a froth and add it separate at the end. Provided the clumps I like.
After grocery shopping and deciding that the granola at the store cost WAY too much, I decided to find a DIY recipe! I made yours today and I LOVE it! Thank you so much for making it simple, yet delicious!!! I thought there was just enough of everything in it!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for taking the time to comment and leave such a nice review!
My first time, ever, making granola. The husband wasn’t sure, but as soon as it came out his mind was made;mine was too. THIS RECIPE IS AWESOME! Thank you so much.
Most amazing granola ever! Way better than any store bought brand. I was surprised by how amazing this recipe tastes! I cant wait to make more and try different variations!
Just an outstanding recipe! I added a cup of Craisins and additional cinnamon. Loved it!!! Thank you so much! Won’t ever purchase granola again😀
I’m so glad you liked it!
Letting mine cool right now. Can’t wait to dig in! The little side bites I’ve tasted are chewy and delicious. We went with organic oatmeal.
Just tried the granola recipe and it is delicious. Thank you,
Such a simple recipe and very versatile. I made it with pecans I had leftover, and it was delicious! I will be making it with raisins and sliced almonds next time.
Have this baking now. Only difference is I frothed my egg white
Simple and delicious recipe! I used half the brown sugar and added shredded coconut as the granola was cooling. Next time I’m going to experiment adding peanut butter. My family loved it and commented it was better than store bought granolas! I guess I’m on the hook now to make this more often and it’s a good thing this recipe is super easy!
This is my favorite granola recipe! The egg white makes all the difference
Just made and it’s absolutely amazing. I added a little peanut butter (because I love peanut butter 😁) but it’s absolutely wonderful and we so easy. I was able to make with things I had in the pantry.
Thank you
Hi Amy. I eat store-bought granola all the time. I made granola at home for the first time using your recipe. OMG! Sooooo Good. Easy to put together and this recipe can easily be adapted with different flavors or throwing what you have in your pantry. I had 3/8 cup of maple granulated sugar so I used that with 1/8 cup of brown sugar. I also had some left over sunflower seeds. While this was baking, my whole house smelled DIVINE. Once it came out, I made two large ball jars and it lasted less than a week. I gave some away at work (everyone raved) and gave some as Father’s Day presents to my brother and brother-in-law (more raves). This recipe is a total winner. Cannot wait to try your other recipes.
This is my go to granola recipe! My husband eats granola like no one’s biz, so I make this weekly. I leave out all of the brown sugar and add flax and chia seeds when it comes out of the oven. We love it!!
I just made this about an hour ago and oh, my goodness! I will never buy granola in a store again! I added 1tsp cardamom and 1/2c. Chia seeds. I can’t stop eating it! What a terrific recipe. Thank you!
Great recipe
I added some dried fruit (cherries) and used almond extract instead of vanilla
Thank you for this recipe!! I’ve wanted to make my own granola for a while now and once I saw how easy this recipe was, I decided to give it a try. I doubt I’ll be purchasing store-bought anymore. So delicious and so easy!! Love this recipe and how versatile it is. For a little variety, I used 1 cup of almonds and 1/2 cup of walnuts instead of all almonds. For future batches, I might try different nuts too.
I tried your recipe last week and it is delicious! Even my husband loved it and helped eat it up. It disappeared in a week and I am making more today! Thank you for your simple, but tasty recipe. I love the honey and vanilla flavor, with the almonds! A perfect combination!
Hey sorry for the language on that last comment. But yea so egregiously annoying the amount of ads. Drive a person run the other direction and never subscribe. But it did give me an idea to just start blogging with 90% ads, 10% actual content. Cheer
I’m sorry you found the ads to be detrimental to your experience. I have an ad agency that manages this for me, and I think there are more than normal because it’s the last quarter of the year. If it helps, at the top of every post is a “jump to recipe” button and if you click it, you will bypass all of the ads in the post and go straight to the recipe card.
