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May 17, 2019

Homemade Chunky Healthy Granola Recipe (vegan & gluten free!)

Easy homemade chunky healthy granola made with a delicious mix of oats, coconut oil, flaxseed meal, sesame seeds, pecans, cashews, sliced almonds, vanilla, cinnamon, dates and golden raisins. This vegan and gluten free granola recipe is naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup and makes the perfect crunchy snack or on the go breakfast!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
50 mins

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homemade chunky healthy granola on a baking sheet with a spoon

Ummm hi, it’s meee. I’m unexpectedly back from my trip to Turkey a week early thanks to the sickness from hell. Honestly, it was an extremely difficult decision to make, but sometimes you need to pay attention to your body and do what’s best for your health.

In the meantime, I just want to say thanks for all your kind messages over on Instagram. ILY!

homemade healthy granola on a baking tray with a spoon and text underneath

Now, let’s move on to this beautiful healthy granola recipe that I’m dying for you to make at home! This recipe was inspired by a cafe & bakery in Boston called Sofra, who just so happens to make one of my favorite granola on the planet.

Sofra’s granola is studded with big chunks of dates, golden raisins, flaxseeds and the perfect amount of sweet and salty flavor. Everytime I’m in Boston visiting my bestie Sarah, I make her (willingly) take me to there to grab a bag, and then we sit in the car, rip it open and devilishly shovel it into our mouths like two little girls. It’s kinda our thing.

healthy granola recipe ingredients on a gray surface

Since I’m not in Boston that often, I decided to attempt to recreate my own version of the granola at home. AND GUESS WHAT? It was a smashing success! (Just tooting my own horn over here NBD.)

Basically, this healthy granola recipe tastes like french toast and oats came together and had a beautiful chunky baby and I’m not mad about it. IT IS EVERYTHING AND MORE that I could have ever dreamed of making. Crunchy, chunky, nutritious, full of cinnamon french toast flavor and just so dang easy!

homemade chunky healthy granola on a baking sheet with a spoon

What’s in this healthy granola recipe?

This healthy crunchy granola recipe is packed with simple ingredients that keep it both vegan and gluten free, adds healthy fats like coconut oil, is naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup which makes it lower in sugar than traditional granola that you’d buy at the store. Making granola at home is much cheaper than buying it, too, because you can make tons more for almost the same amount that it costs to buy a pre-made bag. Here’s what’s in this homemade granola:

  • Gluten free rolled oats & gluten free oat flour: rolled oats also known as ‘old fashioned oats’ provide an excellent source of healthy complex carbs, which help your body create energy to burn. This recipe also uses gluten free oat flour which coat the oats and nuts to create a nice chunky textured granola. You can easily make your own gluten free oat flour by simply placing oats into a blender and blending/pulsing until they’re smooth and resemble flour. This is probably the cheapest option.
  • Flaxseed meal: flaxseed meal is nutritious and an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Try it out in this healthy granola for an extra boost of fiber!
  • Nuts: my favorite nuts in granola recipes are always the pecans, cashews and almonds so that’s what I choose to use in this recipe! The sliced almonds are my personal favorite because they get all golden, crunchy and toasted when baked up. Feel free to use whatever nuts you’d like to switch up the recipe!
  • Coconut oil: coconut oil in granola is always a favorite because adds additional flavor and healthy fats. If you want to use something else, I suggest melted vegan butter.
  • Pure maple syrup: again, YUM! The maple syrup perfectly sweetens the granola in this recipe and makes your house smell heavenly. It also helps to keep the granola vegan.
  • Cinnamon: ground cinnamon gives this granola a sweet flavor that’s reminiscent of french toast when mixed with pure maple syrup!
  • Vanilla extract: vanilla in everything, please.
  • Medjool dates: you’re going to love the big chunks of sweet chewy dates in this recipe, I promise.
  • Golden raisins: I use golden raisins in my granola recipe because they tend to me plump and have more moisture than regular raisins. Either will work though!

