This rustic granola recipe with coconut, dried cranberries, and apricots is one of my favorite recipes. With a big glass of cold milk, it is the perfect fall, Christmas, and winter treat.
![Homemade Rustic Granola Recipe (1) Homemade Rustic Granola Recipe (1)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
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![Homemade Rustic Granola Recipe (2) Homemade Rustic Granola Recipe (2)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
Homemade Rustic Granola is Delicious
We eat granola regularly in this house. It’s easy to make, full of whole food ingredients, and great for a quick snack.
My family and I love to make a huge bowl of granola and fresh raw milk. It’s also really good to top off a bowl of homemade yogurt.
Rustic Granola Recipe Video
Make Rustic Granola Weekly
I usually make this rustic granola when the kids are at church doing their Wednesday night activities. Sometimes I don’t get around to it mid-week, so I make it on Saturday.
This granola recipe is super quick to whip up. I double the recipe so I have it on hand to serve during the week.
![Homemade Rustic Granola Recipe (3) Homemade Rustic Granola Recipe (3)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
Rustic Granola Ingredients
3 cups chopped nuts (I use walnuts and pecans)
8 ounces coconut chips
2 cups oatmeal
½ cup honey
¾ cup melted coconut oil
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup dried fruit- I use ¼ cup each blueberries, cherries, golden raisins, and apricots
Rustic Granola Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large saucepan, melt coconut oil on low heat.
- Stir in the honey and salt.
- Add the chopped nuts, coconut chips, and oatmeal.
- Spread the mixture in an even layer in a 9” by 13” glass pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Add in the dried fruit while the granola is still warm.
![Homemade Rustic Granola Recipe (4) Homemade Rustic Granola Recipe (4)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
A Word on the Ingredients
Toasted coconut chips, chopped pecans, and big chewy pieces of dried apricots make up our favorite granola recipe. It’s the perfect snack for my forever hungry brood of young people. They love it over some honey-sweetened yogurt, or drowned in a bowl of fresh raw milk. I usually double the recipe and keep it out in a glass canister on the counter at all times.
Organic Gluten Free Oats
For this recipe, I used rolled oats, not the quick oats.
Coconut Chips
I love coconut chips all on their own for a quick snack. They also taste great in a bowl of honey-sweetened yogurt, or on top of oatmeal. For this rustic granola recipe, I use coconut chips to make my chunky granola.
Chopped Nuts
I like to use pecans and walnuts for this recipe. I love how they taste and I love how they add more crunch to the rustic granola. Every kind of nut will taste really good in this rustic granola recipe, though- like macadamia nuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, etc. I buy my nuts whole and then blend them up in my Ninja blenderto chop them up a little.
Dried Fruit
Make sure your dried free does not have any added sugar. I love to use dried apricots, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, and dried golden raisins. I bought my dried apricots at my local Aldi.
How to Store Homemade Rustic Granola
I like to store my homemade rustic granola recipe in a glass container on the counter. You could also store it in the fridge as well. If you store the granola in the fridge, the dried fruit might become a little hard though.
How Long Will Homemade Rustic Granola Last?
This granola is good for up to two weeks, but if your family is anything like mine it will be gone within one week!
![Homemade Rustic Granola Recipe (5) Homemade Rustic Granola Recipe (5)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
Print the Recipe
![Homemade Rustic Granola Recipe (6) Homemade Rustic Granola Recipe (6)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
Homemade Rustic Granola Recipe
These rustic granola recipe with coconut, dried cranberries, and apricots is one of my favorite granola recipes. With a big glass of cold milk, it is the perfect fall, Christmas, and winter treat.
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Lisa
Ingredients
- 3 cups chopped nuts I use walnuts and pecans
- 8 ounces coconut chips
- 2 cup oatmeal
- 1/2 cup honey
- 3/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dried fruit I use ¼ cup each blueberries, cherries, golden raisins and apricots
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large saucepan, melt coconut oil on low heat.
