This gluten-free granola is one of my favorite breakfasts! It's surprisingly easy to make homemade granola, and it's so much tastier, too. It's truly hard to go back to store-bought.
This post was originally published on April 30, 2019. It was updated with new recipe information on January 29, 2024.
Although it's easy to buy granola at the store, it's often expensive or way too sweet. My gluten-free granola is not only more delicious, but it has added health benefits from the flaxseed and chia seeds! I like adding chia and flax because both are high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, keeping my body energized and satisfied!
Gluten-Free Granola Ingredients
- Gluten-free oats. Use gluten-free rolled oats, or gluten-free old-fashioned oats for this recipe. My favorite gluten-free oats are from Bob's Red Mill and Stoked Oats.
- Nuts. We're using a combination of chopped almonds and unsweetened coconut flakes for texture and flavor.
- Seeds. Sunflower seeds, ground flaxseed, and chia seeds add delicious flavors as well as healthy fats.
- Maple syrup. This healthy granola is only sweetened with maple syrup, so it's refined sugar-free!
- Oil. Use a neutral flavored oil like avocado oil, refined coconut oil, or grapeseed oil.
- Vanilla. Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste for the best flavor.
- Salt. A little bit of salt brings out the flavors of the ingredients, while also balancing out the sweetness.
- Cinnamon. Adds a warm sweetness to this granola recipe.
Mix-in Variations
- Dried fruit. Dried cranberries are my favorite, but raisins, figs, apricots, and blueberries would also be delicious! It's best to add dried fruit after the granola's finished baking, as they burn easily and can get rock hard when baked.
- Freeze-dried fruit. After the granola's baked and cooled, you can also add freeze-dried berries for some fruity sweetness!
- Chocolate chunks. If you want to make your granola more decadent, chop your favorite chocolate bar and add it after your granola's cooled completely!
How to Make Gluten-Free Granola
Step 1: Prep. Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
Step 2: Mix. In a large bowl, add the maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk together until combined. Add the oats, sunflower seeds, chopped almonds, ground flaxseed, and chia to the bowl and stir until everything is coated in the maple mixture.
Step 3: Bake. Pour the mixture onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Prep the coconut. While the granola is baking in the oven, add the coconut flakes to the bowl and toss to coat with the leftover maple mixture.
Step 5: Add the coconut. Take the granola out of the oven, add the coconut onto the baking sheet, toss, and spread into an even layer once again. Bake for another 30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes. Let it cool completely before serving.
Tips for Making the Best GF Granola
- Don't burn the coconut. Coconut tends to toast quicker than other nuts, so if you keep it in the oven for the full 40 minutes, it'll be too dark and bitter. The coconut should be left on the side until all the other ingredients have had at least a 10-minute headstart in the oven.
- Toss the granola. Take the granola out of the oven and toss it every 10 minutes. This step helps the granola bake evenly so don't skip it! Once the granola is finished baking, give it one last toss and let it cool completely.
- Let it cool completely. This gluten-free granola smells amazing when it comes out of the oven, and I'm sure you'll be tempted to eat it right away, but the nuts stay chewy while they're hot. It's best to wait until the granola cools completely so you can enjoy its delicious crunchy texture.
Is Granola Gluten-Free?
Yes, but not all are. Some granolas are made with non-gluten-free oats and include wheat and/or other sources of gluten. If you're buying granola, always check the packaging and look at the list of ingredients. And if in doubt, make this gluten-free granola recipe instead to be safe!
Are Oats Gluten-Free?
Oats themselves are gluten-free, but some are processed in the same facility as gluten-containing products and therefore have a risk of cross-contamination. Always check the package to make sure your oats are labeled gluten-free. It's important to note that some people with celiac disease are also sensitive to the protein in oats, and can't tolerate them.
Can I Turn These Into Granola Bars?
No, this recipe can't be turned into granola bars. If you love oats in a soft bar form, try my banana oat bars.
What Brand of Gluten-Free Oats Should I Use?
I use Bob's Red Mill's gluten-free organic old fashioned rolled oats or Stoked Oats' rolled oats which is also both gluten-free and organic. You can use any old-fashioned oats that are certified gluten-free.
What Can I Use to Substitute Chia Seed and Flaxseed?
If you want to try this gluten-free granola with flaxseed and chia seed but don't like the flavor of flax and chia, or just don't have them on hand, you can substitute them with equal amounts of oats, sunflower seeds, nuts, or pumpkin seeds.
FAQs
Yes! As long as you are using gluten-free quick oats. The texture will be a little different, but you can substitute it for the old-fashioned oats.
You can make this healthy granola recipe with coconut oil, but be sure to melt it first. If you like the flavor of coconut, you can use virgin coconut oil. Otherwise, stick to refined coconut oil.
Yes, you can use honey, but maple syrup is easier to pour in and out of a measuring cup which is why I use it in my granola. You can also use agave syrup.
How to Store Granola
Granola should be kept at room temperature in a dark and cool place like the pantry. You can keep it in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
More Gluten-Free Breakfast Recipes
- If you want to try another granola recipe, try this apple pie granola.
- My banana pancakes and muffin mix pancakes are two of my favorite weekend breakfast recipes!
- If you're busy and looking for a breakfast treat on the go, my gluten-free banana muffins and healthy morning glory muffins would be perfect!
- Looking for something a touch more decadent? This gluten-free coffee cake is so fluffy with a crunchy crumb topping!
- Want more gluten-free recipes? I have a whole list of gluten-free dairy-free desserts for you!
