Paleo Granola – a tried and true recipe that’s soon to become your new breakfast and snacking favorite!
Today, I’m sharing a recipe for my favorite grain-free paleo granola recipe, one that probably won’t last long once it comes out of the oven (because it’s quite tasty) – so you might as well go ahead and double the batch. Both, Jessica and I, make this paleo granola often and I’m confident that you’ll love it, too. This Paleo Granola goes way back to the very beginning of my recipe creations when at the time I posted my recipes only on my Facebook page. Oh how times have changed! I first introduced it in one of my cooking classes and it was a hit. The honey in this recipe provides just the right amount of sweetness and the nuts and seeds add a perfect crunch. This granola is paleo-friendly, grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, freezer-friendly, free of refined sugars and vegetarian. For all of my vegan friends who choose to avoid honey, you can use grade B maple syrup instead.
Feel free to substitute your favorite nuts and seeds!
No need to make a special trip the grocery store. As always, we like to keep it simple and easy for you and help you save time! A trip to the grocery store, especially if you live a fair distance from one like me, is almost never a quick task. So use whatever nuts and seeds you have on hand and you’ll be good to go. If you make this recipe, comment below and let us know what nuts and seeds you used.
5 ways to enjoy this granola!
- As is. So good!
- Sprinkle on top of your favorite yogurt. We recommend Grassmilk Yogurt.
- Sprinkle on top of chia pudding for a paleo-friendly breakfast, snack or dessert.
- Sprinkle on top of your favorite salad. Sounds a little odd but just try it! You’ll be surprised!
- Give as a gift for someone else to enjoy!
Ingredient shout out: Pumpkin Seeds, a nutrient powerhouse.
- Very good source of magnesium, manganese, copper & zinc.
- Magnesium, promotes healthy blood pressure & heart as well as proper digestion.
- Zinc enhances immunity.
- Plant-based source of omega-3’s healthy fats and protein.
- Rich source of tryptophan which is helpful for obtaining restful sleep.
- Rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
This recipes is simple, quick to make and is made up of only 10-ingredients! Give it a try.
Looking for a nut-free paleo granola? Try this Crunchy Nut-Free Paleo Granola.
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Paleo Granola
You’re in for a treat with this recipe! A grain-free, paleo friendly, granola that’s delicious on its own or served with coconut milk or plain yogurt and a few berries. Warning: this stuff can be addictive!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast - Snack - Paleo
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- 1/3 cup organic honey*
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275 °F.
- In a food processor or blender, add almonds, cashews, and coconut flakes to chop into small pieces. Do not over blend.
- Heat coconut oil, honey, cinnamon and salt over medium high heat in a large saucepan, for about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Then add seeds, nuts and coconut flakes and stir to coat.
- Spread granola mixture evenly onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and add dried cranberries, may need to press into granola mixture.
- Allow to cool for about 20 minutes or until hardened. Break apart granola. Store in an airtight container or mason jar for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
*For Vegan Option, use Maple Syrup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12 of recipe
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 33 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
What are your favorite granola add-in’s? We’d love to hear – comment below!
Pin now to make later!
Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter.
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SUSIE C says
Delicious. I used some (unknown) amount of honey which was nice. Maple syrup can be a jolt. At the end of mixing it together, I decided I had enough moisture, so I added in a big handful of gluten free oats. Baked as recommended. Once out of the oven, I sprinkled with cinnamon again, and mixed it in with the dried cranberries. I am a big turmeric fan, so I will probably add the turmeric to my individual servings. That’s one of those spices that I find is an acquired taste. I put it in all my cereals and smoothies, but start out with 1/8 teaspoon and work up. Just a suggestion!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Susie,
It’s great to hear you enjoyed the granola with the added oats. Turmeric is definitely an acquired taste and one we love in smoothies and curries. You might love this Sunrise Super Smoothie made with fresh turmeric – it’s one of our faves.
