All you need is 5 minutes of prep and 5 ingredients to make this delicious Oil-free Cinnamon Granola recipe. Making homemade granola is a much healthier, tastier option than store bought granolas and cereals. This granola is perfect for on-the-go snacking or eaten as cereal in a delicious bowl of almond milk.
5 INGREDIENT OIL-FREE CINNAMON GRANOLA
5 ingredients and 5 minutes prep is all you need to bake this absolutely, delicious homemade granola. No need for the 15 ingredient granola recipe today, I’m making this real easy for ya. Seriously, you can add 5 different nuts and some dried fruit if you wish, but it’s just not necessary for it to be delicious. It’s shocking how yummy this granola is with such few ingredients. Only negative, is it’s gone in minutes in my household.
You don’t need to spend a ridiculous amount for a small bag at the store for granola that contains too much sugar, too much oil and too many preservatives. I’ve never found one brand that didn’t have some oil or preservatives in it. Making it homemade ensures it is fresh, healthy and so much yummier!
It makes the perfect healthy cereal, when served with homemade almond milk! Seriously, cereal at the store tends to be full of sugar, oil or preservatives. This bowl is pure delicious, wholesome goodness and so fresh.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
- Old-fashioned rolled oats
- Pecans or nuts or seeds of choice
- Roasted almond butter or sunbutter for nut-free
- Pure maple syrup
- Ground cinnamon
HOW DO YOU MAKE OIL-FREE GRANOLA?
Step 1: Preheat an oven to 325°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Step 2: To a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients, add the wet and mix until a sticky batter forms.
Step 3: Pour the granola over the prepared pan and spread out evenly, about a 1/2 inch thick layer.
Step 4: Bake at 325°F for 15 minutes on the bottom rack. Remove the pan, stir the granola around so that the bottom can cook evenly. Place back in the oven and cook another 10-12 minutes until very golden brown.
Step 5: Cool 10 minutes to allow the granola to crisp up.
MORE OIL FREE VEGAN GRANOLA RECIPES
- Apple Pie Granola
- Oil-free Double Chocolate Molasses Granola
- Chocolate Cinnamon Granola
- Peanut Butter Granola
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!
Oil-Free 5 Ingredient Cinnamon Granola
Ingredients
- 2 cups (200g) old fashioned rolled oats I use Bob's Red Mill gluten-free
- 1 cup chopped pecans or nuts/seeds of choice (pecans are best because they lend a very buttery flavor)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup (64g) creamy almond butter
- 1/2 cup (160g) pure maple syrup
- 1/4 scant teaspoon fine sea salt
- I use this scale.
NOTE
- If you or your child can't tolerate nuts, than this recipe can easily be made nut-free & kid-friendly by using sunflower kernels instead of pecans and sunbutter instead of almond butter.
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 325 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place middle oven rack on the bottom rack.
- Add oats, pecans, cinnamon and salt to a large bowl and stir well.
- Add almond butter and syrup to a cup or small bowl and stir well. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir until very well mixed and sticky.
- Pour over the prepared pan and spread out evenly, about a 1/2 inch thick.
- Bake for 15 minutes on the bottom rack. Remove the pan, stir the granola around so that the bottom can cook evenly. Place back in the oven and cook another 10-12 minutes until very golden brown.
- Cool on the pan for 10 minutes and it will crisp up a lot. Store in a ziplock bag or plastic container. It will stay fresh for up to one week, if it even lasts that long!
Notes
Nutrition
This is so delicious and (bonus) simple! I’ve made it several times now. Add flax seed and dried cranberries but not because it needs anything else. Have to resist eating it like cookie dough before it goes in the oven!
Have made your granola so many times since we went plant based in January 2015. I did up the oats to 3 cups so it is a bit drier but still so yummy. Then we don’t feel bad eating an extra handful :). I just started making my own soy yogurt and your granola mixed with the yogurt and fruit is my fav breakfast at the moment.
Delicious! Made it with agave instead of maple since I had it and it’s great. Can’t stop snacking!
Yay- I can eat cereal again!
(I haven’t found a store bought cereal I liked in such a long time). Wow, that almond butter with the maple syrup. I’m so happy right now. I made it with cashew milk (homemade!)
