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Sourdough granola! Yes, you read that right. You can make the most delicious homemade sourdough granola using sourdough starter. It’s super easy, crunchy and delicious. And the best thing is that it contains very little sugar and isn’t processed like the boxes you buy from the store.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
Customize It To Suit Your Tastes – Once you get the hang of making sourdough granola, you can customize the add ins to suit your taste preferences or even the occasion or holiday. You can even make this into big crunchy sourdough granola clusters, or break it up into a finer texture.
Less Sugar – using sourdough starter means you can use less sweetner in the granola. Traditionally, you use honey or maple syrup to bind it together. Using sourdough starter as the binder means you can use much less sugar.
Use Active Starter or Sourdough Discard – use whatever you have on hand. If you’re using discard, just make sure it’s not old discard as it will impart an unpleasant flavor into your granola. I prefer using fed starter.
Ingredients
- Sourdough Starter, can be active or discard
- Honey or maple syrup – you want the sweetener you use to be a liquid, so avoid brown sugar or granulated sugar.
- Melted Coconut Oil – you can substitute this with avocado oil if you prefer.
- Vanilla Extract
- Rolled Oats
- Raw Nuts – you can use any raw nuts you like to eat! Think walnuts, pecans, cashews, pistachios or almonds.
- Seeds – I love using sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, golden flax seeds and chia seeds, but you can literally use whatever seeds you have on hand.
- Cinnamon and Nutmeg – leave these out or add other spices to suit your preferences.
- Salt
- Dried Fruit – this is optional but I love adding raisins, dried blueberries, cherries, chopped, dried apricots and cranberries.
How To Make Sourdough Granola
Sourdough granola is super easy to put together (there’s a reason it’s one of the most popular sourdough discard recipes on my site). The hardest thing to do is decide what nuts and seeds to add to the mix!
Here’s how to make sourdough granola:
Preheat your oven and then add the sourdough starter, honey, vanilla and coconut oil together in a bowl and blend together using a fork or whisk.
Once the liquid ingredients are smooth, add the oats, nuts and spices on top. Stir the ingredients until everything is coated with the sourdough starter mixture.
Press a tight, even layer of granola onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake low and slow until the mixture is golden and toasty. The honey (or maple syrup) used in the mixture means that it will burn easily. It’s better to bake it lower and slower, than have the oven too hot and end up with burnt, bitter granola.
Once the granola cools, break it up into pieces and toss through the dried fruit. It’s totally up to you whether you want to leave the granola in bigger, crunchy clusters or break it up a bit more into a more cereal type texture.
Don’t add the dried fruit until after the granola has been baked and cooled. If you bake the dried fruit in the granola it will become hard and even drier. You want the dried fruit to add some sweetness and moisture.
Kate’s Pro Tip
Crisp Up Your Sourdough Granola
If you take it out of the oven and the edges are golden but the middle seems like it needs a little longer, then crumble the edges and remove them and break the middle part up a little and then pop it back in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up.
Granola Flavor Variations
While this granola recipe is super tasty as it is, it can be fun to create different flavor variations. It’s really easy to change out a few ingredients to create these 6 different flavors!
Honey Oat Sourdough Granola
- Use 50g of raw almonds as the nuts and 50g of rice cereal for the seeds.
- Increase the honey to 40g.
- You can still add dried fruit if you wish, but this is just as yummy without it.
Maple Pecan Sourdough Granola
- Use maple syrup instead of honey (you can increase the amount a little for a more pronounced flavor).
- Use 100g of chopped pecans instead of the nuts and seeds in the recipe.
Apricot & Almond Sourdough Granola
- Use 70g of natural almonds instead of the nuts and seeds.
- Leave out the spices.
- Add 100g of chopped, dried apricots and 50g of flaked almonds after the granola has been baked and cooled.
Choc Coconut Sourdough Granola
For an even more delicious chocolate flavor, why not make this chocolate sourdough starter and create your granola from that!
- Use 100g of shredded coconut flakes instead of the nuts and seeds.
- Use 20g of cocoa powder instead of the spices
- Stir through 50 – 100g of mini chocolate chips once the granola has cooled (depending on how chocolatey you want it).
