Honey recipes

Crunchy honey almond granola

Good granola is about toasted oats and generous clusters, not just sweetness. Honey binds this mix together; a gentle bake and a completely undisturbed cool turn it crisp. Add the dried fruit afterwards so it stays pleasantly chewy.

Jump to recipe
By ApiNote editorial team3 min readUpdated
A ceramic bowl of golden honey oat granola with almonds, pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries.

From the honey kitchen

Crunchy honey almond granola

About 12 portions Easy

Prep
10 min
Cook / bake
30 min
Rest / chill
45 min
Total time
1 hr 25 min

Equipment: Large rimmed baking tray, baking paper, mixing bowl and airtight storage jar.

Ingredients

Amounts are for the yield above. 1 tbsp = 15 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml; use level measures for dry ingredients.

For the tray

  • 300 g rolled oats, not instant oats
  • 100 g almonds, roughly chopped
  • 40 g pumpkin seeds
  • 100 g runny honey
  • 60 ml neutral oil
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp fine salt

After baking

  • 75 g dried cranberries

Step by step

  1. Set up the tray

    Heat the oven to 160°C / 140°C fan / 325°F. Line a large rimmed baking tray. Mix the oats, almonds and pumpkin seeds in a roomy bowl. Break up any large clumps of oats before adding the wet ingredients.

  2. Coat evenly

    In a second bowl, stir the honey, oil, cinnamon, vanilla and salt until combined. If the honey is stiff, gently warm the bowl over warm water. Pour over the oat mixture and stir thoroughly, scraping the bottom until no dry pockets remain.

  3. Bake gently

    Spread across the tray in an even layer about 1 cm deep. Bake for 15 minutes, stir once and press gently back into an even layer with a spatula. Bake another 10–15 minutes, checking the edges frequently. Remove when golden and fragrant; it will still feel a little soft while hot.

  4. Leave it alone

    Set the tray on a heatproof surface and leave undisturbed for about 45 minutes, until fully cold. Do not keep stirring as it cools: that breaks up the clusters before they set. Break into pieces of your preferred size.

  5. Add fruit and store

    Stir in the dried cranberries only after cooling. Transfer to a clean, completely dry airtight jar. The recipe makes roughly twelve breakfast portions; portion size depends on whether you eat it alone or sprinkle it over a separate bowl of yogurt.

Allergens: Almonds; oats may contain gluten. Use certified gluten-free oats if required and check other labels.

Honey is not suitable for children under 12 months. Read the guidance.

Timings are guides. For meat and fish, check the internal temperature, not just the clock.

How to get larger clusters

Pressing after the halfway stir and leaving the tray alone while it cools encourages clusters. A deeper, crowded layer instead traps moisture; divide between two trays if necessary. Granola can go from golden to burnt quickly, especially around the edges.

For a darker, more pronounced honey flavour, replace a small part of the mild honey with a stronger variety rather than increasing the total quantity. Extra honey adds moisture and changes both the baking time and texture.

Keep it crisp

Additions with their own moisture shorten the crunchy life of the batch. Keep fresh fruit and dairy out of the storage jar and add them only to individual servings. Dried apricots, chopped small, can replace the cranberries in the same weight.

Keep the fully cooled granola airtight in a cool, dry cupboard and aim to use within two weeks. Use a clean, dry spoon. If moisture gets into the jar or the nuts smell stale, do not keep it just because the storage time has not elapsed.

Originally published . Editorial update: ApiNote.

Recipe created for the ApiNote honey kitchen. Preparation and cooking times are guides; ovens, ingredient sizes and room temperatures vary.

How we write & update

ApiNote · iOS & Android

Every jar has a story.

Keep bees yourself? Record your honey harvests and each colony’s progress in ApiNote. For iOS and Android, free for up to five hives.

Compare Free & Pro
Download on theApp StoreGet it onGoogle Play

Keep exploring

Honey recipes · 40 min

Honey baked pears with walnuts and yogurt

Warm pear halves filled with honey, cinnamon and walnuts, served with cool Greek yogurt. A relaxed dessert with only ten minutes of preparation.

Updated

Honey recipes · 40 min

Crispy honey soy tofu with broccoli

Crisp tofu cubes in honey, soy, garlic and ginger sauce, served with rice and broccoli. A straightforward vegetarian dinner with a proper crunchy coating.

Updated