This is a variation of our homemade granola base recipe. Homemade granola is easy, delicious, and made from pantry staple ingredients! When you make your own, you get to control the ingredients, including the amount of sugar added (store bought granola usually has way too much!). This simple maple pecan granola is a fan favorite, but don’t take our word for it – try it out for yourself!
Must-Know Cooking Skills
For recipe success, learn how to:
Culinary Tips for the Best Maple Pecan Granola
This recipe calls for ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup oil, and ¼ cup maple syrup. Measure the ingredients in that order to make clean-up easier! Technically, you should use a liquid measuring cup, but dry will work in this case. Measure the brown sugar first; it needs to be measured in a clean cup, otherwise it will stick to the bottom. Then, by measuring the oil before the maple syrup, the syrup will just slide right out!
Be sure to use real maple syrup, not the imitation kind; any grade will work.
Cook the granola until golden, but don’t expect it to be hard when you remove it from the oven. It will harden as it cools.
You don’t have to stir the granola every 15 minutes. If you’re like us, you have crazy toddlers running around, and you don’t want to be stuck near your oven, so just let it cook! It will still brown nicely and taste delicious.
Be sure to stir and re-spread the granola immediately after you remove it from the oven, otherwise it will stick to the pan. If you prefer chunkier granola, cook the mixture on parchment paper, don’t stir it while it cooks, and allow it to cool slightly before stirring once removed from the oven.
Add the dried cherries once the granola cools to prevent it from hardening.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Maple Syrup: substitute honey or agave nectar.
- Oats: while we prefer rolled or old-fashioned oats, quick oats work too. We don’t recommend using steel cut oats.
- Nuts: use all almonds, all pecans, or substitute your favorite raw nuts. Don’t use toasted nuts, as they will burn in the oven!
- Dried Cherries: substitute your favorite dried fruit. If using larger fruits such as dried apricots, figs, or prunes, chop into smaller pieces before adding.
Granola Recipe Variations
This recipe is very forgiving; think outside the (granola) box!
Don’t want to turn your oven on? Use our stovetop granola base recipe to make this to your taste!
Prefer a higher protein granola? Add more nuts and/or seeds in place of oats.
Love spices? Feel free to add other sweet spices such as ground nutmeg, cloves, or ginger.
We love buying our spices from The Spice House. Click on the picture below to view & try out hundreds of flavorful spices and herbs!
Need some granola inspiration?
Use our base recipe as a guide to make it your own, or check out our other healthy granola recipe variations!
Equipment Recommendations for the Best Granola
You just need a few simple pieces of kitchen equipment for this recipe!
Is this a healthy granola recipe?
Granola can definitely be part of a healthy diet. Oats, pecans, and dried cherries are the star ingredients in this crunchy granola recipe.
Oats
Whole grains such as oats provide a good source of fiber and complex carbohydrates. Fiber is important for digestion, satiety, stable blood sugar, good cholesterol, and healthy gut bacteria. Complex carbohydrates are important for steady energy and focus. (1, 2)
Learn more about the different types of oats in this article!
Almonds & Pecans
Nuts are a great source of plant-based protein and healthy fat. Almonds & pecans in particular are high in monounsaturated fats which are good for heart health.
Dried Cherries
While this recipe does call for natural sweeteners, the amount used only adds up to 1 teaspoon (4 grams) per ¼ cup serving of granola. The dried cherries in this recipe add sweetness along with other nutrients such as fiber and antioxidants. Choose unsweetened dried cherries if possible. If you can’t find any, choose varieties without artificial sweeteners.
Maple Pecan Granola Serving Suggestions
This recipe is great for an easy breakfast, a satisfying snack, or even a healthy dessert!
- Use it to make a yogurt parfait – layer plain yogurt, fresh fruit, and ¼ cup of granola.
- Use it to garnish a smoothie bowl
- Sprinkle it on peanut butter-coated apples or bananas
- Enjoy it on its own for a tasty snack!
How to Store Maple Pecan Granola
This granola will keep for at least a month in an airtight container in your cupboard or pantry.
Want more healthy oat recipes?
Do you love oats as much as we do? Check out these other oat base recipes, and as always, make to your taste!
Baked Oatmeal Cups Base Recipe
Maple Pecan Granola
Ingredients
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup raw chopped pecans
- 1 cup raw sliced almonds
- 1 cup dried cherries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250° F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, maple syrup, and salt.
- Add the oats and nuts to the bowl. Using a spatula, stir until well-combined.
- Spread granola in an even layer on one or two baking sheets (depending on size). Cook for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.
- Remove from oven and stir one more time. Add dried cherries. Once cool, store in a Ziploc bag or airtight container. Enjoy!
