Basic Granola Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to prepare granola to eat? ›

Cereal. One of the simplest ways to eat granola is on its own with a little bit of milk! Having some good, wholesome granola on hand in the pantry is always a good idea for busy mornings. Bring out your granola, pour it into a bowl, then mix it with the milk of your choosing!

Go for a healthier choice with less added sugars and fats. And pay attention to the suggested serving size. How much granola should be consumed in a day? For one meal, a 1/4 to 1/2 cup serving should do.

Clumpy Granola Method: Add Egg White

About this method: According to Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen, “Nothing glues like protein.” While there are many granola recipes that include an egg white, I got this tip from the Big Cluster Maple Granola recipe in The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.

I aim to let it hit room temperature, whatever that may be; the real point is to give it ample time to shed excess heat and steam. This should take about 45 minutes; if left out indefinitely, the granola can turn sticky or soft, so do try to put it away as soon after cooling as you can.

The best blend is Greek yogurt with granola, which is high in protein and fiber.

The serving size for granola can differ by brand, but a typical portion of granola is 1/3 cup, says Sass, “about the size of one-third of a tennis ball.” That means sitting down to a big bowl of granola for breakfast is excessive.

Granola contains dried fruit, which is high in sugar, and high-fat tree nuts like almonds or walnuts. If too much is eaten, you could develop health problems or take in too many calories. Read the label before you buy and check the overall calories, total sugar, and fat content.

Which One Is Better for Breakfast? Both oatmeal and granola make for a healthy, nutritious breakfast, but the winner for us is granola—the added nuts, seeds, and dried fruits give you a source of fiber and healthy fats that oatmeal can't quite compete with.

Nut butter is a super flavorful fat that serves multiple purposes in granola. It acts as a binding agent—along with additional coconut oil and whatever natural sweetener I've chosen—helping to pull the dry ingredients together into a wet, sticky mass for baking.

Chia seeds are often praised for their binding powers. In fact, they secure ingredients so well that they can even be used as an egg replacer. Adding just a spoonful of chia seeds to your favorite granola bar recipe will make a huge difference in its texture.

How do I get my homemade granola to stick together? ›

Add an egg white.

The whites act as a kind of glue that binds the ingredients together. To ensure that the egg whites coat all the ingredients, I beat them with a whisk until foamy and increased in volume, which makes it much easier to fold into the granola.

Is Homemade Granola Cheaper? Initially, you'll have to spend more money on homemade granola than store-bought. However, over the long run (depending on your recipe) you'll most likely spend less on making your own granola.

Granola may prompt weight gain if eaten in excess, as it can be high in calories from added fats and sugars. What's more, sugar is linked to chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

Not only can you transform that soggy, chewy granola back to being blissfully crunchy, but it's easier than you might think. All it takes is spreading the granola in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and heating it in a 400 degree oven for five minutes — essentially re-baking it.

Granola contains rolled oats, fruits, honey, raisins, almonds, and other components. Oatmeal must be cooked in hot water before eating, but granola oats can be eaten immediately as a snack.

One of the easiest ways to enjoy granola oatmeal is to consume it on its own. It's usually a good idea to have some granola that's full of healthy ingredients stashed away in the cabinet for those hectic mornings. It's a snack that will make you feel full with minimum preparation.

Granola with milk or yogurt is a great option for a healthier sweet treat at the end of the day, but you can also use it to top ice cream, milkshakes or homemade sweets.

Unlike muesli, granola is mostly served cold. You may eat it straight out of the bag as a snack, with milk, or as a crunchy topping on yogurt.