Come learn how to make healthy granola with honey as it’s only sweetener! This recipe makes a gluten-free granola that is only lightly sweetened, making it the perfect breakfast food for the healthy family.
All throughout my growing up years, my mum often made granola for her hungry kids. We would crunch our way through her delicious mixtures of toasted oats, nuts and fruit almost faster than she could make it. And to this point in time, I can still smell the aroma of her farmhouse kitchen on granola-making day!
Because I grew up with homemade granola, it was quite natural for me to start making my own when I got married and started keeping house.
As with everything in my kitchen, this healthy granola recipe doesn’t use any refined sugars. Instead, it relies 100% on honey for it’s sweetness. And yes, it’s naturally gluten free (for those of you who have gluten sensitivities)!
What is Usually in Granola?
While granola can have many different ingredients, it primarily consists of rolled oats and more often than not, also coconut. There’s always a “wet” base (usually a butter/oil with sweetener and spices) you pour over the dry mixture, so it’ll toast well in the oven and have excellent flavor.
From there, granola is very versatile! Here are some of the ingredients you can add to your granola after it has finished toasting and is still hot.
- Spices (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg)
- Toasted seeds (buckwheat, flax, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, etc).
- Nuts (almond, hazelnut, pecans, walnut, etc).
- Dried Fruits (apricot, cherries, prunes, raisins, etc)
How Do You Make Homemade Granola Crunchy?
No one wants to eat soft granola, right? Here are a few things you need to know about making crunchy granola!
- Be aware that your homemade granola won’t get crunchy until it cools to room temperature. You’d literally have to burn it in the oven before it would be hot and crisp!
- Make sure you carefully follow toasting directions and stir well between each toasting session.
- Always let your granola cool to room temperature before storing it away!
- If your granola isn’t crunchy when it has cooled, you didn’t toast it long enough. Return to the oven for 1-2 more toasting sessions that are no more than 5 minutes in length.
- When finished, store your cool granola in an airtight container or bag where moisture can’t get in.
What Kind of Container Should I Use for Storing Granola?
In my opinion, the best containers for storing homemade granola are mason jars! Or any other type of jar that has a tight-sealing lid.
If you preserve food or do your own home canning, you probably have jars and lids on hand already! If not, I’ve added links to items below, so you can easily grab some for storing your homemade granola.
- Quart jar (1 litre) will hold 4 cups granola
- Half gallon jar (2 litre) will hold 8 cups granola
- Gallon jar (4 litre) will hold 16 cups granola
Where is the Best Place to Store Homemade Granola?
When stored in an airtight container, your granola should last for 4-5 weeks on the counter before turning rancid, provided that all the ingredients (nuts, seeds, etc) have been toasted.
But the best place I’ve found for storing granola? The freezer!
Yes, freezing granola is a great way to preserve homemade granola for months. And better yet, when stored in an airtight container, it remains fresh, crisp and crunchy until you’ve had time to consume it all.
This doesn’t mean you can’t keep it on the counter. But if you make a big batch, you’ll want to freeze some of it and remove as needed.
Alright folks! Enough talk. Here’s my healthy granola with honey recipe that is also gluten free!
Healthy Granola with Honey (gluten free)
Ingredients
- 8 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 2 cups large coconut flakes
- 1 cup honey
- 1/3 cup butter (or coconut oil for DF option)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups raisins
- 1 cup nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- Measure rolled oats and coconut flakes into a large mixing bowl.
- In a small pot, measure out honey and butter (or coconut oil).
- Warm honey and butter on the stove until just melted.
- Whisk in salt and cinnamon to combine.
- Pour contents of the pot over oats and coconut, mixing until everything is sticky and coated.
- Dump oats into two, 13×19 inch baking pans and evenly spread.
- Space oven racks, placing one on the bottom and the other, on the 3rd rung (unless you have a confection oven; if so you don't have to do this for even toasting).
- Slip filled baking pans into the oven and set timer for 7 minutes.
- When your timer goes, remove pans from oven and stir golden oats under, bringing fresh oats to the top.
- Switch pans, place the top one on the bottom rack and the bottom one on the top. If you don't have a confection oven, this will help evenly roast the granola.
- Set timer for another 5-7 minutes.
- Remove pans, stir granola again and once again, switch pans around.
- Set timer for another 5 minutes.
- Granola should be turning a golden brown at this point.
- If it still seems raw or looks like it hasn't turned lightly golden in color, return it to the oven for another 5 minutes (max) before removing from oven.
- Note: you may overdo your granola the first time. Some ovens are hotter than others, so keep a careful eye on your granola and take notes, so you can get it right the next time 'round!
- When your granola is finished, stir in nuts, dried fruit or toasted seeds.
- Let granola cool until it reaches room temperature.
- Jar and store at the back of your kitchen counter, or you can freeze your granola immediately.
- Serve with milk or fruit and yogurt.
I'm Autumn. Join me in the simple cottage life and learn how to keep a traditional kitchen, garden and pantry!
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