Easy and Frugal Homemade Granola Recipe

Once you make your first batch you’ll be hooked by the taste, the ease, and the price.  We were!

This is the easiest and most rewarding baking project ever… so little effort for such a yummy result.

Our quest for the perfect breakfast…

For the majority of 2009 mornings the Jabs household has been eating a yogurt, granola, and fresh fruit breakfast.  We started with store bought yogurt but quickly moved to homemade kefir instead (kefir is the healthier sibling to yogurt) – simple kefir recipe coming soon.  We also moved quickly from store bought blueberries to picking our own local, organic blueberries.

For awhile now the last store-bought holdout has been our granola.  Then I received this email from DFA reader Teresa White:

I found your site while searching for homemade detergent (which is great), and I notice you and your wife eat the same breakfast my husband & I eat every morning, (we are addicted.) I thought you might want my recipe for homemade granola (healthy w/ no oil) Yummy, and cheaper than store-bought.  We make our yogurt as well – it’s also much cheaper than store purchased.  Let me know, God Bless your Ministry.  ~ Teresa

I was like… “Uhhhh yeah!  Hand it over Teresa.”  She did… and the results have been awesome!

Here is the healthy and frugal granola recipe:

Though she made a few tweaks, Teresa gives Ellie Kreiger credit for the original recipe.  After a few trial runs, we also made a few adaptations to the recipe and came up with what you see below.

Cost = approximately $1.50/batch (at time of writing)

Using a large cookie sheet or other pan with sides that allow you to stir the mixture – butter pan and preheat oven to 300 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl combine:

• 3 cups whole rolled oats (not instant or quick)
• pinch of salt (optional)
• cinnamon (as you want – I add 1/2 tsp)
• 2/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp raw honey (they sell this at most health food stores, but use regular honey if that is all you have)
• 1/2 cup shaved coconut
• Nuts & seeds – Use whatever you like.  My favorite was slivered almonds while Teresa likes pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, pecans, and almonds.  Use as much as you want – I use about 3/4 cup.

Stir all ingredients together (will be slightly wet.)  Pour into single layer on buttered pan and bake in preheated 300 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Stir contents, arrange in single layer again, and continue baking.  Bake another 10 to 15 minutes and remove (Bake until barely starting to turn a little tan.)  Stir again and allow to cool.  Granola will be crunchy when cooled.

I you like, after cooling you can stir in dried fruit like cherries, raisins, cranberries etc.

Store in glass jar, not plastic – stays fresh in glass better.

If you double the recipe make sure you use a very large baking pan so the layer will still be thin enough to get toasty.  Also… back at 300 degrees and not higher.  This allows the granola to cook slow and get nice and toasty and crunchy.

- print this recipe -

Another debt free testimony!

Teresa also added,

This granola is inexpensive as long as you don’t get carried away on the nuts.  By the way, my husband and I have lost weight also (about 40 lbs together.)  We are eating better food, eating more at home and walking.  Plus… we are almost completely debt free – praise the Lord!  We will make our last house payment next month and are so happy to be almost at this goal.  I give God the glory because even though our business has been slow over the last 1 1/2 yrs, God has been faithful to provide beyond our needs.

Hope you enjoy this wonderful recipe, you may never buy granola again!

God Bless, Teresa

Thank you Teresa – and congratulations on being debt free… I cannot wait to join you!

Once you prepare, bake, and taste this heavenly snack… you’ll be kicking yourself that you have not been making your own granola all along.  We did!

Tagged as: Food, Homemade