Lisa says
When it comes out of the oven you can add the cranberries then press it firmly into a baking dish to make granola bars. Cut when cool. I keep mine in the fridge. Great for school lunches. I also added white sesame seeds. Its delicious! Great recipe thanks so much!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Great idea, Lisa! I definitely need to make this into bars — and I love the addition of sesame seeds!
Meagan Floris says
Such a tasty recipe! Thanks Jessica and Stacie! 🙂
Just a tip for those who don’t have a food processor or high powered blender. My blender was immediately blending the nuts and coconut into tiny tiny pieces. So, I threw all the nuts and coconut into a large freezer bag and used a wooden roller to “bash” them into small pieces. It worked really well!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Thanks for the love and the awesome tip on crushing the nuts without making them into nut butter!!
Jessica Beacom says
Thanks for the love and the great tip for crushing the nuts and coconut without a blender or food processor (Bonus: upper body workout + stress relief!)
Cindy Hays says
Could you tell me what brand of raw nuts and seeds you used and where I can buy them?
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Cindy, I actually don’t use a specific brand. I typically purchase raw nuts in bulk at my local coop. Hope this helps!
Laura Cruz says
Second time I make it, First time it got burned badly.
I added sesame seeds and flax seeds, and a dash of allspice.
This time , I was very careful with time, I guess my oven is too hot, went down to 250 and it took literally 9 min.
can’t wait for it to cool off and enjoy it.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Laura,
Fingers crossed that the second time was the charm for you! I have an oven that runs hot too. You can check it by getting an inexpensive oven thermometer at the hardware store or online – if it’s 50 degrees too hot to too cold, then you can adjust your temperature accordingly. You just have to remember to ‘do the math’ each time. Depending on your oven, you may be able to adjust the temperature settings – see your owner’s manual – because the last thing you want to burned granola (or anything, for the matter!)
Thanks for commenting and I love the addition of flax, sesame and allspice. Yum!
Alicia says
Can agave in the same amount be substituted for the honey or will agave make it too sweet? Thanks in advance!
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Alicia!
Agave will work too! Enjoy!
Bronwyn says
This was wonderful! I switched it up a bit with adding maple syrup, ginger, nutmeg and a bit of orange zest as the liquid. A delicious foray into grain-free granola.
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
So good to hear! And love the changes you made – sounds super yum!
Heather says
Orange zest sounds heavenly.
Georgia says
What is the best way to store in or out of fridge
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Jerry,
I store mine in a jar with a tight fitting lid in the pantry.
Mike says
How important is it that the nuts and seeds are all raw? Can this be made with nuts/seeds that are already roasted? I only ask because the raw products were very expensive. Please advise….
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Mike,
You can use either raw or roasted. We specify raw because nuts are often roasted in less than desirable oils. However, we’ve seen more and more dry roasted nuts showing up at places like Trader Joe’s that are very affordable and would also be a good choice. Hope that helps!
Mike says
Thank you so much for the swift response. I will give this a try!
Jessica Beacom says
You’re so welcome! Enjoy!
Becky says
Not sure if it needed to be at a higher temperature or if it needed to be in longer, but mine stayed sticky and never got hard. I followed the directions perfectly.
★★
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Becky! I’m not sure what happened there. This is more of a chewy granola but should have some crunch too. Like making candy, sometimes the weather can impact the outcome. Sorry it didn’t turn out for you!
Tom says
This turned out awesome! I substituted walnuts for cashews. Next time I’ll try macadamia nuts.
Jessica Beacom says
Fantastic! Glad you loved it – Macadamia nuts are my kryptonite…that’s going to be so good!
Julie Jensen says
What do I have to do to reload recipe for paleo granola. I have had this recipe on my computer for the last year and this morning I found it had disappeared. I can get the pictures of the granola but not the ingredients. I have downloaded your free recipe book but this recipe is not included. Please advise
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Julie,
Our apologies, we appear to be having an intermittent technical issue that our team is looking into. Please try refreshing your page and the recipe should appear for you again. Thank you for your patience!
