Homemade Honey Nut Granola: A Family Recipe

This homemade honey nut granola started with my mom.

She had her own version of homemade granola that she made with olive oil, walnuts, and dried fruit. I grew up with it, and over time I started changing things around to suit my own tastes. I swapped in coconut oil, added pecans and almonds alongside the walnuts, played around with different spices, and eventually found my own version.

So while this isn't exactly my mom's recipe, she's where it came from—and she's the reason I make it.

There’s something pretty satisfying about making your own granola. It’s simple, endlessly adaptable, and you get to control exactly what goes into it.

This is my current go-to version: plenty of roasted nuts and oats, honey, coconut oil, brown sugar, cinnamon, and just enough salt to keep everything balanced. You can change up the spices, add dried fruit, or even sneak in a little almond liqueur if you're feeling adventurous.

The best part? Your kitchen smells incredible while it’s baking.

Granola Ingredients

• 3 cups nuts

  • 1 cup pecans

  • 1 cup walnuts

  • 1 cup almonds

• 6 cups old-fashioned oats

• ½ cup brown sugar

• ½ cup coconut oil or another neutral vegetable oil

• ½ cup honey

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

  
  

Optional additions

• Nutmeg

• Cardamom

• Clove

• Almond liqueur — about 1 teaspoon

• Small pieces of dried fruit

• Flaky or coarse sea salt for finishing

Instructions

1. Roast the nuts

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Spread the pecans, walnuts, and almonds evenly across the parchment and roast for 15 minutes.

Transfer the roasted nuts to a cutting board and chop them into smaller pieces. Aim for pieces that are small enough that you could easily eat them in a bowl of cereal.

2. Roast the oats

Spread the 6 cups of oats onto the same parchment-lined baking sheet.

Roast at 350°F for about 20 minutes.

3. Make the granola mixture

While the oats are roasting, combine the following in a large bowl:

• ½ cup brown sugar

• ½ cup coconut oil or vegetable oil

• ½ cup honey

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Add any additional spices you'd like. Nutmeg, cardamom, and clove are all delicious.

For an extra twist, try adding about 1 teaspoon of almond liqueur. It adds a surprisingly nice flavor.

Mix everything together thoroughly.

4. Combine everything

Add the roasted oats and chopped nuts to the bowl.

Stir really well, making sure to scrape all the honey and sugar mixture from the bottom of the bowl. Break up any clumps as you mix so the sweet mixture gets distributed evenly throughout the oats and nuts.

5. Bake the granola

Spread the mixture back onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Make sure the granola reaches all the way to the edges of the pan. Pay particular attention to the edges and corners—if those areas are too thin, they can burn before the rest of the granola is finished.

Return the pan to the 350°F oven.

Start checking it at around 20 minutes. You're looking for a beautiful golden-brown color.

A very important tip: Make sure your baking sheet isn't positioned too close to the bottom of the oven if that's where your heat source is. I've learned this one the hard way. Burnt granola is a sad thing.

6. Cool and finish

Remove the granola from the oven and, if you like, sprinkle a little sea salt over the top while it's still warm.

If you like dried fruit in your granola, you can add some at this point. Personally, I leave it out.

Let the granola cool completely before storing it.

If you want chunky granola, leave it alone while it cools.

If you prefer a looser, less-clumpy granola, stir it periodically as it cools.

Once completely cool, transfer it to an airtight container. We like using a large glass jar and keeping it right on the counter.

It can last for weeks...

...but it never does in this house. 😄

Ways to Customize Your Homemade Honey Nut Granola

The basic recipe is really just a starting point. Try experimenting with different combinations of nuts and spices, or add dried fruit after baking.

Some of our favorite additions include:

• Warm & spicy: cinnamon + nutmeg + cardamom

• Deep & aromatic: cinnamon + cardamom + a touch of clove

• Almond-forward: cinnamon + a teaspoon of almond liqueur

• Fruit & nut: add dried cranberries, raisins, cherries, or chopped apricots after baking

The beauty of homemade granola is that there really isn't one "correct" version. Make it the way you like it.

Yield

Approximately 9 cups of granola

Storage

Store completely cooled granola in an airtight container at room temperature.