Best Homemade Granola

April 28, 2009 by G.

It’s time to say goodbye to wintery bowls of steamy hot oatmeal. The time has arrived for it’s lighter, more playful cousin to take the breakfast stage. For many years now, I’ve thought that granola was a gimmick food. How could something be considered so healthy, and good for you when it’s laden with sugar, additives and preservatives? I’ve tried every brand out there – and still, no love. In fact, I’m usually left with a somewhat unhealthy feeling. Similar to that feeling you get when half a box of Sour Patch Kids are devoured at the cinema, even before the previews are through. Really happy, then really tired. Since breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, I was beginning to feel rather left out.

All of this changed the day I made my first batch of homemade granola. Nutty, hearty, sweet (but not overly sweet), tangy and filled with nutrition. Fully customizable to fit your heart’s desire. Everything comes together in one big bowl. Then laid to bake on one big sheet pan. This recipe could not be easier and the results could not be more amazing. If I ever run my own B&B, this would be part of the breakfast menu. I love buying all the dry ingredients in the bulk section of the market – you can buy as much or as little as you need, plus it’s much more economical and less wasteful (no packaging). Serve with plain yogurt and fresh fruit, or just milk.

best homemade granola

BEST HOMEMADE GRANOLA
Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, yields 7-8 cups

Now that you have a delicious batch of homemade granola, go try out some homemade granola bars!

Music Pairing: Chiquitita, ABBA (come on, just admit it, you know you love ABBA)

Ingredients

4 cups organic rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped or slivered almonds
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
2 tbsp flax seeds
1 cup shredded coconut
3 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup veggie or olive oil (or 1/3 cup applesauce)
1/3 cup good honey
1/3 cup apple juice or apple cider
1 cup dried cranberries, or favorite dried chopped fruit

Method

Heat oven to 350º. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, nuts, flax seeds, coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Whisk the oil, honey, and apple juice in measuring cup.

Pour the liquid mixture over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated. Spread onto a large sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even golden brown, around 30-40 minutes, depending on oven.

Remove granola from the oven and allow to cool completely, stirring occasionally. Add cranberries. Store cooled granola in an airtight container.

47 Responses

on May 25, 2009 at 1:02 pm | Reply Gaby

This is very tasty. I love that it is all natural foods and in the end is much cheaper than processed granola. I only had to cook for 20 minutes or so though, otherwise it got burnt. Maybe it’s my oven. Thanks for the recipe!!
- on May 25, 2009 at 1:19 pm | Reply kissmyspatula
  
  hi gaby – glad you enjoyed it and yes, it’s so much more economical than the packaged stuff (and so much tastier)! hmm, yes, it sounds like your oven is far superior to mine as i usually have to bake it over 45 minutes!
on May 27, 2009 at 10:33 am | Reply Malin

Homemade granola, that looks really tasty! I love granola with honey and nuts, especially with ABBA playing in the background! ;)
on May 28, 2009 at 8:50 pm | Reply oysterculture

Homemade granola is the best, and yours sounds yummy!
on June 1, 2009 at 1:36 pm | Reply More Homemade Granola | madcity girl

[…] granola over the weekend. I found this recipe on a great cooking blog I recently came across—Kiss My Spatula. The author tweaked the recipe from one found in The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. Great recipe. I […]
on June 4, 2009 at 5:46 pm | Reply Cathy - wheresmydamnanswer

I love home made granola and just made a big batch last night – The house always smells so incredible!! Your recipe is wonderful!
on June 7, 2009 at 8:18 am | Reply Weekend Foodie Links : Blisstree - Family, Health, Home and Lifestyles

[…] Homemade Granola from Kiss My […]
on June 12, 2009 at 6:40 am | Reply Renae

Sounds great; I plan to make some soon. Hubby will love it! Is the flaxseed ground or whole?
- on June 12, 2009 at 6:42 am | Reply kissmyspatula
  
  hi renae – the flaxseed is whole and adds an additional layer of nuttiness (and healthiness too)! would love to know how it turns out for you and hope your hubby enjoys it!
on June 12, 2009 at 10:12 am | Reply mon ami

I can’t wait to try this. I have been thinking of making my own granola to go with all the fresh berries that are coming into season.
xo
- on June 12, 2009 at 11:12 pm | Reply kissmyspatula
  
  hello mon ami – it’s my favorite breakfast in the summer…outside in the morning sun, with gorgeous plain yogurt and fresh blueberries. ever since my first batch, there has been no turning back! would love to know how it turns out for you! keep me posted.
on January 10, 2010 at 5:51 pm | Reply Barbara

Oh, my! I can hardly wait for this to come out of the oven. It smells heavenly and the little taste I had before the oven was wonderful. I’ve tweaked and tweaked a couple of recipes, but was never totally happy. I did leave out the coconut as I’m allergic, but added extra oats, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds in its place. I am so glad I found your blog this week!
on February 2, 2010 at 6:40 pm | Reply marla {family fresh cooking}

There is something awesome about “customizing” and making your own granola. The store bought ones are way too sweet for me. This recipe looks great, love all the nuts and coconut!
on February 4, 2010 at 1:54 pm | Reply Stephanie

This is so yummy! I have to put the rest away before the kids and I keep munching on it and it’s gone.

