Cinnamon Crunch Oat-Free Granola

This tasty low-carb honey nut granola is a delicious alternative to traditional granola made with oats and whole grains. To cut back on the carbs, it’s made with a delightful blend of raw nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. A handful of this granola is the perfect low-carb snack to hold you over until your next meal.

Or make this nut and seed granola a meal in itself. This is a nutritious and hearty breakfast with milk and sliced fresh fruit. This granola is the best, whether you’re watching your carb intake, following a whole foods diet, or want a satisfying, healthy snack! For more traditional granola recipes, check out my favorite vanilla almond granola or stovetop blueberry granola recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s everything you crave from granola with less than half of the carbs.
• Grain-free, and vegan (if sweetened with maple syrup)
• The coconut, nuts, and seeds offer satiating fats and protein to keep you feeling full and energized!
• Great for hiking and camping
• It’s quick, easy, and delicious!

Ingredients You’ll Need

This recipe yields 6 cups of oat-free granola (24 1/4-cup servings).

• Coconut: I love adding unsweetened shredded coconut to homemade granola for its naturally sweet taste. It crisps up nicely with the nuts and seeds.
• The Nuts: Hazelnuts, Walnuts, Pecans, and Almonds: This mixture of delicious nuts is packed with vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants, and healthy fats. You can also use macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, almonds, or cashews. Be sure to use raw nuts!
• The Seeds: Pumpkin Seeds & Sunflower Seeds: Raw seeds are a fantastic source of vitamin E and are only a few carbs per serving.
• Cinnamon: You can also add warming spices like nutmeg, ginger, and clove here -or pumpkin pie spice.
• Almond Meal: This is optional, but it gives the granola a crispier consistency.
• Coconut Oil: To make crunchy granola, you’ll need healthy fat. Coconut oil is a good oil for granola because it adds fat, moisture and flavor.
• Vanilla: Use a quality pure vanilla extract.
• Honey: to sweeten. For a vegan version, use maple syrup. The carbs in honey don’t amount to much per serving, but you can use erythritol or monk fruit to cut more carbs if you like. However, I haven’t tested this recipe with alternative sweeteners.
• Sea Salt: balances the sweet and warming flavors and makes them even more delicious.
• Dried Fruit: I used raisins in my granola. You can also use dried currants, cranberries, goji berries, apricots, dried blueberries, etc.
• Chia Seeds: for some added fiber and omega-3 fatty acids! Flaxseeds are also great here.

How To Make Granola without Oats

Step 1: Preheat the oven and prepare pans. Preheat your oven to 275 degrees and line two jelly roll pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

Step 2: Mix nuts, seeds, and spices. Add the coconut, pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, almonds, sunflower seeds, almond meal, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix with a heavy spoon. Set aside.

Step 3: Whisk wet ingredients. Whisk the coconut oil, vanilla extract, honey, and sea salt together in a medium bowl.

Step 4: Mix everything. Then, add the wet mixture to the nut mixture and mix well to coat the nuts, seeds, and fruit.

Step 5: Bake. Spread the granola onto the pans in a thin layer and bake for 30 minutes.

Step 6. Finish and store. Let the granola cool completely, then break it into small pieces.

Stir in the chia seeds and dried fruit and store in an airtight container.

Recipes Tips

• Spreading the granola out in a thin layer will result in loose crispy pieces -perfect for snacks, cereal, and as a dessert topping. Spread the granola out in a thicker layer for a crumblier texture with clusters.
• Keep an eye on the oven. This granola mixture can be overcooked quickly.
• Don’t stir the granola more than once during baking for even cooking and the best crisp.

Variations

• Swap half of the coconut oil with creamy almond butter or your favorite nut butter for a more nutty flavor.
• To boost protein, mix a scoop of unflavored whey protein (or plant-based protein powder) with a cup of almond milk and pour over the granola as a protein-packed breakfast.
• Add dark chocolate chips when you stir in the chia seeds and dried fruit.

How To Serve

• My favorite way to enjoy granola is with almond milk mixed with a scoop of unflavored whey protein as a healthy cereal. It’s a great energy-boost first thing in the morning and before a workout. It’s also amazing on top of plain Greek yogurt!
• Use it as a low-carb topping for protein powder yogurt, yogurt parfaits, peanut butter mousse, cottage cheese, and smoothie bowls.

Storing & Freezing

Storing: The best way to store grain-free granola is in a cool, dark place like a cabinet or pantry. You can keep it in an airtight container, like a Mason jar or cereal container, for up to one week at room temperature.

Freezing: This cinnamon crunch granola is great for batch baking. Let it cool completely and freeze in freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and enjoy within 3 to 4 days.

More Granola Recipes

Vanilla Almond Granola

Easy Stovetop Blueberry Granola

More Healthy Snacks

Chocolate Protein Date Balls

Peanut Butter Protein Dip

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bars

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