This homemade recipe for granola is super yummy and so flexible! Below is our favorite cereal version, but there are many ways to tweak the recipe depending on your preferences.
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Homemade Granola Bar and Cereal Recipe
For the nuts you can put either all almonds or all cashews (or split them as listed below or even try a totally different type of nut). Also, the same thing works for the seeds – you can either put in all pumpkin seeds or all sesame seeds or put in half and half. You could easily play around with the amounts of sesame seeds and flaxseeds as well. If you can’t find unsweetened shredded coconut you can leave it out completely.
If you want granola cereal make it with rolled oats. If you want granola bars then substitute steel cut oats for the rolled oats, and I also like to add dried fruit bits before baking the bars.
How to Make Cereal Homemade (Or, Granola Bars)!
For the cereal, once it has baked and cooled completely, you want to put it in a gallon zip lock to break it up into small cereal pieces. If you are making granola bars just break off big chunks instead of using a bag. Don’t expect perfectly uniform rectangles for your granola bars, these are homemade after all!
The oats, nuts and spices are seriously what make these bars come together! That being said, you can add any number of ingredients to make this cereal homemade with some fun, seasonal flavors. Simple modifications in the ingredient ratios can make for a festive mix, too. For instance, amp up the cinnamon and nutmeg for a perfectly fragrant winter-themed granola.
Looking for a protein granola that can help you last through those late-afternoon cravings? Fill your homemade granola mixture with some flax seeds, chia seeds or even powdered peanut butter to make those macros skyrocket! Dried fruits like raisins (or craisins, a personal favorite) can also make for a granola bar or homemade cereal that is perfectly crafted to fit your palate. Besides, the best way to add more nutrients to your family's diet is by making recipes you'll actually want to come back to!
How Long Does Homemade Granola Last?
This homemade granola recipe will stay crunchy and flavorful for about a month when stored in an airtight container out of direct sunlight. After that, you should probably start to plan your next batch! Side note: finished granola bars might fare well in the freezer if sealed properly although you should expect to lose some of that desired 'crunch' in doing so.
Granola Recipe (Cereal or Bars)
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups oats (rolled, (if you want bars use steel cut oats so it will stick together better))
- 1 cup almonds (raw, sliced)
- 1 cup cashews (or walnuts or pecans)
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- ½ cup sunflower seeds (raw)
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds (raw)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon (ground)
- 1 ½ teaspoons ginger (ground)
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg (ground)
- 6 tablespoons butter (unsalted)
- ½ cup honey
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Cover a rectangular baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the dry oats, almonds, cashews, coconut, seeds and spices together in a large mixing bowl.
- Heat the butter and honey together in a small saucepan over low heat. Once the butter melts stir in the vanilla and salt.
- Pour the hot liquids over the dry ingredients and stir together with a rubber spatula until evenly coated.
- Spread mixture onto prepared pan in one even layer. Bake for 75 minutes.
- The granola will become crisp as it cools at which point you can break into pieces (if making bars) or break it up into small chunks by pounding it in a zip lock bag (if making cereal). Store in air tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
More Homemade Breakfast Ideas:
- Fluffy Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes
- Blueberry, Fruit and Nut Whole Wheat Muffins
- Freezer Friendly Breakfast Burritos
Amy says
Has anyone tried substituting maple syrup for the honey??
jodi says
I ran out of honey so i had to use 1/2 honey and 1/2 maple syrup came out yummy.
Chrissie says
If I omit the coconut, nuts & seeds- so basically just oats & spices, about how much liquid should I use? I'm hoping for just a very plain & basic granola that my son will eat. Thanks much!
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi Chrissie. We have not tried adapting the recipe to that extreme. If you decide to experiment, please let us know what worked for you as I'm sure others might want to try it, too. ~Amy
Margie says
I tried this recipe for the first time, tonight, and it turned out perfect. Would this keep longer than two weeks if it was refrigerated or frozen?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi Margie. If you freeze it, it can keep for months. ~Amy
Margie says
Thanks Amy!
Holly says
Love this granola! It turned out perfect for me. It hardened as it cooled and I was able to break it into large chunks for bars or small chunks for granola. I did substitute coconut oil for butter.
Heather says
I have made this multiple times. I have never been successful with getting bars out of it, but I LOVE it as a cereal or over yogurt. I make a new batch every week. I am so glad my family is not eating cereal with BHT in it anymore.
Jodi says
I made this over the weekend and was so disappointed. It never hardened! I followed the directions to the letter. What a waste of money and ingredients!
Kelli says
I just made this granola and am a bit disappointed! :( It did not stick together at all and I followed the directions exactly.. there are no chunks. I also cooked it for the exact amount of time at the exact temperature and it seems a bit burnt. Maybe I'll have to try it again but first experience is a bit disappointing.
