Your search for the perfect granola ends here — I just know you’ll love it! It’s so easy, it makes a big batch, and it freezes well too!
We love this easy homemade granola recipe!
I enjoy many different granola recipes, but this is my go-to recipe.
I received this recipe as a wedding gift from one of my very best friends (a handwritten cookbook is a great gift, by the way!) and I’ve only slightly tweaked it over the years.
It’s the perfect mix of crunchy and chunky and sweet and savory and everything you could possibly want in a bowl of granola.
In fact, I know people who “don’t like granola” yet get hooked on this recipe.
Ingredients for Homemade Granola
DRY INGREDIENTS:
- 6 cups rolled oats
- 5 cups cornflakes cereal
- 1 cup wheat germ (or wheat bran, oat bran, etc. – something with a more “flour-like” consistency)
- 1 cup pecans
- ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
WET INGREDIENTS :
- ¾ cup oil (vegetable or coconut)
- 1 cup honey (use less if you don’t like your granola very sweet)
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
How to Make Homemade Granola
1. Preheat oven to 250ºF.
2. Grease a 10″ x 15″ baking dish and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together.
4. Add wet ingredients to a medium saucepan and simmer over low heat until warm, stirring occasionally.
5. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and mix well.
6. Spread mixture evenly in baking dish and bake in preheated oven for 2 hours, stirring every 20-30 minutes.
7. After 2 hours, press the granola down firmly into the pan, turn your oven off, and put the pan back into the oven (with the oven door closed) until completely cool (this will take several hours but helps create a more crunchy granola, which I love).
If you happen to like chewier granola, let it cool on the counter instead of in the oven.
8. Store cooled granola in an airtight container at room temperature, or freeze for later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Honestly, there’s a lot of sugar in granola, but it’s honey and maple syrup (natural sugar). Granola also has a fair amount of protein and fiber. It’s not something I’d eat for every meal, but it’s a highly nutritious treat.
Store-bought granola is extremely expensive, so even though some of the bulk ingredients in our homemade version can be a little spendy, I’m positive it’s still much cheaper than buying it from the store.
In order to get crispy granola, you must cook it slowly at a low temperature so it has plenty of time to dry out without burning. We also recommend turning off your oven after 2 hours and letting the granola sit in the oven until completely cooled. It takes a little extra time, but it really helps to produce crunch granola!
We suggest old-fashioned oats as they hold up better than quick oats and make “chunkier” granola.
We prefer the taste of real maple syrup, but you can substitute any syrup you have in your pantry.
You could try Rice Krispies, Bran Flakes, or even Frosted Flakes for a sweeter granola!
It should stay fresh for a few weeks at room temperature and will last for months in the freezer.
Yes! It freezes wonderfully. Simply store it in a ziptop bag or airtight food storage container and it will stay fresh for months.
Yes. Feel free to make a double or triple batch — just make sure you use multiple pans or a very large pan so the granola can spread out (otherwise it will take forever to cook).
Granola makes a great frugal gift!
This delicious granola is also a great homemade gift for teachers, neighbors, and friends. In fact, certain family members and friends have come to expect (even demand!?) this granola from me every December.
Even though it works great as a gift, you definitely want to save some for yourself.
Eat a bowl as a breakfast treat, grab a handful of it for an afternoon pick-me-up, or sprinkle it on ice cream or yogurt for a late-night treat… yum!
Easy Homemade Granola
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 6 cups rolled oats
- 5 cups cornflakes
- 1 cup wheat germ
- 1 cup pecans
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients:
- ¾ cup coconut oil
- 1 cup honey
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250ºF.
- Grease a 10″ x 15″ baking dish and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together.
- Add wet ingredients to a medium saucepan and simmer over low heat until warm, stirring occasionally.
- Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and mix well.
- Spread mixture evenly in baking dish and bake in preheated oven for 2 hours, stirring every 20-30 minutes.
- After 2 hours, press the granola down firmly into the pan, turn your oven off, and put the pan back into the oven (with the oven door closed) until completely cool (this will take several hours but helps create a more crunchy granola, which I love).
- Store cooled granola in an airtight container at room temperature, or freeze for later.
Notes
Nutrition
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Brigette is a full-time wife and mother who is blessed with three amazing bundles of energy (ages 5, 3 and 1). She enjoys music, experimenting in the kitchen, homeschooling her children, finding great deals, long-distance running, and anything chocolate.
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Brigette, thanks so much for this recipe! It’s different from my usual granola recipes, and very yummy. I think it tastes like homemade Honey Bunches of Oats 🙂 I just have one question- I made this on a cookie sheet covered with foil, and had greased the foil. The granola still stuck horribly. Do you just put it directly on the cookie sheet, and scrape it off? Thanks again!
