I have been on a big granola kick this past month.
I have made homemade granola for years now, but I definitely go through bursts of making it all the time and then not making it at all. Right now, I’m in a fit of making it constantly.
I love making my own granola for a variety of reasons.
The first being, you can control exactly what goes into it. I get to decide how much fat and sugar there is, and I get to decide what the flavorings are.
The second is that it’s so fun to eat in so many different ways. I often snack on it throughout the day, grabbing a handful out of the jar a couple times a day. I also love it in yogurt or on top of a smoothie. It adds wonderful flavor, texture, and crunch to so many things!
This may sound odd, but I actually LOVE this on cottage cheese. Yes. I know. Cottage cheese is one of those polarizing foods, but I adore it (always have!), and the salty-sweet combo of this granola and the cottage cheese is delicious. The textures are out of this world!
This banana nut crunch version is my newest fave take on homemade granola. It tastes like a hunk of banana bread, except crunchier! It’s sweet and spiced, but not too much of either. It has wonderful crunch and nuttiness. It’s loaded with good-for-you ingredients.
Winning on all fronts, I’d say.
Bonus: my picky kid loved this. He asked for seconds and thirds! You have no idea how huge this is for me in general. He is NOT easy to please.
This recipe is easy to throw together and if you have a well-stocked pantry, I bet you have all the ingredients already on hand.
It starts with a mix of old-fashioned oats, pepitas, walnuts or pecans (or any nut you love!), and dried banana chips. This is the base for the granola. I also stir in flaxseed and hemp hearts for healthy fats and added protein.
What you actually put in your mix is totally up to you! You can swap out the nuts for whatever you prefer, add in more dried fruit, some coconut flakes – really, the options are endless and you can totally make this your own. Again, this is half the fun of homemade granola.
The flavorings include an actual mashed banana (yup! We need it for that authentic flavor), maple syrup, coconut oil, warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and a touch of vanilla. This combination will make your house smell like a freshly baked loaf of banana bread in the oven. It’s heavenly.
Toss everything together and spread it out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring once or twice, and voile! You’ve got yourself some homemade banana nut crunch granola.
You can break it up into small pieces or leave it in big chunks – just make sure to let it completely cool before you do either – I like a mix of textures, so I break most of it up and leave a few bigger hunks of goodness throughout.
This is such a fun twist on breakfast or snack time. We absolutely love it.
Banana Nut Crunch Granola
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
This Banana Nut Crunch Granola tastes and smells like freshly baked banana bread! It’s spiced and sweetened with maple syrup, loaded with fiber and healthy fats, and tastes darn good. It’s a delightful twist on granola that is incredibly easy to make at home!
Ingredients
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats
- â…“ cup pepitas
- ½ cup walnuts or pecans, lightly chopped
- 1 cup dried banana chips
- â…“ cup coconut oil (olive oil also works great for this recipe)
- 1 very ripe banana, mashed (roughly ½ cup)
- â…“ cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 1 tablespoon hemp hearts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, pepitas, nuts, and banana chips.
- Place a small saucepan over medium heat and add the oil, mashed banana, syrup/honey, vanilla, spices, salt, flaxseed, and hemp hearts.
- Whisking constantly, bring the mixture to a very slight simmer. Remove from the heat and continue stirring for a few seconds to ensure everything is well mixed.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the oat mixture and toss well with a spatula until everything is evenly combined and incorporated.
- Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring once or twice during that time, until everything is toasty and golden and fragrant.
- Allow the granola to cool completely on the baking sheet. Break into desired consistency once it is cooled. I like to break up most of it while leaving some bigger chunks.
- Serve over yogurt or in a smoothie bowl.
Notes
Leftover granola will keep in an airtight container stored at room temperature for up to two weeks.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: breakfast
Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg!
I just added the ingredients for this to my next grocery order. Can’t wait to try it!
SO happy to hear this! Please let me know what you think! 🙂
Turned out great! I made 2 small substitutions. I’m allergic to so I subbed 1/2 cup of Grape Nuts cereal for the walnuts. I also used chia seeds instead of flax and hemp since that is what I had on hand. The flavor is wonderful and it keeps its crunch for days. My husband and I have been adding this to everything!
Woo hoo! SO glad to hear this, Meg! Glad you were able to make a sub that worked for you, too 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback. It’s so appreciated!
I want to collaborate with you !!