This Crunchy Granola Recipe is super easy, budget-friendly, and makes perfectly crispy granola that’s better than store-bought any day! Sprinkle it over yogurt or ice cream, pour milk over it, or eat it straight as it is. This Crunchy Granola recipe is simply marvelous and so much healthier and cheaper than store-bought. In This Article Why This Recipe Stands OutKey Recipe IngredientsSubstitutions And VariationsStep-By-Step Recipe InstructionsHow To Prep AheadCommonly Asked QuestionsCrunchy Granola RecipeMore to Bake And Eat View more This post may contain affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. Why This Recipe Stands Out This Crunchy Granola Recipe is a total keeper. It’s simple to make and the perfect healthier breakfast or snack. Here’s why we’re obsessed: Budget-Friendly: Making your own granola at home is way more cost-effective than buying it at the store. Also try our 5-Ingredient Protein Bars or these Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars. Simple and Natural Ingredients: This granola is naturally sweetened with brown sugar and pure maple syrup. We used coconut oil, as it has a very neutral flavor that works well in this recipe. Allergy-Friendly: By using pumpkin seeds instead of nuts, this granola becomes a nut-free treat for anyone with allergies, like our Pumpkin Energy Bites. So Many Uses: This granola is the perfect topping for yogurt, smoothie bowls, or even ice cream. We love it for breakfast, snacks, or even dessert! Healthy Snack: This granola is packed with fiber, healthy fats, and protein, making it the perfect snack to keep you full and satisfied. Key Recipe Ingredients Rolled Oats – Old-fashioned rolled oats are the base of our granola. They give the granola its hearty, chewy texture and are a great source of fiber. Pumpkin Seeds – We’re using roasted pumpkin seeds for a delicious crunch. They also add a dose of healthy fats and protein. Pure Maple Syrup – Pure maple syrup not only sweetens our granola, but it also helps to bind it together. Make sure you’re using the real stuff, not pancake syrup. Coconut Oil – We love using coconut oil in this recipe for its subtle tropical flavor and its ability to make the granola extra crispy. Dried Cranberries – We add these after baking the granola to give it a chewy, fruity sweetness. Substitutions And Variations This Crunchy Granola recipe is already pretty flexible, but here are some of our favorite substitution and variation ideas: Different Seeds: Sunflower seeds could work as an alternative to roasted pumpkin seeds, as in our Gluten-Free Cereal Protein Bars. Sweeteners: If you prefer your granola on the sweeter side, you can increase the amount of brown sugar and maple syrup. Honey can be used in place of maple syrup, or a sugar-free sweetener for a keto-friendly version. Oil: We love the subtle coconut flavor that the coconut oil adds to this granola, but if you’re not a fan, feel free to use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil. Extra virgin olive oil works too. Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions Preheat the oven to 300F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine oats, pumpkin seeds, and salt. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm sugar, maple syrup, and oil until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and fold the oat mixture into the syrup until well coated. Spread the mixture on the baking sheet and bake for 35-45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes. Once done, cool slightly and mix in the dried cranberries. Store in an airtight container once completely cooled. For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below. How To Prep Ahead Take a look at our best prep-ahead strategies for this recipe: Make it in Advance: This granola keeps well for up to 2 weeks. You can make it in advance and store it in an airtight container. This makes it perfect for meal prep and grab-and-go breakfasts. Prep the Ingredients: You can also measure out all of the dry ingredients and store them in an airtight container until you’re ready to bake the granola. This can save you some time and make the baking process even easier. You’ll feel awesome munching on homemade granola because you’ll know exactly what went into them. Commonly Asked Questions What type of oats should I use for this granola? this recipe, we recommend using old-fashioned rolled oats. They give the granola a nice, hearty texture and hold up well during the baking process. What do I do if my granola is getting too brown while baking? If you notice that your granola is getting too brown while baking, you can simply cover it with a piece of aluminum foil. This will prevent it from browning further while allowing it to continue baking. How do I know when the granola is done? The granola is done when it is dry and lightly golden. This usually takes about 35-45 minutes. You’ll also notice a toasty, fragrant aroma coming from the oven. How long does this granola keep? Properly stored in an airtight container at room temperature, this granola will keep for up to 2 weeks. You can also store it in the fridge for up to a month. Print Crunchy Granola This Crunchy Granola is nut-free, healthy, and simple. Perfect addition for breakfast, snack, and dessert. Keeps extremely well in an airtight container at room temp. Course Breakfast, SnackCuisine AmericanDiet VegetarianMethod Bake Prep Time 10 minutes minutesCook Time 35 minutes minutesTotal Time 45 minutes minutes Servings 20 servings (about 5 cups) Calories 171kcal Author Amy Dong Ingredients3 cups old fashioned rolled oats1 ⅓ cups roasted pumpkin seeds1 tsp sea salt kosher works too½ cup light brown sugar⅓ cup pure maple syrup⅓ cup coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil¾ cups dried cranberries InstructionsPreheat oven to 300F, with rack on middle position. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.In a large bowl, combine the oats, pumpkin seeds, and salt – toss well.In a small saucepan over low heat, warm sugar, maple syrup, and oil until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.Fold oat mixture into the syrup mixture until dry ingredients are well coated.Spread mixture over the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until dry and lightly golden, 35-45 minutes, stirring mixture every 10-15 minutes during baking.Remove granola from oven and cool slightly before mixing in dried cranberries.Cool to room temp before storing in an airtight container. Notes For extra crunchy granola, press the mixture firmly onto the baking sheet before placing it in the oven. This will help the granola form into clusters that are perfect for snacking or topping yogurt. Stir the granola every 10-15 minutes during baking. This will ensure that it bakes evenly and doesn’t burn. It will also help the granola form into clusters. After removing the granola from the oven, allow it to cool slightly before mixing in the dried cranberries. This will prevent the cranberries from becoming too hard or chewy. For a nutty flavor, you can toast the oats and pumpkin seeds before mixing them with the other ingredients. Simply spread them on a baking sheet and toast in the oven at 350F for about 10 minutes, or until they are fragrant and lightly golden. If you prefer your granola to be less sweet, you can reduce the amount of brown sugar and maple syrup. Just make sure to replace the lost liquid and sweetness with a little more oil and/or maple syrup to keep the granola from becoming too dry.   If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating. We hearing from you!  Join our Free Recipe Club and get our newest, best recipes each week! NutritionCalories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Sodium: 139mg | Potassium: 128mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg More to Bake And Eat S’mores Peanut Butter Crispy Bars – These s’mores peanut butter crispy bars are super easy, amazingly yummy, and so fun to make. 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