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Home » Recipes

Homemade Recipe for Granola Cereal (And Bars!)

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.

homemade granola cereal in a bowl topped with fresh raspberries
100 Days of Real Food Cookbook, photo courtesy of Carrie Vitt

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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.

recipe for homemade granola on a baking tray with a stainless steel scoop

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)

This is the perfect substitute for all those boxed cereals. This homemade granola recipe was adapted from Anson Mills, and can also be made into granola bars. Make it your own by adding in your favorite ingredients and be sure to make a large batch to keep for the week.
134 Reviews / 4.8 Average
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
Course: Breakfast, Snacks & Appetizers
Cuisine: American
Method: Freezer Friendly
Diet: Egg Free, Picky Eaters, Vegetarian
Print Recipe
Servings: 14 (about ½ cup each)
Save Recipe Saved!

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

We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Granola Recipe (Cereal or Bars)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 350 Calories from Fat 207
% Daily Value*
Fat 23g35%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Cholesterol 13mg4%
Sodium 132mg6%
Potassium 295mg8%
Carbohydrates 32g11%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 150IU3%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 52mg5%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Want weekly REAL FOOD meal plans made for you?→ Check It Out

More Homemade Breakfast Ideas:

  • Fluffy Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes
  • Blueberry, Fruit and Nut Whole Wheat Muffins
  • Freezer Friendly Breakfast Burritos
link

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54.3K shares

About Lisa Leake

Lisa is a wife, mother, foodie, blogger, and #1 New York Times Best-selling author who is on a mission to cut out processed food.

Comments

  1. Ann says

    December 27, 2024 at 10:43 am

    Why do we have to have a Grow account to print recipes from 100 Days of Real Food?

    Reply
  2. Karen P says

    November 03, 2024 at 10:46 am

    I love this recipe and have making it and sharing it for many years. Recently bought sprouted rolled oats and wondering if it alters cooking time or anything in your recipe.
    Thank you

    Reply
  3. Liz says

    August 13, 2023 at 3:32 pm

    5 stars
    I have been using this recipe for years with a few tweaks, based on my preferences. I use walnuts and pecans in place of the cashews and almonds. I leave out the coconut. I use my own homemade pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, ground cloves) and I use a lot more than the ~4 tsp. of ground spices used in the recipe.

    Reply
  4. Pengganti Go Clean says

    June 26, 2023 at 1:44 pm

    5 stars
    I love this granola recipe. I am really impressed with this recipe. Keep it up!

    Reply
  5. Kerry says

    January 03, 2023 at 11:36 am

    For the homemade granola, does it have to be coconut flakes or can it be shredded coconut?

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      January 06, 2023 at 12:53 pm

      The great thing about this recipe is that it can be customized to your liking in so many ways. - Nicole

      Reply
  6. Roxanne Morey says

    January 07, 2022 at 8:40 am

    I love the granola recipe. I have it on hand almost continuously. I do keep it much longer than the 2 weeks. I keep thinking I should try some variations, but I like the original so much I haven't made any adjustments. It is good plain as a snack, with milk/blueberries for breakfast, and on yogurt.

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      January 13, 2022 at 10:04 am

      That's awesome! Glad to hear you enjoy it so much. It's such a great snack/meal to have on hand. - Nicole

      Reply
  7. Love to eat says

    December 15, 2021 at 7:13 pm

    DELICIOUS! Use this to top yogurt for a quick, "I want something sweet but not bad" type of snack. We keep it in the freezer so that it stays wonderful for a little longer. LOVE, love, love this granola!!

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      December 16, 2021 at 9:24 am

      Glad to hear you enjoy it and that it freezes well. - Nicole

      Reply
  8. Marilea says

    May 08, 2020 at 7:02 pm

    5 stars
    This is my favorite granola recipe. Ive even got others hooked on it. Ive been able to adapt it and play with it to make it plant based and its just perfect. But I have one question. How can I make it more crunchy or crispy? The only change I made was I took out the butter and swapped 1/2 cup coconut oil, and went a little bit less on the honey. Otherwise the flavor is perfect! Its just soft instead of crunchy like I like. I dont know if thats because of my substitution or if you had any other suggestions. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      May 11, 2020 at 9:58 am

      You may just want to cook it a little longer to get a bit more crunch. - Nicole

      Reply
  9. Robyn says

    April 20, 2020 at 9:49 am

    5 stars
    My family loves this granola! We use pecans instead of cashews and maple syrup instead of honey to mix it up and it’s delicious!

    Reply
  10. Daisy says

    January 20, 2020 at 3:53 pm

    What about using already roasted nuts?

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      April 20, 2020 at 9:55 am

      I’ve used some roasted nuts- I think sunflower seeds when that’s all I’ve had and it turned out fine. I just don’t think you’d want a lot of roasted and salted since that would probably make it way too salty.

      Reply
  11. Tasha L. says

    January 07, 2020 at 4:11 pm

    You said you could use steel cut oats if you want the bars to hold together. It seems like steel cut oats would break your teeth! Did you mean quick oats?

    Reply
  12. wendy says

    December 21, 2019 at 11:48 am

    My daughter likes plain granola with no nuts or seeds. Would I just add 4 more cups of oats to replace the nuts and seeds called for in the recipe?

    Reply
  13. Caitlin says

    October 06, 2019 at 9:33 am

    5 stars
    Love this recipe! Just wondering what the serving size is though? I don’t see it anywhere.

    Reply
  14. Caitlin says

    October 03, 2019 at 8:41 pm

    Love this recipe. But what is the serving size for this recipe?

    Reply
  15. Christy Westberg says

    August 14, 2019 at 7:41 pm

    I have a granola bar pan. Would the cooking time change to make bars instead?

    Reply
  16. Karen says

    April 03, 2019 at 2:39 pm

    I love this recipe for a cereal but I would really like to have bars. I find when I try to cut it into bars, it crumbles apart. Could I use more honey or add something to help it hold together better?

    Reply
  17. Leslie says

    January 19, 2019 at 9:29 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you!

    Reply
  18. Cindy says

    December 29, 2018 at 10:48 am

    5 stars
    I make this recipe every other week for my husband and me... We love it! I'm sorry that I don't have time to read through 90 pages of comments, and maybe this has already been answered. We're getting ready to start the Daniel Fast next week, and I wondered if there is a way to make this adaptable for the fast. If you're not familiar with the fast, it's very strictly vegan, including the fact that I wouldn't be able to use cow butter, but could I use coconut oil? Also, I can't use any sweeteners, including I can't use honey. I know the honey helps hold it together, but would it still work okay without adding honey? Obviously not as sweet, and also not held together, so a "looser" granola. The thing I'm looking for is that this would be a whole grains/nuts mix that would be great sprinkled on fruit for breakfast! I'm just curious if you've ever tried something like that with this recipe. Have you ever added raisins or dates, for example, to maybe add some sweetness to it. I might also add that I live overseas, so my options are somewhat limited... Any thoughts or recommendations you have would be greatly appreciated! ;)

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 10, 2019 at 4:35 pm

      Coconut oil would be a good sub for the butter, but I'm not sure how it would turn out without honey. Good luck!

      Reply
  19. Maxine Healy says

    August 25, 2018 at 3:01 pm

    Do u use quick oats or old fashioned? Ty

    Reply
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Meet Lisa! Lisa is a best-selling cookbook author, wife, mother, and passionate home cook. Lisa began blogging in 2010 and has created a community of millions of people who share her love of healthy living, real food ingredients, and family recipes.

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