This honey almond granola recipe is made with simple ingredients, and tastes way better than anything you can buy from the grocery store - not to mention it's way cheaper to make!
Serve it with fresh fruit, on top of yogurt, or with milk as a hearty breakfast cereal alternative.
I've been making my own granola for well over 10 years. In fact, it might be closer to 15 years now, but we won't talk about that!
While I've been making virtually the same recipe for years and years, it was never quite as good as my favorite store-bought granola (Nature's Path Honey Almond Granola). I kept tweaking my tried-and-true recipe but could never get it quite right.
It wasn't until I analyzed the package ingredients that I was able to begin to reverse-engineer the granola-making process. After MANY attempts (and I mean MANY), I have cracked the code and (in my humble opinion) now homemade granola is just as good as store-bought. In fact, we think it's actually quite a bit better!
Why You'll Love It:
- Great for meal prep. This homemade granola recipe makes a large enough batch to last you for several weeks, making it ideal for those of us who like a little work at the beginning to make for easy mealtimes later on.
- Budget-friendly. This recipe is SO much cheaper than purchasing bags at the grocery store. It's a great way to save money on your grocery bill!
- Perfect for easy breakfasts (or snacks). Sprinkle it on top of some Greek yogurt, or throw a little bag in your purse. It's great on the go!
Ingredients
- Oats: After *many* test rounds, we highly recommend using quick oats for this recipe. That being said, rolled oats can be used if that's what you have on hand.
- Almonds: You will need about 1 cup of chopped almonds. We like to purchase whole almonds and chop them ourselves - this maintains the highest level of freshness.
- Coconut oil (or avocado oil): Use refined coconut oil for the best results (unflavored). Avocado oil can be used if you do not have coconut oil on hand.
- Honey: You can't have honey almond granola without it! (Well, you can, but it wouldn't be called "honey" almond haha).
- Rice flour (optional, but highly recommended): This helps to absorb excess moisture and achieve the perfect crunchy texture. This ingredient was a turning point in creating what we think is the BEST granola!
You will also need:
- Brown sugar
- Chia seeds (optional)
- Vanilla extract
- Sea salt
How to Make Almond and Honey Granola
This homemade honey almond granola is made with natural sweeteners (and a little brown sugar) and hearty oats. Our favorite way to enjoy it is layered with Greek yogurt and berries in a mason jar. It's perfect for breakfasts on-the-go!
- Add the oats, chopped almonds, rice flour, chia seeds, and salt to a large bowl.
- Stir all of the dry ingredients together until fully combined.
- Add the honey, coconut oil, and brown sugar to a small saucepan.
- Heat over low-medium heat, whisking to help dissolve the sugar. Once it comes together to a smooth, even consistency, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the honey and coconut oil mixture over the oats and other dry ingredients.
- Fold the honey mixture with the oats until everything is lightly coated.
- Spread the granola mixture onto a parchment-lined sheet pan.
- Bake in a 325ºF (160ºC) oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring it twice during baking, or until golden brown with lightly toasted edges.
Cooling the Granola
Once the granola comes out of the oven, allow it to cool for 1-2 hours before stirring. Then, after stirring, allow it to cool to room temperature for another hour or so, stirring once or twice.
If you want to store your granola for more than a few days at room temperature, it's very important to make sure it's completely cooled down and completely dry. Warmth creates moisture, and moisture causes spoilage.
Storing Homemade Granola
- It's so important that your granola has completely cooled down after baking.
- After cooling for 2-3 hours total, your granola is likely ready to transfer to an airtight container.
- If it still feels warm or moist, allow it to cool and dry at room temperature until it feels both cool and dry to the touch.
- Transfer the granola to a large glass jar or an airtight container.
- Leave the lid off for 30-60 minutes for the best results.
- Secure the lid and store at room temperature for 1-3 weeks.
Note: Discard the granola if there are any signs of spoilage, such as condensation, presence of moisture, mold, off smell (or taste), etc.
Swaps and Substitutions
With dried fruit: If you like your granola with dried fruit pieces, you can absolutely include those! Just be sure to add them *after* the granola has cooked and cooled completely. To help with sticking, we recommend tossing dried fruit in rice flour before mixing it into the granola.
With maple syrup: If you prefer, you can swap the honey for maple syrup. It's an easy 1:1 swap, and the only issue is that it's a tad less sweet. As long as you use the brown sugar, you won't notice too much of a difference.
Rolled oats: We've tested this recipe many times with rolled oats, and while it makes a perfectly good granola, the results are *much* better when quick oats are used. If you only have rolled oats on hand, a quick pulse in a blender or food processor can get you similar results.
Custom swaps: As long as you maintain the ratio of dry ingredients to wet ingredients, you can be sure you'll make a pretty decent granola! The almonds can be swapped for the nuts or seeds of your choice. While I recommend you leave the oats as-is, you can swap out up to 1 cup of oats for seeds or add-ins of your choice (sunflower seeds, quinoa puffs, etc.)
Dietary Swaps
- Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats and check the packaging of the nuts to ensure that gluten is not listed as a "contains" or "may contain" (for those who are celiac or have an allergy).
- Vegan: Swap the honey for agave or maple syrup.
- Dairy-free: This recipe is made with coconut oil and is completely dairy-free!
- Honey as the only sweetener: I've made this recipe without the brown sugar, and it turns out perfectly fine! We love the additional sweetness, but you can leave it out.
Must-try Breakfast and Snack Recipes:
If you loved this recipe for honey almond granola, let me know by leaving a 5-star review in the recipe card or comment below! You can also tag me on Instagram @dashfordinner.
Honey Almond Granola
Ingredients
- 4 cups quick oats*
- 1 cup chopped almonds
- 1 ½ tablespoons chia seeds (optional)
- 2 tablespoons rice flour** or rice starch (optional, but recommended)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup coconut oil refined (unflavored)
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar (optional, but highly recommended***)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF (160ºC) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the quick oats, almonds, chia seeds, rice flour, and salt to a very large bowl and mix well.
- Add the coconut oil, honey, and brown sugar to a small saucepan. Heat over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until all of the ingredients come together into a smooth consistency and the brown sugar has dissolved.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Pour the honey mixture on top of the oat mixture, and use a silicone spatula to fold it in until everything has been coated in the honey and oil mixture.
- Transfer the granola to a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread it out into an even layer.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring the granola 2-3 times during cooking (but do not stir during the last 8 minutes of baking), or until the edges appear lightly toasted.
- Remove from the heat and do not stir. Allow to cool for about 1-2 hours before stirring. At first, the granola will appear "wet", but as it cools, you will see that it dries out.
- After 1-2 hours, stir the granola to break up very large chunks (we like to leave some in for texture), then allow it to cool completely on the baking sheet (another hour or so).
- Once the granola is completely cooled to room temperature and no longer moist, transfer to a large glass jar or an airtight container. Leave the lid off for 30-60 minutes to allow any remaining warmth or moisture to escape.
- Cover tightly and store at room temperature for 1-3 weeks. If the granola feels moist or sticks together, your storage time will be limited, as it has not dried enough. Use it immediately, or store in the freezer until ready to use.
Notes
Nutrition
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Dorothy Bigelow says
I stopped buying store-bought granola, and now make this every 2-3 weeks. It's so good, versatile, and way cheaper than buying it at the store. I love that it uses premium ingredients (like real honey)... but is still easy to work into a budget!