Apple Cinnamon Granola

This Apple Cinnamon Granola is the perfect healthy breakfast! It's sweet and loaded with seasonal flavors, packed with crunchy walnuts and sweet apples. It's made with simple wholesome ingredients and without refined sugar. Nutritious, easy to make, and quite tasty. Such a treat!

My granola jar stood empty for far too long. With apple cinnamon season open it was only logical to make Apple Cinnamon Granola and fill that jar. It tastes just like apple pie in granola form. I seriously can't think of a better breakfast at the moment!

This homemade granola is full of crunchy walnuts and sweet caramel flavor. It's spiced with beautiful cinnamon and packed with dried fruits. Such a fantastic combo of sweet and sour, crunchy and chewy.

But this granola is more than just a tasty treat. It's healthy, made without refined sugar, and packed with good-for-you stuff. A nutritious meal that is perfect for mornings, noons, or evenings. For breakfast or as a snack. It's also easy to make, cheap, and super simple.

Ingredients used

For this apple cinnamon granola recipe, you will need only a few simple pantry ingredients:

• Rolled oats. Oats are whole grain, meaning they are rich in fiber, especially beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber that keeps our heart healthy. They also support healthy digestion, which is essential for strong immunity. I used rolled oats.
• Hemp seeds. They are an excellent source of Omega-3s, but also a great source of proteins. Great addition to homemade granola.
• Walnuts. They are a good source of Omega-3 and an excellent source of antioxidants that fights inflammation. (1) Walnuts are very nutritious and great for gut health too.  
• Sweetener. It is necessary since it binds the mixture together. But the beauty of homemade granola is that you control how much sweetener you add and which one you use. I used honey. You can swap it for maple syrup or date syrup. See "Recipe tips" for more suggestions.

To add some extra flavor and make this granola even more delicious, I also added:

• Ceylon cinnamon. Also known as “true” cinnamon. Cinnamon is packed with powerful antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory properties. (2, 3) Cinnamon gave this granola an amazing flavor. It pairs so well with apples and walnuts.
• Dried fruits. I used cranberries and goji berries. They uplifted a flavor, giving the granola a nice sweet-sour kick. Goji berries are sweet, nutritious, and so healthy, loaded with vitamin C, iron, vitamin A, zinc, and powerful immune-boosting antioxidants.
• Dried apples (apple chips or dried apple rings).

Other pantry ingredients you’ll need:

• Salt. I used Himalayan salt.
• Nutmeg and vanilla. For extra flavor kick.
• Coconut sugar. It's optional, but it added some caramel flavor.
• Extra virgin coconut oil. It helps make granola crisp.

How to make Apple Cinnamon Granola

Making homemade granola is quite easy. It will take you about 30 minutes (tops!). And you'll need only basic kitchen equipment.

Equipment used

• Measuring cups.
• Mixing bowls.
• Spatula and whisk.
• Parchment paper (baking pepper).
• Baking sheet.

Step by step instructions

• Step 1: Prepare the ingredients.
  • Start with preparing and measuring all the ingredients. Use measuring cups.
  • Preheat the oven to 325F/170C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Melt coconut oil and leave it to cool at room temperature.
  • Chop apple chips into small peices. Roughly chop the walnuts.
• Step 2: Mix the ingredients.
  • Place oats, hemp seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, coconut sugar (if using) and pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix everything with a spoon or spatula.
  • In another bowl, mix honey with coconut oil and vanilla until you get nice sticky mixture. Use the whisk.
  • Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients. Mix with a spatula until all of the dry ingredients are coated in the wet mixture.
  • Mix in chopped walnuts.

• Step 3: Bake the granola.
  • Spread granola onto the prepared baking sheet and flatten it into one layer.
  • Bake for 10 minutes and then stir granola to make sure everything bakes evenly. When stirring, don't get too crazy because you don't want to break up the clumps.
  • Continue baking for another 10 minutes until granola is a nice golden. Watch out not to over-bake and burn the granola.
  • Take granola out of the oven and mix in dried fruits and chopped apples.
  • The granola will still be slightly wet when you take it out but it will crisp up after it cools.
• Step 4: Store granola.
  • Leave granola on baking sheet to cool completely, for about 30 minutes.
  • Store granola in an airtight glass container.

Substitutions

Tips for storing

• Store granola in an airtight, glass container at room temperature.
• It will last for 3-4 weeks.

