Homemade Honey Granola Recipe

Homemade granola is made by coating rolled oats, nuts and seeds in a warm mixture of honey and oil, then baking it at 160 °C for about 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. The cranberries go in after baking so that they stay soft. This recipe makes about 800 g of granola, or around ten servings.

Method

Preheat the oven Preheat the oven to 160 °C (150 °C fan) and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Mix the dry ingredients Roughly chop the almonds and hazelnuts with a knife. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, chopped nuts, seeds, cinnamon and salt.
Warm the honey and oil In a small saucepan, warm the honey with the oil over a very low heat, just enough to make them nice and runny, without letting them boil.
Coat the oats Pour the warm honey over the oats and mix thoroughly with the spatula, until all the ingredients are glossy and slightly sticky.
Spread on the tray Spread the mixture over the tray in an even layer about 1 cm thick, pressing down lightly with the back of the spatula.
Bake, stirring halfway through Bake for 12 minutes, take out the tray and stir the granola, bringing the more coloured edges towards the centre. Return to the oven for 10 to 13 minutes, until evenly golden. Honey colours quickly: keep an eye on the last few minutes.
Leave to cool Leave to cool completely on the tray, without touching it, for 30 minutes. The granola is still soft when it comes out of the oven and hardens as it cools.
Break up and store Break it into pieces, add the cranberries and transfer everything to an airtight jar.

Which honey should you choose?

Mountain honey, round and mild, coats the oats with a caramel note that goes well with the almonds and hazelnuts. Lavender honey harvested in Provence gives a more floral granola, lovely with natural yoghurt and red berries. Baking softens some of the aromas: a honey with a distinct taste keeps its personality better than a very delicate one. If your jar has crystallised, the gentle warmth of the saucepan is enough to make it runny, without going above 40 °C; our article on honey crystallisation explains why it is natural.

Tips and variations

For big clusters, add a lightly beaten egg white to the honey and oil mixture, press the layer down firmly before baking and turn it halfway through in large slabs rather than stirring with a spoon.
Replace the cranberries with diced dried apricots, raisins or dried figs, always added after baking: in the oven they harden and can burn.
For a chocolate version, add 60 g of chopped dark chocolate once the granola has cooled completely.
Granola is still sweet and rich: a 60 to 80 g serving, with natural yoghurt or milk and a piece of fresh fruit, is enough for breakfast.
For variety in the mornings, alternate with our fluffy honey pancakes.

Storage

Once fully cooled, homemade granola keeps for about three weeks in an airtight jar, away from heat and humidity. If it softens, return it to the oven at 150 °C for 5 minutes, then let it cool before putting it back in the jar. Avoid the fridge, where it absorbs moisture. Find more ideas in our honey recipes.

Frequently asked questions

Why isn’t my granola crunchy?

It has often been a few minutes short of baking, or it was stirred and put in the jar while still warm. Granola hardens as it cools: leave it to rest flat on the tray for at least 30 minutes before breaking it up.

Can you make homemade granola without oil?

Yes, by replacing the oil with unsweetened apple purée. The granola will be less crunchy and will colour more: lower the oven to 150 °C and extend the baking by a few minutes, keeping an eye on it.

When should you add dried fruit to granola?

Nuts, such as almonds and hazelnuts, bake with the oats. Dried fruit, such as cranberries or raisins, goes in after baking, once the granola has cooled, so that it stays tender.