I was wondering- do you have any recommendations for flavorings to add to cashew milk for use with cereal? (Or do you think just use the same flavorings as you suggest for the almond milk?) I have been drinking it just as is but I thought I’d check.
Thank you so much Allie for taking the time to leave reviews, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it! I agree that store-bought granolas are very sad. They are very bland in flavor and the ingredients are not good quality either. I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I would add vanilla and a touch of maple syrup if you want to sweeten the cashew milk. I always make mine plain since I mainly use it for baking and savory sauces, but vanilla and a touch of sweetener would be delicious! I would even add a pinch of salt, it will really improve the flavor!
Thank you so much. I will definitely try that! 😀
This recipe is absolutely fantastic. I almost made the mistake of thinking it was too simple, and I’m so happy to have been wrong. Best granola I’ve ever made. The texture is outstanding and the flavor is delicious. Thank you!!!
Thank you so much Kristin! I really appreciate you leaving the review and am so happy this is the best granola you’ve ever made!!
Making this for the second time in a week. So delicious! Thank you for a great recipe 🙂
Awesome, so glad you enjoy it!
Absolutely obsessed with this recipe!! So much healthier than store bought granola and so much tastier too. Thanks for the recipe!!
That is just so wonderful to hear Taylor, thank you so much for letting me know! Would you mind to give it a star rating, they are so helpful for me, thank you so much!
Have made this multiple times for myself and for guests. So easy and quick to make and soooooo delicious! Thank-you!
So very happy to hear that Melanie! Thank you for the lovely review! Sorry I’m just seeing it!
O.M.G! I never thought I would see the day my fiancé though something was better than store bought cereal for breakfast, but this granola was the one!! He’s requested it two weeks in a row & who am I to say no to something healthier (and that tastes sooooo much better) than anything I could buy at the store. Thanks for this awesome recipe!
Oh yay! This makes me so happy to hear! Homemade really tastes so much better than store bought! Would you mind clicking the star rating too? They are so helpful for me, thank you!
What can be subbed for maple syrup?
Agave is the best sub
I love your oil-free vegan recipes! However, I try to use as little sweeteners as possible (all empty calories), if at all. Is there a way to make a granola without any sugar added (including maple, agave, etc., as they are all the same)? I would appreciate your insights on this!
Hi! Not really sure what to tell you here because without any sweetener it’s just going to taste like very plain oats. The syrup gives moisture and makes them crunchy and of course flavor. All granola is sweetened. You could try date syrup sold on amazon, not really sure!
Date nectar is really good on this. I get mine from Thrive Market. Or you could make your own date paste: blend up some Medjool dates (in a high speed blender or small blender like a nitro bullet)with a bit of water or almond milk until a paste forms and use that in place of syrup.
*nutri bullet
This is CRACK! Smells and tastes like candied almonds, I could not stop myself from eating half the batch immediately.
So far, none of any store bought granola I have tried comes close. Thank you Brandi!
Best granola ever!!.. I have made it twice in a week already. Everyone who tastes it thinks it’s the best they have ever had. I am now sending it to my son in college. Thanks so much, your recipes are truly the best! .. and I’m not vegan🤗
This feedback made me so happy to hear, thank you so much Lisa!
This recipe looks delicious 😋 Can I replace the almond butter with peanut butter? Will that affect the taste?
It’ll make it taste like peanut butter but if you don’t mind, I imagine it would be fine!
10/10 Just made it. Soooo good! Crunch and flavor is perfect. So easy and simple to make. I will never be buying store brought again!
So awesome to hear that Brooke!
Hi Brandi! This is my first time making granola and I am so glad I found your recipe! It turned out perfectly, and so delicious. Better than store-bought, and so easy to make. I reduced the maple syrup to 1/3 cup and increased the (drippy) almond butter to 1/3 cup. I used 1 cup of mixed nuts and seeds (pecans, slivered almonds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds), and added 1/3 cup dried cranberries. Fantastic! I am loving this granola as a snack, or for breakfast with almond milk. Thanks so much for a keeper recipe! 💖 Franny
SO happy to hear this Franny!