Homemade Granola

Homemade granola is a delicious snack recipe that is simple to make and perfect for on the go!

Homemade granola is one of my favorite things to make because it’s delicious, healthy, and super easy to modify.  We use it for travel snacks, as cereal, and a yummy topping for yogurt or ice cream.

If you love our homemade granola, you’ll also want to check out our other travel ready snacks like peanut butter granola, trail mix, and fruit roll ups!

This homemade granola article is a sponsored conversation between Mama Loves Food and Megabus.  All opinions are our own. 

Homemade Granola Ingredients

• Oats – Make sure you don’t get the quick cooking kind, you’ll want to look for the oats that are usually labeled “old fashioned”.  If they say quick cooking, or instant, they’re not what you want.
• Applesauce – Applesauce lends sweetness, flavor, and some healthy vitamins, minerals, and fiber!
• Vanilla – You’ll want real vanilla extract for this recipe.  Don’t use the imitation vanilla as you won’t get the same flavor result.
• Honey – Honey is both a binder and  sweetener, we like to try different honeys that we pick up from the places we travel to!
• Oil – I prefer to use a good olive oil, but regular vegetable oil will work just fine too!
• Sugar – Brown sugar is my favorite, it’s more full flavored and is perfect in this recipe.
• Cinnamon – Cinnamon is a must in this granola recipe!
• Coconut – Unsweetened coconut is perfect, it adds flavor and fiber, and goodness without extra sugar.  You can usually find it in the baking section.
• Nuts – My favorite nuts to put in this granola are almonds and walnuts, but you can use any nuts you like.
• Dried fruit – Dried cranberries are the best (in my humble opinion), but any dried fruit will work.  Raisins are a favorite with my kids.

How to Store Homemade Granola

Granola should be stored in an air tight container in a cool dry place.  Homemade granola does not need to be refrigerated. It will last up to two weeks if stored properly.

It is important that the homemade granola has cooled completely before storing it.

Homemade Granola Travel Snack

Now that we have the perfect travel snack, let’s talk adventure!

As you know, one of my favorite things in the world is traveling.  Just this summer we visited Vancouver Canada, Hoonah Alaska, Juneau Alaska, Skagway Alaska, Whittier Alaska, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, Niagra Falls Canada, St. Catharine’s Canada, and Washington DC!

Family, friends, food, and travel are everything in my life.  If I wait too long between trips I start to go a little stir crazy.  Which is why I am so excited to discover Megabus!

Homemade Granola on the Megabus

Megabus is the perfect way to have a mini adventure without breaking the bank. Megabus offers city-to-city bus tickets as low as $1 for your travel around the North America, all bookable from your computer or smartphone!

Beyond  low price bus tickets and easy travel – customers keep coming back for the well connected North American transportation network and great bus service from the moment you book to when you arrive safely and quickly at your destination. The Megabus model was designed with the customer in mind, and we can’t wait to hit the road with you!

Megabus has major North American transportation hubs around the US and Canada, serving more than 100 different cities and university campuses.

You can explore the most popular routes here.

Win a Trip on the Megabus!

For your chance to win a $40 voucher on the Megabus (enough to cover most round trip routes!), comment below with where you would leave from and where you would head to! (See service stops here).

This contest will run from publish date until 11:59PM 9/23/2018.  Contest is void where prohibited.  Entrants must live in or near cities served by Megabus.  No purchase necessary to enter, one entry per person. Contest void where prohibited by law.  Winner will be contacted via email.

How Do You Make Granola from Scratch

• First combine oats, nuts, seeds, shredded coconut, and cinnamon.
• Then, separately, combine honey, oil, brown sugar and applesauce.
• Pour liquid ingredients over dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
• Spread over a baking sheet and cook at a low temperature until granola is lightly browned.
• Finally, remove from oven & allow to cool. When granola is cooled completely add your dried fruit, and enjoy!

How Do You Make Healthy Granola

The way to make healthy granola is by adding healthy ingredients.  Healthy will depend on what type of diet you follow, but this homemade granola recipe is gluten free and full of healthy fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It also has great protein and healthy fats from the nuts.

If you want to make it less sweet, you can cut the sugar.  If you want to add more fruits, nuts, or coconut, have at it! Make this recipe all your own.  Sometimes I even add mini chocolate chips for a treat.

How Do You Make Homemade Granola Cereal

Turning homemade granola into homemade granola cereal is as easy as pouring your granola into a bowl and adding milk!

This is one of my very favorite ways to eat granola and it’s especially a perfect option if you are looking for a gluten free cereal choice.

How to Make Homemade Granola Clumpy

The trick to making homemade granola clumpy is to press it down into the pan firmly before baking and not stir it frequently.

Rather than stirring every 30 minutes, try doing a gentle stir only once.  It will take slightly longer to cook this way, but you will end up with big delicious granola clumps.

How to Know When Granola is Done

You know that granola is done cooking when it has turned slightly golden brown.  Granola will not be crunchy when you first pull it out of the oven, so do not use that as a determining factor.

Once the granola has turned a light golden brown color, removed it from the oven and allow it to cool completely.

More like Homemade Granola

• Energy balls
• Peanut butter and jelly hand pies
• Fruit roll ups
• Instant pot hard boiled eggs
• Pumpkin biscuits

Homemade Granola Making Tools

• Bakers half sheet – It’s cool, we only have about six of these bakers half sheets because they’re good for absolutely everything.  Cookies? Yes! Steak? Yes! Cake? Oh yeh! Roasted veggies? Uhhhh huh!
• Silicone baking mats – Nothing sticks to these!  Whaaaa?!  Perfect for baking sugary cookies, or cheesy croissants.  You know why? Because nothing sticks to these!!!

How to make Homemade Granola

Homemade Granola

Homemade Granola is the perfect healthy snack for traveling, school, or just a hungry afternoon!  Add some milk to make it cereal!

5 from 29 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: homemade granola

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 375kcal

Author: April Woods

Ingredients

• 6 cups oats not the quick cooking kind
• 1 cup applesauce
• 2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons oil I used olive oil
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped or slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup dried cranberries

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Instructions

• In a large bowl combine oats, nuts, seeds, shredded coconut, and cinnamon.
• In a smaller bowl combine honey, oil, brown sugar, vanilla, and applesauce.
• Pour liquid ingredients over dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
• Spread over a baking sheet and cook in a 250 degree oven for about 90 minutes, mixing every 30 minutes or so. (You want to remove them when they become a light brown/golden color. They will crisp up after they are completely cooled.)
• Remove from oven & allow to cool. When cooled completely add your dried fruit.

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Nutrition

Calories: 375kcal

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of megabus.com. The opinions and text are all mine.