Healthy and simple, this delicious almond vanilla granola is perfectly crunchy and filled with fun mix-ins like sesame seeds and quinoa. Enjoy as a tasty breakfast or healthy snack.
Jump to:
Why you'll love this recipe
- Ready in 30 minutes
- Made with only 10 ingredients
- Made with natural sweetener
- Refined oil free
- High in protein, fibre and healthy fat
Why is this recipe healthy?
Not only is this almond vanilla granola recipe incredibly easy to make, it's also great for your health. Here are a couple of reasons why:
- It's made with a quinoa base: The quinoa in this healthy granola recipe offers up a nutty flavour and huge crunch. But, it also delivers health advantages. Quinoa is a great source of plant-based protein, fibre, magnesium, and manganese. Win-win.
- It's made with real ingredients: This healthy granola recipe is much better for you than store-bought varieties that are generally filled with added sugar and other unhealthy additives. It's made with whole grains, unrefined oil, natural sweetener, and all-around good-for-you ingredients.
- It's made without refined oil: Refined oil is bleached or deodorized after extraction. Use unrefined oils, which haven't been messed with since extraction. These are healthiest for you. I like coconut oil for the flavour and texture it produces in the granola. But, if you already eat a lot of saturated fat (i.e. red meat), you might want to swap for another unrefined oil.
- It's high in healthy fats and fibre: This vanilla almond granola is stuffed with nuts and seeds because they deliver healthy fat and fiber. These are good for your health in many ways, including helping you feel full for longer and keeping you bowel movements regular.
Scroll down to see the printable recipe with nutritional information.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need for this almond vanilla granola:
- Quinoa: You can any grain as a base, but quinoa is a good choice because it offers a nutty flavour, crunch and health benefits.
- Almonds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, unsweetened shredded coconut: These nuts and seeds add texture and health benefits to the granola.
- Cinnamon: A warming spice.
- Salt: Whatever you do, don’t skip the salt. Without it, your flavours will fall a little flat.
- Coconut oil: Oil also plays a role in binding the mixture and making it crispy. You can replace with any unrefined oil, like olive oil or avocado oil. These options will have a slightly more savoury flavour.
- Honey: Sweetener is important in granola because it also helps bind the mixture. If you don't like honey, feel free to use maple syrup instead.
- Vanilla extract: This adds a warming spice and vanilla notes to the granola.
Scroll down to find the printable recipe with ingredient measurements.
Instructions
Let’s break it down step by step to take any guesswork out of this oat free granola.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Rinse the uncooked quinoa in a mesh strainer under cold, running water.
- Roughly chop the almonds.
- Combine quinoa, chopped almonds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, shredded coconut, cinnamon and salt together in a mixing bowl.
- In another small mixing bowl, combine melted coconut oil, honey and vanilla extract.
- Pour the liquid mixture over the dry mixture. Stir until mixed thoroughly.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread mixture evenly on the tray to avoid overcrowding the ingredients.
- Bake for approximately 25 minutes. Every 6 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and gently press down on the granola with the back of a large spatula to help it clump together. Then rotate the tray and place it back in the oven. Be sure to keep an eye on the granola in the final minutes as it can burn easily. The granola is done when the quinoa and almonds are lightly browned.
- Remove from the oven and let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet. The granola will crisp up further and create quinoa granola clumps during this time.
- Break up the mixture and store in airtight container in the cupboard.
- Enjoy as a snack or on top of your favourite breakfast bowl.
Recipe notes:
- It's wise to use a rimmed baking sheet: The edges ensure no granola falls off during baking.
- Soaking quinoa: If you experience digestive distress from pseudo grains like quinoa, consider soaking the quinoa ahead of time. You can learn all about soaking grains in this post.
- Chopping almonds: You can buy chopped almonds from the grocery store, but they're very easy to make at home. While it can be done with a knife, I find it easiest to place whole almonds in a ziploc bag and smash them with a meat hammer (or similar object).
For the full ingredient list and step-by-step directions, scroll down to view the recipe card.
How to store
Healthy protein granola can be a great make-ahead meal. Here's how you store it for enjoyment at a later time.
- Pantry: Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard for up to two weeks.
- Refrigerator: Granola will go soggy in the refrigerator, so avoid this storage option.
- Freezer: Store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to two months.
Recipe variations
This vanilla almond granola recipe not quite hitting the mark for you? No worries. There are plenty of easy customizations you can make. Here are a few of my favourites.
- Nuts and seeds: I used almonds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and coconut shreds to make this recipe. But, swap these out to your heart's content. Other great options include walnuts, pecans, cashews, sunflower seeds, or pistachios. Add these before baking.
- Embrace alternative grains: Just like you can swap out your nuts and seeds, you can substitute quinoa for a different whole grain. Other good options are rolled oats, quinoa flakes, or spelt. Just keep the ratio the same.
