Homemade Granola (Bulk Recipe!)
This homemade granola is a bulk recipe to save you time by making it all at once! It also is one of the best homemade granola recipes and very adaptable to individual tastes. It makes about 20 cups of granola.
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This post contains affiliate links. Here is the full disclosure.
Why We Make our Own Homemade Granola Recipe in Bulk
When my kids were little, I bought them Cheerios from the store for eating on a daily basis for breakfast. Though its not a terrible cereal, it was expensive and I would always hear in less than an hour, “I’m hungry! Can I have a snack?!” When I started having health problems, we pretty much got rid of everything store-bought and heavily processed, including cereal, so I needed to create an alternative.
Instead of cereal, most days for breakfast, we eat eggs, kimchi, sourdough toast and fruit as a side. But as an alternative for days when we want a change we eat granola, fruit, and almond milk or the kids will have granola, plain greek yogurt, and mix in a little homemade jam for sweetness.
Since we now have a teenage boys, I always make granola in bulk. It lasts a long time in the pantry and is shelf stable as long as you stick to the ingredients I list. I’ve never actually had it go bad, but I also think the longest time we’ve had it on the shelf was 2-3 months.
The best recipes come from happy accidents! I originally was trying to make a granola bar recipe and it wasn’t sticky enough to make a good granola bar. But it did crumbled into chunks and the resulting homemade granola was delicious! The chunky clusters along with all the homemade ingredients are what set it apart!
Granola ingredients + Variations!
One of the fun parts of granola is that it is so adaptable to different tastes. Below you’ll find variations of the original recipe that will still work. I buy my ingredients in bulk, especially organic old fashioned rolled oats. My go-to place to buy them for an affordable price can be found HERE.
Coconut Oil– Coconut oil is what I use in the recipe as the oil but you can substitute butter or any other light flavored oil. If you use butter, keep in mind it will significantly shorten the shelf life. For the coconut oil, because it is solid at room temperature, I melt it with the honey before adding it to the mix.
Honey– This is another adaptable ingredient, but I’d only recommend substituting maple syrup as an alternative. Honey is great at helping all the oats and nuts stick together in clusters. The honey also adds some delicious flavor!
Dried Cranberries– Feel free to substitute in your favorite dried fruit instead of the dried sweetened cranberries. Fruits like raisins, dried blueberries, or tart dried cherries would all be great options!
Almonds– I used almonds but any chopped nut will do for homemade granola! I’ve used walnuts and pecans before but I would think any nut would work.
Old Fashioned Rolled Oats– No variations here, definitely stick with the old fashioned rolled oats, do not use quick oats for this recipe.
Shredded Coconut– I really love the coconut in this but if you aren’t a coconut fan, substitute another mix-in. A couple ideas for alternatives are wheat germ or flax meal.
Chia Seeds– Again, you can use any alternative seeds you have. Chia is nice because it helps things stick together making yummy clusters. You can also substitute use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds depending on your preference.
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Granola tips
To make chunky clusters, there are three important steps.
- Press the granola down flat. Add parchment paper over the top, then press with your hands or a rolling pin to push it tight together.
- Wait for it to completely cool. I waited overnight (8 hours) and it was perfect. If you want to speed up the process stick it in the refrigerator or outside if it’s cold enough.
- Cook it long enough. I cooked mine for 30 minutes rotating the tray halfway through. It was golden brown and I wasn’t sure if it was actually finished but it was. Ovens definitely vary though so wait until it reaches the golden brown stage. If it seems like it needs a little more time at 5 minutes at a time, watching it closely so it doesn’t scorch. DO NOT stir as it cooks.
One more tip, add the dried fruit at the end. Honestly, when I made this I cooked the fruit in because I was thinking I was making granola bars. It turned out fine, but I’d hate to have someone substitute in a different dried fruit and have it burn!
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Homemade Granola (Bulk Recipe)
Ingredients
- 10 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 2 cups almonds coarsely chopped
- 1 cup shredded coconut unsweetened
- 1/2 cup chia seeds
- 1 1/3 cups honey
- 1 cup coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups dried cranberries
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of 2 half sheet cookie trays (18″x13″) with parchment paper.
- Combine honey, coconut oil, and sea salt in a small saucepan. Stir occasionally until everything is melted and dissolved together.
- Take off heat and add in vanilla, stir.
- Combine oats, almonds, shredded coconut, and chia seeds in a large bowl. Stir together.
- Add in melted oil and honey mixture to the large oat mixture bowl, stir until everything is coated.
- Transfer oat mixture to the prepare half sheet pans.
- Press down initially with a rubber spatula, then add an additional sheet of parchment paper over the top. Roll flat with a rolling pin or use your hands to press it very flat and tight together.
- Cook for 20-30 minutes. Rotating the trays halfway through. I highly recommend starting at 20 minutes checking for doneness after that, then if it’s not done add an addition 5 minutes and check again. Repeating this process until it’s golden brown on the top.
- Let cool completely if you want a granola clusters to stick together. Cool and refrigerate uncovered for at least 2-3 hours, but overnight is best. Then in the morning break apart into clusters, stir in dried fruit, and store in an airtight container.
