This homemade granola gives you more crunch and flavor than you will ever get with store-bought bags. I love making granola at home because you can control the sweetness.

You don’t have to worry that the recipe is complicated; this recipe uses a simple base of rolled oats, nuts, seeds, oil, and maple syrup (or honey), then bakes until golden and toasty.

The method is simple and reliable for beginners and seasoned bakers alike. Mix your ingredients, spread the mixture in an even layer, and bake. Stir in dried cranberries while it’s still warm, then let it cool completely on the tray so it turns crisp.

In this post, I’ll show you how to get the texture you want; loose crunch or bigger clusters, easy flavor variations, and the best way to store it so it stays crunchy for weeks.

How to make the the Best Granola

4 cups (360g) Rolled oats ( use these for the best crunch and structure )
1/2 cup (65g) Pecans
1/2 cup (55g) Slivered almonds
1/2 cup (65g) Sunflower seeds
1/2 cup (120ml) Olive oil
1/2 cup (170g) Honey/maple syrup/agave ( binds ingredients for beautiful clusters)
1/2 cup (65g) Dried cranberries
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

1) Preheat the oven and prep your pan

Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Line a large baking pan with parchment paper.
Use two pans if the layer looks thick, spread the mixture out as thinly as possible as thinner layers crisp better.

2) Mix the dry ingredients first

In a large bowl, mix together:

Rolled oats
Chopped nuts ( pecans and almonds)
Sunflower seeds
Salt, cinnamon if using

Keep dried fruit out for now. We will add this later as we don’t want it to burn.

3) Add the wet ingredients and coat everything well

Pour in oil and maple syrup (or honey, or agave).
Stir until every oat looks lightly glossy and coated.
Make sure there are no dry pockets as this tend to burn faster,

4) Spread, bake, stir, repeat

Spread the granola in an even layer on baking sheet, you want it think as possible for better crisp.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes total.
Stir every 8 to 10 minutes for even browning.
With each stir, pull the darker bits from the edges of the baking sheet toward the center.
Watch the last 5 minutes closely. Granola can jump from golden to bitter fast real fast.

5) Add dried fruit after baking

Once you pull the granola from the oven, stir in dried cranberries while the granola is warm.
We add the dried fruit after baking to avoid burning and also over-baking dried foods makes them tough.

6) Cool completely, then break it up

Leave granola on the pan until fully cool, it will crisps as it cools.
Depending on your preference you can break the granola into clusters, or keep it loose.

How to get the texture you want with homemade granola

1. Classic crunchy granola (even toast, less clumpy)

I call this the “scoopable” granola , perfect for morning yogurt bowls and cereal.

To achieve this texture always spread granola in a thin, even layer.
Stir every 8 to 10 minutes for to make sure granola browns evenly.
Pull it from the oven when it is golden and smells nutty NOT dark brown.
Cool completely on the baking sheet before storing, this is when it turns crisp.

2. Big clusters (chunky granola that breaks into clumps)

If you love granola clusters,

Start by pressing the granola firmly into the pan before baking.
Stir less often but be sure to stir gently in larger sections so as not to break up the granola.
Allow it the granola to fully cool, then break into chunks.

3. Extra crisp granola, not greasy

Make sure to measure you oil, do not eyeball it, too much oil can make granola heavy.
Spread a thin layer of granola on the baking sheet, thickener layers will only steam and soften.
Cool the granola completely before transferring to a container.

4. Softer granola

This texture is best for those who do not like hard crunch.
To achieve this, bake the granola a few minutes less than you would with regular.
Stir a little more often to avoid dark toasting.
Once cooled, store in an airtight jar so it does not dry out further.

The Best Granola Recipe

This homemade granola gives you more crunch and flavor than you will ever get with store-bought bags. I love making granola at home because you can control the sweetness. The method is simple and reliable for beginners and seasoned bakers alike. Mix your ingredients, spread the mixture in an even layer, and bake. Stir in dried cranberries while it’s still warm, then let it cool completely on the tray so it turns crisp.

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Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

4 cups (360g) Rolled oats
½ cup (65g) Pecans
½ cup (55g) Slivered almonds
½ cup (65g) Sunflower seeds
½ cup (120ml) Olive oil
½ cup 170g) Honey/maple syrup/agave
½ cup (65g) Dried cranberries
½ tsp Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon

Method

Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Line a large baking pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together: Rolled oats, chopped nuts ( pecans and almonds), sunflower seeds, salt, and cinnamon if using
To the dry ingredients, pour in oil and maple syrup (or honey, or agave).
Stir until every oat looks lightly glossy and coated with no dry pockets
Spread the granola in an even layer on baking sheet, you want it think as possible for better crisp. Use 2 sheets if not one is not enough
Bake 25 to 30 minutes total.
Stir every 8 to 10 minutes for even browning.
With each stir, pull the darker bits from the edges of the baking sheet toward the center.
Watch the last 5 minutes closely. Granola can jump from golden to bitter fast real fast.
Once you pull the granola from the oven, stir in dried cranberries while the granola is warm.
Leave granola on the pan until fully cool, it will crisps as it cools.
Break the granola into clusters, or keep it loose
Serve and enjoy

Flavor variations (easy swaps you can make at home)

Use the same base to make your homemade granola. Swap 1 to 2 ingredients at a time so you can taste what changed. As my family go through granola in weeks, I make sure to taste atleast 2 variations each month to see what I love and what i don’t.

With easy to burn ingredients like dried fruit and chocolate chips, keep them for after baking unless you want them extra dry.

1. Cozy classics

Maple pecan vanilla
Add vanilla to the wet ingredients. Use pecans plus sliced almonds for a bakery style crunch.
Cinnamon raisin
Add extra cinnamon, then stir in raisins after baking.
Honey almond
Use honey as the sweetener, keep nuts mostly almonds for a clean, lightly sweet flavor. (

2. Seasonal spins

Pumpkin spice
Add cinnamon plus ginger and a pinch of cloves, then stir in dried apples after baking. Perfect for fall and autumn season when pumpkin craving hits.
Gingerbread style
Use warm spices, and swap part of the sweetener with molasses for a deeper flavor. I love this as part of my Christmas recipes.
Cranberry orange
Add orange zest after baking, stir in cranberries while warm.

3. Fun mix ins (great for snack jars for kids)

Chocolate chip almond
Stir in chocolate chips after the granola is fully cool so they stay distinct.
Peanut butter crunch
Drizzle warm peanut butter over cooled granola, then toss lightly for clusters.
Tropical crunch
Add coconut flakes near the end of baking (the last minute of baking), remember the granola is still cooking even after you remove it from oven so the coconut flakes will brown perfectly with the leftover heat. Add IN dried pineapple after baking.

4. Nut free option

Want to go nut free? Easy just swap the nuts for more seeds (pumpkin and sunflower work well).
Add shredded coconut for richness.