I made your recipe for granola. I loved it. I added some extra nuts (pecans and walnuts) with the almonds in your recipe. I also added some diced dried apricots and dried cherries. This is the best I’ve ever had. I will never buy store bought granola ever again; it just can’t compare❤️. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
Whoops, I said I found your recipe on Facebook, but that was incorrect. I found you on Google looking for granola recipes, yours was the first I tried (and the last) cuz I loved it and I will use this again. I give you 10 stars!!!❤️
Thank you!!!
This is a great recipe. I stumbled across it while looking up granola recipes. Made it once and was hooked. One batch barely gets us through the week, so I end up making batch every weekend.
I started craving granola for breakfast about a year ago. Every day, I’d wake up wanting something crunchy with cinnamon. I found this recipe and can’t stop making it, eating it, repeat. So good and easy. I often add 1/2 cup of pecan halves and reduce the sliced almonds by 1/2 cup. Love this recipe!
I have searched the internet and tried many granola recipes and although this may not be the healthiest of all 😂! This recipe IS BY FAR the BEST I’ve encountered. I followed the recipe to the “t” and it comes out delicious every single time!!
Amazing recipe! The price of Granola is really creeping up here in the UK and I just learned to make my own Yoghurt – so naturally homemade Granola had to follow! Never again will I buy it from the store! Thank you!
Yummy! But next time you’re at the farmers market think about the time, research, ingredients etc that go in to those little bags. It’s important to value small business and other peoples time. I bet if you asked some questions you’d learn real quick how small their profit margins are and how they aren’t getting rich quick. As a small business crafter I fight every day against people who value a bargain more than the time and effort of people, artists, bakers etc. It’s a really sad reality. Time has Value!
I have tried so many granola recipes and find this one to be THE best and so very well written! Easy to make, easy to double the recipe and super versatile. My family loves it so much, we eat it with yogurt, over cooked apples, with milk (like cereal), and on fruit – or just straight out of the container for a crunchy, slightly sweet snack. Even my daughter, who lives on the east coast asks me to bring some when we visit. Thank you so much for this recipe! I look forward to trying out other recipes from your page. So good!
I accidentally doubled the cinnamon and it turned out great! If you want a bit more of a cinnamon kick, doubling the amount ends up with a great flavor. Will be making this again!!
I cannot tell you how grateful & happy I am that I found this recipe. Every week while grocery shopping, my hubby picks up Granola, looks at the 30g of sugar, and puts the box back. He’s diabetic.
I made your recipe with Truvia brown sugar blend and just 2 TBSP of honey. Also added slivered almonds and cut up dried apricot bits. His eyes completely lit up when he tried it. He said “This recipe is a keeper!”
It will be one the menu often!
Please correct the amount of storage time. You state that the granola lasts two weeks in an airtight container, but it does not because of the deliciousness we eat it quicker than that! 😳🤗🤣
Oh man you had me scared for a second! Ha ha. Glad you enjoyed it!
This is the best granola recipe! My husband and I are obsessed! I had to cook mine a bit longer but it turned out amazing.
Good recipe. Love the texture and flavor. However, I think it is overly salty. Next time I would probably use non-salted butter in the recipe.
We love this so much! It’s so easy!
So delicious and easy!
Made this for a brunch at work and everyone raved! I made modifications to make it vegan (agave, aqaufaba).
Four days! This batch only lasted four days. The granola crumbs in my 10-year-old’s room told me who the Granola Gremlin was. He gives it many thumbs up.
Ha ha those granola gremlins are so sneaky! Homemade granola is the best! I’m glad your family enjoyed it!
So far I’ve made this recipe twice. The first time I used dark brown sugar and the results were DELICIOUS. this time I used light brown sugar, seeing the outcome of both batches I will continue to use dark brown sugar.
This is delicious but not as nutritious as I’m looking for.
We make this regularly at our house! Have you ever experimented with adding pumpkin? Or do you have another recipe for pumpkin granola? I’ve seen a few and am intrigued but gun shy because I love this recipe so much!
Hmmm I’ve never tried adding pumpkin. It would probably be yummy. I’ll have to experiment with that!