Nut free granola is a safe and tasty recipe for anyone with a nut allergy. It may be hard to come by in the store, but it's easy to make at home! This no nut granola recipe is full of flavor, crunch and just the right amount of chewiness.
This nut free granola recipe is easy to make and allergy-free
If you have someone in your family with a nut allergy, you know how stressful it can be to find store-bought foods that are safe.
Granola is an easy breakfast staple to make at home, so you can avoid the store-bought stuff altogether!
If you're like me, you will find yourself munching on this granola throughout the day. I love it because it's:
- Crunchy
- A bit chewy
- Sweetened just a bit with honey
- Perfectly spiced with cinnamon
Try this nut free granola recipe once, and I bet you will have a jar on your counter at all times!
Does granola usually have nuts?
The majority of store-bought granolas contain some type of nuts. It's important to read labels very carefully when looking for an allergy-safe granola.
Even if a store-bought granola does not contain nuts in the ingredients, it's possible that the granola is produced in a facility with nuts. The package should let you know.
But good news! This homemade granola recipe is perfectly nut free.
Please note: I use coconut in this recipe. Although it is considered a tree nut, coconut is usually safe for people with nut allergies so I included it in this recipe.
How do you make nut free granola?
Most importantly, to make nut free granola, you need to find a filler to replace the usual nuts. When choosing a filler:
- Don't rely only on oats - keep it interesting!
- Be sure to compensate for flavor.
However, it's not difficult to find nut free granola fillers if you think outside the box a bit.
Key ingredients in this recipe
What you won't find in this recipe - added sugar and of course, nuts.
Here's what you will find in this recipe - healthy, whole ingredients.
- Old-fashioned oats
- Wheat germ
- Coconut flakes
- Honey
- Raisins
- Banana chips
- Warm spices (cinnamon and ginger)
Using wheat germ in no nut granola
If you're thinking that wheat germ isn't a typical granola ingredient, you're right! Wheat germ adds some health benefits such as:
- Protein
- Fiber
- Healthy fats
- Vitamin E - an antioxidant
- Minerals like zinc (good for immunity) and magnesium (good for brain health)
Most importantly though, wheat germ also helps to form little clusters in the granola, which replace the crunchy texture of the nuts. These clusters break apart easily when chewing, unlike whole nuts in other granola recipes.
This is the wheat germ I always use. I've never had a problem with it, and it makes great granola!
Adding coconut to granola
This nut free granola recipe contains coconut, which is technically a tree nut. However, most people with a tree nut allergy can still eat coconuts.
If you make this recipe to send to a nut-free school, you may want to double check to make sure coconut is okay.
My favorite coconut chips to use are the thick-cut variety like these. They bake perfectly, without getting burnt.
Regular coconut chips work just as well, but I would keep an eye on them as they bake - they might get a bit toasty!
Other possible mix-ins to add to this no nut granola
There are plenty of possible mix-ins for this recipe. You will never get bored with your granola again! Here are some possible ideas:
- Dried fruit (cherries, apple chips, berries)
- Seeds (flaxseed, pumpkin seeds)
- Chocolate chips (my personal favorite)
Just add your mix-ins after the granola has cooled.
Baking your Nut Free Granola
Sometimes it's tricky to know if granola is done baking. I do a simple “clink test.”
How to do a clink test to tell if your granola is done: 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.
Adjust the baking time to make the granola the texture you like. I baked the granola in these pictures for 30 minutes for an extra crispy texture with no clusters.
The finer, crispier texture seems to work better for my toddler's yogurt. Consequently, he can easily mix it in and eat it on his own.
How long can I store this granola?
This granola will keep in an airtight container for around two weeks. The more dry and crunchy you make it, the longer it will last.
However, it's very doubtful that any will be left after more than a few days!
Pack this healthy, no nut granola in school lunches
I love finding healthy foods that are also easy to pack in a lunchbox. It's difficult to find variety sometimes! Like many schools, my son's school is a nut-free zone. I started making this granola so he could safely take it to school.
This granola is great with some yogurt, or on it's own as a sweet snack. My son's favorite part of this recipe are the raisins and banana chips.
This nut free granola recipe is kid-friendly too
Allergies aside, nuts are also a choking hazard for young kids. Nuts are simply too hard for toddlers and young children to chew. This granola is much easier for little ones to eat!
I replace nuts with wheat germ in this recipe, which helps clump the granola together. However, the wheat germ breaks apart very easily for chewing.
Love this lunchbox? It's a Yumbox. I love that I don't need to use countless plastic bags and the divided portions make it very easy to pack lunch. We use this every day!
Here are some other nut free lunch ideas that pack well in a lunchbox:
- Toddler Muffins - a healthy and easy breakfast
- Toddler Pancakes - perfect for little hands
- Egg Free Banana Muffins - another allergy-safe option
Make the best nut free granola at home
If someone in your home has a nut allergy, it's possible that you avoid granola altogether due to fear that maybe you'll miss something on a store-bought label.
Try this homemade granola recipe with no nuts ASAP!
It's truly better than anything you will find in the store, and you can rest easy knowing you are in control of the ingredients.
I hope you try this homemade granola recipe with no nuts soon and love it as much as we do!
Any questions? Feel free to ask in the comments below or email tina@theworktop.com. And I’d love to hear what you pair with your nut free granola in the comments below.
Nut Free Granola
Print RecipeIngredients
- 3 cups old fashioned oats (jumbo rolled oats)
- 1 ½ cups wheat germ
- 1 cup thick coconut flakes
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- ⅔ cup coconut oil - melted
- ⅔ cup honey
- 1 ¼ cups plump raisins
- 1 ¼ cups banana chip pieces (I just roughly break up banana chips)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F / 160°C. Line a big baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together the oats, wheat germ, coconut flakes, cinnamon, ginger and sea salt flakes.
- In a small bowl, mix together the honey and coconut oil. You can heat it in the microwave for about 10 seconds to help it mix together more easily.
- Pour the honey mixture over the dry mixture and stir everything together very well, until all the oats look well coated. Tip the oats mixture onto the baking tray and use a spatula to spread it all out evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, stirring everything once halfway through. Remove the pan from the oven and do not stir again if you like clusters. Allow the granola to cool completely.
- Once the granola has completely cooled, break apart any large clusters. Mix in the raisins and banana chips.
- 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.
JC Peles says
Really not into granolas so I thought I'd just take a quick look but I ended up checking everything. I had tried cooking similar stuff before and that online delivery service, Feast Box, really helped me out try some ingredients that are hard to find like some listed above. Anyway, will forward this page to a couple of friends who are starting to get fond of cookng!