Healthy Homemade Strawberry Granola

This easy homemade granola is bursting with the flavor of fresh summer ripe strawberries, crunchy toasted nuts, and sweet coconut. Keep it on hand for the perfect quick breakfast that’s made with healthy ingredients, fiber, and good-for-you nutrients! 

Why We Love This Recipe For Strawberry Granola

This homemade berry granola is the perfect healthy snack or wholesome breakfast. It’s great served with milk or yogurt with fruit. Use it to create a healthy parfait or snack on it for a midday treat. The maple syrup is a subtle natural sweetener and the freeze-dried strawberries add a crunchy burst of flavor! 

Recipe Highlights

• Pair with milk or milk substitute for a healthy breakfast any day of the week.
• Great nutritional benefits include heart-healthy fiber, essential fatty acids, and plant-based protein
• Stores well at room temperature- so it is terrific for meal prep
• Homemade berry granola is less expensive than buying pre-made granola at the supermarket.
• The level of sweetness, choice of nuts and seasonings can be adjusted and customized to your preferred ratio.
• Naturally sweetened with berries and maple syrup.
• Freeze-dried strawberries add the vibrant flavor of tart and sweet berries in convenient, shelf-stable dried form. Freeze-dried fruit is perfect for stirring into homemade granola.
• Double or triple the recipe easily for more- or to make a gift from the kitchen!

Key Ingredients for Granola with Strawberries

• Maple Syrup: When possible we use a natural sweetener for our recipes here at HSR, and in the case of this granola recipe we used pure maple syrup. We always recommend the darkest available grade syrup you can find. (Dark Robust has the best maple flavor.)You can adjust the amount of maple syrup based on your preferences. Maple syrup helps create the granola clusters by clumping some of the oats, nuts, and seeds together as the mixture bakes.
• Cooking Oil: Your prefered neutral oil can be used. We suggest either organic canola oil or avocado oil, but any neutral oil will work. The oil helps the oats become crispy as they bake.
• Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: These old-fashioned oats are sturdy and retain their texture better than other types of oats. We would not recommend quick oats, but if you wind up using them you’ll need to adjust the cooking time and chop the nuts to ensure everything is cooked evenly.
• Nuts & Seeds: We use raw whole almonds, but you can use any nut in its place as long as they’re raw and similar in size. We also use raw pepitas which add color and texture to the granola.
• Unsweetened Coconut Flakes:  Strawberries and coconut are a classic pairing and we love that the flakes look great in the granola! Coconut flakes (or chips as they are sometimes called) are unsweetened. They can bake faster than sweetened shredded coconut.
• Freeze-Dried Strawberries: They have a super concentrated strawberry flavor and add to the crunchiness factor.
• Seasonings: Vanilla, Cinnamon, ginger, and salt season the granola.

How To Make Homemade Berry Granola

Step 1: Preheat and Prep

Preheat your oven to 350F and prepare a large-rimmed baking sheet by lining it with a sheet of parchment. Set aside.

Step 2: Combine Seasonings and Natural Sweeteners

In a large bowl, stir together the oil, syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Mix until everything is combined. Stir the oats, almonds, and pepitas into the large bowl.

Step 3: Add Crunch & Bake

Spread the mixture evenly on the prepared baking sheet and then bake in the preheated oven. Stir the granola occasionally until the nuts are toasted, which should take about 20 to 25 minutes.

Step 4: Add Coconut

Remove the pan from the oven, and stir in the coconut. Return the sheet to the oven and bake until the coconut is golden on the edges, which should take about 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 5: Add Freeze Dried Strawberries

Remove the pan from the oven and then stir in the strawberries until they’re just combined. Allow the granola to cool on the baking sheet, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking to the tray, for about 10 minutes.

FAQs and Expert tips

Make Ahead & Storage

This strawberry coconut granola is a great make-ahead recipe! Whip up a batch and then store it in an airtight container for up to one month at room temperature. 

Expert Tips

• We added the coconut and strawberries at the end which ensures that it won’t burn since they have a shorter cooking time.
• It’s important to stir throughout cooking to promote even cooking and so nothing sticks on the tray.
• Cook the granola at 350F or lower so the sugars do not burn before the oats, and so the seeds and nuts are toasty.
• Every oven is different, so be sure to watch your granola at 20 minutes. It will start to deepen in color to a golden brown and become drier.

Substitutions

• Any spices could be used here based on preference. Pumpkin pie spice is a convenient sub for the individual spices.
• If you prefer a different type of nut, you could use any whole nut like pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts.
• You could use honey or agave instead of maple syrup.
• Replace vanilla with a little almond extract, if preferred.
• Any type of freeze-dried fruit would work to replace the strawberries. We love blueberries and raspberries too!
• Replace the coconut flakes with shredded coconut, but you may need to reduce the cook time slightly.

How To Serve Strawberry Granola

• Homemade berry granola pairs well with plant milk or cow’s milk for a bowl of healthy morning cereal. Add fresh berries to the top for added flavor and nutrition.
• Use for a yogurt bowl with fruit: Serve over yogurt with fresh fruit for a healthy parfait, and add chia seeds and/or flax seeds.
• Use your granola as a topping for a smoothie bowl to give it an added crunch.
• Turn this berry and coconut granola into a trail mix by adding white chocolate chips and additional nuts. Enjoy it as an afternoon snack!
• Take your granola to the next level by using it in a strawberry shortcake dessert with a slice of pound cake, vanilla ice cream, and fresh strawberries.
• Enjoy your granola over Greek yogurt with a drizzle of melted peanut butter on top.
• Serve it over ice cream with a drizzle of our strawberry coulis recipe listed below!

Additional Strawberry Recipes To Try

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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