Last Updated on July 12, 2024 by Michelle

Until recently,I had no idea I could make my own granola.

I was writing my book and reaching out to sugarmakers across the country, asking what they loved to do most with their syrup. Numerous people told me they love making maple granola. Maple Granola? Why had I never thought of this? I knew immediately I wanted to know how to do this wonderful thing.

I already knew how important gut health is. That was one reason I had been making our family’s own kombucha for years. (Kombucha is a delicious, carbonated fruit drink made by fermenting tea. Read more about that in these articles. And learn how to make your own.)

In addition to enjoying kombucha, snacking on high-fiber foods like oats, nuts, and seeds increases gut health.

And granola fills you up with good stuff, slowing down the emptying of your stomach and increasing digestion time, which means you feel fuller for longer.

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Hi, I’m Michelle. A backyard sugarmaker in New England, and author of Sweet Maple.

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There are lots of great reasons to snack on granola

Granola can improve gut health. I’ve already covered this point (above), but I didn’t want to leave it off this list. Granola has been found to increase levels of healthy gut bacteria. In fact, studies have shown what we all already knew–granola is a much better choice than refined breakfast cereals.
Granola can offer numerous antioxidants. Ingredients such as coconut, chia seeds, and Brazil nuts are good sources of antioxidants.
Granola is a source of good fat. The fat you’ll find in homemade granola is the good stuff. I’m talking about the heart-healthy, unsaturated fats in nuts and the good-for-you omega-3 fats in seeds.
Granola can improve blood pressure. High-fiber ingredients like oats and flax seeds can reduce blood pressure, according to scientific studies like this one.
Granola can reduce bad cholesterol levels. Oats are another good source of fiber that helps reduce bad cholesterol levels.
Granola can reduce blood sugar levels. It seems counterintuitive, but dried fruit–as well as whole grains, nuts, and seeds–may help control blood sugar.

Why make your own granola?

Even the ingredient list on healthy-leaning brands can contain some ingredients you need a dictionary to pronounce.

Store-bought granola may be loaded with way more sugar than you bargain for. And just because you scan the label for high-fructose corn syrup, extra unnecessary sugar can go by healthier-sounding names as well, like evaporated cane juice, molasses, brown rice syrup, and oat syrup solids—those are all added sugars.

On the other hand, when you’re making your own granola and when you know every ingredient in your granola, you can minimize added sugar and fat.

Of course, nuts and seed are still full of calories, so don’t get caught in the trap of thinking it’s okay to eat too much, since you can argue that is is, after all, good for you.

Maple Mango Granola

Ingredients:

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 ½ cup raw nuts and/or seeds (I used 1 cup sunflower seeds, 1/4 cup walnut pieces, and 1/4 cup honey roasted peanuts)
1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt (I use this one. Use code SOULYRESTED for 15% off.)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (this is the best)
2 scoops (6 TB) protein powder (optional, see notes)
½ cup oil (I use this one)
½ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I like this one)
⅔ cup dried fruit, chopped if large (I used dried mangos w a little bit cranberries)

Print Recipe

Maple mango granola

Ingredients

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 ½ cup raw nuts and/or seeds I used 1 cup sunflower seeds, 1/4 cup walnut pieces, and 1/4 cup honey roasted peanuts
1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 scoops protein powder (optional)*
½ cup oil
½ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅔ cup dried fruit chopped if large (I used dried mangos w a little bit cranberries)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 and line a cookie tray with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Stir to blend.
Pour in the oil, maple syrup, and vanilla.
Mix well, then pour the granola onto your prepared tray, spreading it out in an even layer.
Bake until lightly golden, about 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway.
Let the granola cool completely.(It gets crisper--not so mushy--in this step.)
Add your dried fruit.

Notes

*I only use this clean, nutritious protein powder. If you want to try it out, use code "SOULYRESTED" to save 10% all the time.

Protein powder suggestions: Strawberry, Lemon, or plain are all delicious in this granola.

Storing Your Homemade Granola

I store my granola in a glass jars with these airtight lids, which happen to be the same lids I love using for my second ferment kombucha. Bonus, the nifty handle makes both my granola and kombucha super easy to grab and take on the run, which i happen to do often.

While I’ve kept my Maple Mango Granola for months without any problem, you may want to freeze your granola if you won’t be using it all within a few weeks.

More Food You Can Make (Better) Yourself:

DIY Everything Bagel Seasoning

DIY Taco Seasoning

DIY Giant Cookie

DIY Kombucha (Why making it is better & cheaper than buying it)

DIY Sourdough Pizza Crust

Pizza Crust (without sourdough)

Uncaffeinated tea that tastes like coffee (seriously!)

DIY Peanut Butter

And I list my favorite tools in my homestead kitchen right here.

I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. Ecclesiastes 3: 12-13

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