Maple Granola

Made with wholesome simple ingredients like whole grain oats, dietary fiber rich flax and naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup, this maple granola recipe is the perfect breakfast for busy mornings! This basic recipe is made in just one bowl, takes less than 10 minutes to prepare and can be customized to include your favorite nuts and add ins.

Jump to:

• The Ingredients
• The Method
• Leftovers and Storage
• Make it Your Own
• Serving Ideas
• And if you liked this recipe...
• Recipe Card
• Comments

Easy homemade granola is a pantry staple in our house. Whether honey cinnamon, chocolate (I'll take any excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast!) or this maple version, you can always find a few mason jars in the cupboard ready for a quick breakfast or healthy snack.

A long time favorite breakfast for me, I first started to make my own granola nearly a decade ago when I started to pay attention to ingredients when I was shopping at the grocery store.

I was appalled to notice that often the store-bought stuff contained loads of added sugar so I figured I could do better and never looked back.

Not only do I enjoy the taste of my homemade version better, I have also nailed down three tricks to achieve chunky granola every single time.

Because I think we can all agree that lots of clusters is the key for the best granola.

First, using an egg white helps to provide extra structure. 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 typically use large flake (old fashioned oats) but quick oats will work as well. If you need the recipe to be gluten free, ensure you are using certified gluten free oats.
• Nuts- Use raw nuts because if you use ones that are already roasted, they may brown too quickly and burn before the granola is done baking. If you need it to be nut-free, leave them out.
• Ground Flaxseed- I love adding ground flaxseed to granola as it is packed with protein, fiber and Omega-3s. You can leave it out if you prefer and add an additional ¼ cup of oats or use ¼ cup of chia seeds instead.
• Maple Syrup- Be sure to use real maple syrup (not the flavored pancake stuff). This provides our maple flavor plus adds sweetness and helps to bind the granola. If you need an alternative, see this post on maple syrup substitutes.
• Avocado Oil- This helps the granola to bind. Melted coconut oil or olive oil will also work. (Or check out this Pumpkin Flax Granola for an oil free recipe)
• Egg White- Using an egg white is a key ingredient for extra clusters. If you need the recipe to be vegan, you can omit it.
• Sea Salt- A bit of salt balances out the sweetness from the maple syrup.

The Method

1. Mix. In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, flaxseed and salt. Add the maple syrup and oil and stir until evenly coated and combined. Fold in the egg white.

2. Bake. Spread the oat mixture into an even layer on a silicone or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 300 F for 45-60 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees after 30 minutes until lightly golden brown and nearly dry to touch.

3. Cool (the hardest part!). Let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet. This results in the biggest chunks (the best part!). Once completely cooled (1-2 hours), break into clusters and store.

Leftovers and Storage

To Store: Cool completely and then store this crunchy maple granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

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

Check out this granola storage tips post for more information.

Make it Your Own

Use this homemade granola recipe as your canvas and change up the add ins to include all of your favorite things!

• Nuts- Any of the following would be delicious or your can use a combination:
  • Walnuts
  • Pecans
  • Macadamia Nuts
  • Cashews
  • Almonds
• Seeds- In place of the nuts, you could add up to 1 cup of raw seeds instead such as:
  • Shelled Pumpkin Seeds (pepitas)
  • Sunflower Seeds
• Other Add Ins:
  • Coconut Flakes- Use to replace ½ cup of oats or the flaxseed and add at the same time as the rest of the dry ingredients.
  • Dried Fruit- Mix in 1-2 cups of raisins, dried cranberries, etc. once the granola has cooled.
  • Chocolate Chips- Sprinkle 1 cup of chocolate chips (white, dark or milk) over the warm pan of granola after it has finished cooking. Allow granola to fully cool and then finish mixing in.

Serving Ideas

• Make a breakfast parfait with layers of granola, fresh fruit and Greek yogurt.
• Eat it cereal style in a bowl with your choice of milk and maybe some fresh berries.
• Use it to top a cranberry smoothie bowl or overnight oats.
• Snack on its own by the handful.
• Try it as a crunchy topping on vanilla ice cream or as the "croutons" of a fruit salad.
• Or check out this post of What to Eat with Granola for even more ideas!

And if you liked this recipe...

...you might also like:

• Honey Cinnamon Granola
• Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
• Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes
• Honey Roasted Cashews
• Apple Granola
• High Protein Granola

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