This maple coconut granola tastes perfectly sweet and crunchy! Unlike most store-bought options, this homemade granola with maple syrup is extra flavourful without relying on refined sugar. It’s healthy, filling, and perfect for meal prep. One batch makes enough for multiple breakfasts and will stay fresh for 3 weeks.
You’ll want to use it on everything from yogurt to smoothie bowls, or simply enjoy it by the handful as a healthy snack!
Quick Facts
- Naturally sweetened with maple syrup
- Crunchy and satisfying
- Kid approved
- Easy to customize
- Perfect for meal prep
- Stays fresh for up to 3 weeks
- Gluten-free and dairy-free, with a nut-free granola option
Why You’ll Love This Maple Coconut Granola
- It takes only 10 minutes to prep for the oven. Once it’s in, there’s very little hands-on time needed.
- It’s easy to customize. Swap seeds, spices or nuts. Or eliminate the nuts to make it a nut-free granola. Add dried fruit, such as raisins, after baking for added sweetness.
- It stays fresh for weeks. Stored in an airtight glass jar or container, it will stay fresh and crunchy for up to 3 weeks at room temperature.
- Kids love it. The flavour combination of maple syrup, cinnamon and coconut gives it an irresistible flavour that kids and adults can’t get enough of.
- BONUS: While it bakes, your home will smell like a high-end bakery!
PRO TIP: Double the batch and freeze half for fast and easy breakfasts in the future.
Ingredients You’ll Need
FOR THE GRANOLA BASE
- Rolled Oats: Avoid using quick oats, which will absorb too much moisture and prevent your granola from baking up crispy. To make this granola 100% gluten-free, make sure to get certified gluten-free oats.
- Coconut: Adds great flavour, texture and healthy fats.
- Maple Syrup: Naturally sweetens this healthy breakfast granola.
- Coconut oil: Helps create that irresistible crunch while adding more coconutty flavour.
- Cinnamon, Vanilla and Salt: Bring all the flavours together, making the granola taste as if it came from a bakery.
NUTS AND SEEDS FOR ADDED CRUNCH AND NUTRITION
Nuts and seeds are one of my favourite ways to boost the nutrition of homemade granola. Not only do they add crunch and flavour, but they also provide protein, healthy fats, and fibre, making this healthy breakfast granola more satisfying and nourishing.
Each ingredient brings something different to the mix:
- Almonds: A source of vitamin E, manganese, copper, and B vitamins.
- Pumpkin seeds: Rich in magnesium, zinc, and iron.
- Sunflower seeds: A source of vitamin E, copper, selenium, and B vitamins.
Easy Ingredient Swaps and Variations
- To make this a nut-free maple coconut granola, replace almonds with more pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
- Swap the almonds for walnuts, pecans, Brazil nuts or cashews.
- Change up the flavour by adding nutmeg, cardamom or pumpkin pie spice along with the cinnamon.
- You can swap honey for the maple syrup, but it will change the flavour.
How to Make Crunchy Maple Coconut Granola
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet or 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
STEP 2: Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, cinnamon, and salt.
STEP 3: Stir together the wet ingredients. In a small bowl, stir together the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
STEP 4: Coat everything evenly. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix until everything is evenly coated.
STEP 5: Bake low and slow. Spread the mixture into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet or baking dish. Bake for 2 hours, stirring once halfway through, until the granola is lightly golden and mostly dry.
Following the low-and-slow baking method helps create crunchy homemade granola clusters that hold together beautifully.
STEP 6: Let it cool completely. Leave the granola to cool in the pan for at least 1 hour, before storing it in an airtight container. It will continue to crisp up as it cools.
PRO TIP: For larger granola clusters, press the granola firmly into the pan using the back of a measuring cup before baking and avoid stirring more than once.
Ash’s Nutritionist Tips
How to Turn This Into a Balanced Breakfast
This maple coconut granola is packed with fibre, healthy fats, and plant-based protein from oats, nuts, and seeds. For a breakfast that keeps you feeling fuller longer, I like pairing it with a source of complete protein and fruit.
To build a more balanced breakfast that includes complete protein, try pairing this granola with:
- Greek yogurt
- Soy yogurt
- Cottage cheese
- Dairy milk
- Soy milk
- Protein smoothie bowl
And don’t forget fruit! Fresh or frozen berries or fruit add natural sweetness, fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants while making your breakfast even more colourful and satisfying.
Why I Pair Granola with a Complete Protein
This granola provides plant protein from the oats, nuts, and seeds, but it isn’t considered a complete protein on its own. A complete protein contains all 9 essential amino acids that our bodies need for growth, repair, and everyday functions.
That’s one reason I like serving this nut-and-seed granola with foods like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, or soy products. Together, they help create a more balanced breakfast that can support growing kids, active teens, and busy parents.
The good news? You don’t need every meal to be perfectly balanced! Your body can use protein from foods eaten throughout the day, so think of this as a helpful way to boost breakfast rather than a strict rule.
