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This healthy homemade granola is quick & easy to make! It’s full of oats, warm cinnamon, and lots of big crunchy clusters. Pair it with milk, yogurt, or fresh berries for a fun breakfast bowl — or simply eat it plain as a snack!
During the week, my parents love eating granola for breakfast. My dad eats his plain and dry or stirs it into Greek yogurt. My mom adds hers to a bowl with multigrain flakes, a handful of fresh blueberries, and a generous splash of unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
When I recently visited them for a week, I thought it’d be fun to surprise them with a batch of homemade granola. I wanted a flavor that they could both enjoy — something that paired well with tangy yogurt and sweet juicy blueberries — but also tasted delicious all by itself, for the mornings where my dad simply poured it into a bowl.
I also wanted to make sure the granola had lots of big clusters. It’s so disappointing to stick your spoon into a bowl and only manage to fish out a few flakes of oats!
Finally, I wanted something that was really quick and simple to whip up. I didn’t feel like standing in front of the stove to baby-sit a bubbling pot and waiting for the liquid mixture to reduce. I much prefer the “one bowl, whisk everything together, and call it good enough” method of making granola!
So that’s how this ultimate healthy homemade granola came to be! I tested it a few times to make sure I got it just right before I left… And the batch I brought up for my parents completely disappeared by my final day.
I’d call that a good sign — and a fantastic compliment! 😉
QUICK OVERVIEW – THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY HOMEMADE GRANOLA
Recipe difficulty: Pretty easy, including for most beginner bakers!
Taste: Lightly sweetened with a warm, cozy cinnamon flavor.
Texture: Crunchy — with lots of really big clusters!
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY HOMEMADE GRANOLA
You only need 5 ingredients to make this easy homemade granola recipe! Those are…
Oats. Both old-fashioned rolled oats and quick cooking oats (aka instant oats or one-minute oats!) work. Use certified gluten-free oats if you’d like to make this cinnamon granola gluten-free!
Rice cereal. This adds crunch! I like using brown rice cereal (like this) because it’s whole grain and often has a short recognizable ingredient list. Regular crisp rice cereal (like Rice Krispies!) works perfectly too.
Egg whites. They actually bind the ingredients together! That way, this healthy granola is oil free, lower calorie, and low fat — yet it still has lots of big crunchy clusters. The egg whites add a protein boost too!
Hint: No… You do NOT end up with bits of scrambled eggs in your granola. When you make chocolate chip cookies, you don’t end up with bits of scrambled eggs in those, right? Same thing here! If you whisk everything together really well, you won’t find any egg bits in your finished granola.
Sweetener. I like using pure maple syrup, but honey and agave work well too.
Hint: All of these are unrefined sweeteners, so your cinnamon granola will have no refined sugar! Depending on which one you use, your granola may end up a darker brown than what you see in my photos. That’s normal and okay! As long as your granola is dark brown — but not black! — you haven’t burned it. 😉
Cinnamon. Saigon is my favorite for this homemade cinnamon granola recipe because it has a richer, stronger, and sweeter taste. I buy it online here!
HOW TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY HOMEMADE GRANOLA
The key to making the perfect healthy homemade granola is actually how you bake it.
Do not use a square, round, or rectangular cake pan. That’s what I used to do! I often ended up with clusters that were on the small side and not always crunchy. That was because the pan was too crowded, and the granola ended up “steaming” instead of drying out to the perfect crunchy texture.
Instead, use a large rimmed baking sheet! They’re sometimes called “jelly roll” pans. This is the kind I use.
This larger baking pan has more surface area, so you can spread out your granola in a thinner layer. The thinner layer achieves two things: {a} the granola bakes more evenly and dries out properly (without steaming!), and {b} you don’t have to stir it as much (too much stirring breaks up those big clusters into much smaller bits!).
When you bake your granola with this method, you should end up with really big crunchy clusters. Mine are normally SO large that they can’t even fit on a spoon, so I have to break them apart into three or four smaller clusters once the granola has cooled a bit!
Isn’t that a neat baking trick? It’s how I make all of my granola now!
FAQS ABOUT HEALTHY HOMEMADE GRANOLA
Is this homemade granola gluten-free? Clean eating?
Yes! If you use certified gluten-free oats (like this) and certified gluten-free rice cereal (like this), then your homemade granola is gluten-free. If you use one of the unrefined sweeteners that I listed, then your homemade granola is clean eating as well.
Can I substitute something else for the rice cereal? Like more oats?
For the best crunchy texture, I recommend using rice cereal (whether crispy brown rice or the classic variety, like Rice Krispies). In a pinch, another option would be rice pocket cereal (like Rice Chex) that you’ve lightly crushed so it’s about ¼ of its original size.
If you really prefer to use oats instead, then you can. Just remember that your granola won’t be as crunchy, and the nutrition information will be different too.
What can I use instead of the eggs?
I haven’t tried making this granola without eggs, so I’m not personally sure. However, some readers have been able to substitute flax “eggs” for the egg whites in my other granola recipes with decent success, so that might be worth a try.
