Honey Oat Granola

Name: Honey Oat Granola
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 cups (270 g) old-fashioned rolled oats; 1 cup (95 g) raw or blanched sliced almonds; 1 cup (120 g) raw walnut halves or pieces, coarsely chopped; ½ cup (170 g) raw or processed honey; ¼ cup (60 ml) refined or virgin coconut oil, melted; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon (2½ g) ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A golden, crunchy homemade granola made with rolled oats, almonds, walnuts, and coconut oil, sweetened with honey and lightly spiced with vanilla and cinnamon. Perfect for breakfast with yogurt, milk, or eaten by the handful as a snack. Baked at a low temperature to ensure even toasting without burning, then cooled to maximum crispness.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Makes: About 5 cups granola (roughly 16 servings of ¼ cup)

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C) on a rack in the center. Position oven racks so there's room for the sheet pan to rotate if needed.
Line a large rimmed baking sheet (18×13 inches or larger) with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easy.
Have all ingredients measured and ready before mixing—the granola mixture shouldn't sit too long before baking, or it will begin to clump unevenly.

1
Mix dry ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, sliced almonds, chopped walnuts, cinnamon, and sea salt.
- Stir together with a wooden spoon or spatula until the spices are evenly distributed throughout.
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Ready when: No visible streaks of cinnamon remain; mixture appears uniform
Tip: Don't skip mixing the cinnamon in thoroughly now—it's easier than trying to distribute it after adding the wet ingredients.
2
Combine wet ingredients
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the melted coconut oil, honey, and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.
- The mixture should look glossy and pourable.
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Ready when: Honey and oil are fully incorporated with no lumps or separation
Tip: If your honey is very thick and won't pour, warm it gently for 30 seconds—this makes it easier to mix and ensures even coating.
3
Combine and coat
- Pour the honey mixture over the oat mixture.
- Using a wooden spoon or flexible spatula, stir thoroughly until all the oats and nuts are evenly coated with the honey-oil mixture.
- This takes about 1–2 minutes of firm stirring.
- Every piece should glisten and no dry oats should remain.
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Ready when: All oats and nuts are shiny and coated; no dry, pale oats visible
Tip: Press the mixture against the bowl's side as you stir—this helps break up any clumps and ensures even moisture distribution for uniform baking.
4
Spread on baking sheet
- Transfer the coated granola mixture to the prepared parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Using a spatula or the back of a wooden spoon, spread it in a single, relatively even layer across the sheet.
- The granola doesn't need to be perfectly flat—just avoid leaving thick pockets.
- Leave it slightly loose rather than packing it down hard.
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Ready when: Granola covers most of the sheet in an even layer about ½ inch deep; no large mounds
Tip: Don't press the granola down too much—looser packing allows hot air to circulate and creates crispier, more separate clusters rather than one dense brick.
5
Bake until goldenOven 300°F / 150°C
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated 300°F (150°C) oven.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, stirring gently every 10 minutes with a wooden spoon to ensure even browning and to break up any clumping.
- After the first 10 minutes, check the edges—they brown faster than the center.
- On your third stir (around 30 minutes), the granola should be turning golden; continue until it smells toasty and fragrant, and the oats are light golden brown (not dark or burnt).
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Ready when: Oats are light to medium golden brown; granola smells warm, toasty, and fragrant; no burnt or dark spots
Tip: Every oven is different, so start checking at 25 minutes if yours runs hot. 300°F is low enough to prevent burning, but the slower bake is what makes the granola crisp and evenly cooked.
6
Cool completely
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and spread the hot granola out again with a spatula, breaking up any clusters that have formed while it baked.
- Let it sit undisturbed at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
- As it cools, it will continue to firm up and become crispier.
- Do not store or eat it until it has cooled fully—warm granola is soft and will seem under-done.
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Ready when: Granola is completely cool to the touch and feels hard and crispy
Tip: Resist the urge to eat or store it while warm—the texture will improve dramatically as it cools. You can gently break apart clusters while it's warm for a more granular texture, but only do this if you prefer that style.

Good to know

Tips

Oven temperature is key: 300°F (150°C) is intentionally low to toast the oats gently and evenly without burning the coconut oil or honey. If you bake at a higher temperature, the outside will brown too quickly while the inside remains soft.
Stir every 10 minutes during baking, paying special attention to the corners and edges, which brown faster than the center. Small adjustments now prevent burnt granola.
Let the granola cool completely before tasting or storing. It will seem soft or chewy when warm but will crisp up as it cools—this is normal and expected.
For a coarser granola with chunky clusters, pack the mixture onto the sheet before baking and break it up only after it cools. For smaller, more granular granola, stir it a few times while still warm to break apart the clusters.

Make ahead

Granola is best made 1–2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container, which allows flavors to blend and ensures maximum crispness.

Storage & reheating

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Granola absorbs moisture over time, so keep the lid sealed. For longer storage, keep in an airtight freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. No reheating is necessary; serve straight from the container.

Substitutions

raw or blanched sliced almonds → Raw or roasted pecans, hazelnuts, or macadamia nuts, chopped into similar sizes. Use the same weight (95 g) and chop to roughly the same size as the sliced almonds for consistent toasting and crispness.
raw walnut halves or pieces → Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), or pine nuts. Seeds work especially well and add a slightly different toasted flavor. Use the same weight (120 g) for balanced sweetness and crunch.
refined or virgin coconut oil → Unsalted butter, melted grapeseed oil, or extra-virgin olive oil. Butter will add richness but won't yield quite the same crispy texture. Use the same volume (¼ cup / 60 ml).
raw or processed honey → Maple syrup, brown rice syrup, or agave nectar. Use the same volume (½ cup / 170 g) for consistent sweetness. Maple syrup adds a distinct flavor; brown rice syrup is milder and more neutral.