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The Only Basic Granola Recipe You Need

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There is only one basic granola recipe you need to remember. Master this and you can mix and match your favourite ingredients for countless homemade granola possibilities!

(A fan of grab-and-go breakfast that’s also good for you? You’d love these Healthy Superfood Breakfast Cookies!)

The Only Basic Granola Recipe You Need

When I learned how to bake, I realized that I can make at home a lot of the stuff we purchase at the store. And that homemade is way better tasting than ready-made.

For example, we don’t buy these things anymore; I just make them!

I’m adding granola to that list. We haven’t bought granola (or cereal!) in a very long time.

And what’s great is that this is almost a non-recipe. It’s a simple basic formula that is fully customizable so that you can make perfect granola each time.

One basic granola recipe you need to remember

The Only Basic Granola Recipe You Need

The magic formula is this: 1 cup wet ingredients to 6 cups dry ingredients. That’s it!

There’s this great video on Epicurious where they explain that it doesn’t even have to be actual measuring cups. It can be a bowl, a coffee mug, whatever. Just whatever you use, the magic number is 1:6.

Related: How to Make No-Churn Ice Cream

What to use to sweeten granola

To sweeten my granola, I usually stick with honey or agave syrup though a lot of times I put peanut butter too (I am so tempted to put Nutella or cookie butter – maybe someday I will!).

I know a lot of you are into almond butter and I’m sure that will work too.

Related: Soft and Chewy Cookie Butter Blondies

Do you put oil in granola?

In case you’re wondering if you need to add oil to your homemade granola, the answer is yes. Otherwise, you would end up with a very dry batch.

I always put olive oil. Tastes great too.

Homemade granola: tips for success

The Only Basic Granola Recipe You Need

I’ve tried and tested this basic granola recipe countless times with different ingredients. And while I encourage you to go crazy and creative, here are my guidelines for a fantastic batch of granola every time:

  • Use rolled oats – not quick-cooking oats – as your base. Quick-cooking oats would brown quicker than the rest of your ingredients. We don’t want burnt granola, yes?
  • Don’t use less than 3 cups of rolled oats. I tried more and less and 3 was the magic number for me.
  • If you’re using dried fruit (and you should!) like cranberries, blueberries or fig, don’t bake them. Add them after you remove the baking sheet from the oven while the granola is still warm. Otherwise, they would turn really tough and hard.
  • If you’re using chocolate chips (and again, highly recommended!), add them once the granola is cool. If you add them when the granola is still warm they will melt and disappear (unless melted chocolate is the goal? Then go for it!)
  • Add an egg white. I tried batches without (there are times when I don’t have extra and I didn’t want to waste an egg yolk) and while it did not affect the taste, the granola turned out less crispy, looser and just overall less shiny.
  • Remember to spice things up! I usually just add salt, sometimes cinnamon. But you can put cardamom, nutmeg, whatever you think would complement the rest of your ingredients.

Various granola flavours

The Only Basic Granola Recipe You Need

I love granola experiments (the recipe I share here is just one of the combinations I use). You put in your favourite things so what comes out is your favourite granola. We sprinkle it over yogurt, drench it in milk, snack on it like popcorn.

So go and experiment! Find what your favourite granola combo is and never buy ready-made granola again.

Related: The Ultimate List of Breakfast Ideas

Easy and delicious overnight oats recipes

If you’re looking for other quick and easy breakfast recipes that you can make ahead, check out these overnight oats. Make the night before, grab-and-go the next morning!

Related: How to Take Delicious Food Photos

Basic Granola Recipe

Basic Granola Recipe

One basic granola recipe, countless delicious granola possibilities! This is the only granola recipe you will ever need.
5 from 19 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: North American
Keyword: 1-Bowl Recipe, Easy, Healthy, No-Fail Recipe
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hr
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 341kcal
Author: Jolina

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • egg whites from 1 large egg
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • peanut butter to round off your 1 cup see notes

Dry Ingredients:

  • 3 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup almonds
  • 3/4 cup walnuts I don't bother to chop the nuts
  • cinnamon to taste (see notes)
  • salt to taste
  • 1/4 cup chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberry
  • 1/4 cup dried apricot chopped
  • 1/4 cup dried fig chopped
  • 1/4 cup chocolate chips
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 300F. Prep a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk all your wet ingredients together. Add your rolled oats and nuts and stir until everything is evenly coated. Add seasoning and give the mixture a final stir.
  • Transfer and spread evenly on your baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then stir to ensure everything is baking evenly. Bake for another 15 minutes and stir again. Finally bake for another 10-15 minutes until crisp and golden brown.
  • Take out of the oven and add the rest of your ingredients. Stir and allow to cool completely before adding your chocolate chips, if using. Transfer to an airtight container.

Video

Notes

  • When measuring your wet ingredients, you don't even have to be exact. Sometimes I just take a measuring cup, put my wet ingredients in and stop when I reach 1 cup.
  • Because the recipe doesn't have to be exact, I did not provide weight equivalents for the ingredients.
  • Seasoning doesn't count as part of your dry ingredients.
  • Like I mentioned in the post, this is just one of the many variations you can make. Go and experiment with your favourite ingredients.
Tried this recipe?Tag @iamtheunlikelybaker or use hashtag #iamtheunlikelybaker!

