Whether you're sick of paying grocery store prices or are in need of an easy, inexpensive gift for the holidays, my customizable recipe for Basic Homemade Big Batch Granola is here for you. With just 10 minutes of active time and a handful of pantry staples you can have a whopping 4+ pounds (!!!) of whole grain goodness ready for munching.
After spending nearly the last decade of my life working at a brunch restaurant, I learned just how easy it is to make granola at home. What I still haven't learned is why the heck the packaged stuff is so darn expensive! For about $8 you can make a business sized batch of this healthy breakfast staple, which is less than a quarter of what you'd pay at the store.
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About This Recipe
Making homemade granola is exceptionally easy. All you need are oats, some kind of sweetener, a neutral flavored oil, salt and whatever mix-ins your heart desires. Aside from using some measuring cups and spoons, the most technical thing you have to do is stir.
I happen to love this particular recipe because it has a perfect balance of salty sweetness. All y'all fans of the Purely Elizabeth brand? This one's for you. I also love that this recipe isn't super sticky like some recipes out there; while you don't get a ton of big chunks, you do end up with toasty, golden and lightly crunchy flecks of yum.
This basic recipe walks you through the methodology of making your own granola, leaving you with plenty of room to customize it entirely to your liking. Choose whichever combination of dried fruit, nuts, seeds and spices your family enjoys! Pumpkin spice, apple cranberry, and maple walnut are a few of our favorite flavors over here.
One full recipe makes a little over 4 pounds of granola, which is about 65 servings. You can either make a big tub to keep in the pantry (it lasts well in an airtight container for upwards of a month), or divvy it out into smaller containers to give as awesome DIY food gifts.
While the whole shebang takes a little under an hour to complete from start to finish, the only active time you spend in the kitchen is for measuring and stirring. The oven does most of the work for you!
So stop paying ungodly amounts of money for those tiny bags of "artisanal" granola and get on the DIY wagon. You'll be super pumped that you did! By the time an hour has passed, your whole house will smell enchantingly delicious and your pantry will be stocked.
Basic Ingredients + Flavor Makers
To make this big batch granola recipe, you'll need:
- Rolled Oats - Also known as "old fashioned" oats, these will have the best consistency for making granola. I don't recommend using quick oats, though I suppose you could if you wanted. Definitely don't try this with steel cut oats, either. If you're gluten free, be sure to buy a package of certified gluten free oats; while the oats themselves don't contain gluten, the factories they are processed in might.
- Liquid Sweetener - Honey, maple syrup, agave nectar or date syrup all work here. You can also use a combination. Molasses is another option, but the flavor is quite potent. If you're sugar free, use your liquid sweetener of choice like keto honey or sugar free maple syrup.
- Brown Sugar - I love the caramel flavor that brown sugar imparts on baked goods, but you can also swap in coconut or palm sugar, white sugar, or a sugar free substitute.
- Neutral Oil - Neutral oils are those that don't have any prominent flavor profiles. They include vegetable, corn, grapeseed, avocado or refined coconut oil. You can also use raw coconut oil if you like a hint of coconut flavor. Technically speaking you *can* use olive oil to make granola, but it'll impart a savory quality that you might not want. (That said, now I'm thinking about making a candied rosemary flavor with olive oil and almonds...)
- Kosher Salt - I use Morton's kosher salt. If you use another variety like pink salt or table salt in your kitchen, I suggest checking out this handy salt conversion chart.
Other than that, you have complete control over the flavor mashups. Here are the optional add-ins I use, but you can feel free to switch them up or omit them as needed. For more variations, skip ahead to the section on customization.
- Dried Spices - When I think of granola, cinnamon is the first spice that comes to mind. However, there are plenty of other options to play with! All in all, you'll want about 5 teaspoons worth.
- Flavor Extracts - I'd wager that many of you have vanilla extract in your pantry, but that certainly isn't the only option here. Just note that other flavor extracts have different potencies, so you may want to cut back if you're using a flavor like maple or lemon. You can also feel free to mix and match!
- Dried Fruit - I used the most basic dried fruits I could think of - cranberries and raisins - just to make the recipe feel accessible. Don't feel tied to this in any way. I suggest using about 2 cups in total.
- Nuts - Using nuts is a great way to add heart healthy fat and protein to your homemade granola. I used a combination of walnuts and almonds, but again, there are LOTS of options out there. If you're nut free, you can omit them or swap in large seeds (e.g. pumpkin or sunflower seeds) instead. I suggest using about 2.5 cups.
- Seeds - Again, these are 100% optional, but they do give a nice bit of texture to the end product. I opted to use chia seeds, but flax seeds or hemp hearts are another great choice.
How to Make Your Own Big Batch of Granola
This recipe for basic homemade granola is perfect for two half-sheet pans (standard size rimmed cookie sheets), which I did purposely since most ovens I've used have only had two shelves. Feel free to scale the ingredients up or down to your liking!
Mix the Dry Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 300F. Spray two half sheet pans with non-stick cooking spray.
