Why are homemade granola not crunchy?

Baking time: Increase the baking time for your granola . The longer you bake it, the drier and crunchier it will become. Keep a close eye on it to avoid burning, and stir it occasionally during baking to ensure even toasting.

What ingredients should you avoid in granola?

Check the ingredient list, avoiding products that list sugar or sweeteners —including natural sweeteners like honey — within the first few ingredients. Instead, the first few ingredients should be whole foods, such as oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. You may also want to look for varieties high in protein and fiber.

What was the downside to granola as a food?

On the downside, granola can be high in added sugars, hidden calories, and saturated fat, making some options less healthy. Choosing the right type of granola, controlling serving sizes, and homemade options can make granola a part of a healthy diet.

Is it healthy to eat granola every morning?

The Bottom Line Granola is healthy in small amounts , especially because oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruit in granola provide some fiber that's good for heart and gut health. However, granola can also be a rich source of calories, saturated fat and sugar, depending on the brand you buy.

Is it good to eat granola for breakfast everyday?

Not exactly, considering it's relatively high in calories, even for a small serving, If you choose a brand that's full of sugar, sweeteners, refined grains and oil, it becomes a food that's bad for your metabolism. That's because sugary granola can spike blood sugar levels and lead to overeating.

Is granola a healthy breakfast for weight loss?

High-fiber foods, like the oats and whole grains found in granola, fill you up and keep you feeling fuller longer. Dietary studies have found eating a high-fiber diet can help you lose weight . Dried fruit and nuts also contain antioxidants, like vitamin E, which can lower inflammation in the body.

How do you keep homemade granola crispy?

Whether it's homemade or store-bought, properly storing granola will help extend the shelf life and maintain crunchiness. Store granola in an airtight container or tightly sealed zip-top bag in a dry, dark place away from heat.

Why is my granola still soft?

I aim to let it hit room temperature, whatever that may be; the real point is to give it ample time to shed excess heat and steam. This should take about 45 minutes; if left out indefinitely, the granola can turn sticky or soft , so do try to put it away as soon after cooling as you can.

Does homemade granola get crunchy as it cools?

Your homemade granola will continue to crisp up as it cools . It's tempting to start eating it as soon as it comes out of the oven, but if you let it rest for 15 minutes on the sheet pan, it'll be extra crisp and toasty – totally worth the wait!

How do you make granola crunchy again?

If you're re-crisping a larger batch for several people, spread it out on a plate and microwave in 10 second bursts until it's crispy again . This is really just a temporary solution. If you let the re-crisped granola sit out for too long, it goes back to its limp and stale state.

Mom's Famous Nutty Date & Coconut Granola Recipe

By: AlyssaPublished: September 13, 2019Updated: May 17, 2023Rating

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This healthy coconut granola uses only natural sweeteners and tastes incredible! This is my mom's famous homemade granola recipes and it's just the best!

this recipe

You know how there are certain foods that remind you of your parents? Types of foods that are nostalgic and that bring you back to a moment (or moments) in time that makes you smile.

I have a few of those for both of my parents. I've talked about our weekend tradition of pancakes and waffles, as well as my mom's spaghetti sauce. And today I've got another one for you. My mom's granola.

My mom makes pretty amazing granola. She changes it up every time, but it's probably one of my favorite recipes out there. So I felt like it was high time to share it with you so you can make try it too. Today we're making a nutty date and coconut granola that is naturally sweetened and spiced to perfection!

Ingredients for Our Coconut Granola

When it comes to making granola I think there are a few things you need to always have. Your base, some crunch, something flavorful and something sweet. If you have that combo, you're almost guaranteed to make an amazing batch of granola!

How to Make Healthy Granola

If you look at most packaged granola, you'll see that the ingredient list aren't usually that great. They almost always contain canola oil as well as evaporated cane juice (which is a fancy name for sugar syrup). The ingredient lists are usually pretty long and the sugar content is higher than I'd like.

BUT it's also really easy to make healthy granola at home. All you need to do is swap those two main ingredients for healthier alternatives. Here are my favorite substitutions:

OIL: instead of canola oil use coconut oil, olive oil or nut butter in its place
CANE JUICE: totally unnecessary when you have things like maple syrup, honey or even mashed banana

By swapping out those two ingredients and keeping the rest of your ingredients whole and pure (i.e. oats, nuts, spices, etc.), then your homemade granola will be perfectly healthy and still totally delicious!

The Perfect Nutty Coconut Granola

What I love about my Mom's granola is the combo of nuts as well as the spices.

For then nuts, she does a blend of sliced almonds, coconut flakes, chopped pecans, and sunflower seeds. It's a great combo, but it can also be changed up. If you want to make your own blend, just use the same proportions that she does but with whatever nuts/seeds you like. In total, you'll want 2 3/4 cups of nuts or seeds.

For the spices, she does my two favorites: cinnamon and nutmeg. But she throws in a little surprise which kicks the whole thing up a level. Cardamom!! When she was telling me about the recipe and told me she used that, I realized that was the secret ingredient. That's why it was so insanely good. It had this surprising flavor that wasn't too strong but added just enough complexity. It's just fabulous!

And to round out the whole batch, as the granola is cooling we throw in some chopped dates. It's like icing on a cake. Just a touch of sweetness, a little chewiness and the ultimate last addition to making this granola perfect!

More Healthy Granola Recipes to try:

Grain-Free Coconut Granola
Maple, Cinnamon & Apple Quinoa Granola
Clustery Oil-Free Banana Bread Granola
Peanut Butter Banana Granola
Maca Maple Quinoa Granola
Honey Blueberry Quinoa Granola
Healthy Pumpkin Quinoa Granola

Mom's Healthy Date & Coconut Granola

4.3 from 10 votes

Ingredients

7 cups oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup coconut flakes
½ cup pecans , chopped
¼ cup sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
3 tablespoons coconut oil
⅓ cup maple syrup
¼ cup honey
¼ cup peanut butter
½ cup dates (about 7), chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325ºF.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all the oats, nuts, seeds and spices. Stir to combine.
In a small saucepan, add the oil, syrup, honey and peanut butter. Cook on low until everything is melted together. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until fully combined and all the dry ingredients are coated.
Spoon the contents of the mixing bowl onto a baking sheet. Bake the granola 35 - 45 minutes, stirring every 10 - 15 minutes, until the granola has browned. Make sure to stir it to avoid burning it.
When the granola has finished baking, stir in the chopped dates.
Cool fully before adding placing in an airtight container. Serve with your choice of milk, yogurt or use as a topping!

Video

Nutrition

cuisine: American

course: Breakfast

★★★★★

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