Homemade Healthy Granola (Vegan, 5 mins prep)
- Updated on Mar 17, 2025
Is there anything better than waking up to a bowl of crunchy, golden granola you made yourself? Not in my books! And even better–it only needs a few minutes to get it ready!
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This homemade and healthy vegan granola is a self-made breakfast treat that’s easy to whip up and tastes way better than store-bought. You’ll wonder why you ever bought the processed stuff.
It can also keep for a month in an air-tight container, but to be honest I never get past a few days!
It’s chock-full of oats, nuts, and seeds, naturally sweetened, and totally plant-based. Get ready for your kitchen to smell like a cozy bakery and for this DIY granola to become your new best morning go-to!
Why you’ll love this healthy DIY granola (and why it’s the best!)
- Easy & fun: Making granola at home is weirdly comforting – mix everything in one bowl, bake, and you’re done. No complicated steps, just easy DIY goodness. Plus your home will smell lush.
My kids love making it with me, beacuse they customize it with their favourite add-ins (hello, chocolate chips and dried berries!). - Better than Store-Bought: This self-made granola has wholesome ingredients and no weird preservatives. Once you try homemade, you won’t go back to the store stuff – it’s fresher, crunchier, and you control the sweetness.
- Healthy and Nourishing: Packed with healthy oats, nuts, and seeds, this granola is a nutrient-dense way to start the day. It’s vegan and can easily be made gluten-free by using certified GF oats.
PS. need more vegan and veggie recipes? Our free vegetarian app is now available!
How to Make Homemade Granola – in Easy Steps 🥣
Making homemade granola is really easy! Here’s the basic method to get crunchy, clustery granola every time:
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a big bowl, stir together your wet ingredients – think maple syrup, a little melted coconut oil or nut butter, a pinch of vanilla extract, and maybe some cinnamon and salt. This forms the sweet coating that will caramelize in the oven.
- Add the Dry Ingredients: Pour in the rolled oats, chopped nuts, and seeds. Mix everything really well so the oats and nuts are evenly coated with the maple-oil mixture.
- Bake to Golden Perfection: Spread the mixture on a lined baking sheet. Bake at a moderate temperature (around 300°F/150°C) so it cooks evenly.
Halfway through, give it a gentle stir and press it down firmly with a spatula before returning to the oven – this little trick helps create larger clusters.
Bake until the granola is lightly golden brown and your kitchen smells amazing.
Pro tip: Don’t wait until it’s too dark; it will crisp up as it cools anyway. - Cool Without Disturbing: When you take the granola out, resist the urge to stir it right away. Let it cool completely on the pan. As it cools, it will harden into a sheet which you can then break into chunky clusters. (Cooling is when the magic happens for ultimate crunch!)
That’s it! In about 30 minutes, you have homemade healthy granola ready to enjoy. Pour yourself a bowl with almond milk, sprinkle it over vegan yogurt, or just munch on it straight as a snack. 🥄😋
Expert tips and yummy ingredient variations 🔍
Everyone loves those chunky clusters in granola. So:
- Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Use a large enough baking sheet so the granola can toast evenly. A bit of crowding is okay (it helps pieces stick), but make sure it’s not piled too thick. A single layer is perfect.
- Low and Slow Baking: Bake on a lower oven rack or at a slightly lower temperature if you find your granola browning too fast. You want a toasty drying out of the mixture, not burning.
- Let It Cool Completely: Patience pays off here. Once baked, let the granola cool down without stirring it at all.
- Swap Nuts & Seeds: No almonds? Try pecans, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds—use what you love (or what’s in your pantry)!
- Change the Sweetener: Switch maple syrup for agave, date syrup, or brown rice syrup. Each adds its unique flavor.
- Go Nut-Free: Replace nuts with extra seeds, coconut flakes, or puffed rice for delicious crunch without allergens.
- Fruit Fun: Add dried cherries, cranberries, blueberries, banana chips, or apricots to give your granola fruity sweetness.
- Choco-Lovers: Stir in dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs after baking (and cooling!) for a deliciously indulgent twist.
