Name: Healthy Homemade Granola
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1/3 cup creamy almond butter; 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup pure maple syrup; 1 tsp. orange zest, plus 2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats; 3/4 cup raw cashews; 3/4 cup walnut halves; 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas); 1 tsp. ground cinnamon; 1 tsp. kosher salt; A splash of Horizon Organic Milk for serving, if desired

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Healthy Homemade Granola made with olive oil, almond butter, fresh orange juice, nuts, and seeds. Enjoy this easy homemade granola for a nutritious snack or breakfast on-the-go. This recipe post is sponsored by Horizon Organic and Sprouts Market. I was compensated for my time, however all opinions are my own.

Healthy Granola Recipe

This healthy homemade granola recipe is my go-to for it's ease and versatility. I love keeping a batch on hand to sprinkle over yogurt, mix with milk, or simply enjoy by the handful. It's chock-full of heart-healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and has some serious staying power.

Another reason I love this recipe is for its adaptability—you can use essentially any nut and seed combination you have on hand. It's just-sweet-enough with a mix of maple syrup and fresh orange juice, which are the perfect breakfast pairing. And, in place of vegetable or coconut oil, it calls for extra-virgin olive oil, which lends even more fruity notes.

Truly, you can't do wrong with this homemade granola, and it outshines anything pre-packaged on store shelves.

How to Make Healthy Homemade Granola

Think of this granola recipe more as a template to which you can add whichever nuts, seeds, or dried fruits you're craving. The foundation, however, is a mix of old-fashioned rolled oats, almond butter, maple syrup, fresh OJ, and olive oil. Here's here to make it:

Combine the wet ingredients: almond butter, maple syrup, olive oil, orange juice, and vanilla. I found that mixing these separately from the dry ingredients promotes more even coating. Otherwise, you may end up with chunks of almond butter stuck to only a portion of the granola clusters.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: oats, nuts, seeds, cinnamon, and salt. (Be sure the cinnamon and salt, in particular, are well distributed before stirring in your wet ingredients.)
Pour the almond butter mixture into the oat mixture, and stir to combine, making sure everything is well-coated. Lay the mixture out on a baking sheet and press down with a spatula. This is key for creating the coveted clusters. You want the mixture to be sticking together while it bakes, as opposed to dispersed on the baking sheet.
Bake at 325°F for 15 minutes, then remove the oven and give it a toss. This helps ensure all the bits and pieces get evenly baked. Press down again with a rubber spatula, and bake for another 15 minutes, until golden and toasty.
Let it completely cool before breaking apart and eating. The granola will continue to crisp up as it cools, so patience is key here. I suggest waiting at least 20 minutes to ensure it's sufficiently crunchy before diving in.

How to Know When Your Granola is Done Baking

Homemade granola takes roughly 30 minutes to bake, however there are always exceptions. You'll know it's done when the granola is lightly golden and the corners and edges appear crisp. You can also lean on your senses and wait till it smells toasty and fragrant. Just avoid pulling it out too early or you could rob it of its full crunchy potential.

How to Make Homemade Granola Crunchy

Here are some tricks to achieve crunchy, clustery granola (AKA the BEST kind of granola):

Make sure the wet ingredients thoroughly coat the dry ingredients.
Use a rubber spatula to press the granola down on the baking sheet prior to baking.
Let it cool completely before breaking into chunks.

Adding nut butter can also help create clusters, so I suggest either almond, cashew, or peanut butter. (Alternatively, if you have a nut allergy, sunflower butter works great, too!)

How Long Does Homemade Granola Last?

Store this granola in a sealed bag or container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Or, alternatively, in the freezer for up to 1 month. The granola will loose a little of it's crunch over time, but the flavor stays fab.

Is Homemade Granola Healthy?

Homemade granola tends to have a more stellar nutrition profile than most store-bought. This granola, in particular, is brimming with heart-healthy unsaturated fats, fiber, and micronutrients. It's sweetened just enough with unrefined sweeteners (pure maple syrup and fresh orange juice), so it's also lower on the sugar spectrum than most. In addition to satiating fats, the nuts contribute important minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium, plus fat-soluble vitamins.

There are many ways to enjoy this granola as a healthy snack. For example, mix it in yogurt, sprinkle it over smoothies, or eat it like a cereal with your milk of choice.

If using dairy milk, I prefer Horizon Organic® for its taste, quality, and nutrition. Plus, it’s made from cows that spend at least 120 days grazing on organic pastures and which are not given growth hormones, antibiotics, or toxic pesticides. I also love that Horizon Organic dairy is now available in shelf-stable milk boxes, which are perfect for snacks on-the-go.