A perfectly sweet, crunchy granola loaded with nuts and seeds, and best of all? It’s healthy.
This is one of my OG recipes, back from when The Paleo Diet was all the rage. I believe I originally wrote this in 2013 or 2014, and it has since evolved. There are so many gluten-free and grain-free granola options out there now (Trader Joe’s has one that I particularly enjoy), but there’s just something about homemade that is always… better.
Before we get to the recipe, a few notes:
You may swap in or out any nut that you would like, or add more than the ones I have listed, as long as your total nut amount is 3 cups.
Raw, unfiltered honey and virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil are my preferences when I state honey and coconut oil, though any type of honey will do.
The dried fruit mixed in at the end is optional, and does not have a measurement. Eyeball it, but know more dried fruit will make it sweeter and more chewy versus crunchy. I typically use a small amount apricots, raisins, and craisins.
Lisa’s Homemade Grain-Free Granola
Ingredients
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pepitas
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup coarse flaxseed meal
1 cup almonds, chopped
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
few dashes cinnamon
1/2 cup honey
4 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
dried fruit of choice (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Combine all dry ingredients [nuts, seeds, coconut, cinnamon] into a large bowl.
3. Warm a saucepan over medium-low heat.
4. Add honey, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Gently warm until runny and combined.
5. Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients and mix until well-combined.
6. Place parchment paper on baking sheet and spread granola in a thin layer. Don’t pack it down or together. Leave some of it in clumps and allow some air pockets to form. Bake for 20 minutes.
7. Remove from oven, stir granola and continue to bake until golden brown, 15-20 more minutes.
8. Let cool to room temperature and mix in dried fruit, if desired.
9. Store in an air-tight container for up to one week.