Honey Granola will add a sweet and healthy crunch to your breakfast. This granola recipe with honey is simple to make and tastes great on many different breakfast foods. It has truly become a favorite in our house!
Honey Granola is the topping your breakfast needs
Sometimes, my breakfast just needs a little something extra. If you have ever felt the same way, I'm here to tell you that this granola is the "something extra" you're craving.
It's crunchy, nutty and fruity. It's even chocolatey, if you want it to be.
This granola recipe with honey is perfect on all of your breakfast favorites, like yogurt, waffles and smoothies.
Do yourself a favor and make this easy and healthy Honey Granola recipe soon!
Is homemade granola good for you?
It can be! That depends on what you put into it.
This granola recipe with honey uses simple and healthy ingredients:
- Oats - rich in fiber
- Nuts - a great source of protein
- Fruit - provides more fiber and plenty of vitamins
- Honey - a natural sweetener instead of refined sugar
Homemade granola with honey will boost your breakfast with nutrition. With a handful of it, you start your day with a dose of fiber and protein.
Most of all though, I also love that this granola recipe is sweetened with honey instead of refined sugars. It sets this granola apart from many store-bought granolas.
Keep in mind not all homemade granola recipes are good for you. Some granola recipes still add refined sugar. Not this one though!
How do you make Honey Granola?
This homemade granola with honey will be ready to eat in just a few easy steps. The full recipe is below, but here's a run down with some extra tips.
Ingredients needed for this granola recipe with honey
- Old-fashioned oats (jumbo rolled oats)
- Nuts (sliced almonds, pecan halves)
- Spices (sea salt flakes, cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla)
- Coconut oil
- Honey
- Mix-ins (dried fruit, chocolate, etc.)
Use as many of your favorite mix-ins as you like. Dried raisins, cranberries and cherries taste great in this recipe. You might even try mixing in some dried coconut.
One of my favorite mix-ins is to add a little bit of dark chocolate.
What is the best type of oats for homemade granola?
I recommend using old-fashioned oats for this granola recipe with honey.
In the UK, old-fashioned oats are called jumbo rolled oats. They get the name because they are simply oat groats that have first been steamed, then flattened with a large heavy roller.
Quick-cook oats (also called porridge oats in the UK) are simply too thin and won't hold up in this granola recipe. These types of oats have been rolled even thinner than old-fashioned oats and lose their texture.
Lastly, steel cut oats are too thick and bulky. You can see pictures of all the different types of oats on Oldways Whole Grain Council.
How to mix and bake this homemade granola with honey
First, mix the base ingredients (oats and nuts) with the honey, coconut oil and spices. Make sure all the oats and nuts are completely coated.
Next, pour this mixture onto a baking sheet and bake. You'll want to stir the granola once while it's baking.
Once the oats and honey granola has completely cooled, add your choice of mix-ins. Lastly, enjoy!
Give this recipe a try, and you'll see just how easy it is! You will never need expensive store-bought granola again.
TIP: If you don't want to make your own dried fruit mix, this Superberry Fruit Fusion is a delicious blend that works perfectly in this homemade granola with honey.
How do you know granola is done?
The thing I love about making granola at home is that you can make the texture as you prefer - a bit chewier or completely crunchy.
Personally, I like to keep my Honey Granola a little bit chewier. It's sometimes difficult to tell if granola is done because it hardens as it cools.
In other words, your homemade granola with honey will still be a little soft when you take it out of the oven.
It takes practice to know exactly when it's time to take the granola out. Luckily, I have a little test that always helps.
Use the "clink test" to tell if granola is done
To help me decide if my granola is done baking, I do a simple "clink test." First, I transfer a few pieces of granola into a small glass or teacup. Then I simply wait a couple minutes and swirl the cup around.
Swirling helps the granola cool quickly. If the granola makes a clinking noise as it swirls inside the cup, then you know it's done. This is also a great time to taste test the granola to see if you like the texture.
The color of the granola also helps determine if it's done. I like to do the clink test once my granola turns a light golden brown color.
Tip: This oats and honey granola is best when kept a chewier texture.
Why is my granola not sticking together?
One difficulty I hear about making homemade granola recipes is that it sometimes won't stick together. Try these solutions if you have trouble getting your homemade granola with honey to stick into clusters:
- You need more sugar - If you try to use less honey or oil than the recipe calls for, the granola probably won't stick together.
