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Breakfast

Grain Free Granola

July 15, 2020 by Alexandra Daum
Gluten and grain free granola made with seeds, coconut, and maple syrup - a healthy, tasty breakfast or snack, made without nuts, eggs, or dairy.
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Grain free granola with dried cranberries in a jar, front view.

A really simple recipe, this grain-free seed granola doesn’t include oats, so it’s exactly right for topping a bowl of porridge for a bit of crunch! I love granola on my morning oats but it can be a but of an oat overload. This one doesn’t have nuts, either, so it’s both budget and allergy friendly.

It is a bit of a change from my standard olive oil granola but I love the textures here – very crunchy, with the chewiness from the seeds. It’s extra crispy from using coconut oil, too. This is a great go-to year round recipe.

Serve with chia pudding (this was originally shown as a chia parfait with berries), non-dairy milk, yogurt, or my favourite, as is with some fresh or frozen berries.

Table of Contents hide
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Step by Step
Recipe Notes
How to Store
Expert Tips
More Great Granola Recipes
Grain Free Granola

Ingredients

Grain free granola ingredients with labels.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

  • Seeds: pub the sunflower and pumpkin seeds however you like. Some sesame seeds would be great, or you can do nuts instead (slivered almonds would be nice). Don’t remove the chia seeds, they help to bind the granola.
  • Coconut: you could perhaps use flake coconut instead of shredded, if it’s all you have on hand, but it will change the texture of the granola significantly. The original recipe called for flake coconut to be added in after baking but I didn’t like that as much with later tests.
  • Spices: any spices can be added or changed around – cinnamon is the basic one. Lebkuchen spice, or pumpkin pie spice, add a bit of nutmeg or sumac, anything you like. A little orange zest would be good here too.
  • Maple syrup: as usual, runny honey can be subbed for maple syrup, which is what I most often do as maple syrup is extraordinarily expensive here, and shipped in from Canada. Just don’t do this if you’re making it for vegans.
  • Dried fruit: the recipe calls for dried cranberries, but raisins are equally good, and you could also use dried mango, or blueberries, or any fruit you like. Since it’s being added after baking, it doesn’t matter how large the pieces are.

Step by Step

Granola steps 1 to 4.

1. Mix the ingredients: stir the dry ingredients together before adding the wet ingredients and mixing to combine.
2. Spread out: spread the granola mixture evenly onto a lined baking sheet.
3. Bake: for about half an hour at 150 degrees.
4. Store: cool fully before transferring to a jar for storage.

Recipe Notes

The granola will be one large clump once it’s cooled on the tray, so you can break it up into the piece size you like. I know people are really into very clumpy granola so if you want giant chunks, go for it. I’m more about fitting it on a spoon when I eat it.

The bigger the baking sheet, the better. I have the European oven-size sheets, so I just use one. If you’re using a standard cookie sheet, you might want to split it over two to get the nice clumps and an even baking time.

How to Store

Storage: keep the granola in a sealed container or jar for up to a week at room temperature.

Freezing: freeze in an airtight container for up to one month.

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Expert Tips

  • Line the baking sheet: greasing the baking sheet makes for an oily, unpleasant granola, so I recommend using parchment paper.
  • Check your oven temperature: make sure your oven isn’t running hot when you bake this – if it’s quite hot, it’ll burn very quickly. That’s why it needs a lower oven temperature. A portable oven thermometer is cheap and very useful – every recipe on OE is tested with three temperature gauges.
  • Add the fruit after baking: this is important! Don’t add the fruit before baking, it’s mixed in after the granola is already baked. It will burn if you try baking it. This goes for any dried fruit.
  • Cool before moving: letting it cool on the baking sheet is key, as the coconut oil is part of what makes the large pieces and adds crispness. It needs to solidify to ensure that everything holds together well.

More Great Granola Recipes

Orange Tahini Granola
Almond Cardamom Granola
Cinnamon Hazelnut Granola
Almond Butter Granola

If you make this Grain Free Granola or any other vegetarian breakfast recipes on Occasionally Eggs, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email.

Yield: 16

Grain Free Granola

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes minutes
Total Time 35 minutes minutes
4.67 from 3 votes

Ingredients

Metric – American
  • 150 grams sunflower seeds
  • 150 grams pumpkin seeds
  • 90 grams unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 50 grams chia seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 60 ml maple syrup
  • 60 grams coconut oil, melted
  • 60 grams dried cranberries

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Add the sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, coconut, chia, cinnamon, and salt to a large bowl. Mix to combine.
    150 grams sunflower seeds, 150 grams pumpkin seeds, 90 grams unsweetened shredded coconut, 50 grams chia seeds, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • Add the maple syrup and melted coconut oil to the bowl, and mix again, using a wooden spoon or your hands, until well combined.
    60 ml maple syrup, 60 grams coconut oil, melted
  • Spread the granola onto the prepared pan as evenly as possible. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until evenly golden in colour.
  • Let the granola cool completely in the pan, then break it into pieces and add the dried cranberries. Store the cooled granola in jars or a sealed container up to a week at room temperature, or a month in the freezer.
    60 grams dried cranberries

* For American cup measurements, please click the pink link text above the ingredient list that says ‘American’.


Nutrition

Serving: 0.25cup Calories: 216kcal Carbohydrates: 12g Protein: 6g Fat: 18g Saturated Fat: 8g Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g Monounsaturated Fat: 4g Trans Fat: 0.01g Sodium: 78mg Potassium: 193mg Fiber: 4g Sugar: 7g Vitamin A: 8IU Vitamin C: 0.5mg Calcium: 40mg Iron: 2mg

Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.

© Alexandra Daum
Course: Breakfast, Pantry Recipes, Snack, Snacks
Cuisine: American
Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Print

This post was originally published in August 2016. It has been updated with new photographs and improvements to the recipe and text as of July 2020.

More Breakfast:

Four square waffles with maple syrup on a plate with toppings and more waffles around.Dairy-Free Waffles
A bowl of porridge topped with mushrooms, herbs, preserved lemon, and a boiled egg.Savoury Porridge
A stack of American-style pancakes topped with lingonberries and syrup.Einkorn Pancakes
A shallow bowl of granola with orange slices and oat milk.Tahini Granola with Orange

Previous Post: « Spelt Pasta
Next Post: Vegan Mango Lassi »

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Comments

  1. Cristina @ I Say Nomato says

    September 6, 2016 at 3:33 pm

    These look so yummy! That homemade granola looks so crunchy and fresh, and I love the addition of coconut!

    Reply
  2. Hilary says

    September 3, 2016 at 7:17 pm

    Oh yum!! These look so tasty. I'm always checking out other granola recipes, as I'm somewhat obsessed. I will have to give your recipe a try!

    Reply
  3. Melanie Miriam says

    September 3, 2016 at 2:42 am

    I love that you included coconut in this recipe! I love that extra oily crunch it gives! <3

    Reply
  4. Nicoletta @sugarlovespices says

    September 2, 2016 at 10:05 pm

    Wow…you’re moving, mean moving definitely, to Germany! Happy for you on this big decision! I’m from Italy, moved to Edmonton for my husband but planning on moving back there in few years. By the way, your Chia parfaits look dreamy, beautiful and delicious at the same time, gorgeous photos as well. Love the richness and creaminess from the coconut milk. And congratulations to your sister!

    Reply

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