PERFECT Homemade Granola (EASY + Customizable!)

Homemade Granola with nuts and dried fruit.

PERFECT Homemade Granola (EASY + Customizable!)

Homemade Granola is wholesome, delicious, easy to make, and easy to customize with just a handful of real ingredients, including chewy oats, your favorite nuts, coconut flakes, your choice of oil, and naturally sweetened with honey!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings (¼-cup) servings (recipe yields approx 10 cups total)

Calories 143kcal

Author Samantha Skaggs

Equipment

13- x 18-inch Half Sheet Pan

Ingredients

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups chopped nuts
2 cups coconut flakes
¼ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup oil
½ cup honey
2 cups add-ins such as dried fruit or chocolate chips, OPTIONAL

Instructions

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line a 13"x18"x1" rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
In a very large bowl, combine oats, nuts, coconut flakes, and salt. Pour oil over the mixture and stir to combine. Repeat with honey and stir until all ingredients are evenly coated.
Transfer granola onto prepared sheet pan and spread into an even layer. Bake, stirring and flipping with a wooden spoon every 10 minutes, until the granola is evenly golden brown, about 30 minutes total.
Remove the granola from the oven and stir frequently as it cools, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking. If desired, mix in 2 cups of dried fruit. Store in an airtight container.

Video

Notes

I like to make my Homemade Granola with unrefined coconut oil, melted and cooled, because it results in an amazing glazed, chewy texture. I do not find the coconut flavor to be noticeable. However, if you prefer to use a different oil, a light, neutral-flavored vegetable oil (such as sunflower oil) works great, or a neutral-flavored extra-virgin olive oil is a healthy option. Melted butter may also be substituted for the oil.
Measure the honey into the same measuring cup you use for the oil. The residue of the oil will help the honey slide out of the cup without sticking.
Pure maple syrup or agave nectar are possible substitutes for the honey.
My favorite nut combination to use is 1 cup sliced almonds and 1 cup cashew pieces, but use your favorites, such as chopped pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, or pistachios.
For the salt, I recommend using fine sea salt.
I always use unsweetened coconut flakes or chips, but you may use sweetened coconut if that’s all of you have on hand. Very finely shredded coconut may not be very noticeable in your finished granola and it may actually burn, so it's best to use larger shreds or chips.
The granola will probably need to bake for a total of about 30 minutes, but ovens vary so watch the granola carefully and check it early, particularly the first time you make it.
Stirring well every 10 minutes is very important for even baking.
If you cut this recipe in half, it will require less time to cook, and if you double it and cook two sheet pans at once (switching racks and rotating pans each time you stir), it will take longer.
The rimmed sheet pan size required for this recipe is technically known as a “half sheet pan,” with measurements of 13"x18"x1”.
Since this granola tends to stick to the pan if not stirred very frequently during the cooling process, I've found that using a silicone baking mat or some parchment paper on the bottom of your sheet pan alleviates this problem. You just need to stir carefully to make sure the granola doesn't wind up stuck under the parchment paper.
If you would like to add dried fruit to your Homemade Granola, you may stir it in after the granola is completely cool. Dried cranberries, cherries, or raisins (regular or golden) are all good, or you could use chopped dried fruit, such as apricots.
You can also opt to incorporate other add-ins into your cooled granola, such as pepitas or even chocolate chips.

Nutrition