My first breakfast of the new year is this basic homemade granola over unsweetened dairy-free yogurt with fresh fruit. I was craving some nourishing energy to help me plan for the month ahead, because big things are happening. For starters, my new cookbook Eat Dairy Free is officially launching next week, and I have a bunch of helpful support info to share with you this week. Also, I’m returning as the Food Editor for Allergic Living magazine, and my duties are about to kick into high gear.
I think everyone needs a basic homemade granola recipe.
It’s so incredibly easy to make, and kicks the pants off store-bought granola. And it’s worth noting that many brands of granola do contain dairy. Some include milk powder, whey powder, butter, or other dairy-based ingredients.
This recipe is naturally dairy-free, and can be gluten-free, nut-free, vegan, and allergy-friendly, if you please.
Plus, you can customize this homemade granola with whatever add-ins your craving, or have on hand.
But if you’re adding dried fruit or chocolate chips, toss it in just as the granola comes out of the oven.
Special Diet Notes: Basic Homemade Granola
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, optionally nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, optionally vegan, vegetarian, and optionally top food allergy-friendly.
- 4 cups rolled oats (certified gluten free, if needed)
- 1½ cups sliced almonds (sub sunflower or pumpkin seeds for nut free)
- ½ cup packed brown sugar or coconut sugar (for less sweet)
- ¼ cup oil (melted if using coconut oil)
- ¼ cup honey (sub agave nectar or maple syrup for strictly vegan)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Preheat your oven to 300ºF and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Put the oats, almonds, and sugar in a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Put the oil, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl, and whisk to combine.
- Pour the wet mixture over the oat mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.
- Spread the granola in a single layer on your prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes and stir. Bake for 15 more minutes, and stir. Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden.
- Let cool completely. It will crisp up as it cools.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze to enjoy later.
Key Pantry Supplies: Basic Homemade Granola
Munchies for Granola Lovers
Addictive Chocolate Granola Clusters (vegan, gluten-free & allergy-friendly)
Granola Cookies (vegan, gluten-free & allergy-friendly)
Chocolate Chip Soft-Baked Granola Bars (optionally vegan, gluten-free & allergy-friendly)
15 Comments
Baking it now! And have a question!
When your adding dried fruit at the end what ratio is best for this recipe?
I would personally add about 1/2 cup, see how it looks, and then add more if desired. It’s really personal preference on how much you fruitiness you want in there!
Great ty! That’s actually the guess I went for!
I really enjoyed the flavor of this recipe, ty! Have you played around with texture at all? Meaning making it more like clusters? I assume you’d need to add more of the liquid ingredients? Would you have suggestions with that?
I haven’t made this recipe as clusters, but there are a few things you can try. One – when you spread it on a baking sheet, use your hands to make the granola more like clusters. Do not stir when baking. Two – use more liquid sweetener than dry (you can swap the two or add more), Three – use a mix of quick oats and whole oats – the quick oats can help it cluster more. Four – you can add a little nut or seed butter – this is good if you don’t want to add more sweetener, too. I’d definitely do the first option, and then try any of the other options that you like.
Thank you for all those options!? Appreciate you taking the time to give me multiple ways to try to achieve the clusters! I’m excited to experiment when I’m done eating this batch 1st which did turn out delicious! Ty again!! ❤️
Happy to help!
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YUM!!! So many options. I can’t pick!
What oil do you use instead of coconut oil? I literally just used the last of our store bought and told my husband I’m making the next batch!
I use grapeseed or rice bran oil a lot for baking, but your favorite baking oil should work well 🙂
So obsessed with homemade granola! We eat granola almost every day. I haven’t made it in awhile (we’ve been buying it from the store), so I’d love to start making it again!
I hear you, it’s one of those things that’s so easy to buy at the store! I waffle back and forth – once I remember how easy it is to make at home, then I go on a homemade kick like this one 🙂
Love this simple recipe! Homemade granola is so much tastier and healthier than storebought!
Right? Even though it’s baked, it somehow has a “fresher” quality.
This looks so delish, I love eating granola at breakfast so I’ll be eating this very soon 🙂