This homemade granola recipe has evolved over the years. For a slightly different version, check out my new healthy, homemade granola recipe. Both are delicious (and similar).

Easy Homemade Granola Recipe

This is so easy your preschooler could make it – cheap and wonderfully healthy.
(This only makes enough for my family at one serving, so I always double/triple the recipe.)


1. Pour 4 cups of old fashioned oatmeal into a large 9×13 roasting pan.

Make sure you’re using the old fashioned, rolled kind
Not those quick, short cut, instant type oats. No siree.

2. Heat oats in 350 degree oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, stir, heat 5 minutes more.
3. Heat together:

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup oil

Remove from heat and cool, then add:
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Combine together:
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans are fabulous)
3/4 cup bran cereal (if you’re kids are REALLY picky…may want to omit)
1 cup flaked coconut (I don’t like coconut AT ALL, but I love it in this)
This is what it will look like…I know, not too appetizing yet.
4. Add to heated oats and mix thoroughly.
It is always hard for me to believe that this little bit of honey and oil can cover it all, but it does. Since I want mine really low fat, I stick to this amount of oil. You could increase it to 1/3 cup if you’d like. Granola is very forgiving.
This is just to get you started and then you play with it for the next time. * See my note below about other things I have added.
5. Pour honey-oil mixture over oat mixture.
Mix thoroughly, and add:
1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon nutmeg.
6. Return to the oven, bake at 350 for 20 – 25 minutes,
STIR  EVERY 5 MINUTES for even browning.

This is the time when you set that timer and handcuff yourself to the stove. What ever you do, do not set the timer and then tell yourself this is a perfect time to go check your emails or blog. Can I stress this enough?

Lock the door, flee the temptation.
Checking the granola during the last 15 minutes of baking is a MUST for desired crispness and golden color. This is the only tricky part of the whole job, and yes, my bedlam moment.
Can you tell that I am speaking from exactly that experience?
HMMMM…..the proof is in the picture,
and I can’t blame this one on my poor quality digital camera. 🙂
Top batch….bedlam. Bottom batch…beauty!

When it comes out of the oven, you can add 1 cup of raisins and/or 1 cup of chopped dates (no thank you), or dried apples, bananas or dried raspberries…to die for, but then it’s not quite cheap, cheap anymore.
You can even choose not to add anything and then just set those additions in cute, little cups for family/guests to add at will. We love granola stirred in our yogurt.
That is my kids’ favorite way to eat it.
Once you make it and figure out what you like/don’t, you can adjust it to your liking. You may want it a bit sweeter with more oil.
*I didn’t have any bran cereal when I made this batch, but I did have raw cracked wheat. Believe it or not, I added that for the “health factor, ” not the yummy factor. I also added some sunflower seeds. Getting all the grain in this way is so incredibly healthy for your digestive system. Once you’ve “mastered” it, you can add wheat germ, or unprocessed bran. I know, sounds gross. I would never eat these things on my own but when made in granola, you don’t even taste them. That is what I mean by forgiving….you can play with it, and it’s a great way to improve your baking skills by seeing how easy it is.

Now back to the overcooked issue.
If this happens to you, whatever you do, DO NOT let the word burnt out of your mouth. It wasn’t even really burnt, just a little crispy – which I do like.
The moment I let “burnt” slip….all of my kids – in unison…
well, I don’t want the burnt one, mom.
So what do you do with granola that is just on the tad Tobacco Road side (hee hee, Nester)?

You package it up with a cute bow and bag (that we should all have for celebrating the little things), make a sweet card for your marvelous Mom telling her how much you love her, and that you made this granola exactly the way she likes it (which she does…she loves things that are burnt. Isn’t that a bit on the weird side? I love my weird mom.)

I always have a few canning jars in my cabinets, and fabric pieces from yard sales make this fun granola making party something special. My daughter wanted to know who we were giving it to, and I said “no one, honey, just us.” Our family deserves cute first and foremost.
These are the cups we eat our yogurt in. They just make you feel special.
Tangent…..These would make great Christmas presents….hmm….
Do a practice round and then triple this recipe, so you have lots to eat and share.
Make sure you cool it before storing it in an airtight container or freezer bag. Enjoy!! This is so fun with the kids. They love to do the mixing.