The Definitive Guide To Granola

What is Granola?

Granola is a breakfast food and snack that often consists of rolled oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and a sweetener such as maple syrup, honey or sugar. It’s baked until crisp and golden brown, and is eaten in so many different ways—it’s delicious on its own, as a breakfast cereal, and sprinkled over ice cream, to name a few.

The sheer number and variety of granolas you can find at the supermarket today is proof of its popularity and versatility, but I’m here to tell you that you should give home-made granola a chance.

It’s cheaper, surprisingly simple to make at home, and easy to customise to your tastes. They can be baked in large batches and also make great gifts. If you’re craving something crunchy, nutty, fruity, sweet, toasted, golden and yummy that only requires 10 minutes of hands-on time, keep reading.

Granola Ingredients

Grains

Grains form the base of granola, providing structure, bulk, and a source of fibre and essential vitamins and minerals. Oats are the most common choice due to their mild flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional benefits. Other grains, such as quinoa, buckwheat, or puffed rice, add variety and unique textures. Granola can be made grain-free to cater to dietary needs and preferences.

Popular Grains

• rolled oats

  
• puffed rice

  
• popped quinoa

  

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds add crunch, protein and healthy fats to granola. If you’re allergic to nuts, pick only seeds, or skip this category entirely.

Popular Nuts and Seeds

• almonds

  
• coconut chips

  
• pumpkin seeds

  
• walnuts

  
• cashews

  
• sunflower seeds

  
• pecans

  
• hazelnuts

  
• pistachios

  
• sesame seeds

  
• flax seeds

  
• chia seeds

  
• macadamias

  
• pine nuts

  
• peanut butter

  

Sweeteners

Sweeteners provide (wait for it) sweetness and help bind the ingredients during baking. Adding more sweeteners can make it easier to achieve granola clusters. Popular choices like honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup provide natural sweetness while contributing their own unique flavors, while brown sugar or molasses can add a rich, caramel-like note.

Popular Sweeteners

• maple syrup

  
• brown sugar

  
• honey

  
• coconut sugar

  
• molasses

  
• agave syrup

  

Oils

Oils are essential for adding moisture and contributing to the toasted, golden-brown, and crispy characteristic of granola. Healthy fats like olive oil or avocado oil can impart additional flavors, while choosing neutral oils like sunflower or canola can allow the other ingredients to shine.

Popular Oils

• sunflower oil

  
• coconut oil

  
• olive oil

  
• canola oil

  
• avocado oil

  

Flavorings

Flavorings and spices are a chance to go wild and add your personal touch to granola. Salt is a popular pick because just a little bit enhances the perceived sweetness of other ingredients. Vanilla extract, cinnamon and other baking spices can add complexity and depth without contributing many calories. Don’t be afraid to experiment! For example, if you prefer savory foods, try adding in a touch of chilli, pepper and paprika.

Popular Flavorings

• salt

  
• cinnamon powder

  
• vanilla extract

  
• ginger powder

  
• cardamom powder

  
• nutmeg powder

  
• pumpkin spice

  
• cocoa powder

  
• allspice

  
• ground black pepper

  
• lemon extract

  
• orange extract

  
• matcha powder

  
• earl grey tea

  

Mix-Ins (Dried Fruits and Chocolates)

Dried fruits bring natural sweetness, chewiness, a pop of concentrated flavor, and can make your granola more visually appealing. They also provide important nutrients like fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins such as potassium and vitamin C. Colourful dried fruits like cranberries and blueberries can make granola more visually appealing.

Chocolate, often in the form of chips, chunks, cacao nibs or cocoa powder, can add an indulgent touch to granola. Pick a darker (higher percentage of cacao solids and butter) chocolate for its higher concentration of antioxidants and lower sugar content.

Popular Mix-Ins

• dried cranberries

  
• sultanas

  
• dried currants

  
• raisins

  
• dried blueberries

  
• dates

  
• dried apricots

  
• dried bananas

  
• dried cherries

  
• dark chocolate

  
• white chocolate

  
• ruby chocolate

  
• cacao nibs

  
• dried ginger

  
• dried mangoes

  
• dried pineapples

  
• dried figs

  
• dried apples

  
• dried strawberries

  
• dried blackberries

  
• dried pears

  
• goji berries

  

Is Granola Healthy?

Yes and no. It depends on the specific ingredients in a granola.

Oats, a common ingredient in granola, are high in fiber. Avocado and olive oils can contain healthier monounsaturated fats, and olive oil in particular can be high in polyphenols, which are anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients. Nuts are a great source of protein, while dried fruits and seeds are rich in vitamins and minerals.

However, granolas tend to be high in calories and sugar as a result of the sweeteners, dried fruits, oils and nuts. To make granola healthier, eat in moderation (this will be difficult because of how good they taste), use less sweeteners, and choose healthier oils.

How to Make Granola

The Formula

What makes granola so customisable, even for inexperienced cooks, is that you can get consistently good results by following a simple formula. This means you can have fun and experiment with different ingredients and have the confidence that your granola will still turn out well.

The formula is:

• - 3 cups of grains
• - 1 cup of nuts and seeds
• - 1/2 cup of dried fruits and/or chocolates
• - 1/2 cup of sweeteners
• - 1/4 cup of oil
• - 1 tablespoon of flavorings

You can adjust these to your personal preferences. Reduce the amount of sweetener if you prefer a granola that’s less sweet, or add more flavorings if you want a punchier granola.

