How to Make Easy and Delicious Homemade Granola

I love a delicious, crunchy, sweet and slightly salty granola! It is a solid snack on its own yet pairs perfectly with smooth homemade yogurt! You will absolutely love how customizable this homemade granola recipe is!

Base:

The base of any good granola is good quality oats. You have the option to use rolled oats or steel-cut oats. You can even chose to do a mix of the two.They both give a different texture to the granola. I typically use rolled oats since that is what my family prefers. 

Oils:

Next, you will need an oil. I love using coconut oil in my recipe, but you can use any healthy oil. Both olive oil and avocado oils are great options as well. You can also use melted butter instead if oil isn’t your jam. 

Now, I will say that I am not the biggest fan of the taste of coconut and use a small 1/4 cup of coconut oil in this recipe. I do not think the end result has a really strong coconut flavor. But feel free to add more if your heart desires.

Sweeteners:

Every batch delicious granola is sweetened to perfection, and this is no exception! I love using honey for this recipe. However, pure maple syrup is a really good option and I have used it many times! You can also use brown sugar that will give the granola a deep and slightly molasses-y taste. 

Additives:

Okay, now we are getting to the fun part: all of the additives! The possibilities are literally endless! You can add dried fruit like shredded coconut, cherries, apricots, cranberries, strawberries and blueberries. You can add nuts such as peanuts, almonds, walnuts and pistachios. You can even add sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, depending on the season. You can add spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and  pumpkin pie spice if you wanted to make a delicious fall granola! You can even add chocolate chips! Pro tip: add the chocolate chips after the granola has baked and cooled down so that the chocolate chips do not melt. 

Best ways to enjoy:

This granola shines all on its own. You can enjoy this in a bowl with some milk, eating it as cereal. We mostly use granola to top homemade yogurt with. But I think my favorite way to eat homemade granola is on top of some really good vanilla ice cream! Oh, does this make a delicious treat!

So let’s get to baking! 

First step is to gather all of the ingredients. Add all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and give it a quick stir. Next, add in the oil, sweetener and spices. Give everything a good mix. Lastly, add in any nuts and dried fruit and give the whole thing one last good stir.

Taking a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment or a silicon mat, pour the granola on and make sure it is slightly spread out. If you want crunchier granola, gently press down on the mixture using the back of a spatula. The oats need to touch and stick together to make nice crunchy clumps, but not so crowed that they do not toast all the way through. Make sure to get the mixture a quick stir half way through the baking process to make sure everything toast up evenly. 

Once the granola comes out of the oven, allow to cool completely before breaking it apart. Allowing the granola to cool completely helps create a nice crunchy end products! If adding chocolate chips, break up granola and add in the chips, giving everything one final mix!