Learn how to make homemade granola for sprinkling over yogurt with fresh fruit and you'll always have a quick and easy weekday breakfast. It's even delicious enough to serve a large bowl at your weekend brunch with an assortment of fresh berries for your guests to build their own yogurt parfaits.
Do you reserve yogurt topped with oats and honey for an average weekday breakfast?
Maybe you don't consider homemade granola when you're planning a festive celebratory brunch, but this recipe is so delicious the first time I had it was at a baby shower with friends.
I still remember begging the hostess for the recipe so I could go home and make my own homemade granola for snacks and topping my yogurt.
I've been making this classic granola recipe for the last 15 years and I still love it just as much as the first time I tried it.
But if you're looking for an old fashioned oats recipe that has a softer texture, don't miss my lemon blueberry baked oatmeal.
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Why This is the Best Recipe
- No funky ingredients: You won't need to buy a specialty oil you never use in anything else. I bet most everything is in your pantry right now.
- Mix & Match: You can easily substitute the nuts and dried fruit to match your favorite flavors. Be sure to check out my substitutions list at the bottom.
- One Bowl, One Pan: Mix it all in a single bowl, bake it all on a single baking sheet. This is a super low-mess, easy prep recipe.
Ingredients
The ingredients for making homemade granola are very simple:
- Old Fashioned Oats: I love to keep a big tub of Quaker Oats in my pantry so I always have enough for making the granola. Do not try to substitute quick cook oats, they won't hold up to the baking process.
- Canola Oil: Even though I love it, don't try to substitute with olive oil, it will leave a funny flavor.
- Honey & REAL Maple Syrup
- Brown Sugar
- Raisins and Your Favorite Chopped Nuts: I used sliced almonds for this batch but I've also loved pecans and hazelnuts. I sometimes swap the raisins with dried cranberries.
- Vanilla & Cinnamon
How to Make Granola
Before you get started, preheat the oven to 325°F.
Lay out a large baking sheet lined with parchment.
Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, add the old-fashioned oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, sliced almonds, and raisins.
Stir together to combine.
Stir in the Wet Ingredients
Add the canola oil, maple syrup, and honey to the mixing bowl.
Stir to combine.
Make sure there are no dry pockets of seasonings and that all the oats, fruit, and nuts are covered in the maple and honey mixture.
Spread and Bake
Spread the granola mixture in an even layer on the baking sheet you prepared earlier.
It's ok to tap it down with the back of your spatula if needed.
Bake the granola for 10 minutes. Gently stir the granola and spread it back into an even layer, then bake for an additional 10 minutes.
DO NOT TOUCH OR STIR the baked granola when it comes out hot from the oven.
If you want to have delicious large chunks of granola for easy snacking, you want to let the granola cool first.
Once the granola has completely cooled, gently break it up into large chunks and store it in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Recipe FAQs and Substitutions
While these two oils may be easily interchangeable for many recipes, this is not one of them. Olive oil will leave a funny taste to your granola. Stick with the plainer tasting canola oil.
I strongly prefer how real syrup bakes in recipes but in a pinch, artificial syrup could be substituted.
Absolutely! The dried nuts and dried fruits are completely optional ingredients. You can omit them completely or change which ones you want to add.
Serving Suggestions
This is one of my current favorite breakfasts for every day of the week.
I buy large tubs of vanilla yogurt and serve my morning dish sprinkled with this granola and whatever seasonal berries I have on hand.
For a special brunch, serve the granola in a large bowl with a serving spoon.
Then be sure to set out:
- A variety of yogurt flavors in individual cups or a couple large tubs, I love the French-style yogurt flavors from Oui by Yoplait, they'd be especially pretty on a brunch table
- Fresh fruits
- Dried fruits: You can add even more flavor by offering a variety of dried fruits like my dried apple slices
- Small bowls of mini chocolate chips
- Pretty bowls for building parfaits
- Spoons
📖 Recipe
Homemade Granola
Ingredients
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup raisins
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place a large baking sheet on the counter and line with a piece of parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together the oats, brown sugar, almonds, raisins, and cinnamon. This will help ensure the mixture is evenly coated with the spice.
- Add the remaining liquid ingredients, the canola oil, maple syrup, honey, and vanilla, to the bowl and stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Scrape the oat mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and gently smooth it into an even single layer.
- Bake for 10 minutes and then gently stir the mixture on the pan. Smooth it back out into an even layer and bake again for another 10 minutes.
- Let the baked granola cool COMPLETELY before stirring. It should simply cool directly on the pan. Break up the cooled granola into large chunks and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Recipe Notes
Easy Substitutions:
Nuts: You can substitute the almonds for ¼ cup of your favorite nuts. Pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, or cashews would all be excellent choices. Dried Fruits: The raisins will get extra chewy once baked. If you prefer a softer fruit, wait until the granola has cooled and simply sprinkle in ¼ cup of raisins instead. You could also substitute ¼ cup of another dried fruit you prefer. Dried cranberries, dried pineapple, dried apricots cut into small diced pieces, dried blueberries, or dried cherries would all be delicious.Save This Recipe to Your Recipe Box
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