Tired of store-bought granola loaded with additives, pale oats, and underwhelming dried fruits? Let’s fix this by making quick and easy granola at home! Coarsely chopped nuts, pumpkin seeds and chopped dates add a welcome crunch and sweetness in this simple delight. This homemade cereal is perfect for a healthy breakfast or an afternoon snack. Serve with non-dairy yogurt, oat milk, or over a bowl of fresh fruit for added crunch.
How To Make This Recipe
We start this wholesome breakfast cereal with heart-healthy, whole-grain old-fashioned oats. These hearty oats will hold their shape during cooking. For those of you who seek gluten free granola, simply swap in certified gluten-free oats.
For a nutty crunch and a protein boost, we then add pumpkin seeds and coarsely chopped nuts. We tend to use whatever remaining nuts we have on hand, which usually includes almonds, pecans, and walnuts. We also love swapping in chia seeds or sunflower seeds for pumpkin from time to time.
In addition to nuts and seeds, we add chopped dates and dried fruits for tangy sweetness. As before, we tend to use whatever leftover dried fruits we have in the pantry. Of course, we do enjoy classic combinations. For instance, we like to combine blueberries with walnuts or cranberries with almonds. If you decide to use coconut, be sure to watch the pan closely and stir often to prevent the coconut burning.
Quick & Easy Over The Stovetop
While we love baked granola, we do like to preparing this cereal on the stovetop for convenience. Unlike baked granola, this quick and easy version is ready in the time it takes to preheat your oven. And so, we begin by adding our ingredients to our non-stick skillet along with brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon for warm spice.
Granola ingredients in a non-stick skillet
Next, we heat our skillet over medium heat to lightly toast those oats, nuts, and seeds. On our stovetop, this takes roughly 6 minutes. Of course, this could be more or less for you depending on how much heat your burners push on medium. Because we’re toasting these oats, we stir regularly with spatula to keep them moving as they brown.
Stir those granola ingredients as they toast
Once our ingredients have toasted, our granola is ready to serve. We like to cool the granola and transfer it to a clean, airtight container. This granola will last for up to a month in the pantry if properly stored.
Transfer granola to a jar for storage
Ready To Serve
We love serving this cereal as a crunchy mix-in for non-dairy yogurt. We also enjoy it with a splash of oat milk, alone as a quick snack, or over a bowl of fresh fruit for added crunch.
Granola is ready to eat
If you’re looking for more oat-based breakfast recipes, check out these tasty options:
Recipe Card for Granola
Here’s the recipe card for homemade Granola. Print, share or save!
Granola
Equipment
- Non-stick skillet, medium
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 cup oats old fashioned
- 1/3 cup mixed nuts coarsely chopped (e.g. almonds, walnuts, pecans)
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/3 cup pitted dates chopped
- 1/3 cup dried fruits e.g. cranberries, apricots, raisins
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- To a medium non-stick skillet, add all ingredients and toss to coat with a rubber spatula.
- Bring the skillet at medium heat and cook for 6 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring occasionally with spatula.
- Transfer the granola to a baking sheet or a large plate to cool at ambient temperature. Serve with non-dairy yogurt, oat milk, vegan ice cream, or over fresh fruit.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month in the pantry.