Feel free to mix and match nuts and the dried fruits to really make it your own!

yogurt in a bowl topped with healthy granola, berries and bananas

Make your own oat flour for this healthy granola recipe

Good news, you can easily make your own oat flour right at home to use in this granola recipe. Check out my tutorial with all of my best tips & tricks. So easy!

Tips for making healthy granola

  • Bake granola at a low temperature: this is to prevent burning, but to also really get that nice golden flavor and texture. I bake my granola at 300 degrees F.
  • Make sure you coat all of the granola with the wet ingredients: it’s important to get all the granola coated in the coconut oil and maple syrup so that every bite is perfectly crunchy and sweet.
  • Create chunks of granola with your hands. Once the granola is on your baking sheet lined with parchment paper, use your hands to create small clumps before you bake.
  • Know when the granola is done by looking at the color: this healthy granola recipe is pretty fool-proof! Bake for 20 minutes, stir, then bake for 15-20 minutes more. The granola should look slightly golden brown when it comes out of the oven. It may not be crunchy to the touch, but know that the granola gets crunchier as it sits to cool. Trust me, it’s going to be perfect!
  • Do not stir granola when it comes out of the oven if you want it to be chunky: give it time to clump together and solidify as it cools.
  • Don’t add your dried fruit until the granola is done baking: since the fruit is already dried, you don’t need to bake it! You’ll add it once the granola cools off a bit.

yogurt parfaits with healthy granola, strawberries and blueberries

Ways to eat this homemade healthy granola

Besides scooping it by the handful and sneaking little bites here and there, try this chunky healthy granola on top of smoothie bowls, layered into yogurt parfaits, in a bowl with a bit of almond milk, in a grab-and-go container.

How to store homemade granola

You can store this healthy granola in a mason jar or an airtight container for up to a month or two (trust me, it’s not going to last that long!).

See how to make this homemade healthy granola:

I hope you love this healthy granola recipe, please let me know if you make it by leaving a comment and rating the recipe below. I’d love to hear from you and it helps encourage others to make the recipe too! xo.

Homemade Super Chunky Healthy Granola (vegan & gluten free!)

5 from 32 votes
Leave A Review Print Recipe
homemade chunky healthy granola on a baking sheet with a spoon
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Serves18 servings
Easy homemade crunchy & chunky healthy granola made with a delicious mix of oats, coconut oil, flaxseed meal, sesame seeds, pecans, cashews, sliced almonds, vanilla, cinnamon, dates and golden raisins. This vegan and gluten free granola recipe is naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup and makes the perfect snack or on the go breakfast!

Ingredients

  • Dry ingredients:
  • 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats, gluten free
  • 1/2 cup oat flour, gluten free if desired
  • 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
  • 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
  • ¾ cup sliced raw almonds
  • ¾ cup raw pecans halves
  • ¾ cup raw cashews
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • Wet ingredients:
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup packed pitted Medjool dates, chopped
  • ½ cup golden raisins

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together oats, oat flour, flaxseed meal, sesame seeds, almonds, pecans, cashews cinnamon and salt.
  • Add coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to a small saucepan and place over low heat, stirring frequently until coconut oil is completely melted. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well until oats are completely coated. Sometimes I find it necessary to use my hands.
  • Next spread the granola evenly in the baking pan and bake for 20 minutes. 
  • After 20 minutes stir granola, and bake 15-20 minutes longer or until granola is just slightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the granola to cool completely on the baking sheet so that little clumps stay intact. 
  • Once cooled, stir in chopped dates and raisins. Transfer to an airtight container or large mason jar. Best used within 7-10 days. Makes 18 servings.

Recipe Notes

To make your own oat flour: you can easily make your own gluten free oat flour by simply placing oats into a blender and blending/pulsing until they’re smooth and resemble flour.
To store this granola: you can store this healthy granola in a mason jar or an airtight container for up to a month or two

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25cupCalories: 210kcalCarbohydrates: 22.9gProtein: 4.1gFat: 12.3gSaturated Fat: 3.8gFiber: 3.4gSugar: 10.5g

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by Eat Love Eats

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homemade chunky healthy granola on a baking sheet with a spoon

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