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Home Recipe Index Breakfast Oatmeal Dishes

Simple Homemade Granola

5 /5
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Polly Conner
By: Polly ConnerPosted: 2/13/21Updated: 3/21/23

This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.

This simple granola recipe is one of the easiest and tastiest you will find on the Internet. I’ve been making this exact recipe before Thriving Home even started. It’s got 5 main ingredients but you can easily add more if you want to jazz it up. Such a simple, healthy snack or perfect for topping our Make Ahead Yogurt Parfaits.

Simple homemade granola in white bowls. this …


 
Table of Contents
  • Granola: Good for the Body!
  • What’s in the Recipe?
  • Let’s Make Some Granola!
  • How Long Does Homemade Granola Last?
  • Chunky Granola Tips & Tricks
  • Want More Healthy Snack Ideas?
  • Simple Homemade Granola

Granola: Good for the Body!

The more I learn about oats, the more I want to find ways to squeeze them into the food I make for my family. (Re: Oatmeal Pancakes and Overnight Oats!) They are crazy good for you!

Similar to Homemade Chex Mix, this granola recipe makes a fabulous Healthy On-the-Go Snack. You can easily bag it up and take it out the door on a busy morning. It’s also a great Packed Lunch Idea for Kids.

Homemade granola in white bowls o a wooden cutting board.

What’s in the Recipe?

What makes our recipe stand apart from so many others is how simple it is! With 5 main ingredients (that you likely have in your pantry), you can whip up a batch in no time. Here is what you’ll need:

  • Oats – Old fashioned rolled oats are best.
  • Maple Syrup – Make sure it’s REAL maple syrup. Not table syrup.
  • Whole Wheat Flour – You can use all-purpose if you need to.
  • Vanilla – Use 100% real vanilla (or make homemade vanilla extract!)
  • Coconut Oil – Any flavorless oil will work but I use coconut because it’s healthy and adds a touch more flavor to the granola.
  • A pinch of salt
Ingredients for homemade granola measure in bowls and setting on a wooden cutting board.

Let’s Make Some Granola!

Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients Together

In a mixing bowl, stir together the oats, flour, and salt.

Oats and flour in a white bowl ready to mix with more ingredients.

Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients Together

In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the maple syrup, vanilla, and oil. If you use coconut oil, make sure it is melted!

Maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla in a mixed together in a white bowl.

Step 3: Mix Everything Together

Slowly pour the wet ingredients over the oat mix. Stir it until it’s well-combined and you no longer see dry flour.

Wet and dry ingredients mixed together in a white bowl ready to be baked into homemade granola.

Step 4: Spread the Mix Out on a Baking Sheet and Bake

This will make your house smell SO good. Bake for 25 minutes, stir and flip with a spatula, and then bake for another 25 minutes.

Homemade granola spread out on a sheet pan ready to go in the oven.

Congrats!

You did it! You just made a batch of healthy, simple homemade granola. Easy peasy, right?!

How Long Does Homemade Granola Last?

There are two good ways to store granola long-term:

  1. Store in the Pantry – Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months! Possibly a little less in a hot-humid environment. If you notice it becoming stale, move it to the freezer to extend its life a bit more.
  2. Store in the Freezer – Remove as much air as possible and it will last well past 6 months. To be honest, I’ve never stored it longer than that because we ate it. But from all of our freezer-cooking experience, we know that food will be safe to eat indefinitely if properly frozen.

Granola is also a great meal to take to others. I regularly take it to new moms. It makes a great hospital snack. Kids like it too so it’s a great one to take a family who might need a meal.

Homemade granola in a mason jar with a tag tied with a homemade ribbon.

Chunky Granola Tips & Tricks

I like having big clumps in my granola. If you do too, here are some tips on how to get it nice and chunky:

  • Let it chill. Give the granola plenty of time to cool before breaking it up.
  • Crowd the oats in the pan so they can stick together. I use a basic half sheet pan for this granola recipe. It’s the perfect size and the rimmed edges make sure no granola falls off.
  • Be sure to line the pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet to prevent sticking.
  • Gently press down on the granola with the back of a spatula after stirring the mixture at the half-way baking point. Then put the pan back into the oven to finish baking.
  • Store in a solid container (instead of a plastic bag).