Jess says
Hello! This looks fabulous, but I am not able to eat any sugars… Is it possible to make this without honey, syrup, agave, or artificial sweeteners and still have it work out? Perhaps egg whites to hold it together? Thanks!
Stacie Hassing says
You could sure try! We have never tested the recipe without added honey or maple syrup. You could use a little applesauce maybe…totally just guessing here 🙂
If you do give this recipe a try with any substitutions, we’d love to know how it turns out for you. Thanks!
Jessica Smith says
i regularly make this without the sweetener, i just simply omit it and it has been fine (texture-wise) and delicious! i honestly think adding ample cinnamon and salt, combined with the dried cherries, tastes great and i don’t feel that it is “lacking” without any honey/syrup/etc.
Jessica Beacom says
This is great to know, thanks!
JOANNE NICHOLS says
I think using dehydrated strawberries and blueberries would tend to lighten the granola….thanks for sharing!
G. White says
Awesome recipe. Keep up the great work!!!!
Jessica Beacom says
Thank you!!
S. Odell says
This granola is awesome! Saved me from paying $11.99 per pound at Whole Foods for their Paleo Granola. So easy to make
Jessica Beacom says
Yasssss! That’s what we LOVE to hear – thanks so much for sharing. Happy eating!
Leah King says
I am grain free and have made this granola a couple of times. And love it…thank you for sharing!!
Jessica Beacom says
Yayyyyyy!! Glad you love it, Leah!
megan says
im confused about how many carbs etc. I buy paleo granola at the store and it ends up being 1/4 cup 4 net carbs. When i log this into carb manager its like 13. I feel like im hopefully doing something wrong. Im on keto diet and i cant do that 🙁
Stacie Hassing says
Yes that is correct. This would be 13 g of net carbs (total carbs – fiber = net carbs). You could try adding less honey and omit the cranberries for a low carb granola.
Cecelia says
This granola is amazing! Made a batch of it and I am amazed how easy it was. Never pictured myself making my own granola. Will definitely make it again! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Cecelia,
This is so great! I’m glad you took the plunge and tried it. I think it’s so satisfying to make things like these at home.
Cece Soto says
Love this recipe! Made a double batch this time enough to take to work to share!!! Can oats be added?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Cece,
You’ve got some very lucky co-workers! Yes, you can add oats if you’d like. I’d suggest substituting some of the oats for some of the nuts/seeds rather than just adding them in addition to the nuts and seeds.
Suzanne Douville says
Yummy! I just started eating paleo. Wow, who needs oatmeal for granola? Not me! I doubled my batch of granola, it did take more time to cook but so well worth it. Thank you
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
Oh good! Glad you loved this recipe 🙂
Zabrina says
Do you add the pumpkin seeds to the blender too? I don’t see any pumpkin seeds in any of your pictures of the granola so I’m wondering if the got chopped up too…
Stacie Hassing says
Yes, the pumpkin seeds are chopped up a little bit with the rest of the ingredients.
Nicole says
Hello, just tied this recipe. For some reason, I just go the feeling that it was a truly reliable and delicous recipe. I wasn’t wrong. I am re-kickstarting my love of eating paleo and this is just what I needed around the kitchen to remind me how tasty and healthy paleo foods are.
thank you
Stacie Hassing says
So happy to hear this!! Happy New Year….may it be full of healthy and tasty recipes 🙂
JJ says
This is my third batch of this awesome granola and it comes out great every time! The first time, I went to the bulk store and bought every ingredient (except coconut oil — I use ghee instead) and measured it all out. Now I use the oil/honey ratio and just throw in handfuls of whatever I can find. I literally rummage through the cabinets: Pecans – score! You go in the bowl! Flax, chia, hemp hearts — in the bowl! So easy and versatile. Thank you for a great recipe that’s a perfect jumping-off point for new variations!
