Granola is always a great quick and easy breakfast option and there are so many ways that you can serve it. Supermarket versions are loaded with added sugar, so we have made our own low sugar granola that is only sweetened with fruit and heavier on the nuts and seeds rather than dried fruit. A healthy granola is our go-to fuss free breakfast when we want to start the day with something sweet.
Packed full of oats, nuts, seeds and fruit, this homemade granola is the best way to start the day if you have a sweet tooth. You can adapt with with whatever nuts and dried fruit you have and it's easy to batch make it as it stores well. This is our sugar free granola (no added sugar) - no added honey or maple syrup, just sweetened by fruit.
If you are looking for some more recipes packed with nuts and seeds, why not try our make ahead Chia Pudding, easy No Bake Energy Balls, super fudgy No Bake Brownies or our delicious Homemade Granola Bars?
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Why you will love it
- An easy batch making breakfast - You can make a big batch of this healthy granola recipe once a week and then keep it stored for quick and easy breakfasts throughout the week.
- Easy to adapt - Use this homemade granola recipe as a guide and then adapt it with your favourite ingredients, or whatever you have that needs using up.
- Kids love it - Kids will love putting together their own mixtures and it's a great way to introduce them to new nuts and fruits. Just be careful of chocking hazards and cut things appropriately.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Oats - Regular rolled porridge oats is what you want here and it's the bulk of our granola recipe. We like jumbo oats too, as they have lots of texture. But any oats will work as you are not cooking them.
- Nuts - These add lots of health fats to the granola and you can use whatever nuts you like. We added almonds, cashews, walnuts. But feel free to mix it up with whatever you have - pecans are a nice addition too.
- Dried fruit - Just like the nuts, you can adapt the dried fruit with what you have. We added just raisins and not too many as this is a low sugar granola. You could also add dried cherries, raisins, apricots and cranberries. We have given more options for variations below.
- Desiccated coconut - Not only does this add a lovely flavour, but the texture of it is lovely too.
- Seeds - Another way to add some crunch and anything goes. We used a mixture of chia, sunflower, linseed and pumpkin seeds.
- Liquid sweetener - We used Sweet Freedom, as it is made from just fruit, so it keeps this a sugar free granola that is naturally sweetened with fruit. You could use another liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup though.
- Orange extract - This adds a lovely extra flavour and some freshness.
- Coconut oil - This is what everything is cooked in and helps to crisp it all up.
- Cinnamon - Adds a lovely warm flavour to the homemade granola.
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to make low sugar granola - Step by step
Prep: Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.
One: In a large mixing bowl, add the oats, nuts, dried fruit, desiccated coconut (a), seeds, liquid sweetener, orange extract, coconut oil and cinnamon (b).
Two: Mix well to combine everything.
Three: Spread over a large baking tray.
Four: Put into the oven for 25 minutes. Shake twice during cooking.
Five: Allow to cool and then transfer to an air tight container.
What to serve with low sugar granola
We love serving it with yogurt or milk. A nice thick Greek yogurt works well, you you could use a flavoured yogurt too.
If you like your breakfast really sweet, then you could serve it will a drizzle of honey or maple syrup. We like to add some fresh fruit for some extra sweetness though. Granola also makes a really nice pancake topping for some added crunch.
It's also a great topping for our Chia Pudding, Smoothie Bowl or Chocolate Yogurt.
Variations
The nuts are what give granola that crunch everyone loves, and there are so many options when it comes to what nuts to use. We like a real mix, so we used walnut halves, whole almonds (you could use flaked) and cashews.
If you only like one or two types of nuts, then you could use use those. Chopped peanuts, pecans, hazelnuts and pistachios work well too.
Although homemade granola has less sugar than store bought, you still want to make sure it has a little sweetness with the dried fruit. Again, like the nuts, there is so much choice when it comes to what to use.
We just used raisins, but you could add chopped up dried apricots and mixed them with dried cranberries and dried cherries. You could use chopped dates, prunes, apple chips or sultanas too though.
