the best gluten-free maple granola

Published: Jan 9, 2023 · Updated: May 11, 2023 by Stephanie Simmons

Gluten-Free Granola is full of cozy spices, whole food ingredients, and is incredibly easy to make! It’s made with oats, pecans, coconut, spices, and real maple syrup and comes together in just 30 minutes, from start to finish! This granola tastes – and smells – like warm, spiced oatmeal cookies.

A close-up of a spoon scooping into the granola on a tray.

I originally published this recipe in April of 2017, but just updated it with new photos. The recipe hasn’t changed!

Table of Contents

Why you’ll love this Homemade Granola recipe:

Real Maple Flavor – This maple granola is made with real maple syrup, so the maple flavor is legit! The other ingredients balance the maple to give this recipe just the right amount of sweetness.
Naturally Gluten-Free – This homemade granola recipe is naturally gluten-free! Just be sure to use certified gluten-free oats if you have celiac disease, as the non certified kind have a chance of cross contamination.
Easy Recipe – Homemade granola is incredibly easy to make, and uses simple ingredients. Once you’ve done it, you’ll never go back to store-bought granola!
Crunchy Clusters – This granola is full of delicious spiced crunchy granola clusters!

A close-up on the top of a jar full of the granola.

The coziest, warmest, most comforting smell wafts out of your oven as the granola bakes. It’s nutty, warm, maple-goodness basically tastes like a spiced oatmeal cookie, but made with healthy ingredients. Are we ready to make the best gluten-free granola recipe ever? I think so!

Ingredient Overview:

Oats – Oats provide healthy whole grains in this recipe. Use whole rolled oats, and be sure to use certified gluten-free oats when needed.
Pecans – When you buy pecans, they’ll come in a bag called “pecan halves”, and then you’ll want to chop those up a bit more for this recipe.
Shredded Coconut – You can use sweetened or unsweetened. This is sometimes called desiccated coconut in the grocery store.
Pure Maple Syrup – Use real maple syrup for best results.
Olive Oil – This is just one of the healthy fats found in this recipe!

Ingredient Substitutions:

Nuts – You can swap the pecans for almonds or walnuts if you prefer, or you can omit them entirely.
Dairy-free – This recipe makes a dairy-free and vegan granola as written!
Nut Allergy – You can omit the nuts and swap the almond butter for sunflower butter, or omit it entirely.

How to Make this Gluten-Free Granola Recipe Step-by-Step:

Step 1: Combine Dry Ingredients. Stir together the oats, pecans, coconut, spices, and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl.

Step 2: Add Wet Ingredients. Pour in the olive oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and almond butter. Stir until well combined. If there are a few clumps, that’s fine – they’ll be extra fun to bite into later!

A bowl with the wet ingredients being poured in.

Step 3: Spread on a Pan and Bake. Spread the granola into an even layer on a lined baking sheet and bake as directed in the recipe card below.

The granola spread on a baking sheet before being baked.

And now, the hardest part – waiting for it to cool. If you let it cool completely before digging in, you’ll have more clumps. If you don’t care about that, feel free to dig in as soon as you like.

You’ll feel like a kitchen rockstar after making this homemade granola – and it can be your little secret just how easy it was to whip up! This is the kind of recipe we love and memorize and make on repeat.

Serve this with greek yogurt or almond milk for a healthy breakfast, or with fresh fruit over ice cream for a lighter dessert. I love topping smoothie bowls with this granola!

Expert Success Tips:

Clumps – As I mentioned earlier, letting the granola cool completely without disturbing it is key to getting those larger clumps!
Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.

FAQs:

Can I double this recipe?

Yes, you certainly can!

Can I halve this recipe?

Yes, you can.

Recipe Variations:

Nuts – You can omit the nuts if needed, or swap for another type that you like, such as walnuts.
Dried Fruit – Feel free to add 1/3 cup of your favorite dried fruit like cranberries or cherries. If you want to use something larger like dried apricots, chop them up first.
Other Mix-Ins – Feel free to add any other mix ins you like! Try adding 1/3 cup sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or chia seeds in place of (or with!) the nuts. You can even add a few handfuls of chocolate chips in the last 3-4 minutes of bake time, so they melt just enough to stick to the granola, without melting too much. Add 1-2 tbsp flax seeds for extra fiber and protein.

Serving + Storing this Recipe:

Store cooled granola in an airtight container or mason jars for up to 2 months. Try this granola with my Peach Crisp Yogurt Bowls for a fun breakfast or a healthier treat!

Special Tools:

Baking Sheets – These are my all-time favorite cookie sheets!

More Breakfast Recipes to Love:

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