I made a couple of modifications…
I used agave nectar instead of honey (it’s what I had on hand)
I also reduced the cooking temperature to 250 after the first 10 minutes, it was burning around the edges at the higher temp.

I have just recently started changing our foods to whole foods and I can say I don’t think I will ever buy a box of cereal, granola or granola bars (that’s my next project) again!

Thanks so much for sharing your delicious recipe!
- on February 4, 2010 at 1:57 pm | Reply G.
  
  so happy you enjoyed it, stephanie! and kudos to you for changing over to whole foods and not having to rely on processed foods from the store any longer! it’s a great feeling, isn’t it?
on May 5, 2010 at 11:36 am | Reply Drytown Gulch Granola « California 49

[…] inspired by Kiss My Spatula’s recipe […]
on May 15, 2010 at 12:21 pm | Reply alsina

thank u for such a tasty recipe!! i am definitely making this tomorrow for my constant… what should i have for breakfast dilemma! what are some variations on breakfast for this granola besides with cold milk? can u use this recipe to make granola bars too?
- on May 17, 2010 at 11:22 am | Reply G.
  
  Hi Alsina – Yogurt with the granola topped with fresh berries is our household favorite. And yes, you can definitely use this recipe for granola bars (recipe available under ‘homemade pantry’). Enjoy!
on May 22, 2010 at 12:06 pm | Reply designhouse9

I keep finding recipe after recipe to read about here on your blog. I have been looking for one for homemade granola. Glad to find this one to try. I’ve signed up to receive your recipes via email. Now I really need to go clean my house! But I’ll be back. Your site is wonderful!

Kate
on May 29, 2010 at 12:50 pm | Reply marianna

Hello,
In the Best Homemade Granola recipe on your site, I do not see when to add the coconut flakes. Is it with the oats mixture, or after the oat mixture is cooled at the same time one adds the dried fruit?
- on June 1, 2010 at 10:53 am | Reply G.
  
  Hi Marianna – Thanks for catching that! I just updated the recipe to include the coconut with the oats mixture.
on July 13, 2010 at 1:56 pm | Reply Chels

Yum! I made this yesterday as shown with dried cranberries. It just feels healthy and tastes delicious. Thanks for sharing!
on August 3, 2010 at 8:08 am | Reply Lili

Hiya. Thank you sooo much for the recipe, I tried it right away and yes, it´s delicious and the smell in the house made me feel like.. yes, this home, not only a house. :)
I tried it without the sugar because my hubby is a diebetic and I want to be very careful as Im already using honey, and the result was fine, no complaints and I´m due today to make another batch. Do you have any idea what is the caloric content of the granola?
thanks again.
Lili (from Mexico)
on October 9, 2010 at 5:36 pm | Reply Robin

Thanks for the recipe! I made it last week substituting orange juice and maple syrup for the apple juice and honey, and adding a few tbps. or wheat germ to health it up even more! Delicious for breakfast with 2% greek yogurt and fresh fruit! I’m making it again tonight with the original ingredients!
on January 29, 2011 at 11:18 am | Reply Ruby

Hi There,
Thanks for the receipe. Can you confirm how long the granola will keep?
on January 30, 2011 at 7:36 am | Reply G.

Hi Ruby – Our granola keeps in a sealed, airtight large glass mason jar for up to 3 weeks at least, though it never seems to last that long. ;)
on February 2, 2011 at 7:30 am | Reply Gail Weien

Love the recipe. Does anyone know the calorie count? 1/2 cup or 1 cup for breakfast? Thank you.
on March 15, 2011 at 12:16 pm | Reply blueberry granola pancakes | VintageMamaSew's Blog

[…] get a bite (which I’m guessing means they definitely were good). Anyways, we had granola and blueberries and our favorite pancake mix. I simply plopped on some blueberries and sprinkled […]
on April 2, 2011 at 1:13 pm | Reply Kelly

Love this granola recipe – Much healthier than the one I usually make. The granola bars didn’t turn out so well. They’re more like granola mush. That’s not keeping anyone from eating them, but I’m wondering what I did wrong. How long do you keep them in the fridge before cutting?
on April 29, 2011 at 5:58 am | Reply Laura

I used your recipe for granola and it is delicious! I used half to make some granola bars and they tasted great, but don’t hold together very well.

I didn’t use your recipe for the syrup, because I thought it had too much butter. The recipe I used had only a 1/2 stick of butter, 1 cup of honey and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Next time, I’m going to cut the butter even more, use more brown sugar and less honey. I think the honey and butter is too much oil and too much moisture for the bars to hold together.

Changes I made to your granola recipe: (1) ground flax instead of whole seeds; (2) sweetened coconut (it’s what I had); (3) used ginger in place of nutmeg; (4) no added salt, some nuts had salt; (5) used JuicyJuice cherry (apple juice with some cherry juice added) in place of apple juice.

