This Homemade Granola Recipe is crunchy, satisfying, delicious, and easy to make ahead for weeks full of good-for-you breakfasts. It makes a perfectly crisp and crunchy topping for Greek yogurt, parfaits, and fruit, and it’s easy to make it your own once you master the basic recipe.

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Granola Video Tutorial
We always have granola on hand for breakfast at our house, and it’s such a staple for us that I included it in my New York Times Best Selling Cookbook. I know you’ll love this granola recipe as well since it is easy to make and starts your morning off with a healthy boost of energy without refined sugar.
Best Homemade Granola Recipe
This granola recipe is satisfying and filling, giving us the energy to get going in the morning. While we love a once-in-a-while hardy breakfast of French Toast, Baked Bacon, Scrambled Eggs, and Breakfast Potatoes–the works—we need an energy-boosting nutritious option for everyday breakfast.
This is one of our favorite healthy breakfast options, along with Green Smoothies, Poached Eggs, and fresh fruit, because it has less heaviness, lower fat, and no refined sugars, but it is still crave-worthy. Make a batch at the beginning of the week for a go-to meal that is ready each morning.
Once you make the basic granola recipe, I’ve included suggestions for substituting and adding your favorite flavors to make this granola your family’s favorite breakfast option. You’ll love it. Your spouse will love it. Your kids will love it. You have to try this recipe!

Ingredients for Homemade Granola
You only need a few pantry staples to make my homemade granola recipe. It tastes so much better than anything store-bought, and we don’t use refined sugars, additives, or cheap fillers, so you can feel good about what you’re eating.
- Oats – you can use classic rolled oats, old-fashioned oats, thick-cut rolled oats, or instant rolled oats. I tested this with sprouted oats as well but it resulted in a softer and chewier granola. For gluten-free granola, be sure to buy certified GF oats.
- Almonds – shaved or slivered almonds create the best crunch
- Unsweetened coconut flakes – add a natural sweetness and crunch.
- Coconut Oil – This is my favorite type of oil to use for homemade granola since it adds good flavor and can stand up to baking. See substitutions below.
- Honey and maple syrup – natural sweeteners give the granola the perfect amount of sweetness.
- Salt – Salt intensifies flavors and melds the sweet and the savory to make a complete flavor profile.

Variations
Once you’ve mastered the basic granola recipe, try some of these variations to make the mixture your own:
- Sweets – add chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, colorful sprinkles, or white chocolate chips after the granola has cooked and cooled, so you don’t melt the chocolate.
- Nuts – swap the almonds with chopped pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios, peanuts, or cashews
- Seeds – Add seeds, like pepitas (like our Pumpkin Flax Granola) or sunflower seeds
- Oil – replace the coconut oil with neutral flavored extra light olive oil or avocado oil
- Spice – the options are endless here! try pumpkin pie spice for the fall, or replace the cinnamon with cardamom or ginger.
- Dried fruit – add your favorite dried fruit after cooking, since the dried fruit will bubble, melt, and burn in the oven. Try raisins, dried figs, apricots, cherries, or cranberries.
How to Make Homemade Granola
This homemade granola recipe is our go-to since it has all the best flavors and just enough sweetness. It’s as simple as mixing and baking.
- Switch on the oven to 325°F and line an 18×13” baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix oats, almonds, and coconut flakes in a large bowl.
- Microwave oil and honey in a separate cup for 15 seconds or until the coconut oil has melted. Then stir in the maple syrup and the salt. Stir until well combined.
- Pour the warm coconut oil mixture over the large bowl of the oat mixture and mix until evenly coated, then spread the mixture evenly on the baking sheet, and then bake for 18-20 minutes. Be sure to stir halfway through for even toasting, and remove when the granola looks golden and toasted.

- Cool the granola completely on the pan before touching it. Once cooled, use your hands to break it up into pieces as big or as little as you prefer.

Pro Tip:
Homemade granola makes a great neighborly or teacher gift! Package it in an airtight container, like a zip-top bag or mason jar, and a ribbon. Voila! A sweet, homemade gift!
How to Serve Homemade Granola
Granola is surprisingly versatile and can keep breakfast exciting. Here are a few ways my family enjoys granola for breakfast:
- Layered into a Parfait (see our BONUS recipe below!)
- With milk as a cereal
- Topping a Smoothie Bowl
- Added to peanut butter toast with a bit of honey
- Served over baked fruit like in our Baked Pears or Baked Apples
- Over Ice cream
- Topping a bowl of Sauteed Cinnamon Apples

How to Make a Yogurt Granola Parfait
A parfait is by far our favorite way to enjoy homemade granola. This is from Natasha’s Kitchen Cookbook. Here’s what you need to make one parfait:
- Greek yogurt
- 1/2 Tbsp chia seeds, optional
- 1 teaspoon honey (or added to taste)
- 1/4 cup granola
- 1/2 cup fresh berries
- Add Greek yogurt to a mason jar, fancy glass container, or simply a bowl. Sprinkle the chia seeds on top, followed by a drizzle of the honey, and then stir the mixture together. For a bit more sweetness, add another drizzle of honey.
- Top the mixture with granola and berries.

