Easy Vegan Granola Recipe (9 Ingredients!) - From My Bowl (2024)

FAQs

Why are homemade granola not crunchy? ›

Higher temperatures can cause ingredients like nuts, seeds, and coconut to burn before the batch has a chance to properly dry out and crisp up, Perry says. Stick with a low temperature, keep an eye on your mixture, and stir it from time to time to help it brown evenly.

Make sure that whichever granola recipe you use, it calls for some liquid, typically oil of some kind (I recommend olive oil for a subtle earthy, floral flavor, or melted unrefined coconut oil for subtly coconutty flavor). The liquid will help the chia seeds to gel, ensuring the granola sticks together.

INGREDIENTS FOR HOMEMADE GRANOLA

In this recipe I stuck to my favorite classic ingredients – rolled oats, almonds, coconut, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and dried cranberries. I like to sweeten my granola with maple-syrup, and keep it oil-free with the addition of a nut or seed butter.

Chia seeds are often praised for their binding powers. In fact, they secure ingredients so well that they can even be used as an egg replacer. Adding just a spoonful of chia seeds to your favorite granola bar recipe will make a huge difference in its texture.

Check the ingredient list, avoiding products that list sugar or sweeteners —including natural sweeteners like honey — within the first few ingredients. Instead, the first few ingredients should be whole foods, such as oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. You may also want to look for varieties high in protein and fiber.

On the downside, granola can be high in added sugars, hidden calories, and saturated fat, making some options less healthy.

You need to stir the granola as it bakes to encourage even toasting. But, about halfway through the total bake time, just let it be. As the sugars caramelize, they cause the ingredients to stick together and eventually form those oh-so-desirable clusters.

Improves Digestion

Granola is almost unrivaled as a digestive aid. It is popular among people who want to increase their fiber intake because it contains soluble and insoluble fiber. Dietary fiber is an essential part of anyone's diet because it regulates digestion.

If your granola bars are falling apart or seem too crumbly, here are a few tips. Make sure you use honey or another sticky sweetener such as maple syrup in the liquid part of the recipe; this recipe calls for honey. This will help bind together the ingredients and keep that signature bar shape.

Sweeteners, such as honey or brown sugar, are used to enhance both flavour and texture, alongside fats and oils that create the all-important texture that makes granola well, granola. These can both raise red flags for those on a plant-based diet, so let's explore them in more detail.

What is Nature Valley granola made of? ›

Ingredients: Whole Grain Oats, Sugar, Soy Protein Isolate, Canola and/or Sunflower Oil, Honey, Molasses, Rice Starch, Soy Lecithin, Baking Soda, Salt, Natural Flavor.

The bottom line. Most types of peanut butter are free of animal products and can be enjoyed as part of a vegan diet. However, some varieties are made in facilities that also process animal products or contain refined sugar that was produced using bone char or non-vegan ingredients like honey or fish oil.

Clumpy Granola Method: Add Egg White

The idea is that the egg's protein will help the oats bind to each other and create delicate clusters. Results: Not only does the egg white work as a glue to hold the oats together, but it also gives the granola an incredibly crispy bite.

Binders are any ingredient that can help a mixture hold its shape or remain bound together. Traditional binding agents include flour and eggs. The most commonly used food binder is flour. Flour is created by grinding raw grains or roots into a powder and then served in diverse cuisines.

Whether it's homemade or store-bought, properly storing granola will help extend the shelf life and maintain crunchiness. Store granola in an airtight container or tightly sealed zip-top bag in a dry, dark place away from heat.

If they are soggy after storage, they may have been stored while still warm. To fix this, spread the granola on a baking sheet and heat it in a 400-degree oven for about 5 minutes. This quick high temp bake is only for reheating and should only be done for a few minutes to prevent burning.

If you're re-crisping a larger batch for several people, spread it out on a plate and microwave in 10 second bursts until it's crispy again. This is really just a temporary solution. If you let the re-crisped granola sit out for too long, it goes back to its limp and stale state.

NOTE: The granola will clump and harden while cooling - not during baking. Allow to cool before stirring in the raisins, cranberries, or craisins. If stored in an airtight container, your granola could last for 2 weeks.