The Recipe

1. Prep

   Start by preheating the oven to 300ºF/150ºC and moving the rack to the middle. The temperature is high enough to toast the ingredients in the oil and caramelise the sugars, but not so high that the sweeteners burn and become bitter.

   Lay a piece of parchment paper or silicon mat onto a rimmed baking sheet. The paper/mat will prevent your granola from sticking to the baking sheet when the sweeteners become soft and sticky in the oven.

   Chop any large nuts, dried fruits or chocolate into smaller, consistently-sized pieces; a size like a blueberry or chocolate chip is perfect.

2. Mix the dry ingredients

   

   In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, which include your chosen grains, nuts and seeds.

   Your mix-ins i.e. dried fruits and chocolates will only be added at the end—after the baking step—because the dried fruits might burn and the chocolate will melt.

3. Mix the wet ingredients

   

   In a saucepan, add your chosen oil, sweetener and flavorings. Place the saucepan over a low, gentle heat and stir until the ingredients have combined into a single mixture. If you use sugar, make sure the sugar has fully dissolved. The heat and the stirring helps to form a homogenous mixture to ensure that your granola is consistently flavored throughout.

4. Combine all ingredients and spread on a baking sheet

   
   

   Pour the wet mixture into the mixing bowl with the dry mixture and mix well. Make sure every part of the granola is well-coated; the oil and sweetener will encourage the granola to toast evenly and clump together.

   

   Transfer the combined ingredients to the prepared baking sheet and spread them out evenly. You want the ingredients to cover the pan to maximise the surface area for baking. As a general guideline, aim for a layer around half as thick as your fingers. If the granola layer is too thick, it can toast unevenly, so use a second baking pan or toast the second batch after the first is done.

5. Bake until crisp

   

   Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and start a timer for 20 minutes. The baking process will take around 35-45 minutes, but we want to stir the granola halfway through to make sure it’s toasting evenly.

   

   When the first timer goes off, pull out the baking sheet and stir the granola. Spin the baking sheet around if one side is browner than the other. Put it back into the oven and set another 20 minute timer. At this point, your kitchen should be smelling heavenly.

   When the second timer is up, check the granola. You’re looking for a lovely light golden-brown color all over, a toasty smell, and the granola should feel almost dry. If it’s not, put it back in the oven and check every 5 minutes.

   

   If you’re adding dried fruits, gently stir it into the still-hot granola now.

6. Cool and store

   Allow the granola to cool on the baking pan completely. If you’re adding chocolates, stir it into the cool granola. Once cool, transfer the granola to an airtight container.

How to Make Granola Clusters

If you prefer to eat granola on its own as a snack like I do, you might want to make granola clusters because they’re easier to hold and scarf down. Here are a few tips for making granola clusters.

• 1. Use more sweeteners. This makes the granola sweeter, but the added sugars will help to bind the granola more “stickily” during the baking and cooling process.

• 2. Press the granola mixture firmly into the baking sheet at the beginning to compact them. I like to cover the granola with a sheet of baking paper and then press down with another pan to apply even pressure, but you can also use a flat spatula for this. Also, make the layers thicker than you normally would.

• 3. Don’t stir too at the halfway stage, which will break up the clusters that have been forming. If you do need to stir because the granola isn't baking evenly, make sure to press the layers together again before returning the baking sheet to the oven.

• 4. Don’t stir the granola too much (or at all) when it’s cooling to give the sugars a chance to set firmly. I press any dried fruits to be added onto the clusters gently. Adding any chocolates while the granola is moderately warm will allow the chocolate to melt slightly into the granola, binding it when it cools, while allowing the chocolate to retain most of its shape.

• 5. Once the granola is cool, you can break the clusters into any size you like.

How to Store Granola

To make sure your granola stays crisp and crunchy for as long as possible, make sure it’s cooled completely, then store it in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge. It should keep for up to one month.

Since granola is so easy to make, I prefer to make smaller batches more frequently so I can have granola at its best.

Ways to Enjoy Granola

Granola is incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in numerous ways. Here are some delicious ideas to try.

• Put it on yoghurt

  Granola's crunchy texture is the perfect foil for the creaminess of yoghurt. Have it as is, or make a yoghurt parfait by layering yoghurt with chopped fruits like strawberries, bananas, cherries or whatever's in season, then top with granola.

• Eat it as a snack

  Granola is delicious on its own. Granola clusters and bars are the perfect handheld snack on the go. Add it to your lunch box, bring it along on hikes, or stash it in your luggage for a travel pick-me-up.

• Add texture to a smoothie bowl

  Granolas are a perfect complement to smoothie bowls, adding crunch, fruitiness and nuttiness. Try blending fresh tropical fruits with coconut water and honey for a beach-inspired version that serves as the perfect bed for granola.

• Have it as a cereal

  Make a quick breakfast by pouring granola into a bowl and topping with milk or your choice of plant-based alternatives like almond, oat or soy milk.

• Garnish an acai bowl

  Build an acai bowl with your favorite fruits (bananas and blueberries are popular options), toss in some peanut butter, then blend with some milk to get the right consistency. Last but not least, go wild with your granola.

• Punch up your oats

  Overnights oats or porridge can be lacking in the texture department. Reintroduce crunch (and flavor) with a handful of granola.

• Top ice cream and froyo

  Add concentrated crunch and flavor to your cold and creamy desserts with a generous sprinkling of granola over ice creams and frozen yoghurts.

• Use it in baking

  Granola contains fruits and nuts and offers plenty of crunch, making it a great mix-in to soft baked goods like cookies, as part of the topping in a hot, gooey apple crumble, or an alternative crust option for cheesecakes.