- Bring in more spice: I added cinnamon to this batch. Other great warming spices for healthy granola include ground ginger, allspice, nutmeg, ground cardamom and pumpkin spice. These are stronger, so start with ¼ teaspoon and scale up from there. In general, anything more than a teaspoon will be overpowering.
- Add dried fruits: These can bring in additional sweetness and contribute to a a delicious, chewy consistency in your granola. Good options include chopped dates, dried cherries, dried apricots, or raisins. Add the fruit in during the final 10 minutes of baking. If you add at the beginning the dried fruit will turn rock hard.
- Citrus flavour: You can add up to 2 teaspoons of fresh citrus zest to the mixture before baking. The best fit for this granola would be orange zest.
Equipment
Here's what you need to make this recipe:
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Parchment paper (try pre-cut parchment paper - it's the best!)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mason jars
my go-to products
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → FAQs
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about this vanilla almond granola.
No. Refrigerating your granola will cause it to get soggy. Instead, store
your granola in an airtight container in a dark cupboard away from heat. To avoid soggy granola, be sure to let the granola cool completely before putting it into the container.
Be sure to use parchment paper. This allows the sweetener to stick to the oats instead of the pan. Also, the more sweetener you use, the clumpier your granola will be since the sweetener helps the mix stick together.
Use a spatula to gently press down on the mixture when you add to to the baking sheet. You'll also want to pull the granola out of the oven halfway through the baking time. Stir the granola, use a spatula to gently press down on the mixture again, and place it back in the oven.
Finally, make sure you don't bake the granola for too long as will cause the sugar bonds to break. You'll know it's done when it starts turning light golden on top. Even if it seems like it's not quite done, remove it from the oven. It will continue to crisp up during the cooling stage. Be sure to let the granola cool completely before breaking up the mixture. You can even cover it and let it cool overnight.
Sometimes your homemade granola goes soggy. This usually happens if you place the granola in the container before it cools or if you refrigerate the mixture. Don't worry, it's easy to bring soggy granola back to life. Simply spread the granola out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 400 degree Fahrenheit for approximately 5 minutes.
How to serve
Now that you have a delicious quinoa granola recipe, it’s time to build the perfect meal with it. Here are a few delicious options.
- By the cluster: Like, one jumbo almond honey granola cluster at a time. Such a delicious snack.
- Mix-in your favourite breakfast bowl: Add this granola on top of your favourite yogurt, oatmeal or chia seed bowls for a healthy breakfast or snack. It's nutritious and delicious when you don't feel like cooking.
- Top your favourite smoothies with this granola: Add a little bit of crunch to your favourite smoothie by sprinkling a tablespoon of almond vanilla granola on top . I love using this healthy granola to amp up my vanilla smoothies with even more delicious vanilla flavour.
Check out some easy healthy recipes this granola pairs well with...
Similar recipes
Still hungry? If you enjoyed this almond vanilla granola, I invite you to check out my collection of other healthy breakfast recipes or check out my other healthy granola recipes below.
If you make this vanilla almond granola, please consider leaving a star rating and a comment. Don't forget to tag @caiteyjay on Instagram or @caiteyjay on Pinterest so I can see your creations.
Print
Almond Vanilla Granola
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
Description
Healthy and simple, this delicious almond vanilla granola is perfectly crunchy and filled with fun mix-ins like sesame seeds and quinoa. Enjoy as a tasty breakfast or healthy snack.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa*
- ½ cup almonds, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 3 tablespoons raw, local honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Rinse the uncooked quinoa in a mesh strainer under cold, running water.
- Roughly chop the almonds*.
- Combine quinoa, chopped almonds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, shredded coconut, cinnamon and salt together in a mixing bowl.
- In another small mixing bowl, combine melted coconut oil, honey and vanilla extract.
- Pour the liquid mixture over the dry mixture. Stir until mixed thoroughly.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread mixture evenly on the tray to avoid overcrowding the ingredients.
- Bake for approximately 25 minutes. Every 6 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and gently press down on the granola with the back of a large spatula to help it clump together. Then rotate the tray and place it back in the oven. Be sure to keep an eye on the granola in the final minutes as it can burn easily. The granola is done when the quinoa and almonds are lightly browned.
- Remove from the oven and let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet. The granola will crisp up further and create quinoa granola clumps during this time.
- Break up the mixture and store in airtight container in the cupboard.
- Enjoy as a snack or on top of your favourite breakfast bowl.
Notes
- It's wise to use a rimmed baking sheet: The edges ensure no granola falls off during baking.
- Soaking quinoa: If you experience digestive distress from pseudo grains like quinoa, consider soaking the quinoa ahead of time. You can learn all about soaking grains in this post.
- Chopped almonds: You can buy chopped almonds from the grocery store, but they're very easy to make at home. While it can be done with a knife, I find it easiest to place whole almonds in a ziploc bag and smash them with a meat hammer (or similar object).
Keywords: healthy breakfast, granola
The form you have selected does not exist.
Leave a comment!