Since I started a granola company in 2018, I’ve experimented with a lot of different recipes, ingredients and methods to make granola. It can be very simple and rewarding. So I decided to share the easiest, most versatile and delicious recipe here.
Easy and versatile granola ingredients for home-baking
Granola is basically baked and slightly sweetened oats. I like to add an abundance and variety of nuts, seeds and dried fruits to my granolas. This makes the granola more filling and flavourful.
My favourite nuts to include are: pecan nuts, cashews, walnuts and almonds. I also like to add sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds. It’s also delicious to add raisins, chopped dried apricots or dried cranberries. The dried fruits add natural sweetness and textural contrast.
Honey vs. Maple syrup
When I first started making granola, I used honey. I like it because it’s nutritious and flavourful. However, with the rise of Veganism, I started trying maple syrup, and I think I like it even more. Maple syrup is a little more expensive and less commonly available. I don’t usually have maple syrup lying around at home, but I always have honey. Honestly, both work well.
The below recipe uses maple syrup which adds a really nice caramelised flavour. If you choose to use honey, you might want to just reduce the amount a little bit, as honey is sweeter.
Homemade Granola for a healthy breakfast
Granola sometimes has a bad reputation for pretending it’s healthy, but actually filled with too much sugar. This is sometimes true in store-bought granolas, but it clearly depends on which granola. Making it at home is the perfect way to control how sweet you want the granola to be.
That said, it does need a bit of sweetness to make it yummy and crunchy, but this recipe uses a relatively low amount.
For other healthy breakfast ideas, check out my banana bread recipe which is low-sugar, and much lighter than other recipes.
Pair with yogurt and fruits
This granola is great with any yogurt, milk and fruits. You can also use it to add some crunch to your hot porridge. Sometimes I also mix it with other cereals.
Leave a comment below if you have any questions about making granola at home!
Classic Easy Granola with Maple Syrup
Ingredients
- 150 g rolled oats
- 110 g nuts and seeds I'd recommend: pecan, cashews, flaxseed and pumpkin seeds
- 15 g coconut flakes optional
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 25 g olive oil
- 30 g maple syrup
- 1 tbsp water
- 35 g raisins or any other dried fruit
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160c
- In a large bowl, mix the oats, nuts, seeds, coconut flakes (if using) and sea salt
- In a separate small bowl, mix olive oil, maple syrup and water. If you're using set (hard) honey, you might need to heat it up in the microwave so that it liquifies.
- Pour the liquid mixture over the oats and nuts. Mix in the liquid thoroughly.
- Spread out the granola mix onto a large baking tray. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove the tray from the oven, mix it up a bit, and then add in the raisins.
- Bake for another 5-8 minutes. It should be golden brown in colour.
- Leave it to cool in the baking try for at least 15 minutes. When it first comes out of the oven, it won't be crunchy yet. You'll need to wait for it to cool down first.