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Low sugar crunchy granola that still tastes sweet and results in the most magical large crunchy clusters! Use this as a base recipe for all of your granola adventures.
I’ve been making homemade granola since 2011 and have learned along the way how to make huge granola clusters.
I’m here sharing my go-to method, which is so silly simple, you’ll wonder why you haven’t been making granola like this your entire life.
In this basic recipe, I am exploring both low-sugar granola and the crunchiest granola you’ve ever made.
You can use it as a template for all sorts of granola flavors, or enjoy it as is for a classic everyday treat.
Tips for Making Low-Sugar Granola:
So how do you make low-sugar granola? Here are my top tips:
- Add less sweetener or use a sugar-free sweetener.
- Skip the dried fruit altogether. Fruit contains natural sugars, but dried fruit often contains added sugar too.
- Opt for ingredients that taste naturally sweet, like nuts, seeds and shredded coconut.
- I recommend skipping oats, which add carbohydrates, if you are looking for low-carb granola.
If, however, you are looking for a standard granola recipe, make The Only Granola Recipe You’ll Ever Need. Or, make my Homemade Muesli for a no oil and no sugar approach.
Ingredients for Lower Sugar Granola:
Egg White: The key ingredient to forming large granola clusters that are magically crunchy. The egg white causes all of the ingredients to stick together and forms a crunchy finish.
Almond Butter: Adds a protective fat layer and also helps bind the ingredients together (similar to the egg white). Use any kind of nut butter you like here. Peanut butter and cashew butter work great too.
Pure Maple Syrup: My sweetener of choice. I like using pure maple syrup because it is less refined than cane sugar and it provides a little stickiness to help the ingredients stick together. Replace it with brown sugar or coconut sugar if you prefer.
Avocado Oil: Here to protect the nuts and seeds from burning during the baking process. Oil also adds richness due to its fat content, which translates into flavor. It also helps generate a lovely crisp, yielding crunchy big clumps.
I don’t recommend using olive oil, as it is likely to burn during the baking process.
Pure Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla adds warm flavor.
Ground Cinnamon: This warm spice helps the granola taste sweeter without actually adding more sugar. Fun fact: Ceylon cinnamon also helps lower your blood sugar.
Nuts and Seeds: Pick your favorite combination of nuts and seeds. I do almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.
If carbohydrates are a concern of yours, note that certain types of nuts (like cashews) contain more natural carbohydrate than others. Whereas macadamia nuts are higher in healthy fats and fewer carbs.
Unsweetened Shredded Coconut: I love the addition of unsweetened coconut because it adds natural sweetness without a lot of sugar and lovely coconut flavor. Skip it if you aren’t into coconut. Coconut flakes work too.
Recipe Customizations:
- Replace the pure maple syrup with 3 tablespoons of water and 5 to 6 tablespoons of allulose, monk fruit sweetener, or sugar-free sweetener of choice. Also add an additional tablespoon of avocado oil, as it will help protect the sweetener from burning.
- Use your favorite combination of nuts and seeds. In total, you need 5 cups of nuts and seeds.
- Add in your favorite dried fruit after the baking process is complete. You can do 1 cup of dried cranberries, dried blueberries, freeze-dried strawberries, raisins, apricots, etc. Just note that adding dried fruit increases the total sugars.
- Stir chocolate chips into your granola after it has cooled off to room temperature.
How to Make Crunchy Granola:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy. Add in the almond butter, pure maple syrup, avocado oil, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and sea salt. Mix until the wet ingredients are well combined.
Pulse the nuts and seeds in a food processor several times until they have a nice chop.
Transfer the chopped nuts and seeds to a large mixing bowl.
Pour in the wet mixture and use a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon to stir everything together until the ingredients are coated.
Spread the granola mixture over the prepared baking sheet, creating an even layer that’s roughly ¼ to ½ inch thick. I use a rubber spatula to press the mixture onto the sheet until it forms a cohesive layer.
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes, or until the nuts are lightly golden brown. Avoid baking for too long, as nuts have a tendency to burn quickly after a certain point.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place it on a wire rack or your stove top to cool. Allow the granola to cool for at least 20 minutes.
Use a spatula to break the granola mixture into your desired size chunks. Enjoy with Greek yogurt and fresh fruit, or eat it like cereal with your choice of milk.
Storage Options:
- Room Temperature: Store granola in an airtight container or a zip lock bag on the counter for up to 1 week.
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate homemade granola in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer: Freeze leftover granola in a freezer bag or a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
The next time you’re craving ultra crunchy granola that is lower in added sugar, whip up this easy recipe!
It’s a great way to fashion up quick breakfasts that are anything but boring.
Enjoy it for breakfast, afternoon snack, or even dessert!
If you love sweet breakfast recipes like this, also try out some of my other breakfast favorites.
More Sweet Breakfast Recipes:
- Oatmeal Protein Pancakes
- Double Chocolate Banana Baked Protein Oatmeal
- Oatmeal Protein Waffles
- Protein Cinnamon Roll Bread
- Healthy Blueberry Coffee Cake
- Oatmeal Protein Bars
Low Sugar Granola
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 egg white
- 2 Tbsp almond butter
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 3 Tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 2 cups raw walnuts , and/or almonds
- 1 1/2 cups raw pecans
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy. Add in the almond butter, pure maple syrup, avocado oil, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and sea salt. Mix until the wet ingredients are well combined.
- Pulse the nuts and seeds in a food processor several times until they have a nice chop.
- Transfer the chopped nuts and seeds to a large mixing bowl. Pour in the wet mixture and use a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon to stir everything together until the ingredients are coated.
- Spread the granola mixture over the prepared baking sheet, creating an even layer that’s roughly ¼ to ½ inch thick. I use a rubber spatula to press the mixture onto the sheet until it forms a cohesive layer.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes, or until the nuts are lightly golden brown. Avoid baking for too long, as nuts have a tendency to burn quickly after a certain point.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place it on a wire rack or your stove top to cool. Allow the granola to cool for at least 20 minutes.
- Use a spatula to break the granola mixture into your desired size chunks. Enjoy with Greek yogurt and fresh fruit, or eat it like cereal with your choice of milk.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
Frequently Asked Questions:
The key to large clusters is adding an egg white. The egg white binds the ingredients together, which is what in turn causes the ingredients to cluster up and hold together. When you add egg whites to granola, you can make any size clusters you like.
A couple of different factors contribute to a crunchy granola.
First and foremost, the granola should be baked at a relatively low temperature (300 degrees Fahrenheit) so that all of the nuts and seeds get properly roasted without browning up too much.
Secondly, adding an egg white, oil, or some type of nut butter, like almond butter or peanut butter, helps generate the crunchy texture too. All three help protect the nuts and seeds from burning during the baking process while encouraging an outer crisp.
Yes! Pick your favorite granulated sweetener that can be used as a 1:1 replacement for cane sugar, and you’re ready to make sugar-free granola.
My top preferences for zero calorie sweeteners are allulose and monk fruit sweetener. Allulose has been shown in clinical trials to not only prevent blood sugar spikes, but to also naturally lower blood sugar, all without having a negative impact on the gut microbiome.
Yes! Use 2 cups of old-fashioned oats or quick oats and 3 cups of nuts and seeds. Pulse the oats with the rest of the dry ingredients in you food processor, and add an extra 2 tablespoons of almond butter.
