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Homemade Granola

Save money when you make my Homemade Granola recipe. It’s full of wholesome ingredients like whole grains, nuts, and dried fruits, and it’s very budget-friendly!

Have you bought any granola lately? Or any breakfast cereal, for that matter? The price of cereal is through the roof, and granola is way at the top of the range. And, honestly, I don’t know why.

Homemade granola in a glass jar.

Our typical weekday breakfast around here usually includes a bowl of cereal of some kind, which really puts a dent in my weekly food shopping budget. Also, most commercial granola has a pretty high fat content, and it’s usually a hydrogenated fat – the kind you really want to avoid if possible.

So, I’m really excited to share this great recipe for my own Homemade Granola. This recipe is simple to make, and you can use whatever nuts and fruits your family likes. I chose pecans and a berry-raisin mix.

Walnuts or almonds would be good, too. So would dried cranberries and apples. The combinations are up to you!

The apple juice concentrate that I used allows the granola to crisp up without using so much oil. The entire recipe contains only two tablespoons of oil, and it makes at least six generous servings.

Recipe Quick View

Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Oven
Total Time: 35 Minutes

Servings: 10
Primary Ingredient(s): Rolled oats, wheat germ, pecans, brown sugar, mixed dried fruit
Skill Level: Easy

Ingredient Notes

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Ingredients needed to make homemade granola.
Old-fashioned rolled oats, toasted wheat germ, pecans, apple juice concentrate, brown sugar, vegetable oil, dried mixed fruit.
  • Old-fashioned rolled oats — They’re the backbone of the recipe! Be sure you pick up “old-fashioned roller” oats, not quick-cooking or instant. My usual brand is Quaker Oats, but others work just as well.
  • Toasted wheat germ — You’ve probably seen this on your grocery store shelf your whole life and never picked up, right? Wheat germ is just part of the wheat kernel that gets stripped away during the refining process. It’s a great source of plant protein and adds a nutty flavor and a boost of vitamins whenever it’s used. Kretschmer is probably the most available brand.
  • Pecans — Pecans have lots of healthy fats and give the granola a satisfying crunchiness. Feel free to substitute with walnuts or almonds.
  • Dried mixed fruit — I like Sunmaid’s dried berry mix in this recipe. It contains cranberries, cherries, and blueberries. However, you can use any dried fruit, such as raisins, apricots, and apples.
  • Apple juice concentrate — I find that apple juice concentrate will help the granola crisp up without adding extra fat.
  • Brown sugar — A touch of brown sugar really complements the tartness of the dried fruit.
  • Vegetable oil — Just a dab binds all the ingredients together.

The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

How to Make Homemade Granola

Ingredients in a baking dish.
STEP 2.
Ingredients thoroughly mixed.
STEP 3.
  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Coat a baking pan or glass baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Add the oats, wheat germ, and pecans to the baking pan, stirring to mix well. Spread the mixture evenly on the pan.
  3. Place in the preheated oven and cook until the mixture is lightly browned, about 25 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time. Remove the pan from the oven.
  4. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Apple juice concentrate and other wet ingredients.
STEP 5.
Wet ingredients added to partially cooked granola.
STEPS 6-7.
  1. In a small bowl, stir together the apple juice concentrate, brown sugar, and oil.
  2. Pour the mixture over the oat and nut mixture, stirring to combine.
  3. Spread the mixture evenly in the pan and return the pan to the oven.
  4. Bake until the oats are crisp, about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.
  5. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the mixture to cool in the pan.
Dried fruit added to cooled granola.
STEP 10.
Dried fruits mixed into the granola.
STEP 10.
  1. When completely cool, toss with your choice of dried fruits. Store in an airtight container.
Homemade granola in a glass jar.

Troubleshooting Tips

  • If the granola isn’t crisping up as expected, extend the baking time in five-minute increments, but watch it closely to avoid burning.
  • For larger clumps of granola, press the mixture down firmly before the final bake and let it cool completely before breaking it up.
  • If the granola is too dry or hard, reduce the baking time or lower the oven temperature slightly.
  • If it’s too sticky after cooling, it may have too much sweetener or insufficient baking time. Bake for a few more minutes, and make sure it’s spread out thinly and evenly on the pan to dry out properly.
  • Make sure to allow the granola to cool completely before storing it to prevent steam from softening the batch. Store in airtight containers.

Recipe Variations

  • Nut-Free: Use seeds like pumpkin or sunflower instead of nuts.
  • Extra Protein: Stir in a scoop of your favorite protein powder or flaxseed meal.
  • Lower Sugar: Reduce the brown sugar and increase the apple juice concentrate slightly for a less sweet version.
  • Chocolate Chip: After the granola has completely cooled, add semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips.
  • Tropical: Mix in dried tropical fruits like pineapple, mango, and coconut flakes.
  • Spiced: Stir in warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom before baking.
  • Pumpkin Pie: Add pumpkin pie spice mix to the wet ingredients.
  • Apple Pie: Include dried apple pieces and a dash of cinnamon.