Grab the biggest bowl you have on hand. You may end up needing to use two mixing bowls depending on your equipment situation. Mix together the oats, brown sugar, salt and any nuts and/or seeds you're using.
Warm the Wet Ingredients
Add the oil and honey to a saucepan. Warm until easily pourable, which shouldn't take long. Whisk in your dried spices and flavor extracts, if using.
Mix and Bake
Pour the wet ingredients into the mixed dry ingredients. Use your hands to mix super thoroughly, which should take a solid 2-3 minutes - about the length of one song. The oats should be well coated and stick together slightly.
TIP: If you're grossed out at the thought of using your hands or if you have nail polish on, pull on some disposable gloves. Be sure to remove any bracelets or watches before starting, as they can get pretty sticky.
Lightly spray two half-sheet pans with non-stick cooking oil. Line with parchment if you want. Divvy the granola up between the two sheet trays, being as even as possible. Spread into a single layer.
Pop both sheets into the preheated oven. Set the first timer for 12 minutes. Remove the trays from the oven and stir thoroughly. Flatten back out into a single layer. Return to the oven, switching racks. Repeat two more times.
You will need to bake the granola for 3 sets of 12 minutes each, for a total of 36 minutes. Rotate the trays each time, switching which one is on top or on bottom.
After the third bake, remove the trays from the oven and allow to cool enough to handle.
Add Fruit
Pour the baked granola back into your mixing bowl. Add the dried fruit and toss to combine. Now you're ready to enjoy!
Optional: Package for Gifting
If you're planning on gifting this yummy homemade granola, roughly 1 pound, or a mostly full quart sized zip top bag, is plenty for a family of up to 8 to enjoy.
If you wanna make said gifts look cute without much extra effort, I recommend using these kraft bags. They're easy to write on with permanent marker, so you can customize them for literally any occasion, and at $0.12/bag, they're a nice little touch.
Somewhat unrelated side note: I also love to buy plain kraft paper rolls and use them for my wrapping paper. You can dress the presents up with different colors of ribbon or twine, stamp on designs or freehand draw any pattern you want. It's a big time and space saver!! It's also cheap enough to use as a painting drop cloth for house projects.
Customize With Add-Ins & Variations
The best thing about homemade granola is that you can make it EXACTLY the way you like. Need it to be vegan? No problem! Hate raisins? Leave em out! Here's a list of different things you can add or swap when you're making your own big batch of this tasty, giftable treat:
- Rolled Oats - Also known as old fashioned oats, this is the only ingredient that I recommend you stick to. Quick oats just don't have the right bite and steel cut oats are too hard. If you are allergic to gluten, be sure to purchase certified gluten free oats; while the oats themselves don't have naturally occurring gluten, food processing facilities often do.
- Dried Fruits - There are tons of options here, so go bananas. (Sorry, couldn't help myself.) Try the tried and true: raisins, golden raisins (aka sultanas), or dried cranberries. If you wanna play with other dried fruits, I love apricots, blueberries, pineapple, mango (especially the chile lime kind!), figs, dates, bananas, coconut flakes... I'm sure there are some I'm forgetting, but you get the idea. Oh, and freeze dried fruits will also work just fine, though they end up getting more chewy than crunchy. Just chop anything that is larger than a dried cranberry.
- Nuts & Seeds - Again, the sky is the limit here, folks. I used chopped walnuts, sliced almonds and chia seeds, but you can feel free to use any nut and/or any seed. Peanuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pepitas, hemp hearts, or flax seed are all perfectly delicious options. Chop when necessary.
- Sweeteners - You can tweak this to your liking, so long as you stick to the liquid and dry sugar ratio presented. For liquid sweeteners, maple syrup, honey, date syrup or agave (or any sugar free option) all work. For dry, coconut or palm sugar, regular white sugar, stevia blends or other cup for cup sugar substitutes are all welcome.
- Other Flavorings - Dried spices are a quick way to add a ton of flavor. I used cinnamon, but think of all the other options: nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, clove, star anise, fennel seed, dried lavender, cocoa powder, powdered peanut butter, instant espresso... the list goes on. As far as extracts go, vanilla, almond, lemon, maple, butter, or coffee are all on the table.
Possible flavor combinations to try:
The number of iterations you can create are basically endless. Mix and match and HAVE FUN! Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Blueberry Almond Lemon: dried blueberries + sliced almonds + 50/50 split of lemon and almond extract
- Fall Harvest: maple syrup + dried cranberries + dried apples + pumpkin seeds + pumpkin pie spice + vanilla extract
- Tropical: brown sugar or coconut sugar + shaved coconut or coconut flakes + macadamia nuts/hazelnuts + raw coconut oil
If you come up with any winning combinations, feel free to share them in the comments below!