I just put it directly on my ungreased cookie sheet (I do have pretty high quality, new-ish sheets so that might make a difference). I’ve never had a problem with it sticking, so I’m sorry you did. It definitely could be the foil, though.
Homemade Honey Bunches of Oats is a great way to describe it! I think that what’s makes this recipe a little different and more appealing to those who aren’t in the standard granola crowd. 🙂
I make granola in the crockpot all the time. I turn it on high and stir it every time I smell it cooking. It takes a couple of hours, but I’ve never burned it (unlike every time I’ve made granola in the oven).
I’ve never heard of doing that! Does it get crunchy in the crock pot? I’ve burned granola in the oven, too – but never this recipe since it cooks at such a low temperature. 🙂
I have to say that this is fabulous stuff. I omitted the wheat germ (I live in a very rural area and can’t find anything close) and the pecans (just because I like to add stuff, not have it in it). This recipe is FABULOUS. I make my own “fake syrup” so it was another nice added touch. Here is a link to the syrup recipe. http://low-cholesterol.food.com/recipe/brown-sugar-maple-syrup-202805, if anyone is interested.
Glad you liked it! I agree – it IS good stuff. 🙂 And thanks for the link, too!!
Do you buy a coconut and cut it up, or do you mean shredded coconut? Please elaborabate. Sounds yummy.
Sorry to be confusing… Shredded coconut. Although if you have access to cheap, fresh coconut, and want to go through the work of cutting it up – go for it! 🙂
Do you think I could use rice krispies instead of corn flakes? Have all the ingredients – but no corn flakes. Lots of rice krispies though 🙁
I say go for it. 🙂 The finished “texture” will be a little different, but it should still be good!
Also, I don’t have a 10″ x 15″ baking dish. Could I divide this into two 9″ x 13″ or would the granola layer be too thin?
Do you have a cookie sheet with sides to it? That’s actually what I use. Otherwise, I would just go with one 9×13.
Okay, I think my cookie sheet will work fine. Thanks for the reply 🙂
Do you think any other type of flake cereal would work as a replacement for the corn flakes? In particular something like Special K or All-Bran Complete Wheat Flakes (the wheat version of corn flakes)?
You could definitely substitute other flake cereals that you like.
Thanks! I’ve been contemplating making some granola as a gift for family members. I saw (and liked) a honey nut recipe, and this seems like it would be a very similar taste. But I feel more confident using a recipe with feedback. 🙂
I have a this recipe but I substitute 4 egg whites beaten fairly stiff for part of the oil. I use 1/4 cup oil, mixed with the honey. After all the grains and wet ingredients are mixed I fold in the beaten egg whites. We also add dried fruit. Cranberries or apricots whatever is on hand. Makes a great granola.
Hmmm, do you think ground flaxseed would work in place of the wheat germ? I am a big fan of using what’s on hand and we ran out of wheat germ recently.
It should. You could also do 1/2 c. ground flax and 1/2 cup oat “flour” (put rolled oats in blender for a few seconds) – cheaper and still uses what you already have on hand. 🙂
This sounds so good, and looks dlicious! I can’t wait to make it. I just need to go and buy some corn flakes.
Looks delicious! I bet with just a few substitutions it could qualify as “healthy.”:) Hmm….well, it looks like I’ll just have to make it just so I can find out. 😉
This is really similar to our granola recipe, minus the cornflakes. I bet they add a fun crunch! Thanks for the reminder to make some this evening!
This recipe looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it. I have a couple of questions…
How many cups does this recipe make total?
How many cups do you include per person when you give it as a gift?
Thank you!
I’ve actually always wanted to measure how many cups it makes, but have yet to do it… it starts vanishing about 2 seconds after I take it from the oven. 🙂 I’m guessing somewhere in the 14-15 cup range, if you leave it chunky like I do (which means there’s a small amount of “air space” in each cup).
For a teacher/single person, I usually do 2-3 cups; for a family I would do more than that – maybe 4-5 cups? The average box of granola you buy at the store is going to have 5-6 cups, if that gives you an idea. You can also wrap it in smaller portions – around 1 cup each – pair it with a couple of other different kinds of homemade treats, and arrange them on a tray or tin as a gift.
Thank you for your help!! The amounts and gift ideas are very helpful! I will be making treats as Christmas gifts for the 1st time this year. I think your recipe will be enjoyed by all of my family members.
I want to try this tonight 🙂
That looks Amazing….I must try this recipe…..
This recipe IS amazing..made some today.
This sounds delicious … can’t wait to try it!