Wednesdays are the only day of the week that I have all my boys in school. After I drop them off and before I need to go back and pick them up, I have about 2 hours and 15 minutes where I am HOME ALONE. For an introverted girl like me who is rarely alone, this is GLORIOUS.
Now I feel like I need to do a little disclaimer here: Of course I love my boys to death and they are the cutest things ever, even sweeter than my Triple Layer Brownies. And yes, I know someday I will miss the noise, dirt, stinky socks, and Lego booby traps.
Okay, now can I go on with my rant?
I love my alone time, and I actually find myself in a complete state of panic when I walk into my house after returning from preschool drop-off.
The silence is so shocking.
Now what do I do?
In an effort to make the most of this precious time, I’m almost paralyzed with indecision.
- Should I clean up the house?
- Put the laundry away?
- Get some exercise?
- Organize my junk drawer?
- Test out a new recipe?
- Take a shower?
- Go grocery shopping?
- Iron that pile of shirts on the ironing board?
- Take a nap?
- Dust my ceiling fans?
- Pin some recipes?
- Read a book?
- Meet up with a friend?
- Go get a pedicure?
- Water my flowers?
- Get lost at Target?
- Listen to a podcast?
- Write my grandma a letter?
- Go to the MVD to update my driver’s license picture?
SEE WHAT I MEAN?
My time always goes by really fast, but I’m amazed at how much I can accomplish when someone else is attending to the constant needs of my children. They aren’t extra needy or anything, but kids just need a lot of attention.
So last week, I used a tiny portion of my Wednesday alone time to make this granola. Granola is very easy to make. After making this off and on for the last few years and tweaking it a little each time, this recipe is now perfection to me.
My favorite thing about it is the finely ground almonds that coat each little oat. But I also like to leave some almonds chopped up more coarsely for extra crunch. It’s wonderfully sticky and clumpy.
A bowl full of this Homemade Coconut Oil Honey Almond Granola topped with juicy, sweet strawberries and a splash of ice cold whole milk is the way to go my friends. You can feel free to add your favorite granola type mix-ins, but I like mine a little on the plain side.
I hope you get a day this week to do whatever it is that makes your heart happy, whether it’s gathering with friends, watching a favorite show, or going to a nice long walk. Or maybe making granola?
Print
Homemade Coconut Oil Honey Almond Granola
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: Makes 4 cups 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Wonderfully sticky and clumpy, this Homemade Coconut Oil Honey Almond Granola will make your day!
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole almonds, divided
- 3 cups old fashioned oats
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a food processor or blender, pulse half of the almonds until they are very finely chopped. Pour them into a large bowl. Then chop the other half of the almonds coarsely, and pour them into the same bowl.
- Pour the oats, salt, and brown sugar into the bowl with the almonds and stir to combine.
- In a small microwaveable bowl, combine honey and coconut oil, and heat for 40 seconds. Stir to dissolve the coconut oil, and add the vanilla and almond extract.
- Pour the honey mixture over the oats, and stir so that they are evenly coated.
- Pour the oat mixture evenly onto a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet (helpful if it has sides).
- Bake for 5 minutes, and then stir and spread back to an even layer. Return to the oven for 5 more minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.
- Pour the granola and onto a piece of wax paper to cool. Spread it out into a thin layer – about 1/2 inch thick.
- After it cools completely, break the granola into clusters and store in an airtight container.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 672
- Sugar: 40g
- Sodium: 445mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 86g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Sharon says
This was my first time ever making homemade granola and I was pleasantly surprised! It was a lot easier than I had imagined and they taste delicious! I can’t wait to try some with yogurt tomorrow morning. Thanks again for a simple, delicious recipe, Julie!
Julie says
Sharon, I’m so glad you liked it. It is pretty easy to make, and I was surprised too when I first tried it!
Nicole says
I thought this was a great recipe. It’s the first recipe I’ve ever used that actually clumped!
I used slivered almonds instead and added 1 tsp of cinnamon, shredded, coconut and dried berries after 5 minutes. I thought it was a bit too sweet for my taste and may omit the brown sugar next time. Thank you!
Julie says
Sounds good Nicole!
Paula says
I was so happy to find this recipe which includes honey as my FIL is a bee keeper. I follow the recipe except I buy chopped almonds, add whole pecans, pumpkin seeds, and craisins. Love that I can follow your recipe but add things to change it up depending on what I have on hand. It’s a great recipe. Thank you.
Trisha says
Finally! I’ve failed 3 times now with other recipes but this granola turn out perfect! The ground almonds add great texture & I actually added flax seeds & hemp hearts to the grinding process. Wanted a bit more protein & Omegas. I had to kick my 14 y/o out of the kitchen so it could cool as she kept scooping handfuls to eat up. It’s a hit! Thanks.
Julie says
I know what you mean! My kids eat this granola like it’s candy.
dylan says
Wow, WAY too sweet. I could feel my teeth rotting. Next time I’ll leave out the added sugar, and I think it’ll be fine.
Erikka says
Just made this and it is addicting! I love granola, but the price is whew! This was so cheap, simple, and quick to make (washed the dishes while it was cooling!) I also added craisins. So yummy thank you for the recipe!
Julie says
You’re welcome Erikka!
Elizabeth says
Best granola ever! I’ve never made granola and was looking for recipes on pinterest and came across this. Right away I knew I had to try it. Will be making this over and over. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Julie says
You are very welcome. So happy you liked it Elizabeth!
Benny says
Hello! Can I use Maple syrup instead of honey?? thanks!!
Julie says
Yes, I think you could give it a try. Let me know how you like it!
