Apple Granola

This healthy apple cinnamon granola is perfect for breakfast or a snack. Made with whole grain oats, naturally sweetened with honey and filled with apple flavor from applesauce plus fresh apples, it takes just 10 minutes to prep.

Jump to:

• The Ingredients
• The Method
• Leftovers and Storage
• Make it Your Own
• Serving Ideas
• Tips for the Best Homemade Granola
• And if you liked this recipe...
• Recipe Card
• Comments

If your pantry is always stocked with a few mason jars of homemade granola, this apple granola is begging to be added to the mix!

I don't think there can ever be too many variations of this favorite breakfast and snack. I make a batch every week or two and although I have plenty of fabulous flavors to choose from like honey cinnamon, chocolate, or maple, I am constantly brainstorming new twists.

But it wasn't until I made this pumpkin one (the flavors of pumpkin pie for breakfast- yes please!) that I thought of apple granola.

But once I thought of it, I needed to try it out immediately! And honestly, I'm shocked that I didn't come up with it sooner. I mean apples + oatmeal (and maybe some cinnamon) is a dynamite combination. Apple crisp, apple oat flour muffins and apple oatmeal are very clear examples of that.

So I set out to make a batch.

I first started to make my own granola ages ago when I realized how much more delicious and nutritious I could make it than store-bought and never looked back.

Over the years, I have refined my base recipe and tricks in order to ensure delicious and EXTRA chunky granola (we're all just here for the chunks, no?).

So I adjusted that recipe for apple flavors, tweaked it a few times until it was perfect and here we are.

Now let's talk real quick about the three key things for great clusters in your granola.

First, using an egg white helps to provide extra structure (though it can be left out if needed for dietary reasons).

Second, do not flip the granola during cooking. And third (and most importantly), allow the granola to cool completely before breaking it up and packaging it or eating it.

The Ingredients

• Rolled Oats- I prefer using large flake (AKA old fashioned oats) for best texture. Quick oats will work if needed, but will results in a slightly different texture. *Use certified gluten free oats if you want a gluten-free granola.
• Pecans- Use raw pecans (or sub another raw nut) as roasted will brown too quickly. For a nut free granola, simply leave them out.
• Apple- Adding a diced apple (peeled or unpeeled) increases the flavor and texture as it will partially dehydrate while baking. You can use whatever flavor of apple you have on hand. If you'd prefer you can leave it out- I do occasionally when I'm short on time.
• Ground Flaxseed-A great way to increase the health benefits of homemade granola, flax seeds are a source of dietary fiber and essential fatty acids. If you prefer to leave it out, you can add an additional ¼ cup of oats.
• Honey- You can use pure maple syrup (not the flavored pancake stuff) instead or more alternatives, see this post on maple syrup substitutes.
• Applesauce- Along with adding apple flavor, this takes the place of most of the oil to help the granola to bind. I prefer to use unsweetened but if you would like a sweeter granola, you can use sweetened.
• Avocado Oil- Applesauce takes the place of most of the oil but I found that I did like the recipe just a bit better with the addition of oil. You can use melted coconut oil or canola oil instead if needed.
• Egg White- An egg white is my secret ingredient for making extra chunky granola. If you need the recipe to be vegan, you can omit it.
• Fine Sea Salt- A bit of salt balances out the flavors.
• Cinnamon- Cinnamon complements apple flavor so nicely (like in Apple Pancakes). If you'd prefer, you can use a spice blend such as apple pie spice.

The Method

1. Combine honey, oil and applesauce. In a small bowl, mix together the honey, applesauce and oil until smooth.

2. Mix. In a large bowl, combine oats, pecans, flaxseed, fresh apple chunks and salt. Add the honey mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until evenly coated and combined. Fold in the egg white, if using.

3. Bake. Spread the oat mixture out into an even layer on a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Bake at 300 F for 50-65 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees after 30 minutes until lightly golden brown and nearly dry to touch.

*You may notice that this is a slightly longer baking time than my maple granola recipe. This is because the applesauce/apples add a bit of extra moisture.

4. Cool (important!). Allow the apple granola cool completely on the baking sheet for at least 2 hours.

This helps to provide the biggest chunks and ensures that the nuts cool completely and don't end up soggy. Once completely cooled, you can break it into clusters and enjoy or store.

5. Enjoy!

Leftovers and Storage

To Store: Cool completely and then store this apple cinnamon granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. *Because of the apple chunks, I find that this recipe doesn't last as long at room temperature as some of my other granola recipes.

To Freeze: Apple granola can be frozen for up to 3 months.

For more info and tips on storing granola, check out this post on Granola Storage Tips (Including Freezing).

Make it Your Own

This apple granola recipe can easily be customized to your liking.

• Nuts- In place of the pecans, any of the following (or a combination of) would be delicious:
  • Walnuts
  • Cashews
  • Almonds
  • Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas)
• Other Add Ins:
  • Dried Fruit- Mix in 1-2 cups of dried cranberries, chopped dates or raisins once the granola has cooled. (apple cranberry would be delish!)
  • Chocolate Chips- Sprinkle 1 cup of chocolate chips (white, dark or milk) over the warm pan of granola immediately after removing from the oven. Allow the granola to fully cool and then mix the chocolate in.
  • Coconut Flakes- Replace ½ cup of oats with coconut flakes.

Serving Ideas

There are so many great ways to enjoy granola:

• Enjoy it by the handful (this is how I consume it 90% of the time- no shame!)
• Eat it breakfast cereal style with milk
• On top of oatmeal
• Have it as a topping on a smoothie bowl (like this Cranberry Smoothie Bowl)
• Use it in cookies or granola bars
• Make a parfait with yogurt and fresh fruit
• Or check out this post of 20+ ideas for Ways to Eat with Granola!

Tips for the Best Homemade Granola

After making hundreds of batches of homemade granola, these are my top tips that help ensure it is perfectly chunky and not burnt, every time:

• Don't Stir- Stirring part way through cooking breaks up the chunks and results in crumbly granola.
• Cook it Low and Slow- This ensures that the granola doesn't burn (especially since we aren't going to be stirring it) and that it is fully dried out.
• Let it Cool Completely- Perhaps the most important! DO NOT tried to dig into it right away or your chunks will crumble. Let it cool completely and then break it into chunks- your patience will be rewarded 🙂
• Add an Egg White- You can make it without, but adding an egg white adds a bit of extra binding that creates extra chunks.

And if you liked this recipe...

...you might also like:

• Honey Cinnamon Granola
• Honey Roasted Cashews
• Coconut Almond Granola
• High Protein Granola
• Air Fryer Apples

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