How to Make Any Type of Granola

If you are looking for a fool-proof, customizable formula to make any kind of granola from your pantry items, this recipe will show you how! Granola really isn’t a complicated recipe, and it’s quite adaptable. You can usually use whatever shelf-stable items you have lying around in your pantry to turn them into a phenomenal granola.

Not only will this help you use up some pantry items, it will give you a delicious, filling, nutritious breakfast that will last for days. This recipe makes about 12 servings of granola, meaning that it will last you a bit of time, all while being low-waste!

I developed a “Granola Formula” when I realized I was making it all the time. This “formula” is a list of ingredients that will give you a framework on how to make granola with whatever you have.

For a long time, I was just eyeballing my granola measurements. But then I realized my granola came out so much better when I followed this simple formula. No matter what ingredients I use, this granola comes out crispy, golden and sweet, plus it has big chunks throughout. And let’s be honest, big chunks are my favorite part of granola.

Read on for how to make the best granola using whatever pantry items you have. From there, you can riff on the recipe with different nuts, seeds, spices, sweeteners and add-ins. This is the only granola recipe you’ll ever need again! Don’t skip the tips on how to perfectly roast your granola and you’ll be good to go.

In the recipe box at the bottom I’ll have my recommendation on how to make Pistachio Cardamom Cherry Granola, which is the variety of granola I chose to make, but is by no means a mandate! Just a starting point for inspiration.

The Granola Formula

I won’t bury the lead! Let’s start with the exact ratios you need to make granola. Here is exactly what you will need:

For the wet ingredients

• 1/2 cup of a meltable fat – this means butter, coconut oil, browned butter, ghee, etc. You could also use a liquid fat like olive oil, but I find that can start to taste a bit burnt after roasting.
• 3 tablespoons of a nut butter or seed butter – this could be almond butter, peanut butter, sunflower butter, or even tahini! The more drizzly it is, the easier it will be to use.
• 1/2 cup of a liquid sugar – liquid sugar means honey, agave, maple syrup, etc. Anything you can pour!
• 1/4 cup of a granulated sugar – this means sugars like white sugar, brown sugar, turbinado sugar, powdered sugar, etc.
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of spices or flavorings – I like to add spices like cinnamon, cardamom, clove, all-spice, nutmeg, or any baking spices to make the granola a little fancy!
• 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt – salt is flavor, so you can’t skip this!

For the dry ingredients

• 1 cup of any kind of nut – whole or chopped. I love walnuts, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, cashews, really anything! A blend of nuts is also nice. If you are allergic, you can swap this for seeds or more oats.
• 1 cup flax meal – I find flax meal is very helpful to make big clumps of granola, however if you don’t have any, chia seeds, flax seeds or swapping this for oat flour or almond flour will also work!
• 1 cup of something sweet but dry – What this means is have one cup of something like coconut chips, freeze-dried apple pieces, or anything flaky that can add a little textural interest. If you are drawing a blank, feel free to just use another cup of oats here.
• 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats – Oats feel like a granola must, but if you are gluten-free, you can use gluten free oats or another grain like buckwheat groats!
• 1 cup of any kind of dried fruit – Think raisins, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, goji berries, cherries, pineapple, mango chunks, really anything! A mix is also great here.
• 1 cup of any kind of seeds – I love hemp seeds, but sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, or flax seeds are all delicious. And so good for you!

What do the wet ingredients do?

I confidently say that this is the best customizable granola recipe on the internet because the wet ingredients are designed to give you big granola chunks. Which are the best part of granola!

The wet ingredients in this granola recipe melt into a thick paste. This gets paste-like because of the nut butter and two kinds of sugar. These thick wet ingredients then cling to the dry ingredients and clump them into big, sticky pieces, making it so that even as you stir your granola, big, sweet clumps of granola will bake up in the oven.

The wet ingredients are the perfect texture and sweetness to hold together your granola without overpowering all the good stuff inside!

What do the dry ingredients do in a granola?

The dry ingredients are your bulk and your crunch. Since this recipe is customizable, these ingredients are much more mix-and-match friendly than the wet ingredients.

Don’t like nuts? No problem, just add in more seeds. Gluten-free? Feel free to swap the oats for something gluten-friendly like buckwheat groats or toasted quinoa.

The main point of the dry ingredients is to add nutrition, bulk, and textural interest. So make them your own!

How to mix your granola

The mixing process of this formula is very simple.

PRE-STEP: Preheat the oven to 300°F convection.

STEP 1: Combine all of the wet ingredients in a heat-proof bowl. Use either the double-boiler method on the stovetop to gently melt the ingredients together, or microwave on high for one minute. (The double-boiler method is when you fill a pot with an inch or two of water and bring that water to a simmer. Place a heat-proof bowl over the simmering water and use the heat to melt whatever is inside the bowl.)

