Homemade Granola Recipe That’s So Good You’ll Make It Every Week

You’ll never buy store bought granola again. 

Granola is one of those perfect foods that is incredibly versatile, delicious, and healthy at the same time. It’s a great go-to breakfast, with yogurt and fruit or even just with milk, and it also works well as a snack if you need something fast to keep you going or as a dessert, almost like a deconstructed oatmeal cookie. Chock full of so many good fats and proteins, you can feel pretty good about eating granola too.

But let’s face it, not all granola is created equal, and store bought granola can often fall short on flavor and cost a small fortune. So, what an amazing discovery that you can make an amazing granola at home as a work ahead trick for the rest of the week. I’m here to share with you the secret.

What Makes a Good Granola

After extensive research, I’ve found the best granolas to have these qualities and ingredients. 

• Good ingredients beget good granola. Many store bought brands cut corners or use what they consider healthier substitutes. 

• Sweet & savory. A rich, balanced flavor comes from a blend of olive oil and sweeteners, like maple syrup and brown sugar. 

• Good fats and textures. There’s a good mix of nuts, seeds and other fats like coconut, which add flavor and texture. 

• Secret ingredient. A good dose of sea salt is essential for balancing out the sweetness and giving it that addictive quality. 

• Toasted golden brown. The mixture is cooked on a low oven temperature for a longer time – that extra cooking time not only creates a crispy texture, but also unlocks more flavor. 

• X factor ingredient. And finally, the granola needs something fun in the form of dried or dehydrated fruit or dark chocolate.

Story Behind the Granola

I’m one of those people who put off breakfast because I wanted to get the day started and didn’t want to take the time and effort to make something. One day I decided to buy a granola from the store, and I made it for breakfast with some yogurt, honey and whatever fruit I had on hand. It really hit the spot, and it filled me up. I dabbled with other brands, but none of them lived up to that first one. The only problem is that the brand I liked was quite expensive — I could polish off, single handedly, $44 worth of granola a month or $528 a year. It was an expensive habit. 

All of the ingredients were pretty basic, so I figured why not try to make it myself. I could save money and hopefully get the same granola I had grown to love as part of my breakfast routine.

Finding the right recipe was key, so I turned to the New York Times Cooking app, my trusty go-to. I started out with the recipe from Eleven Madison Park, only the best restaurant in New York City (I guess they hand out the granola as a parting gift after dinner). In spite of that pedigree, it was surprisingly easy. I’ve made some minor updates to make it even easier and to cut down on the sugar. The original recipe calls for mixing olive oil, maple syrup and brown sugar in a pan, then drizzling on the dry mix before baking. Although it definitely made it sweeter and more decadent, I eliminated the brown sugar to make it slightly healthier for day-to-day consumption. As a result, I could do away with the step of melting the brown sugar in the pan. 

Now that I’ve got it down to a science, I whip up this granola once a week. I could (and do) eat the same recipe over and over again, but I understand some people might want to mix it up. So, I’ve collected and tried out some variations of the granola recipe that are each totally worthy. 

Cherry Walnut Granola Recipe (Base Granola Recipe)

See below for alterations to this recipe to mix it up.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cup rolled oats 

1 cup coconut chips 

1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup chopped walnuts 

1 teaspoon flakey salt 

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup olive oil 

3/4 cup dried cherries

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, including the rolled oats, coconut chips, pepitas, chopped walnuts, and flakey salt.

3. Add the maple syrup and olive oil to the mix and stir in.3.

4. Evenly spread the mixture on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake for 35-40 min until golden. 

5. When cooled, mix in dried cherries. Store in a mason jar or sealable plastic bag.

Alternative Recipes

If you want to mix it up, here are some variations on the above recipes. All of the substitutions are noted.

Sesame, Honey & Apricot Granola 

• Follow the recipe above. Substitute honey for maple syrup (zap in microwave for 10-15 sec to loosen it up). In addition to olive oil, add 1/3 cup tahini. Replace pepitas with 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds. Replace dried cherries with chopped dried apricot or dates.

Strawberry Pistachio Granola

• Follow the recipe above. Replace walnuts with chopped pistachio. Replace dried cherry with freeze dried strawberries, some of them crushed up. 

Chocolate Coconut Crunch Granola 

• Follow the recipe above. Substitute dark chocolate chunks for dried cherries.  

A Taste of Hawaii

• Replace walnuts with macadamia nuts. Replace dried cherries with dried banana.