Cherry Vanilla Granola

This Cherry Vanilla Granola is easy, clumpy, and golden-crisp, making it perfect for topping yogurt or eating by the handful straight from the jar. It comes together in one bowl, costs a fraction of store-bought, and the cherry-vanilla combo is hard to stop snacking on.

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why this recipe works
• 🗒 Ingredients
• 🍒 Recipe tips
• ⏲️ How to store
• 🎉 Recipe variations
• 🥣 More granola recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

I'm often so tempted to buy granola at the grocery store and then flabbergasted by how much it costs. There are a million varieties of store-bought granola, but almost all of them have one thing in common: they're super pricey.

Don't get me wrong; I get it. A high-quality granola generally contains some pricey ingredients and a good granola is worth the money. But that doesn't mean I don't cringe a little as I put it in my cart.

Solution? Make your own granola at home! If you're making homemade granola for the first time, you will have to spend some money on ingredients, but once you have the ingredients in your pantry, you can make A LOT of granola with them.

Plus, you can customize homemade granola however you want. Oftentimes, store-bought granola is packed with sugar and other unnecessarily ingredients, but if you make it at home, you can add whatever you want. And I promise it's a lot easier to make than you might think.

This cherry vanilla granola is proof of that!

❤️ Why this recipe works

Low and slow method results in lots of clumps: my favorite granola has a lot of nice clumps, rather than crumbs. Cooking your granola mixture at higher temperatures tend to dry the outside before the inside sets, which is why so many granolas turn out crumbly. With this recipe, low heat gives the oats time to toast evenly and the sugars time to caramelize into golden, cohesive clumps.

Maple syrup and brown sugar add sweetness: Maple syrup brings moisture and a caramel-y depth; brown sugar adds molasses notes and helps with that crackly coating. They make the perfect team!

Making your own granola will save you money: five cups of quality granola from the grocery store easily costs about $15-$20. Once your pantry is stocked, you're looking at a fraction of that per batch of this cherry vanilla granola!

Easy to make and easy to customize: homemade granola is one of the simplest things you can make! And once you understand the process, the options are endless for the flavor combinations you can create.

🗒 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make your own cherry vanilla granola (be sure to visit the recipe card at the bottom of this page for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):

• Old-fashioned oats: be sure not to use quick-cook oats as they get powdery in granola.
• Wheat germ: adds some nutty flavor and a nutrition boost, but if you can't find it, ground flaxseed or additional oats work as substitutes.
• Almonds: chopped roughly to distribute through granola. Pecans, walnuts, or cashews all work well as swaps.
• Unsweetened coconut flakes: I like unsweetened flakes best, but you can also use shredded. If you use sweetened coconut flakes, you'll need to adjust the amount of brown sugar used.
• Coconut oil: coconut oil adds great additional flavor, but you can substitute with canola oil if prefered.
• Brown sugar: you can use either light or dark.
• Maple syrup: always use real maple syrup! Honey can work as a substitute.
• Vanilla extract
• Dried cherries: look for sour or bing dried cherries for the best flavor

🍒 Recipe tips

• Old-fashioned oats are always the best option for homemade granola. Stay away from quick cooking oats or instant oats.

• Not only does coconut oil add a nice flavor to the granola, but since it solidifies as it cools, it also helps keep nice clumps in your granola. However, canola oil will also work in this granola recipe!

• I recommend unsweetened coconut flakes for this recipe. If using sweetened coconut, reduce the brown sugar to 2 tablespoon and watch is closely during baking as it may darken more quickly.

• Chop the almonds and cherries to similar sizes as the oats so every bite gets a little of everything.

• I recommend pressing the mixture firmly onto the baking sheet before putting it in the oven as a flat, compacted layer will bake into sheets of granola that break apart into satisfying chunks rather than crumbs.

• Don't stir granola during baking as it can break up the clusters as they're forming.

• Let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet before breaking it up (about 30-45 minutes). As it cools, it will finish crisping and touching it while warm will give you crumbly results.

In my personal opinion, there's nothing better than a granola that clumps beautifully. I hate when it's just all crumbs; I like the big clumps!

I also wish there was a better word for "clumps," but alas.

This granola is my ideal level of sweetness and has the best flavors, making it great for topping your morning yogurt with or even just eating in a bowl with a little milk.

Or put it in a baggie and eat it as a snack on the go!

⏲️ How to store

I like to store my homemade granola in large mason jars, but you can also keep it in bags or in another type of airtight container. Make sure you store it in a cool, dry place.

When stored properly, it should keep fresh for about 3 weeks.

I will admit that the jar makes it a bit tough for me to keep reaching in and grabbing more handfuls... Which may actually be a good thing!

🎉 Recipe variations

This cherry vanilla granola is perfection in my eyes. But I also love that it's so easy to customize based on your personal tastes or what you happen to have in your pantry.

Here are some ideas:

• Swap the dried cherries with dried cranberries, blueberries, apricots, golden raisins, or the dried fruit of your preference. Just be sure not to use fresh fruit as this will add too much moisture.
• Instead of almonds, add pecans, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds... Or add a combination of nuts and seeds.
• You can make the granola gluten-free by using certified gluten-free old-fashioned oats and swapping the wheat germ for ground flaxseed or additional oats.
• Add about ½ cup mini chocolate chips once the granola has fully cooled (so they don't melt) for a delicious chocolate-covered cherry granola.
• Use vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract for even more powerful vanilla flavor.
• Add almond extract for more nutty flavor.
• Add your favorite spices, like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, or pumpkin pie spice.

Oh and homemade granola also makes an awesome gift. Pack it up in jars, tie it with a little bow, and gift it for any occasion. I think it's especially fun as a housewarming gift.

🥣 More granola recipes

I love making my own granola and homemade granola bar recipes and have lots of fabulous recipes ready for you to try.

Here are some of my favorites:

Now that you have the ingredients for this easy granola, you can make all different flavors and varieties!

Have you ever made your own granola?

📖 Recipe