This is the best grain-free granola recipe made with crunchy raw nuts, seeds, and nut butter for a nutritious breakfast or snack. This recipe uses the best ingredients and is naturally gluten-free, paleo, and vegan.
Jump to:
I'm comin at ya with another gluten-free, dairy free and refined sugar free recipe!
Are you a granola lover!? Because I 100% am. I've always loved granola but never liked all the extra ingredients and added sugar in the typical store-bought kind. I started making my own granola, like vanilla almond granola and chocolate peanut butter protein granola.
This recipe is for you if you're a grain-free eater, follow a paleo diet, or just want to try a different variation on granola!
What is grain-free granola made of?
Here are the simple ingredients for this homemade granola. Most are pantry staples and easy to find in the grocery store. Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Cashews: raw, unsalted cashews are best. You can buy raw nuts in bulk from nuts.com or Thrive Market!
- Pecans: use unsalted and raw pecans. You could swap this for almonds or walnuts if you prefer.
- Coconut flakes: make sure you get the unsweetened flakes. We really like Bob's Red Mill
- Nut Butter: any kind of nut butter like cashew butter or almond butter is good. Just note that if you use peanut butter it will still be grain free, but it won't be paleo.
- Seeds: we're using a combination of flax seeds and chia seeds. They're full of fiber and healthy fats.
- Maple syrup: there's only a little bit of maple in this recipe, but if you want a completely sugar free recipe, just omit this.
- Coconut oil: this helps the recipe get chunky and adds even more healthy fats.
- Cinnamon: the richness and warmth this adds to the grain free granola brings so much flavor.
- Vanilla and salt: kosher or sea salt helps balance the flavors and add subtle vanilla to deepen the flavor.
How to Make Grain-Free Granola
The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through the steps to make the best granola, with some photos and a video so you have a clear idea of what to expect. Follow these step-by-step instructions to make sure they turn out every time.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients including melted coconut oil, maple syrup, cashew butter, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Add the dry ingredients including cashews, pecans, chia seeds, flax seed, and coconut flakes and mix well to completely coat.
- Spread the mixture evenly onto a large baking sheet in an even layer and bake at 300°F for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to avoid burning.
- Once the granola is golden brown and is done cooking, remove it from the oven and let cool completely to get crisp.
Is Grain-Free Granola Healthy?
Grain-free granola is a delicious breakfast option because it's full of healthy fats, protein, and fiber. It also delivers minerals like magnesium.
I love it because it doesn't include any ingredients that tend to cause inflammation in the body (gluten, dairy, sugar) so I can continue to keep that in control but also indulge in one of my favorite recipes I grew up on. With struggling with IBS and other chronic inflammation symptoms, having a recipe like this is so nice!
Video: Watch How to Make Grain-Free Granola
How to Serve Grain-Free Granola
There are so many ways to eat this simple paleo granola! Here are a few things I like to eat with paleo granola
- On top of dairy-free yogurt (i.e. coconut yogurt) or greek yogurt
- Your favorite nut milk (I use cashew or coconut!)
- Plain in a bag as a snack on the go
- On top of a smoothie or our favorite pitaya bowl.
- On top of a banana with cashew butter (the best healthy snack!)
Storage instructions
The best way to store paleo granola is in an air tight container. We use Weck Jars and absolutely love them. Keep it in a cool dry place for up to one month. You can also freeze it in the sam container for up to three months.
If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
Love granola? Try these recipes!
Grain-Free Granola
Ingredients
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- ⅓ cup creamy cashew butter (or other nut butter)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups cashews roughly chopped
- 1 cup pecans roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons flax meal (or flax seed)
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a large-rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, maple syrup and cashew butter, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Add the cashews, pecans, chia seeds, flax seed, coconut flakes and dried blueberries and mix well to completely coat.
- Pour and spread the mixture evenly onto a large baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to avoid burning.
- Once the granola is visibly browned and done cooking, remove from the oven and let cool completely to get crisp. Enjoy it plain, on top of yogurt, or with a bowl of almond milk.
Janae says
I can't use honey or maple. Can o it these or do I need to find an appropriate substitute?