Coconut Almond Granola
Give our extra-crunchy homemade Coconut Almond Granola recipe a try–made with almonds, dried cherries, and rolled oats. It’s naturally sweetened, and butter-free. We love to make this recipe during the holiday season to give away. It makes the best small homemade recipe for gift-giving snacks!
I love a homemade granola recipes. Especially when it’s healthy and naturally sweetened with maple syrup (or honey). This Coconut Almond Granola is made with oats, oil (you can use coconut oil, too), and your favorite nuts and fruit. Customize it the way you like–make it your own, and add your favorite dried fruit.
Coconut Almond Granola
For our family, we never tire of dried fruit like cranberries, golden raisins, cherries, or blueberries. You can even cut up apricots for this granola recipe, into small chunks. The combination of fruit and nuts is endless, as this is a basic recipe, so perfect for gift-giving this time of year.
Read more: Coconut Almond Granola
Why I love this recipe
M ry friend Steph shared this recipe with me years ago (like 10 years ago), and it’s our go-to snack! Oh, so good on ice cream, too! I love how food and recipes can tie us to friendships!
- It’s been a family favorite for years.
- Makes the best “homemade gift” during the holidays.
- So delicious with milk, on yogurt, or on ice cream.
Gather these ingredients:
- Maple syrup
- Brown sugar
- Vegetable oil (or coconut oil)
- Vanilla
- Sea salt
- Old-fashioned rolled oats
- Coconut
- Whole almonds, chopped
- Whole walnuts, chopped
- Dried fruit, such as cranberries, golden raisins, blueberries, or cherries
Is homemade granola good for you?
Granola is listed as a health food, but it’s often high in calories. We just eat in moderation, and enjoy the excellent source of fiber, iron, heart-healthy fats, and protein.
How do you make Coconut Almond Granola?
Steph also inspired me to start making my own granola, and once I got into the routine, it not only provided a great snack (and breakfast) for the family, but it saved us a bunch of money! Store-bought granola is too often way overpriced. And store-bought is often too sweet.
- Heat oven to 250 degrees. Line 2 rimmed backing sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl, except the dried fruit (will add in later).
- Whisk the first 5 ingredients together. Pour over the dry ingredients. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Transfer the mixture to the baking sheets, baking on 2 oven levels, stirring every 15-20 minutes. After 40 minutes, swap pans on the oven racks.
- Bake for 60-80 minutes until granola is the consistency that you like.
- Remove granola from the oven and cool on racks for an hour before stirring in the dried fruit.
Tips and substitutions:
- Don’t use “quick oats,” but instead use the “old-fashioned rolled oats.”
- Hand-chop the almonds and walnuts, for larger chunks.
- If your cranberries and golden raisins are old (dry), soften them up in hot water.
- If you feel the recipe needs more liquid, you can double the oil/maple syrup mixture.
- Cook the granola at 250 for over an hour. You can cook it (stirring every 20 minutes) to whatever texture you like for your own household.
How do you store granola?
Using an airtight container, you can store for up to 2 weeks (if it lasts that long!)
It’s a simple little care package idea of a holiday gift, or use as a hostess gift full of homemade love! :)
More homemade gifts you may want to try while you are here:
- Hot Russian Tea Mix
- Holiday Hot Buttered Rum Mix
- Homemade Vanilla Extract
- Apple Carrot Dog Biscuits
- Homemade Kahlua
- Best Homemade Chocolate Sauce
Get the Recipe:
Coconut Almond Granola
Ingredients
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 2-3 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 7 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 cups coconut
- 3 cups whole almonds, chopped
- 3 cups whole walnuts, chopped
- 2-3 cups dried fruit, such as cranberries, golden raisins, or cherries
Instructions
- Heat oven to 250 degrees. Line 2 rimmed backing sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl, except the dried fruit (will add in later).
- Whisk the first 5 ingredients together. Pour over the dry ingredients. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Transfer the mixture to the baking sheets, baking on 2 oven levels, stirring every 15-20 minutes. After 40 minutes, swap pans on the oven racks.
- Bake for 60-80 minutes until granola is the consistency that you like.
- Remove granola from the oven and cool on racks for an hour before stirring in the dried fruit.
- Using an airtight container, you can store for up to 2 weeks (if it lasts that long!)
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
Pretty easy and quite good. My husband is already a huge fan and I finished making it an hour ago.
I just made this and it turned out great. I used half maple syrup and half honey and pepitas and sunflower seeds rather than almonds. It’s slightly chunky which is what I like. Thanks!