It’s so easy to enjoy homemade granola any day of the week with this simple granola recipe. You’ll love how fresh it tastes and how easy it is to make. Treat yourself to a breakfast you won’t mind waking up for.
Make-Ahead
Homemade granola keeps well at room temperature or in the freezer for longer storage.
- Room Temperature – store in an airtight container or jar for up to 4 weeks
- To Freeze Granola – store in a freezer-safe zip-top bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can eat it right out of the freezer or wait a few minutes to thaw.
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
This homemade granola recipe is the perfect way to start a busy morning without taking nearly any time. If you’re looking for easy or make-ahead breakfast recipes for busy weekday mornings, start here:
- Breakfast Burritos
- Perfect Omelette
- Buttermilk Pancakes
- Zucchini Muffins
- Hashbrowns
- Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches
- Breakfast Egg Muffins
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Homemade Granola Recipe

Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats or old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup shaved or slivered almonds
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup real maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Use parchment paper to line an 18×13” rimmed baking sheet, and preheat oven to 325°F.
- Add oats, almonds, and coconut flakes to a large bowl, mix, and set aside.
- Combine coconut oil and honey in a microwaveable dish or measuring cup. Microwave for 15-30 seconds to melt the oil. Then add the maple syrup and salt to the measuring cup, stirring to combine the ingredients. You can microwave for an additional 15 seconds to better combine the ingredients if desired.
- Drizzle the warm oil mixture over the dry oat mixture using a rubber spatula to combine. Once all is coated evenly, spread the granola mixture on the reserved baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking, until just golden.
- Cool the granola completely before carefully breaking it apart with your hands. Store granola in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks, or freeze for 3 months.
Notes
How to Make a Granola Parfait:
- 3/4 cup plain Greek Yogurt, or yogurt of choice
- 1/2 Tbsp chia seeds, optional
- 1 tsp honey, or to taste
- 1/4 cup granola
- 1/2 cup fresh berries
- Spoon Greek yogurt into a 16-oz mason jar, glass container, or medium bowl, and then sprinkle the chia seeds and drizzle. Stir the mixture and drizzle more honey, if desired.
- Add homemade granola and fresh berries over the yogurt mixture. Enjoy!
Hello Natasha
I’ve been making some of your delicious recipes for a while now. I want to tell you that m’y husband love your wonderful granolas. Je asked me to make more…never like granola that much since yours!!!😍👍 So happy for this recipes. Thank’s for Sharing. From Quebec
Due to allergies to honey can you just double maple syrup instead?
Hello Melanie! Yes, that should also work. Aple syrup will surely add a lovely flavor to it.
Love this easy granola! So good over yogurt.
Have been making granola for years but this recipe is elite…the higher cooking temp, and lower amount of oil makes the granola perfect. Going to dog-ear this recipe for sure!
What’s the higher temp and how much oil do you use? 😊 thank your
This granola is so addicting I’ve been making it every week for a month I have all the measurements memorized 😆
That’s awesome! So happy you’re enjoying the recipe.
Love this recipe. I did add cinnamon to the wet mixture before I mixed everything. I can see how it would be also great to add different nuts. Thank you for sharing.
What can I substitute for coconut oil? I am also allergic to soy.
Hi Jerri! See my note above under variations.
Can you substitute pure maple syrup for the honey. I’m making it for someone who has allergies.
I think that will work. It has a slightly different flavor but it would work instead of honey. Hope you enjoy it!
Can you make the granola without using honey & just substitute more pure maple syrup instead? Also can you use canola oil? I’m making it for a friend but has some allergies. Do you know about how much cinnamon would you use for a little spice. I love making your recipes. Thank you for your help.
I imagine that would be fine. You can start with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and adjust it from there/
Hi Natasha! This recipe sounds amazing and I want to make it tonight but I don’t have fine sea salt, just regular sea salt. Can I use that if I grind it a bit?
Hi Letty! That would be fine, just add it to taste.