This is a vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free rose cardamom granola, sweetened only with dates. It’s lightly sweet and perfectly clumped, just right for breakfast with yogurt or almond milk.
Almond meal and chopped almonds bulk things up here and add protein, oats round it out, and rosewater and cardamom add some delicate flavour without being overwhelming. Using the base of almond meal and oats makes it gluten-free, and a little coconut oil along with the dates hold everything together and keep it vegan. No butter or egg whites needed.
Dates still contain sugars but since they’re a whole fruit you’ve also got fibre and vitamins in the mix so it’s a better option, if not a perfect one. Moderation. Most of my other granola recipes use maple syrup or honey – if you’re good with that, you can check out my olive oil granola, hazelnut granola, and tahini granola.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Rolled oats: use certified gluten-free if necessary. Rolled are best but quick cook oats can be used in a pinch.
- Almonds: raw and unsalted almonds, blanched or not. You could use slivered almonds if preferred.
- Cardamom: leave the cardamom out if you don’t like it, or substitute vanilla.
- Rosewater: if you want a light floral flavour but don’t like rose, substitute orange blossom water instead. For a stronger almond taste, add a few drops of almond extract.
- Coconut oil: use refined to avoid any slight coconut flavour. I think butter would probably work for this recipe but I don’t recommend using an oil that’s liquid at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
The granola will be all in one piece after baking and cooling. Break it into pieces the size you’d like.
I usually use a food processor to make the date paste for recipes like this, but my dates were so soft this time that I just mashed them with a fork. If you don’t have a processor, you can do the same.
Dates tend to burn easily so the oven temperature stays low to prevent that. If it does start to brown too much, cover loosely with a sheet of parchment paper (no need to tuck it in, just lay it over the granola).
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Expert Tips
- Don’t go overboard: don’t add more rosewater than recommended unless you want a soap-flavoured breakfast. It should be a delicate flavour.
- Use solid coconut oil: this will give you a better end texture than melted. The oil can be softened slightly, but don’t melt it.
- It shouldn’t be brown: take the granola out when it’s lightly golden, even if it feels a little soft still. It’ll crisp up as it cools.
More Flower Recipes
Honey Elderflower Cordial
Honey Lilac Syrup
Lilac Lemonade
Elderflower Lemonade
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Almond, Rose, and Cardamom Granola
Ingredients
- 250 grams rolled oats
- 100 grams almonds roughly chopped
- 45 grams almond meal
- ½ teaspoon vanilla powder
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 150 grams soft dates packed
- 70 grams coconut oil room temperature
- ½ teaspoon rosewater
- Handful dried rose petals optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mash the dates (remove any seeds first) with a fork or use your food processor to blend them into a paste. In a large bowl, mix the oats, chopped almonds, almond meal, vanilla, cardamom, and salt.250 grams rolled oats, 100 grams almonds, 45 grams almond meal, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder, 1/4 teaspoon cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Add the date paste, coconut oil, and rosewater to the oat mixture. Use your hands to mix until fully incorporated. Place the granola onto the prepared baking sheet and try to spread it into an even layer.150 grams soft dates, 70 grams coconut oil, 1/2 teaspoon rosewater
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and cool completely on the baking sheet before breaking into pieces and mixing in the dried rose petals. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one month.Handful dried rose petals
* For American cup measurements, please click the pink link text above the ingredient list that says ‘American’.
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Mariam says
This looks delicious and have been on an everything rose kick for the last 2 years! 🙂
There seems to be a shortage of almond meal in my area. Can I omit from the recipe or replace with a nut butter?
Alexandra Daum says
Hi Mariam, I would try something like 2 tablespoons oat flour and 1 tablespoon nut butter to replace the almond meal – that should work out. Hope this helps!
Mariah says
Delicious!