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    Home » Recipes » Breakfast

    Homemade Low Sugar Granola (Just Four Ingredients!)

    Published: Jan 12, 2023 by Lauren · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe  ↓

    This Homemade Low Sugar Granola is my family's favorite quick and easy recipe! Made with just four basic ingredients, it is easy, cost effective, and healthy. Nut-free.

    Small glass with yogurt on the bottom and granola on top.

    For a while now, I've wanted to create a quick and easy granola recipe. One that I could stir together in under five minutes and be eating in under 30.

    A recipe that would accommodate everyone's allergies and that didn't boast the amount of sugar in a cupcake!

    This is that granola recipe!

    My kids all love granola (who doesn't??). They eat it by the handful, with milk, in parfaits...it truly is a crowd-pleaser!

    It adds a great crunch to yogurt and smoothies, and it's full of fiber, making it a less expensive way to fill anyone up.

    Granola ingredients

    Oats - Rolled oats make the best granola; I've never attempted to use quick oats, but my feeling is it might be mushier in texture. If you're gluten-free, these are my favorite oats (which are also the only ones I've found that are free of glyphosate!).

    Sea salt - This brings out all the flavors without making it too salty.

    Melted butter or oil - My favorite fats to use are butter and coconut oil, though I've used many others as well. See the FAQs below for the ones I've tried. My feeling is that any liquid fat would work, as long as you enjoy the taste.

    Maple syrup - This is the best sweetener for granola, in my opinion. Honey can work, but a really runny honey is needed or there is some difficulty in coating and mixing the oats.

    Bowl of granola on a baking sheet.

    How to make low sugar granola

    For a complete tutorial, see my video below the recipe.

    Begin by mixing the oats and salt in a large bowl. If you find you enjoy this recipe after trying it, it's easily doubled or tripled to have more on hand!

    Stir in the butter or oil and maple syrup.

    • Rolled oats in a large white bowl.
    • Pouring maple syrup into oats in a bowl.

    Be sure to mix the ingredients thoroughly to coat the oats.

    Spread the oats on to a large baking sheet.

    • Large red spoon stirring oats in a bowl.
    • Oats spread out on a large baking pan.

    Optional mix-ins

    Though I set out to make this a very basic granola, free of additions, I'd still like to mention a few add-ins we enjoy!

    • Cinnamon and/or pie spice
    • Vanilla extract
    • Chocolate chips
    • Dried fruit
    • Coconut flakes

    FAQs

    Which fat works best?

    This recipe works with a variety of oils and fats, including butter, ghee, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, olive oil, and avocado oil. We enjoy butter and coconut oil best. When the kids make it, they use grapeseed oil, as it is already in liquid form and easier for them to pour.

    How sweet is this granola?

    The sweetness I add to this recipe is just enough to please kids, yet be reasonable for adults. Basically, it's 1 1/2 tablespoons of sweetener to one cup of oats.

    Can I increase the temperature to bake the granola faster?

    Please heed my advice when I say no! I've done this a number of times, only to ruin the final product in some way. There's something about keeping the oven at 325 that really allows the granola to be the best tasting it can be!

    How long does granola bake for?

    While it might seem like cranking the oven temperature will bake your granola faster, you'll just end up disappointed like I have so many times. The trick, I've found, is lower and slower. The granola's color should be light golden brown. You may even think it's not done, but it will continue to crisp up when out of the oven.

    My biggest tip is to follow the baking instructions carefully. Don't raise the oven temperature, be sure to set a timer and check on it periodically, especially towards the end of the baking time.

    Trust me, it can go from light golden to brown and burnt real quick! 

    Parfait in a glass with bananas on top.

    If you love granola, check out some these fun variations!

    Oat-Free Granola

    Red Lentil Granola

    Chocolate Buckwheat Granola

    Small glass with yogurt on the bottom and granola on top.
    Print Recipe
    4.05 from 24 votes

    Homemade Low Sugar Granola

    This quick and easy granola recipe is made with only four basic ingredients, making it both easy and cost effective. Low in sugar and nut-free!
    Prep Time3 mins
    Cook Time18 mins
    0 mins
    Total Time21 mins
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Granola, Low sugar, Nut-free, Vegan
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 135kcal

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups rolled oats
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 3 Tablespoons coconut oil or butter (melted) see FAQs above
    • 3 Tablespoons maple syrup

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
    • Mix the oats and salt in a large bowl.
    • Stir in the oil and syrup until all the oats are evenly coated.
    • Spread the mixture onto a large baking pan.
    • Bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden.
    • Cool a bit before serving.

    Video

    Notes

    Nutrition facts based on using butter.
    WW Points: 5

    Nutrition

    Sugar: 4.7g | Fiber: 2.1g | Calories: 135kcal | Fat: 5.7g | Protein: 2.7g | Carbohydrates: 18.9g

    If you have a chance to try this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below letting me know how you liked it!

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    Filed Under: Breakfast, Sides & Snacks

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Begum

      January 12, 2023 at 11:46 am

      Great! 🌹

      Reply

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    Hi there, I'm Lauren Goslin, and I've been a food blogger for over ten years. My goal with this blog is to show you healthy, lower sugar recipes that my family and I enjoy.

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