The Best Basic Granola Recipe

By Erika Alino

The best, easiest granola… comes from the heart

I don’t think I have ever actually followed a granola recipe in its entirety. I will either make swaps, leave ingredients out entirely, or use a recipe simply to gauge oven temp and cook time. My experiments with granola have certainly been a case of trial and error: occasionally I’d end up burning it; sometimes it just didn’t taste good; almost NEVER did it get that crunchy, crispy texture that mimics the granola from the store.

When I would cook at home as a kid, my mom would lament, “Erika, just follow the recipe!” I never did exactly what they said in the instructions…

Recently, I finally cracked the code to making consistently delicious granola. My “recipe” is so simple, though, that I can’t even really call it a recipe. All I do is dump rolled oats in a mixing bowl, toss in some coconut oil, molasses, and salt, and mix it all up. I pour it onto a parchment-lined pan and bake it at 250℉ for 20-30 minutes.

I use our air fryer (we have the one that is shaped like a toaster oven), but the oven should work just fine. It comes out in one large block of granola, so you can break it up into any sized chunks you prefer. I store mine in a recycled plastic container and keep it in the freezer. I’m sure it would be fine in the pantry for several months, but storing in the freezer is a habit I have to ensure freshness. Mine doesn’t get too “frozen” or hard.

My new go-to granola is simple, and it’s delicious! I usually put it on our homemade Greek yogurt, so I just add anything else I want straight into the bowl. Some of my favorite things to add are cinnamon, berries, almonds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried fruit – the options are endless. That way, I can mix it up each time, but I’ll always have a delicious granola. If you prefer a pre-mixed granola, just toss in all the nuts, seeds, or other add-ins before you bake.

BASIC GRANOLA:

• Rolled oats – about 3 cups
• Coconut oil – about ¼ cup
• Molasses – about ¼ cup (I just pour it in until it looks right!)
• Salt – a sprinkle

Mix all the ingredients together in a medium sized bowl.

Spread on parchment-lined baking tray and bake at 250 for about 20-30 minutes. Cool and break into chunks.

Since I am using a smaller tray that fits in the air fryer, it’s not spread as thin as might be ideal. If you are using the oven and able to spread the granola thinner, I would check it a sooner than 20 minutes.

I usually know it’s done when it is a little bit crunchy, but not too crispy. It will harden up some as it cools.

The first time I tried to make this granola, I burnt it to a crisp. In the past, I had always used honey as a sweetener, and I typically wouldn’t use any fat. I baked these no-fat honey granolas at a slightly higher temperature, typically around 350℉. This granola much prefers the lower temperature of 250℉. Now that I’ve lowered the temperature, it consistently turns out great.

Clearly, I’m winging it, but it’s delicious every time. Granola really is the perfect platform for creativity; use honey instead of molasses, olive oil instead of coconut oil, add any nuts, seeds, or spices you like. My former concoctions consisted of oats, honey, cinnamon, and sometimes either applesauce, a banana, or pumpkin puree. These usually came out less crispy. I much prefer my new method!

If anyone has any great granola recipes or ideas, I would love to hear them. Please feel free to leave a comment with your favorites! And let me know if you try this one.