Jodi says
Kelli, did you try this recipe again? I am trying to figure out where I went wrong, it looks like we both had the same reult...no hardening. It's great out of a tub but would rather have it as a bar.
Amy says
I didn't read through all the comments so this might have been covered, but I'm asking anyway. Will this freeze well? My 6'5 husband is a vanilla addict and I think he'll eat it all up before anyone else gets it! I'd like to freeze some for lunch boxes and such. Thanks!
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi Amy. It does freeze well! ~Amy
Michelle says
My doctor applauded my dedication to eating healthier and giving up the sugars and processed foods, but told me my lack of weigh loss might be due to NOT watching the number of calories I'm taking in each day. I plugged the ingredients I used to make this recipe (which we LOVE, by the way)into a calorie calculator and WOW! A half cup of this (16 servings) is over 300 calories before adding milk.
Along with the 3.5 cups of rolled oats and the spices/honey/butter I used a half cup each of steel cut oats, pumpkin seeds and sliced almonds, and 2 TBSP of sesame seeds.
I didn't lose any, but Daughter and Hubby lost nearly 10 lbs each our first month.
Julie says
Why when I make half a recipe it stays is a bar shape and when i make a whole recipe it falls apart? I used steel cut oats in both and all the same ingredients. Help.
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi Julie. I have found it helpful to add just a little more honey and butter when trying to do bars. ~Amy
Caitlin says
Hi, this looks tasty. Would the recipe work if I wanted to soak the oats first? Thank you!
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hello Caitlin. We've not tried that, sorry. ~Amy
Kristi says
I make a homemade granola similar to this one, but it calls for melted coconut oil, which I would assume could replace the butter in this recipe. I realize that real butter is not truly bad, but I still like the idea of using the coconut oil.
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Yes, Kristi. Subbing with coconut oil is fine.
SAMCat12 says
any ideas for substitutes for the 1 cup coconut - I just can't stand the stuff or the flavor...
Leah says
I really don't like coconut either, but I gave it a try with unsweetened coconut flakes (that's all we had in bulk at my store) and it turned out great. The coconut flakes are not nearly as flavorful as the traditional sweetened, shredded coconut (I've never been able to find unsweetened shredded to know how it compares in taste to the flakes).
Otherwise I've made this a number of different ways, just making sure that I keep the amount of solids (grains, nuts, etc) around 7 1/2 cups like it is in the original recipe so I don't need to modify the amount of liquids. So you could substitute anything you like, just keep the same 7 1/2 cups total.
Heather says
I don't like coconut either. I just leave it out entirely, no substituting, and mine turns out beautifully every time. I do it as granola. I get nice big chunks. I think it would stick together as a bar just fine, too. I also do not modify the amount of liquids. I keep the recipe exactly as-is, just no coconut.
Kathy says
I just made this granola and it does smell amazing! However, I didn't need to "break" it into pieces when it finished baking. It is still delicious but I was hoping for a chunkier pieces. I followed the directions exactly. Thanks
Michelle says
I am baking these right now and can't wait to eat it...the ingredients just smell amazing! Question: has anyone tried dark chocolate chips in it? Not sure it would taste good with the nutmeg and ginger but maybe it those are omitted and the chocolate is added. Anyone try that? Thanks for this great "real" granola recipe.
Annie says
I think tossing in dark chocolate chips after it cools is a great idea...even with the spices. Chocolate loves warm spices and I think it would be a wonderful addition. Great thinking!
Annie says
Before jotting this note I've scrolled back a ways to look for the answer but have come up empty. Can you please tell me how many servings and the serving size this 3lb recipe makes?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi Annie. It makes close to 8 cups of granola. So, it depends on whether you want a 1/2 or 1/4 cup serving. :)
Annie says
You are an angel! Thanks!
Nicole says
This recipe is fantastic! I love it as does my family. I used coconut oil in place of the butter and it worked out great. Will be making this for years to come! I will never buy store granola again!
Brenda says
I make this with coconut oil instead of butter & I also add coconut to the recipe. Yum!
Justine D says
I made this cereal last night for the family and it was a big hit this morning! I was thinking about adding some raisins or other dried fruit next time. Would I need to use less nuts or make more of the wet ingredients so that it cooked the same? Thanks!
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi Justine. I've added dried fruit without changing anything and it worked just fine. You could always up the wet ingredients a bit, too, however. ~Amy
Stephanie says
Do you have any suggestions on what I can use instead of nuts and seeds? I have a child allergic to both. I will definitely try raisins and maybe other dried fruit, but other ideas would be welcomed. thanks!
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi Stephanie. You could experiment with adding puffed rice or wheat along with dried fruits. ~Amy
Sue says
This is a fantasitic recipe! I've made it dozens of times and I think it gets better each time!
Thanks so much for sharing :)
LeaAnn says
How would you adjust the recipe if you needed to leave out the nuts? I tried myself and it fell apart. Good for cereal but not for snacking.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi there. Have you tried replacing with various seeds, like pumpkin and sunflower?
