You would not believe how easy this homemade Maple Pecan Granola is to make! It’s absolutely delicious and a great, kid friendly breakfast or sweet treat to enjoy. It’s made with only natural sweeteners and much less oil, making this healthier and cleaner than many other recipes.

Homemade Maple Walnut Granola in mason jars on a cutting board

Table of Contents

Why it Works

You know I love me some granola, and I just love finding new ways to enjoy my favorite things. When you make it homemade, it’s totally different from the store-bought stuff! When it’s fresh, the texture and flavor is just… so much better. Plus you can totally customize it with whatever flavors you enjoy most! I used

This recipe is lower in oil than other recipes, because it uses a combination of coconut oil, applesauce, and peanut butter, which naturally contains oil. And it ends up with a lovely crunch that we all love about homemade granola!

Ingredients

Rolled oats. If you have a gluten sensitivity or allergy, be sure to get certified gluten free oats.
Unsweetened apple sauce.
Maple syrup.
Peanut butter. Use your favorite store-bought brand, my homemade honey-sweetened peanut butter, or substitute almond butter.
Coconut oil.
Add ins: Use any combination of pecans, walnuts, dried cranberries, and/or unsweetened shredded coconut. You can totally customize the flavors in this granola depending on what you like and what you have!
Ground cinnamon. A little cinnamon goes a long way! It livens up and ties all the other ingredients together beautifully.

Step by Step Instructions

It’s best to cook granola in medium-low heat. This helps the moisture to dissipate slowly, giving you the crispiest, crunchiest granola. Preheat your oven to 325°F (162°C).
Stir the apple sauce, maple syrup, peanut butter and coconut oil and cinnamon in a medium bowl and microwave on high for 40 seconds or until warm. It should be warm enough to be smooth and mix easily together.
Add the oats to a large bowl. Pour the maple syrup mixture over the oats and stir.
Mix in any of the nuts and dried fruit.
Spread the mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake.
Important: Stop every 15 minutes and stir the mixture, so that it cooks evenly.
Take it out of the oven and allow to cool completely.

A small glass of layered chia pudding, fruit, and granola on top on a tray.

Expert Tips

Sweeten to taste! Taste the oats about 10 minutes before they’re done baking! You may find you like yours a little sweeter, so you can add in a bit more maple syrup, honey, or agave. You may also find you like more of the cinnamon or peanut butter flavor! It’s all up to you. Thoroughly stir in any additional ingredients, and then finish baking.
To store: Once the granola is completely cooled, transfer it to an airtight container or ziplock bag. Store it at room temperature and use within 2 weeks, for best taste.
What to serve with granola: Serve with yogurt, milk, banana chia pudding (pictured above) or blueberry chia pudding.

Related Recipes

Making this recipe? I’d love to see! Tag me on Instagram @cookathomemom!

Maple Pecan Granola

The best, easiest homemade granola ever using only natural sweeteners and much less oil. It can be totally customized to your tastes!

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 50

Servings: servings

Author: Laura Miner

Ingredients

4 cups gluten free rolled oats
1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 Tablespoon coconut oil
1 cup total combined chopped walnuts, dried cranberries, and/or shredded coconuts (you can substitute or add any other dried fruits, seeds, and nuts – I love pecans, almonds, dates, and sunflower seeds!)
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325°F (162°C).
Meanwhile, stir together the apple sauce, maple syrup, peanut butter, coconut oil and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Microwave the mixture on high for 40 seconds at time, just until warmed through and smooth.
Transfer the oats to a large bowl. Pour the maple syrup mixture over the oats and stir, then mix in the nuts and dried fruit.
Spread the mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes so it cooks evenly.
Take it out of the oven and allow to cool completely before you store it in an airtight container or ziplock bag.

Notes

To store: Once the granola is completely cooled, transfer it to an airtight container or ziplock bag. Store it at room temperature and use within 2 weeks, for best taste.