- Stirring too much or too early - Stirring the granola before it cools and sets will break it apart, leaving you with a crumbly result.
- Overcooking - If the granola is overcooked, the sugar in the honey will burn. As a result, the sugar will become crispy and brittle and your granola will fall apart.
Tip: To make sure your homemade granola sticks together and forms little clumps, make sure you: (1) use enough sugars, (2) don't stir it until it cools, and (3) don't overcook it.
How long does homemade granola last?
The shelf life of homemade granola with honey depends on:
- Texture: Dry, crunchy granola will store longer than a more chewy granola.
- Oil shelf life: Store granola in an airtight container to prevent the oil from going rancid.
Because I like to keep this granola a bit soft and chewy, I usually store this granola on the counter top for at most 2 weeks. It hardly ever lasts that long though.
If you bake your granola very dry and crunchy, it will likely last a few days longer in an airtight container.
This granola recipe with honey is a great staple to have on hand for breakfast
If you love this recipe, be sure to try these other breakfast recipes similar to this Honey Granola:
- Healthy Seed Granola - Packed with four different types of nutrient-rich seeds.
- Nut Free Granola - Easy and delicious granola recipe with no nuts.
- Strawberry and Granola Open Faced Sandwich - Inspired by the Scandinavian smørrebrød.
- Granola dust - A quick, nutritious and versatile breakfast topping.
- Paleo Granola - Made without any grains and sweetened with honey and blueberries.
Homemade granola with honey is a simple and healthy breakfast topping
I hope you love this homemade granola as much as I do. Remember to have fun experimenting with mix-ins and ways to use this recipe!
Any questions? Feel free to ask in the comments below or email tina@theworktop.com. And I’d love to hear how you use your Honey Granola in the comments below.
Honey Granola
Print Recipe Save RecipeIngredients
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats (rolled oats)
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ½ cup pecan halves
- ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom (you can also use the seeds from 5 cardamom pods and grind them with a mortar and pestle)
- ½ cup cold-pressed virgin coconut oil - melted
- ½ cup honey
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla powder (or you can use 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract)
- ¼ cup dried banana chips
- ¾ cup mix of dried raisins, dried cherries, dried cranberries and chocolate chips (you can use any combination to your liking)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 176°C. Line a big baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together the oats, nuts, sea salt flakes, cinnamon and cardamom.
- In a small bowl, mix together the coconut oil, honey and vanilla. If your kitchen is chilly, it may be easier to pop the coconut oil and honey in the microwave for about 15 seconds to help it mix together.
- Pour the honey mixture over the oats mixture and stir to evenly coat everything.
- Pour the honey oat mix onto the big baking tray and use a spatula to spread it out evenly.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove the tray from the oven. The granola will harden while it cools. If you want clusters in your granola, once you have taken it out of the oven, do not stir the granola until it has completely cooled. I love this granola a little bit soft, so I take it out at 20-25 minutes. If you aren't sure if the granola is ready, try the clink test. Use a spoon and remove a few pieces of the granola into a glass cup. Wait a few minutes for it to cool then shake the cup around. If you can hear the granola "clinking," then it is done. If not, then leave it to bake another few minutes before testing again.
- Once the granola has cooled, transfer it into a big bowl. Break apart any large clumps if you would like. Mix in the banana chips and dried fruit.
- Store in an airtight container. It should last up to 2 weeks, but use your best judgment depending on how dry/crunchy you like your granola toasted.
Susana Boland says
Wonderful and very easy to make recipe. I have tried other granola recipes before but this one hit the spot.
Myra says
You should never microwave honey. If your honey starts to crystallize, which is normal, put tap water in a small sauce pan, and let the water simmer. As soon as it starts to simmer, turn the burner off and set the jar of honey in the warm water and it will soften on its own. Boiling or nuking your honey kills all the healthy nutrients. Of course, you should always but a good quality, pure honey.
Julie C says
then i guess you shouldn't bake with honey, either, because that too will kill all the nutrients. right? (from a beekeeper)
Tina says
I use dry granola over two weetabix in the morning I would like to make granola bars no sugar trying to lose weight I keep my granola in a steeled glass jar