Easy Toasted Homemade Granola

Once you’ve made your own homemade toasted granola, you’ll never go back to store-bought!

Once you make your own granola, it’s hard to go back to store-bought. The heavenly smell alone – warm cinnamon, maple syrup and toasted coconut wafting through the kitchen – is worth it! And the fact that it’s ridiculously easy makes it even better – I’m talking 5 minutes’ prep, then 20 minutes in the oven. No weird ingredients, no babysitting the oven, and no burned bits (thanks to a few clever steps I share in the method). It’s cheaper and tastier than store-bought, and totally customisable, which is great if you have people in the household with intolerances or allergies … or who are picky about their granola ingredients.

Finding the “perfect” granola at the supermarket is a minefield! Some family members don’t want raisins, some don’t want seeds, some can’t eat nuts and many commercial granolas are loaded with sugar. I mean, how many ingredient panels can you read in one shopping trip!

I make a big batch of this Easy Toasted Homemade Granola on a Sunday and eat it every way imaginable through the week — on yoghurt with fruit at 9 am as my second breakfast (I’m an early riser!), sprinkled over smoothie bowls, or straight from the jar during my 3 pm energy slump – as you can probably tell, this is a favourite recipe that I make mostly for myself (although my family do also love it).

I’ve included loads of ways you can enjoy this at any time of the day and plenty of suggestions for varying the ingredients. Experiment until you find your own dream combo, but here I’ve shared mine.

The smell of homemade granola toasting in the oven is heavenly! Many of the packaged versions are loaded with sugar and can have other undesirable additives too. So you’ll be pleased to know that making granola at home is actually super simple! I love knowing exactly what ingredients are in my granola, and the best part is that you can customise this recipe by adding your favourite nuts, seeds and dried fruit. Homemade granola also makes a great gift—store it in a cute glass jar decorated with ribbon, and voila!

What are some other ingredients I can add to my granola?

There’s a host of other ingredients you can add to your granola recipe.
Nuts – Try walnuts, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts or cashews.
Dried fruit – Try chopped dried apricots, currants, sultanas (golden raisins), goji berries, dried apple, dried pineapple or tart dried cherries.
Fresh fruit – Any berries, diced melon, sliced banana, nectarines or peaches, sliced apple or pear.
Spices – Pumpkin spice or even a gingerbread mix spice would be great additions.
Citrus zest – For a burst of citrus, grate in a little fresh orange zest.
Festive ingredients – Go all out for festive occasions and add a few choc chips at Easter or mixed spice at Christmas.

What are some serving suggestions?

The obvious way to serve granola is in a bowl with the milk of your choice (almond or oat milk go beautifully with granola), but personally, I love to serve my granola with plain yoghurt and fresh fruit. Use any fruit you like, but a mix of sliced strawberries and whole blueberries works brilliantly. You could also try coconut or vanilla yoghurt instead. Layering up the granola in a decorative glass with alternating layers of berries, plain yoghurt and granola makes breakfast feel like a treat (it’s also a lovely after-school snack). Sprinkle the top with a little cinnamon and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

Can I make this granola vegan or gluten-free?

To make this gluten-free, make sure you use oats that state they are gluten-free (and not processed with other gluten-containing grains). For vegan, serve with dairy-free yoghurt, such as coconut yoghurt, and plant-based milk.

Homemade granola makes a great gift

Customise a perfect granola blend for a friend or family member – maybe they’re crazy for hazelnuts or dried apricots! Pour into a decorative jar, add a cute ribbon and voila! Make a big batch to give out as gifts for the Holiday Season.

Watch how to make Easy Toasted Homemade Granola

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Easy Toasted Homemade Granola

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5 from 4 reviews

Easy Homemade Toasted Granola is so simple to make that you’ll never go back to store-bought. Pack it with your perfect mix of nuts, seeds and fruit – it’s infinitely customisable.

• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 6 serves 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 cups (400 g) rolled (porridge) oats
• ½ cup (125 ml) coconut oil (melted) or olive oil
• ½ cup (125 ml) maple syrup
• 1 tsp natural vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp sea salt flakes
• 1½ cups nuts/seeds of choice (I used a combination of pecans, sunflower seeds and pepitas/pumpkin seeds)
• ½ cup (30 g) shaved coconut flakes
• ½ cup (75 g) dried fruit (I used dried cranberries/”craisins”)
• Plain yoghurt, to serve (optional)
• Strawberries and blueberries, to serve (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan-forced).
2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut oil (or olive oil), maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt.
3. Spread out evenly on a baking tray lined with baking (parchment) paper and bake for 10 minutes.
4. Add the nuts/seeds and coconut to the ingredients on the tray. Stir well to combine. Bake for a further 10 minutes.
5. Stir the dried fruit through. Allow the granola to cool completely (it will deepen in colour as it cools).
6. Serve with yoghurt and fresh fruit, if desired.
7. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.

Equipment

Large Wooden Spoon

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Tongs

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Notes

Make ahead

Make ahead and store in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.

Leftovers

Store in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.

• Author: Nicole
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Granola, breakfast
• Method: bake
• Cuisine: American