Want More Healthy Snack Ideas?

Swing by our 30+ Healthy On-the-Go Snack Ideas! We include tricks on how to get your family to actually eat them, too!

Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!

Homemade granola in a white bowl.
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 13 reviews

Simple Homemade Granola

This homemade granola is SO simple and SO tasty. Double the recipe because it will go fast!

Yield: 8 cups 1x
Prep: 10 minutesCook: 50 minutesTotal: 1 hour
Print Recipe Rate Pin for Later [socialpug_share networks=”email” networks_labels=”Email” show_labels=”yes” overwrite=”yes”]
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Ingredients

  • 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (sub: all-purpose flour)
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup PURE maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup melted coconut oil (sub: avocado oil or another neutral oil)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300°F degrees.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together oats, flour and salt.
  3. In a small mixing bowl, combine syrup, oil and vanilla.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients over the oat mixture, and stir until well coated.
  5. Spread oats out on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet.
  6. Bake for 25 minutes. Then, stir and flip the granola with a spatula. (You can add raisins or other ingredients, like nuts, shredded coconut, or other dried fruit, at this point.)
  7. Bake another 25 minutes.
  8. Let cool. Store in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 6 months or even longer in the freezer.

Notes/Tips

I almost ALWAYS double this recipe when I make it. 

© Author: Polly Conner
Cuisine: American Method: Baked

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Polly Conner

Polly Conner

As co-founder of Thriving Home, Polly’s passionate about helping busy parents get dinner on the table. With a house full of kids, dogs, and (usually) a DIY project in the works, she knows firsthand how every minute (and every dollar) counts. As a business owner, she enjoys wearing multiple hats and serves best as a project manager for Thriving Home.

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  1. Marty says

    Posted on 8/8/22 at 6:51 pm

    Always a double batch, it’s so easy and so good. Everyone loves it! Just make it:)

    Reply
    • Polly ConnerPolly Conner says

      Posted on 8/9/22 at 11:11 am

      SAME! I never make a single batch of this.

      Reply
  2. Lesa says

    Posted on 7/8/22 at 2:17 pm

    My son is wheat intolerant so I was wondering if anyone had substituted a different gluten-free flour such as oat flour for the ww flour?

    Reply
    • Rachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 7/10/22 at 7:32 am

      Hi Lesa. We haven’t tested this, but I think oat flour or the Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 flour would work just fine as a sub.

      Reply
  3. Joyce says

    Posted on 6/16/21 at 7:19 am

    I have been making your granola recipe for about two months now. It is absolutely delicious! I have gifted it, along with the recipe, many times to friends and family, and everyone LOVES it. And yes, I have doubled the recipe every time because the single recipe is not enough!

    Reply
    • Rachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 6/16/21 at 2:36 pm

      Thanks for taking the time to leave this review, Joyce. We love hearing when our recipes are gifted to others. Love your kind heart!

      Reply
  4. Shiny Thomas says

    Posted on 3/8/21 at 9:40 am

    Love this.

    Reply
    • Rachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 3/8/21 at 11:34 am

      Thank you for the review!

      Reply
  5. Joan says

    Posted on 2/17/21 at 10:11 am

    So good and easy to make! This will definitely become a family favorite!

    Reply
    • Rachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 2/17/21 at 12:08 pm

      That’s great, Joan. Thanks for the review!

      Reply
  6. Anna says

    Posted on 2/15/21 at 9:33 am

    This is the best homemade granola recipe! It’s so easy, quick & very budget friendly. It’s also very adaptable if you need to swap ingredients to suit what you have at home. All my family love it and request that we always have it in the pantry. I highly recommend it! Thanks for sharing the recipe : )

    Reply
    • Rachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 2/15/21 at 10:15 am

      Thanks for the feedback and review, Anna! So happy you all enjoyed it.

      Reply
  7. Kathryn says

    Posted on 2/14/21 at 2:22 pm

    Love this recipe! I use 1/4 cup maple syrup and 1/4 cup honey instead of the 1/2 cup syrup. And tend to only bake half the time – maybe my oven runs hot but it still turns out great! Love it in yogurt!

