Do you like your Granola loose or clumpy? Either way, you’ll love this – the ultimate healthy Homemade Granola guide! Mix and match, build your own granola by using the ingredients you like and have on hand.
I’m going to be honest with you – I didn’t start making making granola because it’s healthier than store bought. I started because it’s cheaper and and I can control how sweet it is (store bought is so sweet!!!). Then it evolved into a bit of a game, trying to come up with cute flavour combinations. Berry Burst, Apple Pie, Apricot Sunrise, Blueberry Pie, Apple Crumble, Peach ‘n Cream, Maple Crunch, Oatmeal Raisin Cookie.
You get the picture. Basically, desserts in breakfast form!
I make Homemade Granola – or Muesli as some Aussies know it – using a formula. I could talk you through it, but it’s much easier just to show you. ↓↓↓
This is actually a recipe that I posted yonks and yonks ago, but it’s been tweaked and improved, and plus it seems that back in those days I wasn’t much of a talker because the post had zero chatter in it.
The two main changes made to the recipe are to stir the dried fruit in at the end for the loose granola (because some bits can border on burning) and adding a way to make CLUMPY granola without adding loads and loads of honey / sugar / butter simply by stirring through egg whites. Egg is the ultimate food glue, for everything from cakes to cookies, omelettes to meatballs. And it holds true for granola. 🙂
So the same base “formula” applies to both types of granola, except the steps and cooking method are a little different.
Loose granola is as simple as it gets: Combine Dry ingredients, combine Wet ingredients, combine Wet & Dry, spread on tray, bake, add fruit at end.
Simple, yes?
As for clumpy granola, the order of the steps is a little different. The fruit has to be added in at the beginning because you can’t stir it in at the end. Egg white is added to bind the granola together to form clusters, it’s baked at a lower temperature (which helps to ensure the fruit doesn’t burn) then left to cool in the turned off oven which allows it to finish crisping and for the clusters to set..
Ahh, and the one little strange thing I do because you can’t stir the granola as it bakes (because otherwise you’ll break up the clusters!!) is to spread the granola on the tray with a hole in the middle because even when I’m using a fan forced/convection oven, I can never get the middle to go golden and crispy without the edges burning. 🙂
Looks weird I know. But trust me, it makes all the difference!!
And see? Look how it clusters up!
And have you ever thought about gifting granola?? Thoughtful, GREAT VALUE and totally customisable gift!!
OK, so I have to confess I have never ever gifted Granola before. It’s now officially on my list for Christmas gifts this year….
Homemade Granola has gotten all trendy in the past few years, and you’d have to search hard to find a bistro without granola on the weekend brunch menu. And they charge a small fortune for it too.
And that, my friends, is the beauty of this Homemade Granola “formula” – it’s so cheap to make using leftover bits and bobs. Dig into that pantry of yours and scratch together whatever nuts, seeds and dried fruit you can find. Get creative with the spices, go wild with flavourings!
And share your Granola flavouring ideas in the comments below to inspire other readers! I have some suggestions in the notes of the recipe – but I bet you can come up with better ones! – Nagi x
This is the ultimate build-your-own HEALTHY homemade granola recipe! Choose your own nuts, seeds, dried fruit, sweetener and flavouring. Recipe VIDEO below.
- 4 cups / 360 g rolled oats (not steel cut or quick cooking)
- 1 cup coconut flakes (or more nuts or oats)
- 1 cup raw nuts (eg. sliced almonds, chopped pecans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds)
- 1/2 cup dried fruit (eg. chopped apricots, apple, pineapple, raisins)
- 1 tbsp your favourite spice (eg. cinnamon, pumpkin spice, gingerbread mix)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/3 cup sweetener (eg. honey, maple syrup, agave, see note 2 for Brown Sugar)
- 1/3 cup fat (eg. melted butter, canola oil or coconut oil)
- 1 1/2 tsp flavouring (eg. vanilla, almond essence, orange blossom)
- 2 egg whites
-
Preheat oven to 150C/300F.
-
Combine Dry ingredients, excluding dried fruit.
-
Combine Wet ingredients.
-
Combine Wet and Dry ingredients. Do a taste test. Adjust to taste - more sweet, more fat etc.
-
Spread on baking tray and bake until golden, approximately 35 - 40 minutes, tossing twice.
-
Stir through dried fruit. Cool. Store in an airtight container.
-
Preheat oven to 140C/280F. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
-
Combine Wet excluding egg whites.
-
Combine Dry including dried fruit.
-
Whisk egg whites with fork until foamy.
-
Mix Wet and Dry in a large bowl, then mix through egg whites.
-
Spread granola on the tray, making a hole in the centre, like a doughnut (see photo in post).
-
Bake for 45 minutes - DO NOT STIR - until golden. Check at 35 minutes.