The great thing about homemade granola is that it really is easy to adapt. If you are trying to raid your cupboard to come up with something, then this is a good breakfast to make.
You could add coconut flakes, any kind of seeds (linseeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds) and other fruit like banana chips. If you wanted to make this a little more indulgent, then some dark chocolate chips are a really good addition.
Storage
Store this in an air tight container (we use a jar) and it will keep for quite a few months. We just take out a scoop at a time and store the rest away ready for another delicious breakfast.
Extra tips
- Keep an eye on your granola. It can go from almost cooked to burnt very quickly. Make sure to toss it every 10 minutes to prevent it from burning.
- Other spices like ginger or nutmeg work well too.
- You can use olive oil instead of coconut oil if you prefer.
- Granola will store in an air tight container for up to 2 months.
- You can use honey or maple syrup instead for the liquid sweetener.
- You can make this nut free by just using extra oats and seeds.
- Some melted nut butter is a good addition to the sugar free granola too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Keeping your added sugar to a minimum has lots of health benefits, but there are also health benefits from the ingredients added.
Oats are a gluten-free whole grain and they are a great source of vitamins, minerals and fibre. They are a good source of manganese, copper, iron, phosphorus, zinc and magnesium.
Nuts are a delicious and versatile healthy fat and this muesli recipe is packed with them. Nuts contain antioxidants which can protect your cells and “bad” LDL cholesterol from damage caused by free radicals.
This recipe makes 12 servings. There are about 70g-90g per portion.
Yes, as long as you use certified gluten free oats and make sure there is no cross contamination, then this is gluten free.
More breakfast recipes
If you’ve tried this low sugar granola recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Low Sugar Granola
Ingredients
- 200 g (2.5 cups) Oats
- 100 g (0.75 cups) Almonds
- 50 g (0.5 cups) Walnuts - broken
- 50 g (0.33 cups) Cashews
- 75 g (1.75 cups) Dried fruit
- 50 g (0.66 cups) Desiccated coconut
- 50 g (0.33 cups) Seeds
- 2 tablespoon Liquid sweetener
- 1 tablespoon Orange extract
- 4 tablespoon Coconut oil - melted
- 2 teaspoon Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C(fan)/350°F/Gas 4.
- Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix well to combine everything.
- Spread over a large baking tray.
- Put into the oven for 25 minutes. Shake twice during cooking.
- Allow to cool and then transfer to an air tight container.
Recipe Tips
- Keep an eye on your granola. It can go from almost cooked to burnt very quickly. Make sure to toss it every 10 minutes to prevent it from burning.
- Other spices like ginger or nutmeg work well too.
- You can use olive oil instead of coconut oil if you prefer.
- Granola will store in an air tight container for up to 2 months.
- You can use honey or maple syrup instead for the liquid sweetener.
- You can make this nut free by just using extra oats and seeds.
- Some melted nut butter is a good addition to the sugar free granola too.
- To ensure this recipe is definitely gluten free, use oats that are certified gluten free.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
gunjan says
This granola recipe is exactly what I was looking for. Came out so good at my first attempt. So I made again but a bigger batch.
Toni says
This is such an amazing recipe!! I love that it is low sugar!!
Katherine says
I love this healthier homemade granola. So easy and so tasty!
Tavo says
Super easy and convenient. I love having mine with soy milk for extra protein.
Sarah James says
What a great recipe, a delicious breakfast and without all that added sugar. Loved the cinnamon and the coconut with the nuts, thanks for sharing.
Colleen says
I love this granola! It's super easy to make, healthy and delicious. Thanks for this recipe!
Jess says
My kids love when I make granola for them! We love it on our yogurt.
Stephanie says
My daughter loves to snack on granola, but she is very sensitive to sugar so this is a great option for her!
Kushigalu says
Love this simple, healthy and delicious granola recipe Thanks for sharing
Diana Reis says
Great texture. The desiccated coconut adds great flavor and it has just the right amount of sweetness for me.