Homemade coconut almond granola is deliciously sweet and crunchy with hints of vanilla and cinnamon. One taste of this granola will have you swearing to make your own from here on out.
Enjoy on top of a smoothie bowl, with yogurt or, simply by itself with some milk!
I originally made this granola recipe for my sister-in-law’s wedding shower almost ten years ago now.
But, when a small girl’s brunch get together had me remake it again recently I decided to dust this recipe off and give it some new photos because I had forgotten just how delicious it is.
Nothing beats homemade granola.
If you’ve ever made it, you know how amazing the whole house smells as it’s baking and how sweet, crunchy and delicious a few bites right out of the oven taste.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big purchaser and lover of a few store-bought granolas but when I take the time to make my own, I never regret it.
This coconut almond granola is no exception to that.
The sweetness from the maple syrup dances around in perfect balance with the coconut and almond flavors.
And the crunch factor is off the charts.
Between two different types of almonds, big crispy coconut flakes and pepitas, if crunchiness is a must-have for your granola, this recipe won’t disappoint.
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE COCONUT ALMOND GRANOLA
- oats (I always use organic, gluten-free and sprouted rolled oats)
- unsweetened coconut flakes
- chopped almonds
- sliced almonds
- pepitas
- chia seeds
- salt
- cinnamon
- maple syrup
- coconut oil
- vanilla, almond, coconut extracts
One of the things I love most about homemade granola is controlling the ingredients.
Oftentimes, store-bought varieties use high glycemic brown rice syrup or other liquid sugars which wouldn’t necessarily be my first choice.
By making your own, YOU control the type of sweetener and the amount.
I also much prefer to use organic, gluten-free and sprouted oats (this is the brand I buy from Costco) which is hard to find in any commercially produced granola.
Ingredient control also allows you to keep things simple. There’s not much needed to throw together a good granola recipe as you can see by this shorter ingredient list.
The extracts play a huge role in the flavor department so definitely don’t skip out on them.
If you don’t have coconut extract on hand, it can be omitted but it really does help amp up the coconut flavor. It’s worth seeking out and adding to your pantry!
HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE COCONUT GRANOLA WITH ALMONDS
Granola cooks at a lower heat than most baking recipe. Preheat the oven to 300°F and line the largest sheet pan you have with either parchment paper or a silpat.
Use two baking sheets if necessary, the granola should be spread into a single, thin layer while baking.
Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Whisk the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl and pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
Stir until well combined then spread the granola out on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until the granola starts to turn golden brown around the edges.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely before transferring to a storage container.
HOW TO SERVE THE GRANOLA
If you’re able to resist the urge to eat this crunchy coconut almond granola straight off the baking sheet (no judgment if not!), here’s a few ways I personally love eating it.
SMOOTHIE BOWL TOPPING – If you’re into smoothie bowls, you know the toppings are the best part. A tablespoon or two of granola is the perfect textured addition to any smoothie bowl.
I’m partial to this gut healing smoothie right now.
ON TOP OF YOGURT – Yogurt bowls are my back up breakfast (second to smoothie bowls) lately. Since I no longer eat dairy, I use Culina coconut yogurt so the pairing of this coconut almond granola with the coconut yogurt couldn’t be more perfect.
WITH MILK – This is my go-to when I need dessert in a pinch. A small bowl of granola plus some milk and berries is the perfect kind of no-fuss after dinner treat.
Try making your own vanilla coconut oat milk to enjoy with this, it’s the perfect pairing!
HOW TO MAKE GRANOLA “CLUMPY”
Admittedly, this recipe is not an overly “clumpy” type of granola. For that, try this paleo gingerbread granola.
I personally prefer it this way but if you’re someone that loves those granola clusters here are some ways to modify this recipe to achieve that.
UTILIZE A FLAX-EGG – Make a flax-egg which is just 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed with 2 tablespoons warm water.
Let that sit for 5 minutes until gelled and add it to the bowl of granola after it’s been mixed with the wet ingredients.
Mix again to incorporate the flax egg then spread the granola out onto the baking sheet and press it down with your hands into a single layer.
Bake as directed pressing down the mixture after each time you stir.
Let it cool completely after it’s done baking and there should be more “clusters” than the original recipe.
DON’T STIR AS MUCH – Alternatively, you can skip the flax egg altogether and omit the stirring. You’ll want to press the granola down with your hands (just like with the flax egg method).
The only caveat here is to make sure the granola doesn’t burn. The baking time may need to be reduced slightly.
Once cooled, the granola can be broken up into clumps.
HOW TO STORE ALMOND GRANOLA WITH COCONUT
Once the granola is completely cooled (this is important!), it stores best in glass jars or plastic air-tight containers.
The granola can be kept at room temperature for up to a month. Believe me, there’s no way it will last that long!
CAN I SWITCH UP THE INGREDIENTS?
Yes, of course!
Try to stick to the same overall amounts but swapping out ingredients is the best part about making homemade granola.
Of course, to keep the coconut almond flavor of this recipe, you’ll want to keep those two ingredients but if you prefer a different seed (maybe sunflower or hemp seeds?) or want to add some additional nuts, go for it!
I also like to add dried blueberries when I have them on hand. They work really well with the almonds and coconut flakes.
MORE HOMEMADE GRANOLA RECIPES TO TRY:
Nut Free Granola
Homemade Chocolate Granola Bars
Tart Cherry Chocolate Granola
Pumpkin Granola
Coconut Almond Granola
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats, gluten-free if needed
- 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped whole almonds
- 1/3 cup pepitas
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a large, heavy duty baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
- Place oats, coconut flakes, almonds, pepitas, chia seeds and salt in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- Whisk remaining wet ingredients in a separate bowl until well combined. Pour into the large bowl with dry ingredients and stir together with a spatula until the mixture is fully coated.
- Spread the granola out onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, stirring the granola every 10 minutes.
- Remove when starting to turn golden brown. Let the granola cool completely before transferring into jars for storage.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
*This post was originally published in June 2012. The recipe, photographs and content have been updated as of January 2022.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
I have made this over and over and it is always a hit. I even made small gift bottles for Christmas.
this granola is one of the most delicious and the most simple recipes I have sound. so good!
Wow coconut almond granola looks delish! I have all the necessary ingredients in my pantry, definitely making this!!!