Homemade Cinnamon Nut Crasin Granola (Your Family Will Love)

This easy homemade cinnamon nut and craisin granola is a crunchy, hearty topping for yogurt or as a bowl of cereal with milk. It comes together quickly and is a staple in our pantry while I’m busy with our twin boys! It is packed with flavor and made with all-whole ingredients and no refined sugar. This granola will become a staple in your pantry too and one you’ll want to share with all those crunchy friends of yours.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This granola tastes delicious and is both crispy and chewy. It is everything (and more) that you would want for your morning breakfast or late-night treat. This is my go-to recipe to make in my kitchen with my twin toddlers. They love helping me measure, dump, mix, and sneak a few of those delicious dried cranberries.

Quick to Make

You can whip this up so quickly! Just measure or dump what you have on hand, mix it, and throw it on a baking sheet. I love to make a double batch becuase it lasts well in the pantry for a few weeks!

Cost Effective

Buying quality granola at the store can be very expensive. When you buy whole ingredients like oats, maple syrup, honey, and nuts, eating granola becomes much more cost-effective. With how easy this is to throw together, I think I’ll always prefer to make this homemade granola for my family than buy it anyways.

Easy to Adapt to What You Have on Hand

This recipe is very forgiving, so feel free to make substitutions as you would like! I’ll often swap out ut the nuts I use or add a combination of whatever I have on hand. It all comes together so easily and it is nice to know that you don’t need to be so precise about it.

Ingredients Needed

Oats – I use organic rolled oats and not quick oats.

Pecans – I use raw pecan halves and break them up into smaller pieces. You could chop them smaller as well.

Slivered Almonds (or another nut of your choice) – I use raw slivered almonds. You could also use raw almonds and roughly chop them or substitute for another nut of your choice.

Dried Cranberries – We love dried cranberries and think they go well with the cinnamon flavor. Use whatever dried fruit you have on hand, such as raisins, blueberries, cherries, or apricots.

Pumpkin Seeds – I like the added texture of raw pumpkin seeds. These should be raw and unsalted. You could substitute for sunflower seeds or leave it out altogether and add in additional nuts.

Unsweetened Shredded Coconut– This adds a great texture to the granola with another depth of flavor. You could substitute for coconut chips.

Flaxseed– Optional, but it adds another depth of flavor and health benefits. I have so many on hand so I love having an opportunity to use them regularly.

Ground Cinnamon– This makes the granola so warm and cozy. There is a distinct cinnamon flavor to this granola, so if that isn’t your favorite flavor, you may want to use less.

Coconut Oil- Use melted coconut oil. The oil is what gives the granola its’ classic crispy characteristic.

Honey – We use raw honey. Buying locally is always best when possible.

Maple Syrup– The maple syrup helps to make the granola that little bit chewy while also remaining crispy.

Vanilla Extract– Opt for vanilla extract rather than imitation.

You can find a full ingredient list with amounts in the recipe card below.

Supplies

Large mixing bowl

Baking sheet

Parchment paper

Measuring cups

Silicone spatula

How to Make Homemade Cinnamon Nut Crasin Granola

Tips

• All ovens vary slightly; you may need an additional 5 to 10 minutes. However, I have found that 30 minutes is too long in my oven.
• Depending on how thick of a layer you spread on your pan may affect the bake time.

How to Store Granola

I store our granola in a half-gallon mason jar. It keeps it fresh for a few weeks and makes it easy to pour or scoop out of.

The Best Ways to Eat Granola

Our favorite way to enjoy this homemade cinnamon and craisin granola is topped on a bowl of homemade plain yogurt. It is also great as a bowl of cereal, topped on a smoothie, or possibly a salad! My twin boys love this granola, not only because it tastes great but also because they find great joy in scooping it out onto their morning bowl of yogurt for breakfast.

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Tips for Baking with Children

As a Montessori mom of twin toddlers, I love to bring them alongside me in the kitchen in their learning tower. This means stocking our kitchen with all the child-friendly essentials and making my adult kitchen accessible for them. This granola recipe is one of my favorites to make with my children because it is so forgiving and adaptable. My boys love to pick out the dried cranberries while we mix it up together and if a little gets spilled out of the bowl while we are mixing, it is no big deal!

When baking or doing anything with a child, expect that it will take longer and be a little bit more messy. The skills and memories that are being made are totally worth it in my book.