By following these tips, you’ll get the best homemade granola that’s delightfully crunchy, clumpy, and not one bit soggy. Your cereal bowl has never been happier!
By the way, if you’re an oat fan, don’t sleep on overnight oats! They’re delicious and super-easy as well. Here are chocolate banana overnight oats and here are creamy peach overnight oats. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 cup rolled oats (porridge oats, 2 cups = 200 g)
- 4 tbsp almonds
- 5 tbsp pumpkin seeds (5 tbsp = 50 g)
- 1 ½ tsp ginger powder
- 2 tbsp maple syrup (add a third if you’re feeling naughty)
- 1 pinch salt
Optional:
- 2 tbsp grated coconut (for the extra coconutty flavour; we usually serve one bowl’s worth with about 4 tbsp of soy yogurt or milk)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F.
- Chop the almonds into little pieces.
- In a large baking tray, spread the oil out evenly with an oil brush or a piece of kitchen paper.
- Put the oatmeal, almonds, pumpkin seeds in the tray. Add ginger powder and a pinch of salt. Mix it all in.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Stir once or twice in between.
- After 30 minutes, add the maple syrup.
- Bake for another 25 minutes. Stir once or twice in between.
- Once it’s done, let it cool down just a bit before you transfer it to a container. Let it cool in the container before you close it off.
- If you wait too long taking the granola out of the tray, the maple syrup will stick to it. If that’s the case: just pop it back in the oven for another 5 mins or so!
- Done!
NOTES
Nutrition
How to Store Homemade Granola (Keep It Crunchy & Fresh) 📦
One of the perks of DIY granola is that you can make a big batch and enjoy it for weeks.
Proper storage ensures every bowl is as crispy and tasty as day one.
Here’s how to store your homemade healthy granola for maximum freshness:
- Cool and Dry: First, as mentioned, let the granola cool completely after baking. Any warmth can create steam in storage, leading to sogginess – no thanks!
- Airtight Container: Transfer the granola to a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. Mason jars, flip-top glass canisters, or resealable plastic containers all work great. Keeping air out locks in the crunch.
- Pantry or Fridge: Store your container in a cool, dry spot. Room temperature is fine for short-term (a week of freshness). For longer storage, you have options:
- Refrigerator: Surprisingly, popping the jar in the fridge helps keep granola ultra crunchy. The cool environment discourages oil in the nuts from turning rancid and keeps moisture at bay. Just make sure your container is truly airtight so the granola doesn’t pick up fridge odors.
- Freezer: Yes, you can freeze granola! In a well-sealed freezer bag, granola can last up to 3-4 months without losing taste.
The dried fruit might become hard when frozen, but let your granola sit out for a few minutes and it will be back to its crunchy, chewy self. This is perfect if you made a massive batch or want to save some for later.
- Add Fruit Later: If you live in a very humid climate, you could store granola plain and mix in dried fruits or banana chips right before eating (moisture from fruits can soften granola over time). But generally, if airtight, it’s fine to store fully mixed granola.
By following these storage tips, your self-made granola will stay deliciously crispy and fresh. Every morning, you can grab a scoop and it’ll taste just as best as when it came out of the oven!
And a big shout-out to Christine for sharing this recipe with us!
Comments
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6 comments
How much grated coconut is recommended? There has to be a typo there because 1/4 doesn’t say something
Hi Evi! Oh, well spotted, thanks. Not quite sure what happened there. For this size recipe as it stands 2 tbsp should be about right. I’ve just updated the recipe. Thanks again, hope you’re well!
Can you use honey instead of maple syrup? Does it behave differently?
Hey Suki, no honey is fine in there – I’ve tried it. The maple syrup is to keep it vegan 🙂
What should we eat this with? Just by itself or mix in Yogurt or Milk?
Yes, good question – and that’s really up to you! There are some great soy yogs and milk out there, and coconut and almond milk are my personal faves with this one. It does taste really nice on it’s own, but to make it a more complete breakfast I would add something 🙂