This fragrant Vanilla Granola is my go-to for a quick breakfast or snack. Enjoy it as-is or use it to top ice cream, yogurt, smoothies, or as a starting point for your favorite add-in’s! 
When I first made this recipe it was sort of a mess but tasted so amazing. My entire house was filled with an amazing aroma but it was almost impossible to get things to stick together, literally. I wanted big clumps of goodness that would be ideal for on-the-go snacking or replacing cereal. That is the way I feel like granola SHOULD be, am I right? Good news is I’ve made a couple of adjustments and have perfected the mix!
The first thing I did was swap out coconut oil in place of canola. I’ve been obsessed with the stuff ever since I used it in a stir fry a few months back. It is a much better swap for butter and oils, in my opinion, and helps all of the granola goodness stick together a little bit better. I also reduced the sugar, added a touch of salt, and ditched the extra agave. If you made this recipe in the past you probably noticed that on top of brown sugar and honey it called for a measly teaspoon of agave… ONE TEASPOON. It’s not missed and things still taste dreamy.
I do suggest taste testing as you go. I put about 1/4 cup of sugar and honey but my husband likes it with a little less (around 2-3 tablespoons). Also be liberal with your add-in’s. I like it plain Jane because I use it with a ton of fruit on Greek yogurt but have big plans to create some outstanding flavor combo’s for you.
Vanilla Granola
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/3 cup honey
- 4 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with a silicone mat or parchment and set aside.
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Combine the oats, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl and set aside.
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Whisk the coconut oil and honey in a saucepan. Heat until fully just warmed and the oil is completely liquidated. Remove from the heat and stir in the Vanilla.
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Stir together the oats with the vanilla liquid until coated. Spread onto your prepared sheet and bake for 30 minutes stirring once halfway through.
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Granola is done when golden brown and fragrant.
Recipe Notes
*Add in your favorite dried fruits for an extra punch of flavor.
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Christine says
I am so excited to see a plain Jane granola, I can’t wait to try this recipe out. Thank you for posting it. I had no idea it could this simple.
This is going to sound dumb but, what is agave? I’ve never heard of it before so I’m not sure where to look for it in the grocery store.
Thanks,
Christine
Jesseca says
Agave nectar is a supplement used instead of sugar. You can double the amount and use honey or sugar. :0)
Renae says
I just made this and substituted coconut oil instead of canola oil….it was awesome. Next time I think I’ll add sunflower seeds and coconut flakes.
Jesseca says
oooooh! I never thought to try coconut oil! Great idea!
Britta says
Do you have any idea how many calories per serving this is?
Jesseca says
I’m not sure. I can try to figure it out this afternoon for you though.
Colleen W says
I cannot find a granola for my yogurt ANYWERE! I knew I would be able to find a recipe here 🙂 I’ll be making this for our fruit, yogurt, granola breakfast tomorrow!
Jesseca says
It’s one of our all time favorites. Dax loves granola.
Colleen W says
Oh my gosh, it’s even better than I thought it was going to be!
Rachel says
I just made this today. Thanks for the tasty recipe!
Leilani says
Making this right now to go with homemade yogurt, swapped the agave for maple syrup and tripled the cinnamon. Excited to try coconut oil next time after looking through the comments! Thank you so much for posting this recipe!
Yvonne says
Made & loved this! Thanks for the great recipe!