Wholesome Grain-Free Granola Recipe

Sometimes, all you want is a crunchy snack, and this wholesome grain-free granola recipe is the perfect choice! Packed with nuts, seeds, natural sweetness from honey, and a splash of vanilla, you can nosh on this delicious granola anytime the craving kicks in.

As a grain-free granola, there are no oats in this version of granola. Nuts and seeds make up the bulk of this delicious snack, while a little natural sugar from honey holds it all together in signature granola cluster fashion.

Batch baking homemade granola without oats is the best way to prepare a crowd-pleasing snack for a big game-day party, board game night with the friends, or Sunday family get-together.

Many years ago, Costco bakery used to make and sell their own granola. The flavor was quite different from other store bought granola, and I thought it was absolutely delicious! I would bring a small container with me to University to have as a snack between classes. I’m not sure I even noticed it did not have any grains in it at the time, not that it would have mattered.

For some reason that I cannot recall, I stopped buying it. Years later, I went to find the famed granola again only to discover Costco had discontinued it. So I found a list of the ingredients in an attempt to create my own version, and now I’m sharing the recipe with you!

Ingredients

As the name of this recipe states, this is a grain-free granola. Many homemade granola recipes call for oats, but I wanted to stay true to the original granola that I enjoyed way back when. That said, I will eventually make a version with oats sometime in the future, because I like oats too.

Here are the ingredients you will need:

• Olive oil, ½ cup - Acts as a binding agent for the granola clusters. When baked, oil makes the granola crispy as well as gives it a golden hue.
• Honey, ¼ cup - Acts as a binding ingredient, while also lending a natural sweetness to the granola. A little honey goes a long way in this recipe. I suggest starting with ¼ cup the first time you make this and only increase the amount of honey to ⅓ cup if it is not sweet enough for you.
• Almond meal or almond flour, ¼ cup, super finely ground - Helps to bind the honey and almond flour to create the signature granola clusters. Almond meal gives granola an added nutty flavor as well as a gentle texture.
• Pecans, ½ cup, raw, whole - Buttery, warm pecans are the sweet spice of this granola recipe. Buy whole raw pecans of the best quality you can find.
• Walnuts, ½ cup, raw, whole - As pecans lend sweet, buttery flavors, walnuts bring a complex earthy, bitter flavor that balances both flavors perfectly. As with pecans, buy the highest quality walnuts you can find. Moreover, inspect the walnuts for signs of spoilage, as I find walnuts, even well before the expiration date, to sometimes be rancid when just purchased. 
• Almonds, ½ cup unsalted, raw, whole - You can buy whole, slivered, or pre-chopped almonds, whichever you prefer. I use whole almonds, because this recipe includes roughly chopping the variety of nuts and seeds at once. 
• Sunflower seeds, ¼ cup unsalted kernels, raw, whole - If you prefer whole sunflower seeds, they do not have to be chopped with the other nuts and seeds.
• Pumpkin seeds (pepitas), ¼ cup unsalted kernels, raw, whole - Packed with several vitamins and minerals, pumpkin seeds, or pepitas as they are also known, round out the mixture in this granola. It’s up to you whether you roughly chop them along with the other nuts and seeds, as they are not particularly large. In the instructions section, you’ll see I roughly chop them.
• Vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon - Real vanilla extract provides a warm flavor to complement all other ingredients in the granola. Do not use imitation vanilla.

Kitchen Supplies and Equipment

You only need a few staple kitchen supplies to make homemade granola.

• Baking sheet pan - For best results, use a half-sheet baking pan. I talked about my favorite baking sheet pan set in the Best Kitchen Gift Ideas. They also carry a great mixed set of baking pans if you are looking for sheet pans, cake pans, and other ovenware in one set.
• Knife or food processor - For this recipe, I prefer to use a knife and cutting board to roughly chop the nuts and seeds, because I think it’s easy to overdo it using a food processor and end up with a nutty seed dust as opposed to chunks. You do what works best for you, just be sure to not overdo it.
• Sauce pot - You will need a small saucepan to heat the oil-honey-almond flour mixture. We have a very nice stainless steel cookware set that I highly recommend. I used the 2-quart saucepan.
• Mixing bowl - You can use a stainless steel, stoneware, or glass mixing bowl to make this granola. Of course, I like functional and beautiful kitchen supplies. One of my favorite kitchen supplies is our set of gorgeous handthrown pottery mixing bowls from etúHome. I typically use this set when recipes do not require a hand blender. Otherwise, I use a stainless steel mixing bowl set that comes with lid attachments. The bottom is silicone, which means the bowls don’t slide around when you’re using them. They come in a few different colors of which I have the neutral khaki color.

Instructions

1. Roughly chop the nuts and seeds and place them in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

2. To create the sugar binding mixture, heat olive oil, vanilla extract, and honey in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir continuously to warm it through and fully combine, about 3-5 minutes.

3. Slowly stir in the almond flour/meal. Stir continuously until well combined, about 2-3 minutes.

4. Pour the honey mixture over the nuts/seeds in the mixing bowl. Mix well to combine.

5. Line a medium to large baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the mixture onto the baking sheet. Use the back of a wooden spoon to help move the mixture around.

6. Bake at 325 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. Stir after 5 minutes and then again at 10 minutes. At the halfway point, reduce the heat to 300 degrees F. Check on it occasionally for the remaining time to make sure it is not burning. It is done when it has dried out some and turned a light golden brown.

7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, about 5 minutes. Serve after cooling or, once completely cooled after about 25 minutes, store in a sealed glass container in the pantry for up to four weeks.

Serving Suggestions

This granola is one of the best snacks to have on hand throughout the week. You can easily bake a large batch for a holiday party, serving small portions in cute little bowls for a festive touch!

• Appetizer - Granola is an excellent appetizer to serve in small individual bowls at your next party. Allow guests to add a dollop of yogurt for protein.
• Snack - Whether as a mid-morning or afternoon snack, you can’t go wrong with granola. It’s packed full of healthy fats, with a little natural sugar to keep you going.
• Breakfast  - Add granola to milk, yogurt, or cottage cheese for a hearty, balanced breakfast.

How to Store Leftovers

Once completely cooled—about 25 minutes—store leftover grain-free granola in a sealed, air-tight glass container in the pantry. Nuts and seeds go rancid over time so be sure to check for signs of spoilage before consuming. According to Tasting Table, homemade granola should be good for up to four weeks when stored properly.