I hope you love this gluten-free granola recipe! For more mouth-watering gluten-free recipes, make sure to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also get all of my newest content delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for my email newsletter — I promise not to spam you!
Gluten-Free Granola Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups gluten-free oats
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- ½ cup almonds chopped
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed (if you're not a big fan of flax like I am, start with 2 tablespoons)
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ⅓ cup avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk together until combined.
- Add the oats, sunflower seeds, chopped almonds, ground flaxseed, and chia to the bowl and stir until everything is coated in the maple mixture.
- Pour the mixture onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
- While the granola is baking in the oven, add the coconut flakes to the bowl and toss to coat with leftover maple mixture. Add the coconut to the granola on the baking sheet, toss and spread into an even layer once again. Bake for another 30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes.
- Let it cool completely before serving.
Jennifer says
This looks delicious! SO easy and nutritious too... I'm gonna add this to some of my breakfast meals! Thanks so much Ai 🙂
-Jennifer
http://www.herstyledpassport.com
Ai says
Thanks Jennifer! Hope you like it 🙂
Jennifer Pompaski says
Homemade granola is always the healthiest and I love this recipe. It's different from others I have used before and has more fibre and different ingredients added. I am definitely going to try this!
By the way, your smile on your page gets me anytime i visit your blog! It is infectious and makes me just want to keep on reading!
Ai says
Thank you so much for your kind comment! Totally made my day❤️
Monika Dabrowski says
Fantastic granola with a great choice of extras! Followed you on pinterest! Have a good weekend:)
Ai says
Thanks Monika! Followed you back 😉
Rita says
Good recipe!
Ai says
Thanks Rita!!
Emily Ruegg says
This is a great recipe, a new staple!!!
Ai says
I'm so glad you like it Emily!! Totally made my day 🙂
Madelyn says
Awesome stuff! Thank you for the recipe.
Ai says
So happy you liked it Madelyn! 🙂
Beth says
I'm with your mom on preferring not to have dried fruit in my granola. The dried fruit gets too chewy when baked with everything else. Loved your tip about preparing the coconut, too.
Ai says
Hi Beth 🙂 Yes, the dried fruit gets hard and chewy and unpleasant when baked, which is why I always add it at the end after it comes out of the oven.
Olivia says
Definitely trying this. Can I sub in half steel cut oats and half old fashioned oats? I have all these steel cut oats and I'm not to sure what to do with them. Thanks!
Ai says
I honestly can't say, as I've never tried making granola with steel cut oats...Let me know if you try it out!!
Jackie says
Thank you for this great recipe! I have been making this regularly for my family and they love it! Sometimes I use olive oil in place of the grape seed oil if I’m out and no one knows the difference. Highly recommend it.
Ai says
Thank you so much Jackie! So glad you and your family are enjoying my granola recipe!! I use olive oil in it all the time too 😉 Such a good swap!
Torie says
How many servings would this yield? Adding up all the calories makes me nervous! Trying to eat healthier than before after babe #2 🙂
Ai says
It's difficult to say, as one serving is different for everyone. That said, my husband and I will usually finish the batch in about 3 days if we have it for breakfast every day. If you want to cut calories, you could try doing half granola and half muesli, as muesli doesn't have any sweeteners. Something my husband does as well is serve it with yogurt instead of milk so it's more filling!
Cece Dunlap says
AMAZING! I searched many grocery stores for a cereal that was both sugar-free and gluten-free to know avail. I am so excited about your recipe. I substituted the maple syrup with a sugar-free maple syrup. And it is perfectly delicious and perfectly satisfying. I will never eat store boughr cereal again.
Ai says
Hi Cece! I'm SO happy you loved my granola recipe! Thank you so much for leaving such a lovely comment and rating!!
Lamisah says
Hi,
How many grams would you say is a serving?
Thanks
Ai says
Hi Lamisah! I think most store-bought granola packaging says 1/4 cup per serving, but I usually eat about 1/2 cup. I also think that how you serve it will change how much you'd want in a sitting. If you're serving it sprinkled on yogurt or a smoothie bowl, it would be a lot less than if you were having it on its own with milk.
Maria says
I am so trying this, thank you, Ai! (I didn’t know what to do with all my flaxseed and quinoa))
Ai says
I hope you like it! 🙂
Alli says
What quantity of dried fruit would you suggest adding?
Ai says
Hi Alli! It's totally up to you, but I usually add about a 1/2 cup or so of dried cranberries after the granola's finished baking.
Moore says
Maybe it’s because i made 1/2 the recipe but after 20 minutes (out of 40 per the recipe) my “granola” looks burnt. Next…
Ai Willis says
Hi Moore! Yes, it definitely was because you halved the recipe. If you only have half the ingredients in a regular sized sheet pan, you'll end up with too much empty space on the pan and it would cause the ingredients to burn. Hope you try it again with the full recipe, or with a smaller baking sheet😊
Cathy says
My go to recipe!
Marisabel Combe Rauh says
Hi Ai, I stop eating gluten, dairy and many other ingredients after dealing with severe chronic gastrointestinal condition for a long time. I’ll try your granola recipe because include ingredients I can eat. I let you know my experience,
Thank you!
Mara Rauh
Ai Willis says
Hi Mara! I hope you enjoy my gluten free granola recipe 🙂
Carla @ Foodie Digital says
My new go-to granola recipe! I added half a cup of brown rice crisps which kept the texture really light and crispy. Love the tip of adding the coconut flakes a bit later in the process to keep them from burning before the granola is done. Thanks for a great recipe!