A granola recipe that your kids (and you!) will love, with plenty of sweetness, crunch, and delicious additions.
Table of contents
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- Delicious! Sweet and crunchy flavors from brown sugar, cinnamon, and your choice of mix-ins
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- Versatile – everyone can tailor it to their tastes and eat it however they’d like.
- Kid-friendly – perfect for after-school snacks or breakfast on the go
- Hearty and filling. Diet food it is not. But it’s wholesome and made with real ingredients.
🧂 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the printable recipe at the bottom of the page.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this yummy snack:
- old-fashioned oats
- chopped pecans
- shredded coconut
- vegetable oil
- brown sugar
- cinnamon
- salt
- dried cranberries
- raisins
- chocolate chips
- peanut butter chips
🥣 Equipment
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- A large, rimmed baking sheet. I use this one
- Parchment paper.
🍴Instructions
Step One: Make the syrup
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Get a large, rimmed baking sheet and put parchment paper on it. This will make it easier to clean up later.
Put the oil, brown sugar, water, cinnamon, and salt in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until the sugar melts and everything is mixed together. You don’t need to boil or cook it down, just melt the sugar.
Step Two: mix
Combine the “base” ingredients. Put the oats, pecans, and coconut in a big bowl. Pour the syrup over the dry ingredients. Stir until everything is coated and there are no more dry spots.
Step three: bake
Put the coated granola on the baking sheet. Make sure it is in one layer and not too thick. Bake for 20 minutes. It will be golden brown when it is ready.
Step Four: the mix-ins!
Remove the granola from the oven and allow it to cool for 15-20 minutes. If you’ve used parchment, lift the whole thing off, so it cools faster. When the pan is no longer warm, add the raisins, craisins, chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips. The sugar syrup will harden to a crunch as it cools.
🥫 Storage instructions
Transfer the granola to an airtight container or resealable bag when the granola has cooled completely.
It will keep for weeks at room temperature.
🔍 FAQs
Old-fashioned oats! They’re cheap, tasty, and good for you!
I use vegetable oil, but I understand many people don’t like it. I’d recommend a liquid coconut oil as a great alternative.
Sure! That will cut down quite a bit on the sugar as well. 😊
👩🏻🍳 Expert tips
- Don’t add the mix-ins too soon or they’ll melt!
- You can also add nuts and seeds for extra protein.
- For added flavor, try adding some almond extract or vanilla extract to the syrup ingredients.
- If you want it extra sweet, add a little more brown sugar.
- If you prefer a crunchier texture, bake for an additional 5-7 minutes.
📘 more homemade snack Recipes
🍽 Serve it with
Our favorite way to eat this is sprinkled on top of yogurt. So delicious.
Some people eat granola as a cold cereal with milk
And of course, it’s the perfect portable snack all on its own.
📖 Here’s the recipe
Kid’s Granola Recipe {Picky Eater Friendly}
Ingredients
- 4 cups old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup shredded coconut
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
- ¼ cup peanut butter chips
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Prep a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment for easier cleanup.
- Combine the "base" ingredients. Combine the oats, pecans, and coconut in a large bowl.
- Make the syrup: Add the oil, brown sugar, water, cinnamon, and salt in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves and everything is combined. You do not not need to boil or cook it down, just melt the sugar.
- Coat. Pour the syrup over dry base ingredients. Stir until everything is coated with no dry spots
- Bake. Spread the coated granola on the baking sheet in an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
- Add mix-ins. Remove the granola from the oven and allow it to cool for 15-20 minutes. If you've used parchcment, lift the whole thing off so it cools faster. When the pan is no longer warm, and add the raisins, craisins, chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips. The sugar syrup will harden to a crunch as it cools.
How much water? Please, was hoping to make in a day or two…
hey ann, sorry about that 🙂 it’s just a tablespoon to help the sugar dissolve into a syrup