Serving Suggestions
Granola lends itself well to breakfast, snack and dessert:
- serve with yogurt and fruit for a yummy parfait
- use it to add texture to your pancakes or waffles
- as a crumble topping on your muffins or crisps
- add it to trail mix
Once you make a big batch of this simple granola, I have a feeling you're going to start dreaming up all kinds of ways to use it in your own house. And that's not even counting the many ways you can gift it!
Gift Ideas
Batch cooking lends itself to gifting. What's better than a jar of homemade jam/fruit butter/marinara sauce/soup or a bag of this homemade granola or frozen pierogi? Nothing. That's what.
Since this particular DIY gift is shelf stable, it also makes a magnificent option for shipping. Send it for holiday or housewarming gifts; add it to a welcome basket for your overnight guests or AirBnb guests; put it in cute jars for a homemade wedding gift; put it in smaller ziplock bags and spread the love to homeless on Thanksgiving. Whoever is the lucky recipient, they're sure to enjoy every bite.
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm a huge fan of expending energy once and reaping the benefits for days to come. Big batch cooking is a gift to future you (or to a lucky friend/neighbor/family member) because once it's made, you have a heck of a lot of it on hand.
If you plan on batch cooking, make sure you have either a storage or a gifting strategy. This big batch granola can keep well in a cool, dry and dark space in an airtight container for upwards of a month. If you can't see yourself consuming it in that window, scale the recipe back or make someone's day by gifting it!
Yep! Swap in seeds, more dried fruit, or simply omit the nuts.
If you use certified gluten free oats, YES!
As long as you don't reach for honey, yep!
Absolutely! Halve the recipe or double it depending on your needs.
Other Yummy Recipes
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Basic Big Batch Granola
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lb Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
- 2 C Sliced Almonds
- ⅔ C Chopped Walnuts
- ½ C Chia Seeds
- 1 C Brown Sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ⅔ C Honey
- ⅔ C Neutral Oil
- 1 ⅓ tablespoon Cinnamon
- 1 ⅓ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300F. Spray two half sheet pans with non-stick cooking spray.Mix together the oats, brown sugar, salt and any nuts and/or seeds you're using.
- Add the oil and honey to a saucepan. Warm until easily pourable, which shouldn't take long. Whisk in your dried spices and flavor extracts, if using.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the mixed dry ingredients. Use your hands to mix super thoroughly, which should take a solid 2-3 minutes - about the length of one song. The oats should be well coated and stick together slightly.
- Lightly spray two half-sheet pans with non-stick cooking oil. Line with parchment if you want. Divvy the granola up between the two sheet trays, being as even as possible. Spread into a single layer.
- Pop both sheets into the preheated oven. Set the first timer for 12 minutes. Remove the trays from the oven and stir thoroughly. Flatten back out into a single layer. Return to the oven, switching racks. Repeat two more times.You will need to bake the granola for 3 sets of 12 minutes each, for a total of 36 minutes. Rotate the trays each time, switching which one is on top or on bottom.
- After the third bake, remove the trays from the oven and allow to cool enough to handle. Pour the baked granola back into your mixing bowl. Add the dried fruit and toss to combine. Enjoy!
Notes
- TIP: If you're grossed out at the thought of using your hands or if you have nail polish on, pull on some disposable gloves. Be sure to remove any bracelets or watches before starting, as they can get pretty sticky.
- Rolled Oats - Also known as old fashioned oats, this is the only ingredient that I recommend you stick to. Quick oats just don't have the right bite and steel cut oats are too hard. If you are allergic to gluten, be sure to purchase certified gluten free oats; while the oats themselves don't have naturally occurring gluten, food processing facilities often do.
- Dried Fruits - There are tons of options here, so go bananas. (Sorry, couldn't help myself.) Try the tried and true: raisins, golden raisins (aka sultanas), or dried cranberries. If you wanna play with other dried fruits, I love apricots, blueberries, pineapple, mango (especially the chile lime kind!), figs, dates, bananas, coconut flakes... I'm sure there are some I'm forgetting, but you get the idea. Oh, and freeze dried fruits will also work just fine, though they end up getting more chewy than crunchy. Just chop anything that is larger than a dried cranberry.
- Nuts & Seeds - Again, the sky is the limit here, folks. I used chopped walnuts, sliced almonds and chia seeds, but you can feel free to use any nut and/or any seed. Peanuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pepitas, hemp hearts, or flax seed are all perfectly delicious options. Chop when necessary.
- Sweeteners - You can tweak this to your liking, so long as you stick to the liquid and dry sugar ratio presented. For liquid sweeteners, maple syrup, honey, date syrup or agave (or any sugar free option) all work. For dry, coconut or palm sugar, regular white sugar, stevia blends or other cup for cup sugar substitutes are all welcome.
- Other Flavorings - Dried spices are a quick way to add a ton of flavor. I used cinnamon, but think of all the other options: nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, clove, star anise, fennel seed, dried lavender, cocoa powder, powdered peanut butter, instant espresso... the list goes on. As far as extracts go, vanilla, almond, lemon, maple, butter, or coffee are all on the table.
Let's taco 'bout it.