One of my resolutions this year is to eat less sugar and grains.
I know. It’s a baking blog. But I’m on a mission to prove that eating healthy can be fun, taste delicious, and be disguised as indulgent.
For instance, this 30-minute, 10-ish ingredient granola!
This recipe packs a serious punch in the way of healthy fats, omega 3s and protein from plenty of nuts and seeds. And it’s naturally sweetened with coconut sugar (a first for me!) and maple syrup. Coconut oil helps it crisp up without influencing the flavor.
Because this granola doesn’t have any grains, it’s extremely nutrient rich:
6.2 grams of protein + 4.7 grams of fiber per 1/4 cup serving!
You can either eat it as is or with your favorite dairy-free milk of yogurt. Or, if you’re like me and can’t kick cereal altogether, it makes a great addition to bran flakes to bulk up the protein content.
This granola is my new favorite. It’s
Nutty
Crunchy
Perfectly sweet
Hearty
Satisfying
Nutrient-rich
Simple
& Quick
It’s also extremely customizable. Just use whatever nuts and seeds you have on hand and make it your own. I scored some dried wild blueberries at Trader Joe’s, but I also think it would be amazing with dried cherries or cranberries.
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, or take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We see every one and it always makes our day. Cheers, friends!
Simple Grain-Free Granola
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flake
- 2 cups slivered raw almonds (slivered almonds do best here)
- 1 1/4 cup raw pecans
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 3 Tbsp chia seeds
- 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- 2 Tbsp coconut, cane, or muscavado sugar
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 3 Tbsp coconut or olive oil
- 1/3 scant cup maple syrup (or sub agave or honey if not vegan)
- 1/4 cup dried blueberries (optional // or other dried fruit)
- 1/4 cup roasted unsalted sunflower seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (162 C) and position a rack in the center of the oven.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the coconut, nuts, chia seeds, flax seed, cinnamon, coconut sugar, and salt.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the coconut oil and maple syrup and pour over the dry ingredients and mix well.
- Spread the mixture evenly onto a large baking sheet (may require two depending on size) and bake for 20 minutes. Then remove from oven, add dried blueberries and roasted sunflower seeds, and stir.
- Increase heat to 340 degrees F (171 C) and return to oven for another 5-8 minutes, or until deep golden brown.
- The coconut oil will help this granola crisp up nicely, but be sure to watch it carefully as it browns quickly.
- Once the granola is visibly browned and done cooking (about 27 minutes total for me), remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- Store in a container with an air-tight seal, and it should keep for a few weeks.
Notes
*Recipe makes ~5 cups granola.
Jess says
So yummy! I followed the recipe but left out the chia seeds and didn’t add sunflower seeds or berries. (I love how customizable this recipe is!) I made a few changes the second time I made it to fit our preferences: I chopped the nuts, doubled the flaxseed, 1 tsp. cinnamon, used half the coconut sugar, and added 1 cup chopped unsweetened banana chips. There are so many possible variations. Absolutely yum!
Yay! We love that you adjusted to fit your preferences, Jess. Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Rosalie Handy says
This granola is delicious. Love the nuts it contains no oats. Goes well with almond milk. I like that it is vegan, because I an vegan.
We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe, Rosalie. Thank you for sharing! xo
Jess puchalski says
I have made this recipe so many times over the years. A friend made it for me when I had gestational diabetes, and I keep going back to it as a really good low carb breakfast or snack. I usually only have sweetened coconut on hand, so I skip the coconut sugar and it still tastes great. Ive also made it without flax seed, and with whatever combination of nuts I have on hand. Be careful with the 2nd bake, it goes quick! I’ve burned it a few times. Again, so delicious, Thank you for this recipe!
Amazing! We’re so glad you’ve been enjoying this recipe over the years, Jess. Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Samira Hussein says
Amazing recipe! I subbed for honey instead of malle syrup, chopped up some almonds pecans and walnuts and it came out great! Oo i also added pumpkin spice so my house smells like nutty heaven right now💗
Your modifications sound wonderful, Samira! Thank you for sharing! xo
Esti Allina says
I wonder how much baking this affects the nutritional content and the nut oils? I think I’d try this either raw, or in a dehydrator (I realize most people don’t have one of these). Your blog is my first go-to when I’m looking for healthy, vegan, GF recipes. Thanks and keep up the great work!
Hi Esti, thank you for your trust in our recipes! We think you might prefer our Raw-Nola recipe – sharing in case you you haven’t already seen that one :)
Truly says
Thanks for the great recipe. I didn’t have walnuts, so I added pistachios and hazelnuts and it tastes divine. xo
Sounds lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Truly!
Hélène says
Great recipe ! I omitted the berries and granulated sugar and subbed the walnuts and half the almonds for raw buckwheat groats as per another comment. I turned the fan setting on and didn’t adjust/lower the temperature by mistake so the granola turned out a little more brown than golden. It still tasted lovely. I will definitely be making more !
We’re so glad you enjoyed it Hélène! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications. xo
Karen Koehn says
This is delicious!! I won’t ever need another recipe for granola. I added a couple tablespoons of hemp hearts as I was a bit short on the walnuts. A quarter cup of this in yogurt makes a fantastic breakfast! A handful as a snack is great, too. 5 stars for sure!
Whoop! We’re so glad you love this granola, Karen. Thank you for the wonderful review! xo
Olivier Prud'homme says
I made this recipe twice now and love it as It it a nice indulgent snack for someone on paleo. However, I find that even though I mix the ingredients with the sugar well, it tends to fall at the bottom of the pan leaving some pieces without a sweet taste. Am I they only that experienced this?
We’re so glad you’re enjoying it, Olivier! Hmm, we assume you aren’t using less oil? It sounds like for some reason it’s not sticking to the nuts/seeds. You could try giving it another stir halfway through baking, though it may not create as many chunky clumps. Hope that helps!
Samra Habib says
So good and easy to follow recipe. I would put less maple syrup next time though as the coconut sugar and the cranberries add enough sweetness (for me). Turned out beautifully.
Thank you for sharing, Samra! We’re glad you enjoyed it overall! xo
Doreen says
I’ve made this many times. It’s so good with yogurt and berries or just by the handful! I’m always asked fir recipe when I bring it to a gathering.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Doreen. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Natasha says
This looks great. What would you recommend to substitute the chia seeds and flax seed meal? I can do nuts, just not seeds. TIA!
Hi Natasha, you could do more coconut, almonds, walnuts, and pecans. Hope that helps!
Marlene Gail Allard-Lutynski says
my go-to granola recipe. I add 2 cups of raw buckwheat.
Lovely! Thank you for sharing, Marlene! xo
HAt says
Hello, big fan!, ? can I substitute mashed banana for the oil?
Thanks in advance
It won’t crisp up as well and may need to cook for longer, but might be okay!
Alex says
Did you try using mashed banana? If so, how did it turn out please?