Homemade Olive Oil Honey Almond Granola

Name: Homemade Olive Oil Honey Almond Granola
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 cups (270 g) old-fashioned rolled oats; 1½ cups (210 g) raw whole almonds, roughly chopped into ¼- to ½-inch pieces; 1½ teaspoons (4 g) ground cinnamon; ¾ teaspoon (4½ g) fine sea salt; ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; ⅓ cup (115 g) honey, at room temperature so it pours easily; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; 1 whole (30 g) large egg white, lightly whisked with a fork until loosened and slightly foamy (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crunchy, golden clusters of rolled oats and almonds, sweetened with honey, enriched with fruity olive oil and warmed with cinnamon. Baked low and slow, then left undisturbed to cool so it sets into big, snackable chunks.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 40 min
Wait: 45 min
Total: 1 hr 35 min
Makes: About 6 cups (12 servings of ½ cup)

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Steps

Before you start

Position an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
Use old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant or steel-cut; they give the best crunch and clusters.
Measure the honey after the olive oil, in the same measuring cup, so it slides out easily.
Plan on 45 minutes of undisturbed cooling at the end; this is what creates the clusters.

1
Preheat and line panOven 325°F / 165°C
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 325°F (165°C).
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet (18×13 inches / 46×33 cm) with parchment paper.
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Ready when: Oven reaches 325°F (165°C).
Tip: Parchment prevents the honey from sticking and welding the granola to the pan.
2
Mix dry ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, chopped almonds, cinnamon and salt until the cinnamon is evenly distributed with no brown clumps.
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Ready when: The mixture looks uniformly speckled with cinnamon.
3
Whisk wet ingredients
- In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk the olive oil, honey and vanilla until smooth and fully combined.
- If using the egg white, whisk it in too, or fold it in after the wet mixture is poured over the oats.
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Ready when: The mixture is glossy and no streaks of honey remain.
Tip: The egg white is optional but gives larger, crunchier clusters.
4
Coat the oats
- Pour the wet mixture over the oat mixture.
- Fold with a rubber spatula for about 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the bowl, until every oat and almond looks lightly glossy and no dry oats remain.
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Ready when: No dry oats at the bottom of the bowl; mixture clumps slightly when squeezed.
5
Spread and press
- Scrape the mixture onto the prepared pan.
- Spread into an even layer about ½ inch (1 cm) thick, then press down firmly with the back of the spatula to compact it.
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Ready when: A flat, tightly packed, even layer reaching nearly to the pan edges.
Tip: Compacting the granola is what makes it stick into clusters.
6
Bake first roundOven 325°F / 165°C
- Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 20 minutes, until the edges just begin to turn light golden and the kitchen smells nutty and toasty.
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Ready when: Edges are light golden; center is still pale.
Tip: Do not stir yet.
7
Rotate and finish bakingOven 325°F / 165°C
- Rotate the pan 180 degrees.
- Without stirring, bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the granola is deep golden brown around the edges and light golden in the center.
- It will still feel slightly soft; it crisps as it cools.
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Ready when: Deep golden at edges, light golden in center, fragrant, not dark brown.
Tip: Honey burns quickly; check at 15 minutes and pull it out if the edges darken.
8
Cool undisturbed
- Set the pan on a wire rack or heatproof surface.
- Leave the granola completely untouched for 45 minutes, until fully cool and hard to the touch.
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Ready when: Slab is rigid and no longer warm when pressed.
Tip: Stirring or moving it while warm breaks up the clusters.
9
Break into clusters
- Lift the parchment or use your hands to break the slab into clusters ranging from bite-size to about 2 inches (5 cm).
- Transfer to an airtight container.
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Ready when: Granola snaps cleanly with a crisp sound.
Tip: If any pieces feel chewy, spread them on the pan and return to a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes, then cool again.

Good to know

Tips

Stir in dried fruit like raisins, cranberries or chopped apricots after baking; baking them makes them hard and bitter.
Use a flavorful olive oil you enjoy; a mild one gives subtle richness, a peppery one adds savory depth.
Always cool fully before storing; trapped warmth creates steam and soft granola.
Add ½ cup (45 g) unsweetened coconut flakes to the dry mix, but check early as they brown fast.

Make ahead

Bake up to 2 weeks ahead and store airtight at room temperature.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature in an airtight container up to 2 weeks. Freezer up to 3 months in a freezer bag; no need to thaw, or refresh on a baking sheet at 300°F (150°C) for 5 minutes. Refrigeration is not necessary.

Substitutions

honey → pure maple syrup. Same amount; gives a slightly lighter, more caramel flavor.
raw whole almonds → pecans, walnuts or pumpkin seeds. Use the same weight; pecans and walnuts brown faster, so check a few minutes early.
extra-virgin olive oil → melted coconut oil or neutral oil. Use the same amount; coconut oil gives a firmer crunch.
large egg white → omit. Granola will still cluster, just with slightly smaller pieces; keeps it vegan if using maple syrup.