Alicia says
Has anyone had problems with the amount of baking time? I made this exactly as the recipe states, turned the oven down by 25 degrees because it runs a bit hot. I checked it with 20 minutes left and it was burnt :( My husband doesn't want to waste it so he said he'd eat burnt granola...LOL. I found another similar recipe with less baking time so I'm going to use that one.
Marlea says
Do you have any nutritional information with this recipe?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Marlea. We do not provide nutrition information on our recipes. Our focus is not so much on numbers but just on getting real whole foods into people's lives. There are a number of tools online that can help you with all those details. Also, I know that readers have provided the info somewhere in the comments. :) ~Amy
Emily says
Good morning,
If I am using the steel cut oats, do they need to be cooked ahead of time?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Emily. No, they will cook and soften in the oven. :)
melissa says
can i use a silpat instead of parchment paper!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Melissa. Yes, I've used a silpat for granola. :)
Diane says
Do you know roughly how many calories is in that?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Diane. We don't provide calorie details because we really just want to get people focused on getting rid of processed food and replacing it with real/whole foods. You can use tools like My Fitness Pal to calculate those details online. ~Amy
Jill says
I'm so annoyed, I tried this recipe but was so annoyed when I realized you haven't put 250 F degrees. People from around the world follow your blog. How could you make such a mistake? Please fix this so people who use Celsius and not Fahrenheit........ Very annoyed my stuff burned after 10 mins..... WTF!!!!!!!
Christina says
Knowing that she is an American, you should have either asked or assumed it was Fahrenheit. I mean, was the WFT really necessary? It's not our fault that our ancestors felt the need to have our own measurements. Trust me, it sucks for us too!
mitra says
Do you have a video of you making this ?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Mitra. We don't but that is a great idea. :)
Beth Yenca says
Thoughts on nut replacements? My kids have nut allergies so I would have to make a separate batch for them.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Beth. You can load up on seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, flax, chia) instead. :)
Samie says
Hi Lisa! Where do you find organic sliced almonds in Charlotte?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Sammie. Earth Fare, Whole Foods, and Trader Joes. :) ~AMy
Emily Schulz says
Could you use coconut oil in this recipe instead of butter?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Emily. Yep, you can. ~Amy
Sadie Steffens says
What about using olive oil instead of butter? Will the granola still harden?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Sadie. We've not made this with olive oil. Many readers have used coconut oil with much success. ~Amy
Babs Lee says
Hi
im in the Uk, can I buy the same products?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi there. I would think that all of the ingredients are available there, too. It is a very flexible recipe if you need to make changes. ~Amy
Sabrina says
Can you taste the coconut shreds? Is there a substitute for the unsweetened shredded coconut? Unfortunately my family and I aren't coconut fans. Thanks.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Sabrina. You can taste it but it is not a dominate flavor in the granola. You could try leaving it out or sub with some kind of dried fruit. ~Amy
Sabrina says
Thanks, I'll try it and let you know!
Kristin says
Thanks to both the comments about MyFitnessPal.com. I was able to upload the recipe and obtain the nutritional info. What a huge help. Thank you!
Kristin says
Is there a way to obtain the nutritional information for recipes on this website?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Kristin. We do not provide nutrition information on our recipes. Our focus is on getting people off the processed stuff and making the switch to whole real foods, not so much on numbers. There are many tool available online that can figure out those details for you. My Fitness Pal is one. This post helps explain our philosophy: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/04/29/mini-pledge-week-8-stop-eating-when-you-feel-full/. ~Amy
Susan says
I import all of these recipes into my account on MyFitnessPal.com. A membership is free. The recipes on here (since they are such simple ingredients) import better than most other sites.
Trish says
Mine never hardened. :( Any suggestions?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Trish. Maybe increase cooking time a bit. It should dry and harden. ~Amy
Heather says
This is such a golden recipe. It's hard for my husband and I to share this with our kids! I finally got these to harden up into bars: I used my food processer and ground everything at least a little from the oats, nuts and to the seeds. I threw in a 1/4 of flax seed meal and a handful of banana chips too. I might have to add some raisins or dates one time. Thanks Lisa and gang!!
Ashley says
This is the second time I've made this and I've burned it both times. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Should I bake it for less time or lower the oven temp? I'm following the directions word for word. I just don't want to make it again if I end up throwing it away. Any suggestions?
Heather says
Hi Ashley, Can you lower the temperature? You're already at 250 deg right? I just did mine at 250 for 75 minutes. They were a little thick (used my broiler pan :P) so I was worried it wasn't enough time. They were a little soft when I took them but hardened up in about 15 minutes. Are they spread really thin? Perhaps either less time or leave it thicker? Good luck!
Bonnie says
I lessened the cooking time by about 10 minutes the second time I made a batch.