Jessica Beacom says
I LOVE this! Way to take a good thing and run with it – it always feels so good to use what you have on hand to create new things while cleaning out the pantry stores.
Angelica says
Can I leave out the dried fruit?
Jessica Beacom says
Yes, you can.
Tamara says
This recipe is A-MAZE-ING!!! I’m paleo and omitted the dried fruit since it was hard to find any without added sugar. But I’m totally hooked anyways! Thanks for sharing. It’s already a daily staple for me, and keeps me full and energized for hours.
Jessica Beacom says
Fantastic! Glad you love it, Tamara.
Anna says
I keep meaning to comment, since I’ve been making this for months now. It’s amazing every single time, no matter what substitutions I make if I’m out of a particular ingredient. Thanks so much for such a great recipe, we love it!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Thanks, Anna – this is so great to hear!
Jim says
Can this be froze? How long would it last frozen?
Thanks
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Jim,
Yes, you can store the granola in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Megan says
Can I use olive oil? I’m out of coconut oil and want to make it now.
Jessica Beacom says
You can! It may change the flavor a bit but otherwise, it should work fine.
Bianca Frisby says
Omg loved this! Absolutely delicious. Thank you!
Sebastian says
I like to soak my nuts and seeds first and have assumed I can make the Granola without having to dehydrate them, the thinking being that the process of baking them would also take care of this step. What I’ve found is the Granola is mostly soft and lacking any crunch (with the exception of the bits round the edges of the baking tray that seem to have hardened up and taste great). Could you suggest an adjusted cooking time/temperature that might be more successful, or am I wrong to think I can bake them directly from wet? Having to add in the step of dehydrating would make it such a long process I’m not sure I’d ever get round to making it! Thanks
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Sebastian. Yes, I would suggest dehydrating the nuts first before making using to make this granola. The granola is already a little soft and chewy (but still so good) and not super crunchy like the granolas we buy in the store. So starting from already wet nuts I’d imagine would make the granola even more soft as you experienced. So dehydrate the nuts first and than make this delicious granola! Hope that helps. 🙂
Chris A. says
This is the best granola I’ve ever eaten. Ever. I never thought I’d be one of those hippy people that made granola, but this stuff is amazing. We’ve been back on Paleo for almost a month now, and it really hits the spot when I’m craving a snack before lunch. It’s SO sweet, hard to believe that it only has 1/3 cup of honey. I’ll be making another batch this weekend for sure!
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
Love this! Thanks for sharing your feedback. Enjoy the granola!
Stephanie Capecchi says
I don’t usually comment on recipes on blogs, but this is one of our favorites! I love granola but most store-bought ones are FULL of crappy grains and sugars. I make this so that I can control the ingredients. I often use half honey half maple syrup. I also add 1 Cup of whole organic non-GMO oats instead of the sunflower seeds. It’s a very flexible recipe so you can make additions or changes without much worry.
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
Yes, yes and yes! We love recipes that are flexible and easily adaptable to what one has on hand or what they desire. Glad this one is a winner for you!
Andrea says
Wow! I just made this using a bunch of raw nuts I had left in the pantry – it’s amazing. I made a double batch and while I am glad I did I am worried I am going to eat it all so fast! I’ll have to stash it somewhere hard to reach so I am not snacking on this 24/7! Amazing recipe, so easy to adapt with whatever is on hand, and the perfect texture and flavor. Thank you!!!
★★★★★
Terri says
This is delicious, thank you for the recipe!
Andrea Cockle says
This granola is absolutely Devine. I used Canadian Maple Syrup. May go little lighter on the cinnamon next time, but even still, it was delish…. Highly recommend.
★★★★★
Eva-Marie Tordoff says
BEST granola recipe EVER. It’s chewy and crunchy. So good! I used raw honey and added chia and flax seeds too. New favorite for sure.