Healthy and Easy Homemade Granola (Your Best 4-Ingredient Recipe!)

This Homemade Granola Recipe is a simple blend of four ingredients that are toasted to perfection in the oven. Comprising oats, honey, chocolate, and hazelnuts, this granola provides lots of energy while also being flavorful and delicious. This granola can be served for breakfast with milk or yogurt, or eaten as a snack in the afternoon or during a hiking trip.

To make homemade granola, you simply mix the oats with the honey and bake the mixture in the oven until golden and crisp. Then, a mixture of whole or chopped hazelnuts and chocolate chips are stirred into the oat mixture before being placed in jars for storage. Homemade granola is wonderful to make as it is cheaper than store-bought versions and can give you a convenient and healthy breakfast or snack through the week.

What is Homemade Granola?

Granola is generally a mixture of oats, seeds, nuts, dried fruit, sweeteners, and/or puffed rice, and is eaten as a loose cereal. It usually includes a syrup or liquid sweetener, which helps bind the mixture together so that you can break it up into clusters once it is baked. While there are many store-bought versions on the market, homemade granola is wonderful as you can add your preferred ingredients to it.

This version of homemade granola includes rolled oats, honey, chocolate chips, and hazelnuts for a mixture that is both sweet and crunchy. Once it is baked, it can be stored in jars so you can have it as a convenient breakfast or snack. You can simply eat it by the handful or serve it with milk or yogurt.

Pro Tips

• Stir the granola with the honey thoroughly to make sure it is entirely coated before baking it in the oven.
• If you find the honey you are using is quite thick and difficult to mix with the oats, you can loosen it in the microwave slightly.
• Keep an eye on the oats to make sure they don’t burn. You will know the granola is properly baked when it is golden, crisp, and fragrant.
• Allow the granola mixture to cool completely before you stir in the chocolate chips.
• If you don’t have any hazelnuts on hand, feel free to replace them with other nuts such as almonds, walnuts, or pecans.

What to Serve with Homemade Granola?

If you are serving this homemade granola recipe for breakfast, you can serve it in bowls with milk as you would with other types of cereal. Alternatively, this granola can also be served on top of yogurt and fresh berries for a protein-rich breakfast.

What Kinds of Oats Should Be Used for Granola?

Rolled oats are the best for granola as they are larger oats and provide an excellent texture. While you technically could use quick oats in this recipe, they won’t become quite as crunchy and likely won’t make a good quality granola.

What is the Difference Between Granola and Muesli?

Granola and muesli are quite similar in that they both can include a mixture of oats, dried fruit, nuts, and seeds. However, there are a few differences. While granola is often mixed with sweetener and baked, muesli is served raw and is usually soaked in juice or milk overnight before it is served.

Can I Add Other Ingredients to Homemade Granola?

Yes, you can feel free to modify this homemade granola according to other flavors that you like or ingredients you have available to you. For example, you can toss the granola with cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, or cloves when you add the honey for added flavor. You can also add any type of chopped dried fruit that you like, but it is best to stir that into the granola at the end to preserve its juicy texture.

Why is My Homemade Granola Not Crunchy?

How to Store Homemade Granola

This homemade granola can be stored in jars at room temperature until you are ready to eat it. It should stay fresh in this way for several weeks.

However, if you would like to store it for longer, you could also place it in sealable bags in the freezer for 3 to 6 months.

How to Make Homemade Granola

Place the oats on a parchment-lined baking sheet and stir them with the honey until coated. Bake them in a 180 C oven until golden and crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes.

 Chop some of the hazelnuts and leave some whole. Stir them into the granola. Allow the granola to cool completely, and then stir in the chocolate chips.

Store the granola in jars and enjoy it for breakfast or as snacks.