Serving and Use Suggestions

Granola is so versatile! It can be used in loads of ways other than as a breakfast cereal. Try one or two of these:

  • Layer granola with yogurt and fresh fruits to make delicious parfaits.
  • Sprinkle on top of smoothie bowls for added crunch and flavor.
  • Use it as a crunchy topping for muffins, breads, or fruit crisps. It adds great texture and flavor to baked goods.
  • Sprinkle over fruit salads. It’s especially good on salads featuring apples or pears.
  • Use as a topping for ice cream or frozen yogurt.
  • Combine with nuts, seeds, chocolate chips, and dried fruits to create a custom trail mix.
  • Toss with popcorn and a little melted butter and spices for a movie night snack.
  • Core fresh apples or pears, fill them with a mixture of granola, cinnamon, and a little brown sugar, then bake until tender.

Storage Information

You can store homemade granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one month. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Homemade granola in a glass jar.

Questions About Homemade Granola

Can I use fresh fruits in making granola?

You should avoid fresh fruit because they’ll add moisture, which will make the granola soggy. However, you can always add fresh fruits to your baked granola when you’re ready to serve.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

It can be gluten-free if you use oats that are certified gluten-free. Be mindful of cross-contamination if you have a gluten sensitivity.

Lana Stuart.

Questions? I’m happy to help!

If you have more questions about the recipe, or if you’ve made it and would like to leave a comment, scroll down to leave your thoughts, questions, and/or rating!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

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Homemade granola in a glass jar.

Homemade Granola

Save money and make my Homemade Granola. Full of wholesome ingredients like whole grains, nuts, and dried fruits, it’s very budget-friendly!
5 from 4 votes
Print It Rate It Add to Collection
Course: Breakfast, Snacks
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 244kcal
Author: Lana Stuart

Ingredients

  • 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats not quick cooking or instant
  • ¾ cup toasted wheat germ
  • ¾ cup pecans coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup frozen apple juice concentrate thawed
  • ¼ cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 6 ounces dried mixed fruit

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Coat a baking pan with cooking spray.
  • Add the oats, wheat germ, and pecans to the baking pan, stirring to mix well. Spread the mixture evenly on the pan.
  • Place in the preheated oven and cook until the mixture is lightly browned, about 25 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time. Remove the pan from the oven.
  • Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the apple juice concentrate, brown sugar, and oil.
  • Pour the mixture over the oat and nut mixture, stirring to combine.
  • Spread the mixture evenly in the pan and return the pan to the oven.
  • Bake until the oats are crisp, about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and allow the mixture to cool in the pan.
  • When completely cool, toss with your choice of dried fruits. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one month.
  • May be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 | Calories 244kcal | Carbohydrates 40g | Protein 6g | Fat 8g | Saturated Fat 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat 3g | Monounsaturated Fat 4g | Sodium 6mg | Potassium 331mg | Fiber 6g | Sugar 15g | Vitamin A 6IU | Vitamin C 0.4mg | Calcium 54mg | Iron 2mg

Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.

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— This post was originally published on March 12, 2010. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.

This budget friendly Homemade Granola contains whole grains along with pecans, dried berries, dried cherries, and golden raisins. https://www.lanascooking.com/homemade-granola/
5 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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8 Comments

  1. Your pictures are also very pretty; love all the colour and flavour! Great idea to add concentrate … wow! Thanks for sharing the recipe so beautifully!

    1. Thanks, Deeba. I thought the concentrate was a good idea, too. Reduces the fat by quite a bit!

  2. A wonderful (and very healthy) recipe, Lana, which I look forward to trying. I particularly like the apple juice concentrate touch. I’ve been making my own juice concentrates lately from excess fruit in my garden and have found it to be an excellent way to really add zip to recipes. Well done!

  3. I like that there is not much fat in this recipe. I love granola on my yogurt and I’ll have to try this recipe.

  4. My daughter loves granola, i will definitely be trying this!

  5. my little expat kitchen says:

    I’ve never made granola! Maybe it’s time I try it!
    Sounds healthy and yummy.
    Magda

  6. jenn (Bread + Butter) says:

    Granola is definitely one thing I need to make. I live snacking on it during the day. It’s definitely way better and healthier than the stuff found in stores.

  7. the wicked noodle says:

    I love making homemade granola – it’s so delicious and so much healthier than store-bought. I’m definitely going to try your recipe!