    Reply
    • Rachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 2/15/21 at 10:20 am

      Thanks for your tips, Kathryn!

      Reply
  8. Alecia says

    Posted on 2/14/21 at 11:03 am

    This is my go-to granola recipe! I love how easily it comes together and I can customize it based on what I have in my pantry. I always keep a bag in the freezer to pull out for a quick snack or breakfast on the go.

    Reply
    • Rachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 2/15/21 at 10:21 am

      yeah!!! Good idea to store in the freezer. It will last forever in there.

      Reply
  9. Sheryl Brock says

    Posted on 2/13/21 at 3:33 pm

    This recipe has been a family favorite for years!! I often walk past the cereal aisle and think about what I could get that would nourish my family, and walk away empty handed, remembering I can easily make this delicious, nutritious granola that even my “picky” eater LOVES. I love that this can also very easily be a gluten free option with a different type of flour. I imagine we will be making this granola in our family for decades to come. Thanks, Thriving Home!

    Reply
    • Polly ConnerPolly Conner says

      Posted on 2/13/21 at 3:45 pm

      Yeah! I love your gluten-free tip too!

      Reply
  10. BeastFeast says

    Posted on 6/24/20 at 11:46 pm

    Thanks for sharing such delicious food recipes!
    Visit for tasty and healthy homemade granola recipes.

    Reply
  11. Shauna says

    Posted on 8/7/18 at 12:57 pm

    This is an absolutely amazing granola recipe! I’ve made this many times much to the satisfaction of my husband and kids. I add unsweetened coconut with 15 minutes left so it doesn’t brown too much.
    Just so you know, in the recipe ingredients (not the ingredient card) you say to use preferably canola oil but I think you mean coconut oil?

    Reply
    • PollyPolly says

      Posted on 8/8/18 at 9:04 am

      The original recipe does call for canola oil but it can for sure be subbed with coconut oil.

      Reply
  12. Kathy says

    Posted on 8/18/14 at 6:53 pm

    Made this recipe as a welcome gift and put it in a decorated quart mason jar. Half way through the process I added craisins and almonds. The coconut was added at the final 10 minutes because I discovered with the first batch it got too brown if left in for 25 minutes. The first batch was still tasty even with the brown coconut and passed the husband test.

    Reply
    • PollyPolly says

      Posted on 8/18/14 at 8:44 pm

      Yum! I’ve played with adding in a few ingredients here and there. I haven’t done coconut though. Thanks for the tip!

      Reply
  13. Jill says

    Posted on 12/5/13 at 8:23 am

    Hey! Thought I would let you know that I tried the recipe with honey and it turned out pretty good! I think it did clump a little more, but I just mixed it the best I could with my hands and it still worked out okay, although I have had the granola with the maple syrup too and it’s really good as well. Thanks for all the yummy recipes!

    Reply
    • PollyPolly says

      Posted on 12/6/13 at 1:14 pm

      Oooooh, good to know! I will have to try it out because I prefer mine to be a bit clumpy!

      Reply
  14. Danielle says

    Posted on 9/5/13 at 8:01 pm

    Can I use honey instead of maple syrup?

    Reply
    • PollyPolly says

      Posted on 9/5/13 at 8:09 pm

      To be honest, I’m not really sure! I’m thinking honey would make it clump up more and be harder to separate out on the cookie sheet before baking but it might work. Give it a try and report back so the rest of us know.

      Reply
  15. Ashley Johnson says

    Posted on 4/14/12 at 7:43 pm

    Just want you both to know that I am really enjoying this blog! I have tried lots of the recipes and usually get a lot out of all your posts. It’s really encouraging, practical stuff. I’m a stay at home mom of an almost two year old and have one on the way, so this stuff is all really applicable. Good job and Thanks!

    Reply
  16. Lauren says

    Posted on 4/12/12 at 7:19 pm

    What temo do you bake the granola at?

    Reply
    • PollyPolly says

      Posted on 4/12/12 at 8:53 pm

      Whoops- guess that is an important piece of information, huh? 300 degrees.

      Reply
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