(Recipe adapted from Epicurious)

Happy baking!

Did you take this basic granola recipe for a test run? Tell me about it in the comments section below. I’d love to hear all about it. What’s your favourite combination?

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(This post was updated on 30 November 2018.)

Reader Interactions

Comments


  1. There is so much good information in this post! I can’t wait to make some granola now. I was really surprised to see egg white but it makes sense both as a binder and to give the granola some shine!

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  2. We love homemade granola. It is superior to the store bought garbage. And as often as we’ve made granola, I’ve never made it with olive oil or used an egg white. I am completely fascinated by what our granola would turn out with using both. We usually use coconut oil but olive oil is easy enough for us — we always have olive oil on hand. I’ll be picking up some supplies to make this.

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  3. I love granola for breakfast and it makes a great snack. Your basic recipe looks very easy to follow! Thanks!

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  4. This is like the best of everything. I love granola and you have just the right mix of nuts, fruits and flavors. Love how easy this is too.

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  6. This is possibly the most thorough granola recipe I have ever seen! I love all your tips as I make granola a lot and did not know alot of those things, like the egg whites for instance. Great post!

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  7. Homemade granola is the BEST. You can make it just the way YOU like it. A great way to use stuff up in the cupboard. I love giving this as a “food gift” too. Always welcomed!!

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  10. I’ve never actually tried to make granola, but i really like eating it you you gave us such an useful information, i have to try it make it 😀

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    • Nice! Making homemade granola might just change your life lol! Hope you have great success the recipe, would love to hear how it goes.

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  17. These are all great tips to make a basic granola recipe. I hope to try to make this for sure sometime as it sounds super delicious!

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  18. I haven’t made any granola at home, but we buy it a lot, as my husband and daughter are huge fans of granola. I’ll have to try out your recipe for sure – to keep our granola healthy and save some money too!

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    • Hi Ave! You can make it a family activity too. Or make a specific granola for each person of the family! You’ll have lots of fun 🙂

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  21. Thanks a lot for these tips! I love how you encourage your reader to go crazy and creative. Finding our own styleof cooking and our own taste is the best way to explore food.

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    • You are most welcome Rose! I think we should all be crazy and creative haha! And I absolutely agree: that is the best way to explore food and different cuisines 🙂

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    • Hi Megan! This recipe is for loose granola actually, I haven’t quite perfected making them into bars haha. Soon on the blog, perhaps. It’s still pretty awesome!

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  24. I love learning new recipes especially the ones that we enjoy as a family. It’s more affordable when you choose to do things at home. I love making my own granola as well! This is a pretty awesome recipe!

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  25. I haven’t made granola in years. It’s also important to keep it in an airtight container (learned that the hard way). I bet my kids would like some.

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  27. Sounds like something I will like to try out by myself, delicious by looks and am hoping its same by taste. Hahaha, greatnfun read.

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  29. Great recipes! The pictures are delightful too. Granola bars in France suck so hard. I will have to try your recipe ASAP.

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  31. this makes the perfect breakfast for me. i love eating granola. Till date i have eaten it only from outside but i would love to make my own by adding my own little touch to it.

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    • Once you’ve made your first batch you’ll want to try more! That’s what happened to me…I can’t wait to try different versions haha. Thank Subhadrika!

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    • Hi Nicole! These are actually loose granola…I haven’t figured out how to make them stick together as bars yet lol. If you do let me know 🙂

      Reply

  34. I can’t wait to make your basic recipe and see what all I can use it in. I’ve become such a huge fan of granola this past year.

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  37. This sounds like a great granola recipe! We actually have BAGS of rolled oats right now, so I think I’ll put one to good use.

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    • Thanks Liz! Rolled oats are bigger too so you get a “meatier” granola. I’m excited for all the different kinds of granola in your future! 🙂

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  42. This looks scrumptious. One question–can you use coconut oil rather than olive oil? Or will it get clumpy once it gets back to room temperature?

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    • Hi Susan! I haven’t tried it but I think you absolutely can. I use olive oil mostly because it’s what we have but I think any oil would do and coconut is definitely healthy. If your coconut oil is the creamy kind you’d need to warm it up first to make it spreadable. Would love to hear how your granola experiment goes.

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    • That’s the beauty of homemade! You can make a totally nut-free version 🙂 and yes this it can’t get more straightforward than this.

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  44. Oh, I love this! I totally agree that homemade is better than store bought. So true and I love how you can control the quantities and know exactly every single ingredient that goes into what you are making. Great ratio tip. Definitely keep that in mind!

    I’m totally with ya with chocolate in granola and I do think that Nutella would be a delicious ingredient in there. Nutella makes everything better, lol 😀 Pinning this one and would love to try this weekend!

    Reply

    • Thanks for the pin Dawn! And yes on the Nutella! The only thing that’s stopping me is I’m not sure if Nutella is classified as healthy so that might defeat my healthy granola lol but what the heck I’ll do it anyway one of these days! Hope you have much success with the magic ratio!

      Reply

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