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A close-up of super easy cranberry coconut granola on a baking sheet, featuring oats, dried cranberries, coconut flakes, and seeds, golden brown and freshly baked.
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5 from 4 votes

Super Easy Cranberry-Coconut Granola

Super Easy Cranberry-Coconut Granola- A really easy recipe for homemade granola. You probably have all the ingredients in your pantry and can make this today! Packed with pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and coconut flakes. This is my favorite granola recipe!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time14 minutes
Total Time24 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 cups
Calories: 626kcal
Author: Lora

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 cups rolled oats not quick oats
  • ¼ pumpkin seeds
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • 2 Tablespoons flax meal
  • 1 Tablespoon toasted wheat bran
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ cup coconut oil or vegetable oil
  • 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
  • 3 Tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar optional when adding dried fruit
  • ½ cup coconut chips to be added during last few minutes of baking

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with baking spray. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, flax meal,toasted wheat bran, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well.
  • In a small pan on medium heat, combine the coconut oil (or vegetable oil), maple syrup, honey, brown sugar. Whisk together the ingredients and let simmer for about 2 minutes.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until the mixture is fully combined and moist. Spread the mixture on the greased baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and stir around the granola (break up any large chunks that may have formed). Bake for an additional 3 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and add the coconut chips. Bake another 2-3 minutes (not any longer, or the coconut will brown and taste horrible).
  • Remove from oven and stir it around again. Let it cool. When totally cooled, stir in an airtight container.

Notes

  • Stay by the oven when the coconut goes in. This is the one step where things can go wrong fast. At 300°F, coconut chips can go from pale to burned in under a minute. Set a timer for 2 minutes, open the oven door on the 3rd minute, and pull the granola the moment you see any golden color on the coconut.
  • Cool completely before storing. Warm granola traps steam inside the container and turns soft. Let it cool fully on the pan — it will crisp up significantly as it cools. Then transfer to a jar or airtight bag.
  • Customize the mix-ins freely. This recipe is a good base formula: oats plus oil plus sweetener plus seeds and dried fruit. Swap the cranberries for raisins, chopped apricots, or dried cherries. Swap the pumpkin seeds for almonds or pecans. Use whatever you have.
  • Press it flat before baking for better clusters. If you like chunky granola clusters rather than loose granola, press the mixture firmly onto the pan before it goes into the oven and do not stir it until after the first 8 minutes. More surface contact = better clumping.
  • Bake low and slow. The 300°F temperature is intentional. Higher heat browns the oats too fast and leaves the inside underdone. Low and slow gives you even, deep golden color without any burnt edges.

Nutrition

Calories: 626kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 307mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 3mg