The Ultimate Healthy Homemade Granola Recipe

Introduction

This healthy homemade granola is lightly sweetened with a cozy cinnamon flavor and packed with big crunchy clusters. It’s a versatile recipe perfect for breakfast with milk or yogurt, or as a wholesome snack on its own. Customize it easily with your favorite mix-ins once it’s cooled.

Ingredients

• 3 large egg whites
• ¼ cup (60mL) pure maple syrup
• 2 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 cups (60g) crisp brown rice cereal
• 1 ½ cups (150g) old-fashioned rolled oats (gluten-free if needed)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until slightly bubbly. Add the maple syrup and cinnamon, whisking until smooth and clump-free.
3. Step 3: Pour in the brown rice cereal and oats, gently stirring with a spatula until everything is evenly coated.
4. Step 4: Spread the mixture evenly on the prepared pan. Bake at 325°F for 20 minutes.
5. Step 5: Stir gently to break up clusters and move pieces from edges to prevent burning. Bake an additional 10 minutes.
6. Step 6: Stir again, then bake for another 4–8 minutes until the granola is crunchy.
7. Step 7: Let the granola cool on the pan for 5 minutes before breaking any large clusters. Allow it to cool completely to room temperature before storing.

Tips & Variations

• For a sweeter granola, reduce to 2 egg whites and increase maple syrup to 6 tablespoons (90mL).
• Adjust cinnamon to taste: use 3 teaspoons for more spice or 2 teaspoons for less.
• Try substituting flax eggs to make it egg-free, though texture may vary.
• Honey or agave syrup can replace maple syrup as alternative sweeteners.
• Use Saigon cinnamon for a richer, sweeter cinnamon flavor.
• Quick-cooking oats can substitute rolled oats, but avoid steel cut oats for best texture.
• Regular crisp rice cereal or lightly crushed rice Chex can replace the brown rice cereal, but extra oats instead will reduce crunch.
• This recipe is naturally dairy-free and can be made gluten-free with certified gluten-free oats and rice cereal.

Storage

Store granola in an airtight container at room temperature for at least one to two weeks. To freeze, spread cooled granola in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet, freeze until firm, then transfer to a zip-top bag with a paper towel inside. After thawing, re-crisp granola in a 325°F oven for 6–9 minutes.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Will I taste the egg whites in the granola?

No, the egg whites mix thoroughly and bake into the granola, similar to how eggs work in cookies, leaving no detectable egg flavor or texture.

Can I make this granola vegan?

Egg whites are essential for binding in this recipe, but some readers have had success using flax eggs as a substitute in similar granola recipes. You may want to experiment, though results may vary.

The Ultimate Healthy Homemade Granola Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 465 reviews

• Author: Naomi
• Total Time: 48 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

This healthy homemade granola recipe offers a lightly sweetened, cozy cinnamon flavor with generous crunchy clusters, making it a perfect versatile snack. It’s ideal for serving with milk or yogurt or eating by the handful. The recipe is a great base for adding custom mix-ins like nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate chips for extra flavor and texture.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Wet Ingredients

• 3 large egg whites
• ¼ cup (60mL) pure maple syrup

Dry Ingredients

• 2 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 cups (60g) crisp brown rice cereal
• 1 ½ cups (150g) old-fashioned rolled oats (gluten-free if needed)

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Instructions

1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to prevent sticking.
2. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are slightly bubbly. Add the pure maple syrup and whisk together until fully combined.
3. Add Spices and Dry Ingredients: Whisk in the cinnamon until fully incorporated with no clumps. Pour in the brown rice cereal and oats, then gently fold everything together with a spatula until all the cereal is evenly coated with the mixture.
4. Spread and Bake Initial: Spread the granola mixture evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 325°F for 20 minutes.
5. Stir and Continue Baking: Remove the tray and gently stir the granola to break up clusters and redistribute pieces, especially from the edges to avoid burning. Bake an additional 10 minutes.
6. Final Bake: Stir the granola gently again and bake for another 4-8 minutes, totaling 34-38 minutes, until the granola is crunchy and fragrant.
7. Cool and Store: Let the granola cool on the pan for 5 minutes, breaking apart any very large clusters. Allow it to cool completely to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container for storage.

Notes

• For sweeter granola, reduce to 2 egg whites and increase pure maple syrup to 6 tablespoons (90mL) without changing baking times.
• Adjust cinnamon to preference: 3 teaspoons for stronger flavor, 2 teaspoons for milder.
• Egg whites do not form cooked chunks when mixed thoroughly; they bind the granola like in cookie dough.
• Flax eggs can substitute egg whites for an egg-free alternative with some recipe adjustments.
• Honey or agave syrup can be used instead of maple syrup but may darken the granola color.
• Use Saigon cinnamon for richer, sweeter cinnamon flavor.
• Quick cooking oats can replace rolled oats; avoid steel cut oats.
• Brown rice cereal is key for cluster crunch; regular rice cereal or crushed rice pocket cereal can be alternatives.
• Granola stores well in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks.
• To freeze, spread granola on foil-lined tray, freeze until solid, then store in a zip bag with paper towel to absorb moisture.
• Re-crisp thawed granola by baking at 325°F for 6-9 minutes.
• This recipe is gluten-free (with certified ingredients), dairy-free, low fat, and suitable for clean eating.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 38 minutes
• Category: Breakfast, Snack
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: Healthy granola, homemade granola, cinnamon granola, crunchy granola clusters, gluten-free granola, low fat snack, maple syrup granola