Recipe variations

• Dried fruit suggestions: raisins, sultanas, or currants, dried chopped apricots, or chopped dates.
• Nuts suggestions: chopped hazelnuts, chestnuts, pecans.
• Try other spices: cardamom or ginger powder, pumpkin pie spice, or pinch of cloves (note: they are very overpowering).
• Make it weight loss friendly: Omit coconut sugar. Use half of dried fruits.
• Make it gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats.

Recipe tips

• Rolled oats are the best for making granola. Instant quick oats are also ok but they don't form clusters well.
• Make sure you bake the granola at the temperature the recipe calls for. If you cook it at a higher temperature you risk the granola burning.
• Always add dried fruits at the end, but don't bake them. Goji berries burn easely.
• DO NOT STIR granola while it's cooling down or yu'll break large granola clusters.
• You can find apple chips in the nut isle of your grocery store.
• Sweetener recommendation:
  • You can use honey or maple syrup here. Make sure you use honey in liquid form, not raw.
  • Date syrup or molasses are great options too. Note that they can make granola darker in color.
  • Unfortunately, stevia and other low-carb sweeteners wont work well in this recipe.

How to eat granola

• Serve granola with the milk.
• Serve granola with yogurt, topped with fresh fruits.
• Enjoy granola over ice cream.
• Serve granola with fresh fruits and a drizzle of nut butter.
• Snack granola straight out of the jar.
• Make a yogurt parfait.
• Top granola over smoothie bowl.
• Add granola to a fruit salad.

📖 Recipe

Apple Cinnamon Granola

By Natalie

This Apple Cinnamon Granola is the perfect healthy breakfast! It's sweet and loaded with seasonal flavors, packed with crunchy walnuts and sweet apples. It's made with simple wholesome ingredients and without refined sugar.

5 from 187 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American, International

Servings 12 servings

Calories 221 kcal

Equipment

• Measuring cups
• Mixing bowls
• Flexible silicone spatula
• Whisk
• Parchment paper (baking paper)
• Baking sheet

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups rolled oats
• ½ cup hemp seeds
• 1 ½ teaspoons Ceylon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar optional
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ¼ cup coconut oil melted
• ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extra
• ½ cup chopped dried apples apple chips
• ½ cup dried fruits I used cranberries and goji berries

Instructions

 

• Start with preparing and measuring all the ingredients. Use measuring cups. Melt coconut oil and leave it to cool at room temperature. Chop apple chips into small peices. Roughly chop the walnuts.
• Preheat the oven to 325F/170C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Place oats, hemp seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, coconut sugar (if using) and pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix everything with a spoon or spatula.
• In another bowl, mix honey with coconut oil and vanilla until you get nice sticky mixture. Use the whisk.
• Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients. Mix with a spatula until all of the dry ingredients are coated in the wet mixture.
• Mix in chopped walnuts.
• Spread granola onto the prepared baking sheet and flatten it into one layer.
• Bake for 10 minutes and then stir granola to make sure everything bakes evenly.
• Continue baking for another 10 minutes until granola is a nice golden. Watch not to over-bake and burn the granola.
• Take granola out of the oven and mix in dried fruits and chopped dried apples.
• Leave granola on the baking sheet to cool completely, for about 30 minutes. DO NOT STIR granola or you'll break clusters.
• Store granola in an airtight glass container.

Notes

Makes around 10-12 serving. The typical serving size of granola is up to ⅓ cup.

Substitutions

• I used rolled oats. They give denser chewier granola clusters. You can substitute them with quick oats.
• You can substitute walnuts with other nuts, or a mix of different nuts.
• You can substitute honey with pure maple syrup or date syrup.
• You can substitute dried cranberries with raisins, sultanas, or currants. Dried chopped dates are excellent too.
• You can substitute coconut oil with avocado oil. Other oils won't work well here.

Storing granola

• Store granola in an airtight, glass container at room temperature.
• It will last for 3-4 weeks.

As a measure, I used US cup (240ml).  See "Recipe variations" and "Recipe tips" for more info about the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg

Keyword apple cinnamon granola, apple cinnamon granola recipe, apple granola, apple granola recipe, healthy apple cinnamon granola, homemade granola recipe

Tried this recipe?Don’t forget to rate it and leave the comment. I would love to hear what you think.

DisclaimerThe nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but I have endeavored to be as accurate as possible.

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