Lunchbox Packing Tips
This naturally sweetened granola is perfect for lunchboxes because it doesn’t require refrigeration, travels well, and stays crunchy all day. It can also be made without nuts if your child’s school is nut-free.
You can pack it on its own in a reusable container or snack bag to eat as a snack. It can also be used as the base for a homemade trail mix by adding dried fruit, dark chocolate chips, and nuts.
To make it a balanced lunch main, pair it with some yogurt, whipped cottage cheese, or chia pudding, but keep them separate to keep the granola nice and crunchy.
If your child doesn’t mind the oats softening slightly, like my middle-school-aged daughter, layer the granola with yogurt and fruit in a jar to create a portable parfait. This also works wonderfully as a post-practice or post-game snack!
As an after-school snack, one of our favourite ways to use this healthy granola is to sprinkle it over thinly sliced apples drizzled with peanut butter to make apple nachos.
School lunch meal prep doesn’t have to be complicated. Recipes like this are one of my favourite make-ahead lunchbox staples because they can be prepared days in advance and customized with different toppings throughout the week.
How This Maple Coconut Granola Nourishes Your Family
Unlike many store-bought granolas that are loaded with added sugars, this homemade granola is lightly sweetened with maple syrup and made with wholesome ingredients like oats, coconut, nuts, and seeds.
- Oats provide fibre and carbohydrates that help support steady energy.
- Coconut adds flavour, texture, and satisfying fats.
- Nuts and seeds contribute protein, healthy fats, fibre, and important nutrients like magnesium, zinc, vitamin E, and iron.
Together, these ingredients create a satisfying breakfast or snack that can help support fullness, focus, and lasting energy throughout busy school, work, and activity-filled days.
Meal Prep & Storage Tips
This recipe is one of my favourite breakfast meal prep staples because one batch provides multiple ready-to-eat breakfasts throughout the week.
Store cooled granola in an airtight glass jar or container at room temperature for up to three weeks.
For longer storage, freeze portions in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to three months. To thaw, remove only the portion you plan to eat and let it sit out for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
If your homemade granola starts to lose some crunch, spread it on a baking sheet and bake at a low temperature for a few minutes to help crisp it back up.
Delicious Ways to Use Maple Coconut Granola
One of the simplest ways to enjoy this homemade granola is to serve it like cereal with cold milk. It’s quick, satisfying, and perfect for busy mornings.
Also try it:
- In yogurt parfaits
- Sprinkled over kefir chia pudding
- On smoothie bowls
- On overnight oats
- On baked or stewed apples
- On whipped cottage cheese with an extra drizzle of maple syrup
- As a snack
- In trail mix
- In school lunchboxes
Frequently Asked Questions
Granola usually crisps up as it cools. If it still seems soft after cooling, it may need a few extra minutes in the oven.
I don’t recommend it. While increasing the oven temperature may seem like an easy way to shorten the baking time, it can cause the coconut, nuts, and seeds to brown too quickly or even burn before the granola has fully dried out. The low-and-slow baking method helps create the crunchy texture, long shelf life, and even toasting that make this coconut maple granola so good. If you’re short on time, consider making a double batch and freezing some for future breakfasts.
Yes. Granola freezes very well and can be stored in an airtight container for up to three months.
Yes. Simply replace the almonds with additional seeds such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or hemp hearts.
More Healthy Make-Ahead Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoy this maple coconut granola recipe, be sure to try my:
- Gut-Healthy Kefir Chia Pudding
- Easy Overnight Oats
- Chocolate Chip Gluten-Free Banana Zucchini Muffins
- Smooth Blended Chia Pudding (husband eats this topped with this granola every day!)
Love Having Healthy Foods Ready to Go?
Recipes like this meal-prep-friendly maple coconut granola are just one small piece of making busy school mornings easier. If you’d like a simple system for prepping lunchbox foods ahead of time, check out my Smart Prep Lunchbox Course, where I share practical strategies to help you save time and reduce stress throughout the school week.
Learn more about The Smart Prep Lunchbox here.
Healthy Maple Coconut Granola
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats ideally organic
- 3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup almonds chopped
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet or 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, cinnamon, and salt.
- Stir together the wet ingredients. In a small bowl, stir together the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
- Coat everything evenly. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix until everything is evenly coated.
- Bake low and slow. Spread the mixture into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet or baking dish. Bake for 2 hours, stirring once halfway through, until the granola is lightly golden and dry.
- Let it cool completely. Leave the granola to cool in the pan for at least 1 hour. It will continue to crisp up as it cools.
- Store it. Transfer to an airtight container or glass jar. Store at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.
Ash’s Tips
- Spread it evenly. A thin, even layer helps the granola dry out and crisp up properly.
- Let it cool completely before storing. The granola will crisp up as it cools, so don’t worry if it seems slightly soft when it comes out of the oven.
- For larger granola clusters, press the granola firmly into the pan using the back of a measuring cup before baking and avoid stirring more than once.
Leave a Reply