Homemade granola with seeds brings a crisp, toasted finish to a bowl of yoghurt, milk or fruit. This version combines rolled oats with pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds, a little maple syrup and cinnamon. The aim is a loose, spoonable mixture with a few small clusters, so you can scatter it over breakfast without breaking up large slabs. A gentle oven and a proper cooling period do most of the work.
You can make the whole batch in one mixing bowl and bake it on a large tray. Keep the dried fruit separate until the oats have cooled, then store the granola somewhere cool and dry. With the basic method in hand, it is easy to change the spices or seed mixture to suit what you already have.
Homemade Granola With Seeds
Makes: approximately 600g, enough for around 12 small servings as part of breakfast. Preparation: 10 minutes. Baking: 30–40 minutes, plus cooling.
Ingredients
- 300g rolled porridge oats
- 60g pumpkin seeds
- 60g sunflower seeds
- 25g sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- A small pinch of fine salt, optional
- 60ml maple syrup
- 45ml rapeseed oil or mild olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 60g raisins or sultanas
Use ordinary rolled oats rather than instant porridge sachets. Jumbo oats also work, giving a more distinct, chewy flake once mixed with yoghurt. Choose plain, unroasted seeds so that they toast alongside the oats. Ready-roasted seeds can become too dark before the rest of the tray is ready.
Numbered method
- Heat the oven to 150°C fan or 170°C conventional. Line a large, shallow baking tray with baking parchment. If your tray is small, prepare two trays so the mixture can sit in a thin, even layer.
- Put the oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, cinnamon and optional salt into a large bowl. Stir thoroughly, bringing the smaller seeds up from the bottom of the bowl.
- In a jug, whisk together the maple syrup, oil and vanilla. Pour this over the oat mixture, scraping out the jug. Stir for a minute or two until the flakes look lightly coated and no dry pockets remain.
- Tip the mixture onto the lined tray and spread it evenly, including into the corners. Press gently with the back of a spoon. Avoid piling it deeply in the centre, where it will take longer to dry out.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully stir the granola, moving the darker edges towards the middle. Spread it out again and press lightly. If using two trays, swap their positions in the oven at this point.
- Bake for another 15–25 minutes, checking after 15 minutes and then every few minutes. It is ready when the oats are lightly golden, the seeds smell toasted and the mixture looks dry. Remove it before the edges turn dark brown.
- Leave the granola on the tray until completely cold. It will become crisper as it cools, so resist adding extra baking time simply because it feels slightly soft while hot.
- Break up any larger pieces with your hands or a spoon, then stir through the raisins or sultanas. Transfer to a clean, dry, airtight container.
Getting the texture right
A shallow layer matters more than an exact baking time. When the tray is crowded, moisture escapes less easily and the middle can stay soft while the edges darken. If you cannot spread the mixture comfortably, use a second tray or bake in two batches. Check both trays individually because one may finish before the other.
This recipe makes mostly separate flakes with small clusters. For slightly larger pieces, press the granola firmly after stirring halfway through, then leave it undisturbed while it cools. The modest amount of syrup means it will not form the same solid chunks as a heavily sweetened granola. Its lighter texture works particularly well as a topping.
Colour is useful, but smell is another good cue. A warm, toasted aroma is welcome; a sharp or scorched smell means the tray needs attention straight away. Sesame seeds are small and can brown quickly, so keep an eye on the corners during the final few minutes.
Ways to serve your granola
Start with a few spoonfuls and add more according to your appetite and what else is in the bowl. Granola is quite dry on its own, so pair it with something creamy or juicy. Keep the jar on the table if different people prefer different amounts.
- With yoghurt and berries: spoon plain yoghurt into a bowl, add fresh berries and finish with granola just before eating.
- With milk and banana: pour milk or an unsweetened alternative over the granola and top with sliced banana. Eat promptly for more crunch, or let it soften briefly.
- Over stewed fruit: add a scattering to gently cooked apples or pears, with a spoonful of yoghurt alongside.
- As a porridge topping: use a small handful to bring contrast to a warm bowl of plain porridge.
For a packed breakfast, carry the granola in a separate little container and add it when you are ready to eat. Mixing it into yoghurt the night before gives a softer result. Keep yoghurt and prepared fruit chilled during storage and transport.
Simple variations
Change the seeds
Replace some or all of the pumpkin seeds with extra sunflower seeds, keeping the total seed weight the same. If you prefer to leave out the sesame, replace its 25g with pumpkin or sunflower seeds. This changes the flavour slightly while keeping the balance of oats and seeds familiar.
Try a different spice or fruit
Swap half the cinnamon for ground ginger for a warmer flavour, or use a small pinch of ground cardamom alongside the cinnamon. Instead of raisins, try the same weight of chopped dried apricots. Add all dried fruit after cooling; baking it with the oats can make it hard and bitter.
Leave the dried fruit out
For a plain toasted mixture, omit the raisins and serve with fresh fruit instead. There is no need to replace them with anything in the baking mixture. Keeping the base plain also lets each person choose their own fruit at breakfast.
Storage and keeping the crunch
Let every part of the batch cool before closing the container. Trapped warmth can create condensation and soften the oats. Store in a cool, dry cupboard away from sunlight and aim to use within two weeks for the best texture. Use a clean, dry spoon each time.
You can freeze part of the cooled batch in an airtight freezer container for up to two months. Defrost it with the container closed so moisture is less likely to settle on the granola. If an otherwise fresh batch loses its crunch, spread it on a tray and warm at 140°C fan for five to ten minutes, checking carefully, then cool completely again. Discard granola that smells rancid or shows any mould.