How do I store this homemade granola? And how long does it last?
Keep it in an airtight container at room temperature. It should last least a week (if not two or more!) when stored like that.
Tip: You can also freeze homemade granola! See the Notes section of the recipe about how to do that.
Ready to make your own? When you do, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy homemade granola!
The Ultimate Healthy Homemade Granola
© Amy's Healthy Baking
Yields: 8 servings
This healthy homemade granola is lightly sweetened with a cozy cinnamon flavor and lots of big crunchy clusters. It’s my favorite basic recipe and a great blank canvas! It tastes wonderful served in a bowl with milk or yogurt, as well as eaten plain by the handful. You can easily add in different mix-ins once it’s cooled too, like nuts, dried fruit, or even chocolate chips!
5 from 42 votes
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Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites (see Notes!)
- ¼ cup (60mL) pure maple syrup (see Notes!)
- 2 ½ tsp ground cinnamon (see Notes!)
- 2 cups (60g) crisp brown rice cereal
- 1 ½ cups (150g) old-fashioned rolled oats (gluten-free, if necessary, and measured like this)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat (highly recommended!) or parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites until the egg whites are broken up and slightly bubbly. Whisk in the maple syrup. Whisk in the cinnamon until fully incorporated with no clumps. Pour in the brown rice cereal and oats, and gently stir with a spatula until both cereals are evenly coated.
Spread the mixture evenly onto the prepared pan. Bake at 325°F for 20 minutes. Gently stir and move the clusters around the pan to break up the granola and prevent the bits closest to the edge from burning. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, then gently stir again. Bake for an additional 4-8 minutes (for a total of 34-38 minutes), or until the granola is crunchy. Let the granola cool for 5 minutes before breaking apart any extra large clusters. Cool the granola completely to room temperature on the pan before transferring to an airtight container.
Notes
IMPORTANT FLAVOR NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: As written, this granola isn’t overly sweet. For sweeter granola, use 2 egg whites and 6 tablespoons (90mL) of pure maple syrup instead. The baking time and temperatures will remain the same.
If you’re a big cinnamon fan (like I am!), then increase the cinnamon to 3 teaspoons. For a less prominent spice flavor, decrease to 2 teaspoons.
EGG WHITE NOTES: You do NOT end up with bits of egg in your granola! It’s just like when you put eggs in cookie dough. You don’t end up with chunks of scrambled cooked eggs in your cookies, right? Same thing here! You thoroughly mix together the ingredients so you’ll never see bits of cooked egg in your granola. I promise!
I haven’t tried substituting anything for the egg whites. However, readers have said that flax “eggs” work decently as a substitute in my other granola recipes, so that might be a good place to start if you need to make this granola egg-free.
SWEETENER ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.
Depending on the sweetener you use, your granola may end up a darker brown than what you see in my photos. That’s normal and okay! As long as your granola is dark brown — but not black! — you haven’t burned it.
CINNAMON NOTE: I love Saigon cinnamon (I buy it online here!) because it has a richer, stronger, and sweeter flavor.
OATS ALTERNATIVES: Quick cooking oats (also called “instant” or “one-minute” oats — and the gluten-free version, if necessary!) may be substituted for the old-fashioned rolled oats. I don’t recommend substituting steel cut oats.
RICE CEREAL NOTES + ALTERNATIVES: The crisp brown rice cereal adds a big crunch to your granola clusters without any oil or butter. It’s such a great trick, and I use it in all of my granola recipes! (If you check the ingredients in your favorite store-bought granola cereals, I bet some of them use rice cereal as well!)
Regular crisp rice cereal (i.e. Rice Krispies) may be substituted in place of the brown rice cereal. In a pinch, another option would be rice pocket cereal (i.e. Rice Chex) that you’ve lightly crushed so it’s about ¼ of its original size.
You may substitute additional oats for the rice cereal, but your granola won’t be as crunchy.
DAIRY-FREE OPTION: No modifications needed!
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: Use certified gluten-free brown rice cereal (this one is my favorite, but this one and this one are similar!) and certified gluten-free oats (these are my favorite old-fashioned rolled oats and these are my favorite quick-cooking oats!).
HOW TO STORE: Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature. It should last for at least a week (if not two or more!).
HOW TO FREEZE: Line a baking sheet with foil (for easy clean-up!). Arrange the fully cooled granola in a single layer on the foil. Place in the freezer for 2 hours or until fully frozen. Transfer to a zip-topped bag lined with a paper towel, and squeeze out as much air as you can before sealing the bag and placing it in the freezer. (I actually think it tastes really good frozen!)
After thawing the granola, it’ll be a little bit chewy, so spread it out on a baking sheet in a thin even layer. Bake at 325°F for 6-9 minutes or until it turns crisp and crunchy again.
{gluten-free, dairy-free, clean eating, low fat}
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡Healthy Almond Butter Granola
♡Healthy Peanut Butter Granola
♡Healthy Chocolate Granola
♡Healthy Maple Pecan Granola
♡Healthy Vanilla Almond Granola
♡…and the rest of Amy’s healthy granola recipes!
