6 Easy and Delicious Low-Sugar Homemade Granola Recipes

Granola is a pantry staple for a reason — it can make for a quick, hearty breakfast (with yogurt or your fave non-dairy milk), a portable snack to take on a hike, or a crunchy topper for a smoothie bowl. Unfortunately, it can also be one of those health-halo foods that’s easy to get wrong. Many brands on store shelves are loaded with sugar and other less-optimal ingredients. Luckily, it’s easier than you think to make your own, so we’ve gathered some truly delicious homemade granola recipes to get you started.

Related: Sign up to receive delicious recipes, expert advice, and shopping tips in your inbox!

Is it worth making your own granola?

Grabbing a granola recipe and hitting the kitchen is a great idea, for several reasons:

• It’s cheaper. Shop in bulk bins to get just what you need. And you can buy whatever nuts, seeds, and spices are on sale, too.
• You control the sugar. So many store-bought brands are loaded with the sweet stuff. When you make it yourself, you’re in control. You can up the ingredients that sweeten without sugar, such as vanilla and cinnamon.
• Match your dietary restrictions. Gluten free? Feel better with less grain? Prefer less (or no) dairy? You can use a recipe that fits your needs, or change one (for example, use olive oil in place of butter).
• Up the protein and/or fiber. Toss in higher-protein ingredients (such as quinoa or hemp hearts), or ones with more fiber, like flaxseed meal or chia seeds.
• It’s fun. Once you get it down, you can experiment and get creative with ingredients. Swap chopped dried cherries for raisins, add ginger or nutmeg to the spices, toss swap in different nuts or seeds, or add a handful of dark chocolate chips.

Here are 6 recipes to get you started.

1. Peanut Butter Granola

Courtesy of MJ and Hungryman

This highly customizable granola recipe utilizes apple sauce to help sweeten it, along with a touch of maple syrup. Swap in a different nut or seed butter, or try a mashed banana instead of apple sauce, if you like.

Try this recipe from MJ and Hungryman.

2. Coconut Granola with Blueberries and Hazelnuts

Courtesy of The Lemon Bowl

Coconut and cinnamon, along with a bit of honey, give this granola its sweetness. Dried blueberries are a delicious touch, but you can use raisins, chopped dried dates, or even freeze dried berries instead.

Try this recipe from The Lemon Bowl.

3. Pumpkin Spice Granola

Courtesy of The Real Food Dietitians

It doesn’t have to be pumpkin spice latte season to enjoy this hearty granola, loaded with oats, pecans, pumpkin seeds, and canned pumpkin puree for sweetness and fiber. Swap olive or coconut oil for the avocado oil, if you prefer.

Try this recipe from The Real Food Dietitians.

4. Seeds and Goji Berry Granola

Courtesy of The Simple Veganista

Powered by sunflower, pumpkin, chia and hemp seeds — with an assist from oats and antioxidant-rich goji berries — this nut-free granola is brimming with heart health- and energy-boosting benefits. A tasty trio of vanilla extract, sunflower seed butter, and maple syrup add tons of flavor. 

Try this recipe from The Simple Veganista.

5. Low Sugar Chunky Chocolate Granola

Courtesy of Nourished By Nic

Let’s face it: You had us at chocolate. In this recipe, a strategic mix of unsweetened cocoa powder, honey, and vanilla gives you a rich, chocolatey granola without tons of sugar. We recommend using very dark chocolate chunks as add-ins, and serving with yogurt and strawberries or raspberries (or a combo).

Try this recipe from Nourished By Nic. 

6. Simple Grain-Free Granola

Courtesy of Minimalist Baker

Many granola recipes start with oats as a base. But if that’s not your thing, you can still enjoy delicious homemade granola. This recipe leans on nuts, seeds, and coconut, with lots of flavor from cinnamon and dried blueberries. The sweetness comes from a mix of a little bit of coconut sugar and maple syrup.

Try this recipe from Minimalist Baker. 

Read next: 7 Low Sugar Protein Bars and Bites You Can Make