Benedetta says
Hi. I made it using maple syrup instead of honey and it was AMAZING!!!!! Made it last evening around 7pm and nibbled it as a snack watching TV as soon as it cooled off… my daughter LOVED it ( and she does not have a sweet tooth!)… it will be gone by today!!
Thank you
Laleh says
I started reading about this for 1 hour ago and I just couldn’t wait until tomorrow to make it, so i got up and made it, first of all the whole house smells wonderful and the result looks and tastes amazing. thank you so much for sharing.
Julie says
Haha! That sounds like something I would do :0) Enjoy! Thanks for stopping by and saying hi!
Ana says
I´ve made them! they are great!! Thank you! You also could add to the granola cranberry, it´s tasty!
Julie says
Thanks Ana, great idea!
Jaime says
Hi there Julie
Thank you for sharing this amazing granola recipe. I plan to make it (also when I have that 2 hours and 15 minutes of child free time). I know this sounds naive. But sometimes I sit there and think I am the only one that has a thousand things do and can’t decide which one to do and that I never get any time to myself. I do know others have these struggles. Thank you for sharing your personal struggles. I can relate to them being a single mum of four little munchkins. And it helps to relate to you as a person. I hope you get a pedi and a read of a good book in soon.
Kind regards
Jaime
Valerie Feltman says
Hi Julie!
I just made your awesome granola! The only thing I did to change it up was that I added cinnamon since it’s great for you and I love nuts so I added pecans and walnuts. I can’t keep my hubby from eating it all as a snack!
Also, wanted to mention that yours is one of the easiest recipes since some of them have you bake for much longer with a lot of stirring in between baking time. I love that yours was so quick — both to make and bake!
Thanks for an uber granola recipe!! We love it!!
Valerie
Julie says
Thanks so much Valerie. I love that it’s so quick too!
Cassie says
I make this recipe every week! We love it & gives us something relatively clean to eat for breakfast & snacks!
Julie says
I’m so glad you are enjoying this recipe Cassie! Thanks for your comment!
Laurie says
Hi Julie,
I just made a batch of granola (a recipe I came across before seeing yours). It’s okay. I was looking for something extra crispy. Every recipe says to bake for 45 minutes. I’ve always found that too long. 15 minutes is usually more than enough time. Most people don’t realize that it crisps while it cools and not in the oven. Yours is the first I’ve seen that bakes for only 10 minutes. Kudos for that! I’m going to try your recipe this weekend after I eat the batch I just made! Thanks!
Julie says
Hi Laurie, thanks for leaving me a note – Yes, I love that this recipe bakes quickly. Depending on your oven and the position of your rack, you may need to add a few minutes for extra crispy. And it definitely does crisp up as it cools. Hope you enjoy!
R. Marasigan says
I love granola. Although I’ve only made homemade a couple times before. It’s been a while. This recipe looks delicious. I think I will try to make a big batch for teacher appreciation week next week. Maybe I can make pretty individual bags. We shall see:) thanks for the recipe!
Julie says
That is such a great idea! We love this granola. My family can hardly keep their hands out of it while I let it cool on the kitchen counter!
R. Marasigan says
I did make some for the teachers:) This is the BEST granola I’ve ever had. It is delicious! Made a batch this morning, been craving it for a couple of weeks and finally got to it:) I think it’s the 3rd or 4th time I’ve made it. I love that something so simple can taste so good. Thanks for the recipe!
Julie says
You’re very welcome!
plasterer bristol says
Made this on the weekekend, great recipe. Tastes great.Thanks for sharing .
Julie says
You’re welcome, and thanks for letting me know!
Raquel says
Hi! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I’ve never tried to make my own granola before. It was very easy and my 2 year old loved to help!
I added pumpkin seeds, coconut chips, dried cranberries and goji berries, I also left out the almond extract. The goji berries were a big mistake, they completely burned, I had to pick most of them out. Lesson learned, better add them after it cools.
Apart from that it turned out delicious! My daughter loved to eat the little clusters. I was expecting a bit more and bigger clusters though, it didn’t really clump together a lot, maybe with all the mix-ins I needed to increase the coconut oil and honey or maybe it’s just like that. It is still delicious!
Do you think leaving the sugar out would affect the results? I found it a tiny bit too sweet and I’d also like to share it with my little girl and without the added sugar it would be extra healthy.
I will definitely be trying more homemade granola in the future!
Julie says
Hi! I’m not sure if leaving out some of the sugar would make it less clumpy or not. It really helps make clumps if you don’t spread it out too much when it is cooling. Good to know about the goji berries. Sometimes you just have to try things and learn as you go. I love that you made this your own way.
R. Marasigan says
It will clump more if you add just a little more honey and coconut oil. Makes it a little more softer/ chewier and still really yummy.
Stasi says
I made this recipe yesterday and it is awesome! I usually have no luck with granola recipes, but this was amazing! I could’ve eaten the whole thing myself. Great and delicious recipe! Thank you!
Julie says
Stasi, I know what you mean about eating it all yourself! So glad you liked it as much as I do!
Jolea says
I am going to try and make this with sunflower seeds instead of almonds for my nut allergic children. Hope it works out!
Julie says
Great idea Jolea, let me know what you think!
Michael says
I entered all the ingredients in this granola recipe on MyFitnessPal.com, as counting calories is extremely important to me.
These numbers are for a half cup serving
Calories 297
Total Fat 13 g
Saturated Fat 5 g
Monounsaturated Fat 5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 143 mg
Potassium 178 mg
Total Carbohydrate 42 g
Dietary Fiber 4 g
Sugars 21 g
Protein 6 g
Vitamin A 0 %
Vitamin C 0 %
Calcium 3 %
Iron 10 %
Unsurprisingly, oats and almonds baked in brown sugar and honey aren’t healthy for you. This is essentially an oatmeal cookie recipe.