This super easy homemade granola recipe is perfect for a healthy breakfast, snack, or parfait! I love that it uses only basic pantry ingredients and takes just minutes to mix together. And it freezes well too!
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I first started making this simple granola recipe for my husband back when we were dating, over 15 years ago.
He lived by himself at the time and had to make all of his own meals. He’s very much a minimalist and it definitely showed in the lack of variety of the foods that he ate! 😉
I lived several hours away so I couldn’t help too much with preparing food for him, but I discovered that he really liked granola and knew I could make that fairly easily.
So one week I dug through my mom’s cookbooks looking for a granola recipe to try. When I happened across this very basic, easy recipe in an old, trustworthy church cookbook that I often used, I knew I had to give it a try.
It was a hit with my then-boyfriend, now turned husband and I’ve been making it ever since!
WHY I LOVE THIS EASY GRANOLA RECIPE
- Budget-Friendly. Making granola at home using this recipe is much cheaper than store-bought varieties.
- Simple Ingredients. I love that this recipe is made with simple, frugal ingredients, most of which you probably often have on hand.
- Easy to Make. It’s as simple as mixing everything up together in a big bowl and then baking it. Easy peasy.
- Less Snacking. This granola is packed with protein and a bowlful will keep us full until lunchtime.
- Versatile. This recipe is easy to tweak to fit your preferences. Switch out the add-ins and enjoy different versions every time! It also makes delicious homemade parfaits.
- Freezes Well. This makes a large amount of granola. If you don’t think you’ll eat it all in a couple of weeks’ time, you can freeze it and have it on hand for any easy breakfast or snack anytime you want!
Watch Video: Learn How to Make this Recipe
EASY GRANOLA INGREDIENTS
- Oats. I like the texture that rolled oats give to granola, so I use a blend of rolled oats and quick-cooking oats. You can use your favorite as long as the total amount being used is equivalent to 16 cups.
- Brown Sugar.
- Wheat Germ. This ingredient is optional but I like adding it because it’s a nutritional powerhouse. It doesn’t change the taste at all, which is great as my kids don’t even know they are consuming something so healthy!
- Coconut Flakes. Sweetened or unsweetened will work.
- Sunflower Seeds or Nuts. You don’t have to add these, but again, they add lots of nutrition and the crunch is a nice touch.
- Salt.
- Cinnamon.
- Oil. If you don’t have canola or vegetable oil, you can substitute with melted butter. Coconut oil is also a great option!
- Vanilla.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE GRANOLA
STEP 1: Combine all of the ingredients except for the oil and vanilla in a large bowl.
STEP 2: Pour the vanilla into the oil, then add to the large bowl with the other granola ingredients. Mix it well.
STEP 3: Spread the granola mixture into oven-safe pans and bake at 250 degrees until it’s lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
STORING AND FREEZING DIY GRANOLA
Once it has cooled, store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 14 days.
If you decide you want to freeze it, add it to a freezer-safe bag or container, and it will stay fresh for up to 3 months.
EXPERT TIPS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Chunky Granola. If you want it a little chunkier, use 2/3 cup of honey mixed with 2 cups of brown sugar versus the 3 cups listed in the recipe care. I like to mix the honey with a little oil before adding it in to make it combine nicely with the other ingredients.
Gluten-Free. Use gluten-free oats and omit the wheat germ.
Add-Ins. Toss in some butterscotch chips, white (or other) chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit. If you want to use the chips, you can also add those while the granola is still warm so they melt, which is really tasty.
Easy Cleanup. I love to mix up the ingredients in a large roasting pan. Then I just bake the granola in the roasting pan as well, which saves me a few dishes!
Individual Servings. No matter if you are going to serve granola as a snack or for breakfast, portion them out into individual containers or bags to make it a grab-and-go option.
Serving Suggestions. Granola goes great with milk (like cereal), is delicious in parfaits and yogurt bowls, can be mixed in with nut butter, served over baked fruit, and can even be an ice cream topping!
MORE EASY BREAKFAST RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal
- Super Easy Chocolate Granola
- Healthy Double Chocolate Muffins
- Cinnamon Sugar Mini Donut Muffins
Easy Homemade Granola
Ingredients
- 8 cups quick oats
- 8 cups rolled oats (see Notes below)
- 1 ½ to 3 cups brown sugar (see Notes below)
- 2 cups wheat germ optional
- 2 cups coconut flakes
- 1 cup sunflower seeds or nuts optional
- 2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 cups canola, vegetable or coconut oil or melted butter
- 2 tsp. vanilla
OPTIONAL ADD-INS – add once cooled
- raisins, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, Craisins, dried apricots
Instructions
- Mix everything but oil and vanilla in large bowl. (I like to mix it in my roasting pan and then just bake it in that).
- Add vanilla to oil, then add to dry ingredients. Mix well.
- Pour into oven safe dishes (if you don’t have a large roasting pan, cake pans work well) and bake at 250 degrees until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
Laura
That looks delicious. I haven’t made granola for awhile. I need to.
Pinned it!
ThriftyFrugalMom
Thanks, Laura! With a recipe this easy, there’s no reason not to have some homemade granola sitting in your pantry. 🙂
Ellie Sanders
Loving the granola! I must admit I’m not the best cook in the world, but this I can handle. Thanks for sharing.
ThriftyFrugalMom
Yes, this is definitely a super easy-to-make recipe, Ellie! In fact, sometimes our 7 year old mixes it together for me. 🙂
Charlee
I just saw this when I was getting my meal plan together this morning, and I knew I wanted to make it! I made it tonight, and I’m loving it! I love that it makes enough for weeks and is so versatile and tasty. Thanks, Lydia!
ThriftyFrugalMom
So glad you are loving it, Charlee! And glad the timing was perfect. 😉
Jo
This is almost like the granola recipe that I make! Sooo delicious! We always like it with butterscotch chips.
ThriftyFrugalMom
Mmmm, it’s been a while since I’ve made it with butterscotch chips, but that is really good! I should do it again and surprise the kiddos. I know they’d love it. 😉
Darletta Landis
Does it need to be stored in the freezer or would it keep stored in tupperware? The granola recipe that I normally make keeps for at least two week stored in tupperware. Looks good and my family prefers granola to bought cereal. Thanks, D
ThriftyFrugalMom
Darletta, it can definitely just be stored in any tight container. The only time I store it in the freezer is if I make up an extra recipe or two to save time later. Otherwise I just put it in my usual container and it has stayed fresh for at least a month. Obviously if you make it with butter, it probably wouldn’t stay fresh as long. In fact, if you do use butter, then I’d probably just keep out a weeks worth or so and freeze the rest until you are ready to use it. But if you are using oil, you should be fine!
Kristen @ Joyfully Thriving
I was just thinking that I wanted to try making granola again! I’ve tried a couple recipes that I wasn’t crazy about, but this one looks simple – and delicious.
ThriftyFrugalMom
Kristen, well I can’t promise that you’ll love this recipe, but I do know that I’ve had numerous people tell me that they really liked it, so… 😉