Homemade Honey Almond Granola
Making granola at home is simple. The base is made from rolled oats and sliced almonds, but you could certainly add more. Raisins, currants, other types of nuts, dried figs, cherries… the list can go on. Think of homemade granola as pantry spring cleaning. Have a tiny bit of nuts left in a bag at the back of your pantry? Add it to your granola.
Making granola at home is simple. The base is made from rolled oats and sliced almonds, but you could certainly add more. Raisins, currants, other types of nuts, dried figs, cherries… the list can go on. Think of homemade granola as pantry spring cleaning. Have a tiny bit of nuts left in a bag at the back of your pantry? Add it to your granola.
- Carbohydrate 3.82972399739779 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.0039800000015338 g
- Fiber 0.146459996150784 g
- Protein 0.0237299999908824 g
- Saturated Fat 0.00102300000025563 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (6g)
- Sodium 0.307400000088052 mg
- Sugar 3.683264001247 g
- Trans Fat 0.00196420000092028 g
- Calories 17 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Combine oats and sliced almonds in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, stir olive oil, honey, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt then toss with the oats and nuts until well coated.
- Spread into one layer on baking sheet, and then bake, stirring every 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown; 20 to 30 minutes. Towards the end of the baking time, check your granola every few minutes to prevent it from over-browning.
- Transfer to a cooling rack and let the granola cool completely. Store cooled granola in an airtight container up to two weeks.
Substituting coconut oil for extra-virgin olive oil shifts the final flavor profile from savory and robust to distinctly tropical, while altering how the fats crisp during baking. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fats that brown efficiently at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas solid fats require precise emulsion with the honey to prevent uneven coating. Achieving a uniformly golden batch demands more than simply tossing ingredients together; oven hot spots dictate the success or failure of the final product.
Sheet pans often heat inconsistently, leading to scorched edges while the center remains pale. Lining the baking sheet with parchment paper provides a thermal buffer, moderating direct heat transfer from the metal. Spreading the oat and almond mixture into a single, cohesive layer maximizes surface area exposure, which accelerates moisture evaporation. Stirring every 8 to 10 minutes redistributes the cooler interior bits outward, preventing localized burning.
Monitoring the visual cues closely during the final ten minutes prevents catastrophic over-browning because honey sugars caramelize rapidly near the end of the baking cycle. Pull the pan from the oven the moment the oats turn a deep golden hue and release a toasted aroma, even if the mixture still feels slightly pliable. Residual heat on the baking sheet finishes the drying process as the temperature drops.
Cooling the mixture completely on a wire rack allows circulating air to set the crisp structure before packaging. Trapping residual heat inside an airtight container creates condensation, which rapidly softens the crisp texture within forty-eight hours. Properly cooled clusters maintain optimal crunch when stored sealed for up to two weeks.
