Cinnamon raisin granola is a chunky, crispy granola that's really easy to make at home. This healthier sugar free and oil free recipe is everything you need for quick and easy future breakfasts.
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Granola is one of my favorite easy breakfasts for busy mornings. It's versatile and can be enjoyed in many different ways. Serve it with milk as a cereal, with yogurt or in a smoothie bowl.
This cinnamon raisin granola recipe uses one of my favorite flavor combinations, and is made completely without any oil or refined sugar. It's sweetened with honey (or a vegan substitute), and contains a combination of your favorite nuts and seeds which adds fiber and healthy fat to any meal.
🥘 Ingredients
To make the best cinnamon raisin granola, you will need rolled oats or old fashioned oats, cinnamon, raisins, a combination of seeds and nuts of your choice, and honey.
You should use a soft, runny honey, rather than a set honey.
For the nuts and seeds, you can use whatever you like or have available. Try to combine different textures and flavors. Avoid using seasoned or salted nuts.
I like to use a combination of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, linseeds or flax seeds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, almonds and other roughly chopped nuts.
🔪 How to make cinnamon raisin granola
Okay, this is honestly really easy. First, preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C / 160°C fan oven.
Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl, then add the honey. Stir to combine the ingredients evenly.
Spread the granola over a baking sheet covered baking tray. Insert it in the oven, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the grains are slightly golden on the edges.
Remove the granola from the oven, and leave it to cool down completely before breaking it up into chunks of your preferred size.
Store the granola in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
💭 Top tips for crispy chunky granola
Good granola is crunchy but not burned, chunky but not sugary. Here is how you can get it perfect - every time:
- Coat the granola in honey. The sugar in the honey will help the other ingredients to crisp up, and will also make the grains stick together in chunky clusters. Make sure every little piece has some honey on it.
- Use the back of a spoon to press the granola into a baking sheet covered baking tray, and insert it into a preheaded oven. Press the grains tightly to give them a chance to stick together.
- Some recipes add vegetable oil to granola - this is a big mistake. The oil helps the grain crisp up, but will keep them from sticking to each other. Ditch the oil!
- Use ingredients of various sizes. I like to combine tiny seeds like chia and flax seeds with larger chunks of roughly diced nuts. This improves the texture of the clusters and makes the granola feel way more fancy.
- Don't touch the granola until it has cooled down. Don't move it around in the oven, and don't break it up as soon as it comes out. The honey needs to cool down and solidify first. When it has cooled down, you can gently break it up with a spoon. Some pieces will come out as large chunks which you can break up further to your preference.
🥗 Serving suggestions
Granola is typically served as a breakfast food, often with yogurt and other toppings such as peanut butter, fresh fruits and berries.
Alternatively, you can crumble granola as a crunchy topping on smoothie bowls, parfaits, oatmeal or overnight oats.
🍲 Leftovers
Cinnamon raisin granola can be stored for several weeks in an airtight container in a kitchen cupboard. I would not recommend chilling or freezing the granola, as this will cause it to lose its crunch.
The granola might lose its crunch over time, but should be perfect for at least 3-4 weeks.
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📋 Frequently asked questions
Is this recipe allergy friendly? - Cinnamon raisin granola is generally soy free, egg free and dairy free. It can also be made completely nut free if you wish.
Is granola healthy? - Many storebought granolas contain added refined sugar, oil, and other unhealthy ingredients. In fact, many popular brands contain as much sugar as a chocolate bar. This homemade version is a lot healthier. Cooking your own granola also allows you to control which ingredients you want to use.
What's the difference between granola and muesli? - Muesli is a combination of grains, nuts and seeds, often enjoyed raw or roasted. Granola contains the same ingredients, but it's baked with sugar or a sugar like compononent such as honey, which gives it a crispy and crunchy texture.
Recipe
Cinnamon Raisin Granola
Ingredients
- 10 oz rolled oats (300 g)
- 7 oz mixed nuts and seeds (200 g)
- 5 oz raisins (150 g)
- ½ cup honey (120 ml)
- 1 ½ tbsp cinnamon
Instructions
- First, preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C / 160°C fan oven.
- Roughly chop any large chunks of nuts. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl, then add the honey. Stir to combine the ingredients evenly.
- Spread the granola over a baking sheet covered baking tray. Insert it in the oven, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the grains are slightly golden on the edges.
Notes
Leftovers
Cinnamon raisin granola can be stored for several weeks in an airtight container in a kitchen cupboard. I would not recommend chilling or freezing the granola, as this will cause it to lose its crunch. The granola might lose its crunch over time, but should be perfect for at least 3-4 weeks.Top tips
Good granola is crunchy but not burned, chunky but not sugary. Here is how you can get it perfect – every time:- Coat the granola in honey. The sugar in the honey will help the other ingredients to crisp up, and will also make the grains stick together in chunky clusters. Make sure every little piece has some honey on it.
- Use the back of a spoon to press the granola into a baking sheet covered baking tray, and insert it into a preheaded oven. Press the grains tightly to give them a chance to stick together.
- Some recipes add vegetable oil to granola – this is a big mistake. The oil helps the grain crisp up, but will keep them from sticking to each other. Ditch the oil!
- Use ingredients of various sizes. I like to combine tiny seeds like chia and flax seeds with larger chunks of roughly diced nuts. This improves the texture of the clusters and makes the granola feel way more fancy.
- Don’t touch the granola until it has cooled down. Don’t move it around in the oven, and don’t break it up as soon as it comes out. The honey needs to cool down and solidify first. When it has cooled down, you can gently break it up with a spoon. Some pieces will come out as large chunks which you can break up further to your preference.
Annette Davenport
I suffer from diverticulitis and I don't eat nuts. To add protein, do you think I can add a little almond flour.
Tonje
Absolutely, Annette. I think that sounds like a great idea! Ground up nuts, seeds and almond flour are great ways to add extra protein to it.