Stir in the honey and salt.
Add the chopped nuts, coconut chips and oatmeal.
Spread the mixture in an even layer in a 9” by 13” glass pan.
Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Notes
- I usually double the quantities given to make this last even longer for our family!
Nutrition
Calories: 763kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 68g | Saturated Fat: 36g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 22g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 88mg | Potassium: 433mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 3mg
https://youtu.be/zfTrES1teUo
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FAQs
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.
What is the binding agent for homemade granola? ›
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.
Why is my homemade granola not crunchy? ›
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.
Is it worth making your own granola? ›
Once you try homemade granola, you won't go back to store-bought granola. It's so much better! This granola recipe is also a far more healthy granola option, since it's made with whole grains, unrefined oil and naturally sweetened.
What is the best binder for granola? ›
While there are several different sticky ingredients that you can use, we've found that the binding agent that works the best is honey! When added to your homemade granola bars, honey acts as glue that sticks all the pieces together.
How do I get my homemade granola bars to stick together? ›
Honey – Along with the nut butter, it helps all these ingredients stick together! I love its warm amber flavor in this recipe.
What to use as a binder for granola bars? ›
Ground Flaxseed. Adds protein and, when combined with the wet ingredients, becomes a glue-like binding agent that helps hold the bars together. Wheat Germ. A superfood boost that adds folate, fiber, vitamin E, and other key nutrients to these no bake granola bars (as well as this Healthy Granola).
What ingredient acts as a binder? ›
Binders are any ingredient that can help a mixture hold its shape or remain bound together. Traditional binding agents include flour and eggs. The most commonly used food binder is flour. Flour is created by grinding raw grains or roots into a powder and then served in diverse cuisines.
What are natural binders for food? ›
Materials used as binders included egg, wax, honey, lime, whey, linseed oil or bitumen.
What was the downside to granola as a food? ›
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.
Stick with a low temperature, keep an eye on your mixture, and stir it from time to time to help it brown evenly.
Why put oil in granola? ›
Olive oil gives a crispier granola, and it's cheaper too. I would never go back. My preference for granola is to use jumbo oats, porridge oats will of course work also, but the texture with jumbo oats is less 'floury'.
Why is granola so expensive in the USA? ›
Jamie Lee McIntyre MS RDN, dietitian and nutrition consultant says the price of high-quality granola makes sense, as many brands spend money on organic ingredients. Plus, many higher-end granola brands make small batches to maintain freshness, which can increase manufacturing costs per unit.
Is homemade granola healthier than shop bought? ›
Advantage homemade. Both granolas have whole oats as their main ingredient, but the Kellogg's is high in refined sugar and contains palm oil. The homemade version contains protein-rich pecans and uses only a small amount of honey, brown sugar, and vegetable oil.
Is it OK to eat granola every day? ›
Yes, granola can be eaten daily. As part of a balanced diet and if the portions are checked. Go for healthier options with less added sugars and saturated fats to get the most out of it.
What binds granola together? ›
Flaxseed is wonderful for this, because after 30 minutes it soaks up the water, and turns into a gluey mass that will bind all your granola ingredients together. Also, flaxseed is the most concentrated source of essential omega-3 fatty acids. It has tons of fiber too.
What helps granola 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.
What keeps granola together? ›
Make sure that whichever granola recipe you use, it calls for some liquid, typically oil of some kind (I recommend olive oil for a subtle earthy, floral flavor, or melted unrefined coconut oil for subtly coconutty flavor). The liquid will help the chia seeds to gel, ensuring the granola sticks together.
Why does my granola stick together? ›
We've also noticed that clumpier granola seems to have a higher percentage of oats to other ingredients. Oats stick to each other much easier and more firmly than they do with other, heavier ingredients. If it seems like your mix doesn't have a lot of oats, try adding another cup or two of rolled oats before cooking.