I used pecans, almonds, sesame seeds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, and cashews for the nuts – put them in a baggy and whacked ’em with a meat mallet to break them up. I used raisins and dried figs for the fruit. My husband loved the granola and I’ll definitely be making more!
on June 6, 2011 at 7:49 am | Reply Homemade Granola Recipe

[…] Organic Spark Easy Homemade Granola – The Amateur Gourmet Baked Granola – Technicolor Kitchen Pantry Granola – Kiss my Spatula Grain Free Granola – Elana’s Pantry Great Granola – Three Many […]
on June 28, 2011 at 6:14 am | Reply stacey

This is the best granola recipe ever!!!!!! I use unsweetened coconut and give this away to my friends whenever I can. Great gift for sure. Question, how would I incorporate peanut butter into this recipe or do you have another recipe for peanut butter granola that is equally as healthy? Thanks.
on June 28, 2011 at 9:54 am | Reply G.

Hi Stacey, so happy you enjoyed it! Hmm…I’ve never tried incorporating peanut butter before — maybe subbing the oil with the PB may work? As an alternative, you could try my homemade granola bar recipe (above), which has homemade peanut butter incorporated! Enjoy!
on July 17, 2011 at 11:39 pm | Reply Dana Gavrilescu

Thank you for this yummy, and easy to prepare recipe :) I sasses mine up a bit by adding healthy and wholesome raw pumpkin seeds; made the ‘nut mix’ 1/3 cup hazelnuts, 1/3 cup almonds, and 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds. Had my granola with yogurt and fruit for breakfast and it was mmmm, mmmm, goood!
on August 8, 2011 at 1:11 pm | Reply Ryan Bissoon

so, so good! My mother-in-law came to stay with my partner and I recently and she ate this for breakfast every morning. She didn’t want anything else. I served it to her with sliced bananas, Kefir, and a drizzle of clover honey. I love your blog btw. Your photos are gorgeous and really great recipes.
on September 14, 2011 at 3:46 am | Reply Homemade Granola « Recipes Remembered

[…] Barefoot Contessa Cookbook via For the Love of Cooking and kiss my spatula Share this:TwitterPrint & PDFLike this:LikeBe the first to like this […]
on October 11, 2011 at 6:51 am | Reply Andrea

wow, I love this recipe, I’ll make sure I try it as I love granola, but like you the shop-bought ones always leave me feel unhealthy.
Andrea x
on October 11, 2011 at 12:47 pm | Reply ohshineon

this sounds like a fantastic new granola recipe… i must try it soon! granola is my downfall… my kryptonite. with that being said, i’m not sure if i should hug you or yell at you.

– katie @ http://www.ohshineon.wordpress.com/
on October 12, 2011 at 10:04 am | Reply themonicastoreblog

Great recipe!

I have a granola recipe from my aunt that just involves oats, wheat germ, and heated oil (2Tb) and maple syrup (just 1Tb). And of course you can add nuts and raisins. Although I found out that adding raisins after baking is best, otherwise they dry up more in the oven (ops!).

Also, great photos (and really rich colors!)! I will be back to see more!
on October 23, 2011 at 7:53 am | Reply Selina Foreman

I LOVE this adaptation of The Barefoot Contessa’s granola! Healthier and crunchier! With all the oil in the original, I felt like I could only make at Christmas–now we can have healthier granola whenever we want! Thanks so much.
on January 10, 2012 at 3:22 am | Reply mythineats

Thanks, this recipe is great. The crunchiness is fantastic
on February 18, 2012 at 11:46 am | Reply Clair

On to my second batch! Really lovely recipe, thanks for sharing – oh and the granola bars are fab as well, have made my own PB to put in next time, you have inspired me!!
on March 3, 2012 at 3:32 pm | Reply Emily Smith

There is only one problem with this recipe!
I want to keep eating more than my portion because it is so yummy! Love it. I didn’t put the brown sugar in it, and just used apple sauce and orange juice instead of AJ and worked just perfect :)
I think I will have to store it in portions so I don’t snack at it all day long!
on June 2, 2012 at 4:23 pm | Reply BipolarMomLife

Just tried baking this today and it came out divine!!! Had to make a few minor alterations based on what I had in my pantry, but for the most part I stuck close to your recipe. Love this! Thank you for posting. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
on September 5, 2012 at 9:55 am | Reply Debbie J. Elder

Wow just popped this in the oven made with a few adjustments. Coconut oil, sweetened coconut vs. unsweetened, and a touch of vanilla. Can’t wait for it to finish! Thank you for this fabulous healthy recipe.
on September 29, 2012 at 7:50 pm | Reply Sarah E

YUM! Like a lot of others who have tried this tasty recipe, I had to turn my oven down (to 250) to prevent it from burning. I spread the mixture over 2 trays and stirred frequently (10 mins, 10 mins, 5 mins, 3 mins and 3 mins). I didn’t swap the positions of the pans this time but I will next time as I found the tray on the bottom browned quicker. Thank you for the recipe! I’m adding it to the repertoire!
on January 6, 2013 at 3:13 pm | Reply Lizbeth

Wow. How is it I’ve gotten this far in my life without making hommade granola? I love this recipe. So easy, so healthy and it makes the house smell delish. I used coconut oil because its what I had around. Perfect results.

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