Homemade Maple Granola Recipe (Vegan & Gluten-free)

Granola is a delicious and nutritious breakfast that can be customized to your liking. You can make your own granola at home with just a few simple ingredients and a baking sheet. Homemade granola is vegan, gluten-free, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. It’s also full of nuts, seeds, and crunchy clusters that will keep you satisfied and energized all day long.

Making homemade granola is easy and fun. You can use whatever nuts, seeds, and dried fruits you have on hand or prefer. You can also add some spices, vanilla, and orange zest for extra flavor. The only thing you need to remember is the ratio of dry to wet ingredients: 6 cups of dry ingredients to 2/3 cup of wet ingredients.

Here is a basic recipe for homemade granola that you can follow or adapt as you wish:

Homemade Granola Recipe (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of organic rolled oats (quick or thick, or gluten-free)
• 1 ½ cups of raw nuts (almonds, pecans, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, etc.)
• 1 cup of sunflower seeds (or pumpkin seeds, or a mix of both)
• 1 cup of flaked coconut (optional, unsweetened, large flakes)
• ½ cup of a mix of seeds (chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, etc.)
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon of nutmeg (or cardamom)
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ⅓ cup of olive oil (or coconut oil, melted)
• ⅓ cup of maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1 tablespoon of orange zest (optional)
• 1 cup of dried fruit (optional, cherries, cranberries, figs, mangoes, currants, apricots, raisins, etc.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the oats, nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and orange zest.
4. Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture and stir well to coat everything evenly.
5. Spread the granola in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until golden and crisp.
7. Let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet before adding the dried fruit if using.
8. Store the granola in an airtight container or jar for up to 6 weeks.

Enjoy your homemade granola with yogurt and fresh berries or as a snack on its own.

Some variations you can try are:

• Cranberry Pecan Coconut
• Pistachio and Dried Apricot
• Almond, Dried Cherry and Cocoa Nibs
• Coconut Almond
• Hazelnut and Dried Currant with Orange Zest

Have fun making your own granola and enjoy the benefits of a healthy and tasty breakfast!