Homemade Granola (No Oil!) – Easy & Crunchy Recipe

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I used to think store-bought granola was a healthy choice—until I checked the label. Most are full of sugar, seed oils, and barely any nuts. So I decided to make my own. After seeing how easy it looked (thanks, Gordon Ramsay), I gave it a try, tweaked a few things, and ended up with a version I love—and now I’m sharing it with you!

What Is Granola?

Granola is a crunchy, oven-baked breakfast mix made with rolled oats, nuts, seeds, and a natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup. It often includes extras like dried fruit, coconut flakes, or chocolate chips—but it’s easy to adapt to your own taste.

Many traditional recipes call for oil to help everything crisp up, but this healthy homemade granola gets perfectly crunchy without any added oil.

It’s perfect as a topping for yogurt, mixed into milk, sprinkled over smoothie bowls, or even used in baking for cookies and bars.

Is Granola Healthy?

It can be, but not all granola is created equal. Many store-bought granolas are baked in seed oils, overly sweetened, and packed with oats but light on nutritious nuts and seeds.

The benefit of making your own healthy homemade granola is that you control every ingredient. Use a natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup—or leave it out entirely. Choose coconut oil or skip the oil. Add the nuts, seeds, or puffed grains you actually enjoy.

It’s a simple, delicious way to enjoy a more clean eating breakfast—without the extra sugar and additives.

Let’s Talk Ingredients

One of the best things about making homemade granola is that you get to choose exactly what goes in. No weird additives, mystery oils, or extra sweeteners—just real, whole ingredients that taste amazing.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what I use:

• Rolled oats – The base of any good granola. Use old-fashioned oats, not quick-cooking ones.
• Nuts – I like a mix of hazelnuts, almonds, and pecans for flavor and crunch. You can easily swap in walnuts or cashews.
• Seeds – Pumpkin and sunflower seeds add texture and healthy fats.
• Linseed – Also known as flaxseed. These tiny seeds are full of fiber and omega-3s.
• Puffed grains – I use puffed rice and puffed spelt to lighten up the mix and add some variety.
• Honey – Acts as both a natural sweetener and binder to help everything stick together during baking.
• Salt – Just a pinch brings all the flavors to life.

This combination makes a delicious homemade granola that’s crunchy, satisfying, and totally customizable. If you’re missing something, feel free to swap or skip—it’s a very forgiving recipe.

How to Make Granola

Preheat your oven to 180 °C / 356 °F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Melt the honey in a small saucepan over low heat until it becomes runny.

In a large bowl, combine all your dry ingredients (oats, nuts, seeds, puffed grains, etc.).

Pour the warm honey over the dry mix and gently stir until everything is evenly coated.

Spread the mixture in a thin, even layer on the prepared baking tray.

Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, if desired.

Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through (after 10 minutes) to help it brown evenly.

Watch closely near the end—your granola is done when it’s golden and smells toasted.

Let cool completely, then transfer to an airtight jar.

Notes and Tips

Once your granola has cooled completely, store it in an airtight jar and try to finish it within a month. (Ours never lasts that long!)

Feel free to make this homemade oven-baked granola your own.

I hope you enjoy this healthy homemade granola as much as my family does! Let me know in the comments if you gave it a try—I’d love to hear what combinations you used.

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