Chock full of crunchy oats, pieces of dried apple and cinnamon and spice, this homemade granola recipe tastes like fresh apple pie. It’s delicious as a snack or sprinkled on your morning cereal.
The nutty spiced scent of my cinnamon apple pie granola warms the whole house.
The fall flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove swirl through my kitchen and everyone comes running!
It reminds me of warm apple bake on a summer day.
Or my homemade apple crisp on a cool fall afternoon.
My cinnamon apple pie granola is delicious all year round.
Don’t buy store-bought granola!
It’s so much tastier when made from scratch.
And it cooks up in just over an hour.
Full of wholesome ingredients and seasonal flavors, it is the perfect healthy breakfast and it’s gluten-free and completely vegan.
While I love traditional granola on top of cereal or in Greek yogurt parfait, it’s also delicious on its own as a healthy snack.
If your kids are like mine, sometimes they need a healthy power boost before their next athletic event.
This fits the bill perfectly.
With swim and baseball starting up for the season, this homemade Cinnamon Apple Granola is easy to throw in a ziploc bag and toss in the duffel bag.
It’s loaded with protein from healthy whole grain oats.
Ingredients
You will need these simple ingredients:
- Old fashioned oats. Skip the quick oats and purchase the old fashioned or steel cut.
- Almonds, pecans and sunflower seeds or your favorite nuts and seeds.
- Brown sugar.
- Dried apple chips and cranberries.
- Spices including cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
- Apple sauce. Stick to unsweetened to keep this recipe sugar free.
- Maple syrup. My favorite is the authentic kind. It’s a bit more expensive but delicious with no added sugar.
How to make your own granola
This recipe requires mixing together the dry ingredients (except the apples and cranberries) and the wet ingredients and spreading the oat mixture in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet.
Next, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and bake the granola at low heat for an hour and 15 minutes.
Remove the granola from the oven and allow it to cool before adding in the apples and cranberries.
Transfer the granola mixture to a glass container and store in a cool and dark location.
We’ve been trying to incorporate more healthy fruits, nuts and whole grains into our daily diets.
This homemade apple cinnamon granola and my maple almond granola are regular staples in my kitchen pantry.
The recipe ingredients are easy to find in your local grocery store.
Check the dried fruit aisle for dried apples.
One 2-ounce bag yielded one cup of chopped dried apples.
I also added dried cranberries for a pop of sweetness and color.
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The Best Homemade Apple Pie Granola (Easy Recipe)
Ingredients
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1.5 cup almonds, sliced
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- 1 cup sunflower seeds, raw and unsalted
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1 cup dried apples
- 1 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- In a large bowl combine the oats, nuts, sunflower seeds, brown sugar, applesauce and maple syrup.
- Next, add in the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Mix until well combined. Pour the mixture onto a large baking sheet.
- Cook for up to 1 hour and 15 minutes stirring every 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven when the granola is golden brown and add the dried apples to the warm granola.
- Allow the granola to cool before adding the dried cranberries.
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
If you make a recipe, be sure to snap a photo and hashtag it #homeandplate. I’d love to see what you cook!
This looks just perfect! I want to make this now!
It’s perfect for breakfast. Thanks for visiting.
This is a super healthy and tasty breakfast or snack.
I have to agree with you Peter. Thanks.
Sounds delicious and yes we like to grab a handful and nibble away. Great recipe and a great snack/breakfast to have on hand all of the time.
It’s the perfect snack. Thanks so much.
Homemade granola is the best! I haven’t tried making it with applesauce before, sounds delicious. This would make such a cute gift in a pretty jar with a ribbon, too!
It would make a great gift. Thanks Amanda.
Wow this granola looks delicious!! Saving to make for sometime this week!
Thanks Sam…it’s great on yogurt or even sprinkled over baked apples.
I’m crazy about granola! I like the idea of the maple and applesauce combination!
Thanks Beth. I hope you like the recipe:)
You photos are so gorgeous, pinning and sharing this awesome granola recipe! Thank you for sharing it, it really looks delicious!
Thanks so much Sara. I appreciate the compliment 🙂
I have been meaning to learn how to make my own granola for a while now. Thanks for sharing your recipe
Happy too. The great thing about making it yourself is that you can control the amount of sugar you use in your recipe. It’s healthier and fresher and better for you. 🙂
I love the warming spices and dried fruits in this awesome looking granola 🙂
Thanks…it’s perfect for breakfast when you are craving apples:)
Homemade granola is one of those things I’ve been meaning to make for AGES! This has completely convinced me to do it. Great recipe 🙂
Thanks…I love granola…so good on cereal, yogurt and just on its own.
I accidentally put the cranberries in at the beginning ??. It’s in the oven now and I’m sure it will turn out fine. Just know, no matter how experienced you are in the kitchen, when making something new always read the whole recipe! Haha. I’m still looking forward to enjoying every bite. I think your recipe is so good, even my mistakes won’t ruin it!