-
Then turn the oven off, leave the granola in the oven, and open the oven door open a bit. Leave the granola to cool. The colour will deepen and it will firm up.
-
Once cool, break into clusters. Store in an airtight container.
1. Some GRANOLA FLAVOUR COMBINATIONS:
* My Classic Fruit & Nut: Butter, Honey, Almonds + Pumpkin Seeds, mixed dried chopped fruit (store bought mix), cinnamon powder and vanilla essence.
* Apple Pie: As above but use only almonds and dried apples.
* Oatmeal Raisin Cookie: Butter, honey, raisins, vanilla and cinnamon, pinch of All Spice.
* Blueberry Pie: Apple Pie recipe but use dried blueberries instead and skip the cinnamon powder and add a dash of lemon essence.
* Super Berries: Try using dried goji berries!
* Orange Almond: Almonds and orange blossom
* Maple Pecan Pie! Use Pecans, vanilla, butter, maple
2. Brown Sugar: Add this into the Dry Ingredients.
3. Originally published in May 2014, updated with video and improved recipe. Changes include: adding a method to make clumpy granola without adding more sweetener or fat, for the loose granola, adding the dried fruit at the end which ensures none of it burns (sometimes, some fruit on the surface can get a little too brown). All photos were replaced and words were rewritten.
4. Nutrition per serving, assuming 10 servings (about 2/3 cup per serving).
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Healthy Homemade Granola recipe video!
LIFE OF DOZER
He fully understands that he is only permitted on the sheet covered part of the couch.
Can you use the entire egg or does it have to be egg whites only?
Hi Diane! Just the whites please 🙂 The yolks add moisture N x
I made this yesterday and delicious! I like to eat alone as a snack, to make a bit sweeter similar to the granola you buy in the baked section at Costco, what would you recommend to add?
HI Julie! I would use honey and use the egg white option to make clusters 🙂 (Rather than using tons of sugar or honey)
Hi nagi! Thanks for sharing, I’m prepping for this recipe…. can’t wait to make it for my family
It sounds nd look soooo good🙏🏽
I woke up this morning with a serious crunchy granola craving and I came across your recipe..OMG, amazing! I also made a second batch and swapped out the honey for golden syrup, and omitted the nuts to suit hubby’s food intolerances. Just shared the recipe with my mum and she’s going to give it a while.
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed this Heather, thanks for letting me know! N x
Best granola recipe I’ve tried – hands down!
Wonderful to hear Akilah! Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x
THANK You!! Hankering cinnamon chocolate and nuts. Buying the ingredients for some chunky granola now.
Oooh! Hope you love it! N x
Thank you for this – this was absolutely superb. I put in apple + date + nutmeg + cinnamon + pepitas + pecans + maple syrup + coconut oil and it’s better than any I’ve ever bought by far.
Love hearing that Rebecca! So pleased you enjoyed this 🙂 N x
What would be the best way to turn these into bars instead of crumbled granola?
Funny you mention that Hannah, I’ve been wondering myself! 🙂 N xx
I imagine that using the egg white version of the recipe, you could slice the finished product into bars instead of breaking it into clumps?
Can’t wait to make this recipe this week!
Can I use non-raw nuts instead? Maybe add them later in the baking process so they don’t burn
Yep, I’d do exactly that!
I’ve always been a weetbix or muesli fan, but since moving in the States, these are not the usual on thr grocery cereal section. So i tried commercially made granolla and one of my workmate suggested that I can actually make my own at home, double the quantity for the price i pay for buying it at the grocery. Then I came across your recipe, tried it and it was perfect. I saved a lot and I got to choose my own nuts and dried fruits toppings! Thank you!
I LOVE HEARING THAT!! *Sorry for shouting* 😂
Is there a substitute for egg Whites?
Not for clumping, sorry!
I bet you could make a flax egg (Google it! It’s just flax and water) or use an egg sub like Neat Egg.
This is my staple recipe – ITS SO AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS! I have made it many times now, both clumpy and muesli are SOOOOOOO much better than any store bought. Can’t get enough of it!
Love hearing that! So glad you love this too Em! N x
Thank u! Just like my mother in laws and superior to anything bought in stores. Just amazing. Thank u. Shared with friends and been getting messages that they are out….. lol! Have a batch in the oven. Thank u again. Will be saving this as a forever recipie.
This is my go-to granola recipe; so easy to just use the ratios. This last time I subbed water for oil and it turned out great!
I was wondering how it would work out if I used a little less oil or butter–you gave me my answer. Thank you, Jo!
Hi, how much oat should i add if I omit nuts and dried fruits? Thanks
How long can you store the clumpy granola as it has egg whites in it? Also how is the best way to store it?
Hi Ellis! Because it’s been cooked, it lasts for ages – weeks! In an airtight container in the pantry 🙂