Mix everything vigorously to combine.

STEP 2: In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.

STEP 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until everything is the texture of wet sand.

STEP 4: On a light-colored, parchment-lined half sheet pan, evenly pour and spread out the granola.

STEP 5: Bake at 300°F convection for 15 minutes, then stir the granola well on the sheet pan. This will prevent any bits from burning and ensure an even, toasty flavor. Continue to bake the granola for 20-30 more minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. I like to take mine out around the 35 minute mark when everything is looking nicely golden.

STEP 6: Let it cool completely undisturbed so that the clumps can form. When it is cool it will be fully crisp and ready to store!

How to bake your granola perfectly every time (an important step!)

There are three things that are so important when baking granola:

1. If you can, bake the granola on a light aluminum baking sheet. While I love my darker pans, they conduct more heat and run the risk of you over-toasting the bottom of your granola!
2. Go low and slow, but not too slow. Many recipes say to bake for upwards of 40-45 minutes, but I find 35 is plenty. Resist the urge to over-roast your granola!
3. After the 15-minute mark, start stirring the granola every ten minutes. Don’t worry, this won’t get rid of your granola clumps! Granola clumps happen while the granola cools, which is why we leave it undisturbed then. While your granola is baking, it can easily scorch on the bottom, so we continue to stir it to make sure that all the pieces evenly cook.

Why it is important to let granola fully cool

If your granola is crisp right out of the oven, it will most likely be a bit burnt. You want your granola to still look a bit sticky when you remove it from the oven. But don’t fear! Once it full cools it will be nice, crunchy and crisp,

Just make sure to let it cool full undisturbed, that way it will cool into clumps, so you will get big bites of granola hunks and small bites in between.

How to store your granola

I like to store granola in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place. This granola will keep for about two weeks in your pantry.

My preferred storage vessel is a glass container like a mason jar. This recipe will fill two 32-ounce mason jars like these. And I find glass preserves the flavor and aroma the best!

And that is the entire Granola Formula! If you are looking for how to make granola with whatever you have, I hope this helps.

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3

Pistachio Cherry Coconut Granola

4.91 from 10 votes

This granola is a perfect example of the granola "formula" I use. It is delicious every time I make it, and packed with feel-good ingredients. You end up with a golden, nutty, sweet and tart granola every time.

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Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Cook Time:30 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American, Fusion

Keyword: breakfast, cereal, cherries, dried cherries, granola, pistachio, plant based

Servings: 12 servings

Equipment

• 1 heat-proof bowl
• 1 half sheet pan

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup refined coconut oil 100 grams / 3.5 ounces
• 3 tablespoons pistachio butter tahini, or any nut butter, 37 grams / 1.2 ounces
• 1/2 cup honey 150 grams / 5.3 ounces
• 1/4 cup brown sugar light or dark, 50 grams / 1.75 ounces
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1 cup shelled raw pistachios 113 grams / 4 ounces
• 1 cup flax meal 90 grams / 3.2 ounces
• 1 cup unsweetened untoasted coconut chips 50 grams / 1.8 ounces
• 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats 90 grams / 3.2 ounces
• 1 cup dried cherries 150 grams / 5.3 ounces
• 1 cup hemp seeds 120 grams / 4.25 ounces

Instructions

• Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 300°F convection.
• In a large heat-proof bowl, combine 1/2 cup of coconut oil, 3 tablespoons of nut butter, 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Use a spatula to lightly mix everything together.
• Melt the mixture, either using the double-boiler method on the stove top (see Note) or microwave on high for one minute. Mix everything vigorously to combine.
• In another large bowl, add the 1 cup of pistachios, 1 cup of flax meal, 1 cup of coconut chips, 1 cup of oats, 1 cup dried cherries, and 1 cup of hemp seeds. Mix together.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. It might feel like you don’t have enough wet ingredients to coat the dry, but keep mixing! Soon everything will feel coated and a bit damp, and then we’ll be mixing even more in the oven.
• Transfer the granola to a parchment-lined half sheet pan and spread it out evenly.
• Bake at 300°F convection for 15 minutes, then stir the granola well on the sheet pan. This will prevent any bits from burning and ensure an even, toasty flavor.
• Continue to bake the granola for 20-30 more minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. I like to take mine out around the 35 minute mark when everything is looking nicely golden. It will still feel a bit soft, but don’t worry, granola crisps up as it cools.
• Let the granola cool before eating or storing it, then enjoy!

Notes

Note: The double-boiler method is when you fill a pot with an inch or two of water and bring that water to a simmer. Place a heat-proof bowl over the simmering water and use the heat to melt whatever is inside the bowl. This is a gentle heating method that is great for melting chocolate, melting butter, or warming up ingredients like in this recipe!