This is my absolute favorite homemade granola recipe. I blended a few recipes and came up with this tasty version. It makes a great snack and an incredible bowl of cereal. This kid-friendly recipe is an excellent alternative to heavily processed granola bars for a grab-and-go snack.
You can switch up the fruit to your taste (dried cranberries, dried pears, dried cherries, dried mangoes, dried currants, etc). Don't skip the brown sugar in this recipe. The quantity is small and it's crucial for coating the granola with the crunchy sweetness it deserves.
Important Tip For Making Homemade Granola with Dried Fruit
Don't add the dried fruit until the last 15 minutes of bake time. It will be overdone. The technique used here to form granola into chunks makes for great snacking granola. I always love it when I reach into a bag of granola and pull out a big piece. It's like getting the prize!
How To Store Homemade Granola
You might be wondering how long homemade granola lasts and what's the best way to store it? Homemade granola will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a month. You can also store it in the pantry for up to two weeks. Not that it will last that long, because it's pretty addictive. 😉 I like to store it in large mason jars. You can use any type of container or jar, as long as it has an airtight seal.
How To Make Granola From Scratch
Stir together oats, wheat germ, almonds, coconut, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. *Note: If you need to make this recipe gluten-free, you can swap out oat bran for the wheat germ.
Mix apple juice, maple syrup and avocado oil in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.
Add to dry oat mixture.
Working a handful at a time, squeeze cereal to form small clumps. Spread onto pans and bake for 30 minutes.
While granola is baking, chop apricots. After the granola has baked for 30 minutes, remove from oven and stir in raisins and apricots. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Cool and store.
Grab the milk and enjoy!
*This post was updated on October 8, 2019 from the original post published on on April, 16, 2011.
Homemade Granola
Ingredients
- 4 cups old-fashioned oats uncooked (not the quick cook)
- ½ cup wheat germ *can also use oat bran for a gluten-free version
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ½ cup unsweetened flake coconut
- 4 tbsp natural brown sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup natural apple juice *I used the Simply Apple brand
- ½ cup grade A dark amber pure maple syrup
- 6 tbsp Avocado oil
- ½ cup golden raisins
- 10 dried apricots chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
- Spray 2 jelly roll pans with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
- Stir together oats, wheat germ, almonds, coconut, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
- Mix apple juice, maple syrup and avocado oil in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.
- Add to dry oat mixture and toss thoroughly to coat.
- Working a handful at a time, squeeze cereal to form small clumps.
- Spread onto pans and bake for 30 minutes.
- While granola is baking, chop apricots.
- After granola has baked for 30 minutes, remove from oven and stir in raisins and apricots.
- Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes more.
- Cool and store.
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The Better Baker
Yum! I have a couple of great recipes for granola - I love it, and will have to try your version soon. So glad you shared!
Amee
thank you! I will have to try yours, too:)