Clean Eating Granola Recipe (2024)

This recipe for homemade granola is easy to make, mildly sweetened, and totally delicious with any additions you’d like to add.

I have to be honest. I’ve never much cared for store-bought granola. It’s too sickeningly sweet for me, and the flavor is usually blah. I like to be in more control over how sweet my breakfast is, as well as the level of flavor.

This recipe specifically addresses those issues. It’s a very versatile recipe that allows you to be in control over what your morning granola ends up tasting like.

About This Granola Recipe

• Mildly sweet – This is purposely under-sweetened. I like this because then I can adjust the final sweetness when I add sweetener to my morning bowl of granola.
• Basic spices – This recipe calls for cinnamon and nothing more. Use this to your advantage. You can double up on the cinnamon for a true cinnamon flavor, or you can add additional spices (see list below), in addition to the cinnamon called for in the recipe. This will really round out the spices.
• Additions – This recipe calls for (optional) walnuts. However, you can omit them or opt to use something else (see list below).

Granola Additions

Nuts

• Cashews
• Almonds
• Pecans
• Peanuts

Dried Fruits

(added for baking with the oats)

• Raisins
• Dried cranberries
• Dried Acai berries

Spices

(added for baking with the oats)

• Gingerbread spice
• Apple pie spice
• Pumpkin pie spice

Other Additions

• Coconut shreds (added for baking with the oats)
• Dark chocolate chips (add after baking and cooling completely.)
• Any fresh fruit (add after baking and cooling completely.)

Tips For Making The Best Homemade Granola

1. Watch your first batch carefully. Every oven bakes differently. You may need more or less baking time.
2. Keep the temperature low. It’s tempting to raise the temperature to bake it faster, but don’t. Granola needs to essentially dry out. This means baking it low and slow.
3. Any nuts you use should be raw. Using roasted nuts will leave you with little pieces of charcoal in your finished granola.
4. Stir, stir, stir! It’s important to stir your granola every 10-15 minutes during baking. This is a not something you can walk away from. Set your timer to remind you. Forgetting to stir will leave you with burned granola.

What You’ll Need For This Recipe For Homemade Granola

Traditional oats– Do not use quick oats or steel-cut oats. Traditional ( or old fashion) oats are the only oats that will work here.

Walnuts– These are optional and can be omitted or substituted with something else. See the list above.

Unsweetened apple sauce – Don’t use sweetened apple sauce or your oats will end up too sweet. And if you eat clean, the added sugar won’t work.

Honey – You can use maple syrup as well. But the finished granola will be less sweet. Honey adds a bit more sweetness to the finished granola.

Ground cinnamon – You can omit this if you wish, but if it’s a different flavor you’re after, it’s better to add other spices in addition to this cinnamon.

How Do You Make Granola From Scratch?

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Put all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Spread over a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes so it doesn’t burn. Baking times may vary by oven.

Allow to cool before serving. It will harden more as it cools.

Transfer to a storage container and keep it in the fridge.

Need Recipe Supplies?

Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Half Sheet (3 Pack)

Oggi Mixing BOWL SET, Set of 3, White

More Homemade Cereals

• Maple Cinnamon Granola
• Banana Granola

Homemade Granola Recipe Card

Recipe from the Gracious Pantry® archives, originally posted 5/13/10.