Apple & Cinnamon Sourdough Granola
- Use 100g of walnuts instead of the nuts and seeds
- Double the cinnamon used to 2 teaspoons.
- Add 100g of dried apple pieces after the granola has been baked and cooled.
Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Granola
- Use 50g of pecans and 50g of pumpkin seeds.
- Use 2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice instead of the spiced listed in the recipe
- Add 100g of cranberries when the granola has cooled.
Gingerbread Granola
- Double the cinnamon used to 2 teaspoons.
- Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of powdered ginger (depending on your taste).
- Add 1/4 teaspoon of powdered cloves.
- Increase the maple syrup or honey if you would prefer a sweeter taste.
- If gifting this one, you could also crush up some sourdough gingerbread cookies and toss through the baked granola.
Festive Christmas Granola
- Double the cinnamon to 2 teaspoons.
- Add two teaspoons of orange zest before baking.
- Add 100g of cranberries and 100g of dark choc chips once the granola has cooled. I’ve even added some pistachios to the festive Christmas sourdough granola below – perfect for holiday gifting!
Serving Suggestions & Uses
There are so many ways you can use up this sourdough granola. You don’t just have to eat it as cereal! Here are a few ways that we are using it at my house (let me tell you that I make like a 4x batch of this stuff because it disappears so quickly!).
- Serve with thick, creamy yogurt and slice banana for a quick, easy breakfast.
- Leave the granola in crunchy clusters and use it as a base for a trail mix for work snacks.
- Use it as a topping for crackers – these cinnamon sugar crackers work really well as a base.
- Use it in these jumbo sourdough granola muffins or toasty sourdough granola bars.
- Stir it into your favorite chocolate and spread over a baking tray to set – sourdough granola chocolate bark!
- Use it as the topping for a fruit crumble dessert like this sourdough apple crisp.
How To Store It
Sourdough granola lasts quite a while. I prefer to store it in a tall, glass jar. It not only looks super pretty on your counter top, it keeps it fresh for a lot longer.
Any airtight container will keep the granola fresh, however I think glass keeps it crunchier than plastic.
Sourdough Granola
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Baking Tray
Ingredients
- 50 g Sourdough Starter, (can be active or discard)
- 20 g Honey, (or maple syrup)
- 10 g Coconut Oil, (melted)
- 5 g Vanilla Extract
- 100 g Rolled Oats
- 50 g Nuts, (any nuts you like to eat)
- 50 g Seeds, (any seeds you like to eat)
- 2 g Cinnamon
- 1 g Nutmeg, (1/4 teaspoon)
- 2 g Salt, (1/4 teaspoon)
- 50 g Dried Fruit, (optional – I used raisins, blueberries and chopped, dried apricots).
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 320ºF/160ºC.
- Add the sourdough starter, honey, vanilla and coconut oil together in a bowl. Mix with a spoon until they are well combined.
- Once the liquid ingredients are smooth, add the oats, nuts and spices. Stir the ingredients until everything is well coated with the sourdough starter mixture.
- Press a tight layer of granola onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Don't leave any gaps.
- Bake low and slow until the mixture is lightly toasted. The granola will take around 20 minutes to toast. Keep an eye on it as the honey will cause it to burn easily.
- Once cooled, break the granola up into pieces and toss through the dried fruit if using.
- Store the granola in air tight container. A glass jar is best.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Rate and comment below!
I am *VERY* excited to try this recipe! We are a granola-loving family! I have a question, tho…..in one of the images above, it appears to have an egg being added to the mixture, yet eggs are not listed in the ingredients. Am I seeing things that aren’t there??
Hi Kerry – I hope you enjoy sourdough granola 🙂 We are loving it in my house! There’s definitely no egg in the mixture – which picture are you referring to … haha I’ve been all through the photos to try and spot which one you mean! But definitely no egg 🙂
I think it’s the picture after instruction #2… the spices look like and egg in the picture 😄
I am betting its the spice pic… it looked like an egg to me too at first! I can’t wait to try this!
I saw the egg too… Upon closer inspection, I realized it was just the cinnamon, salt and maybe coconut oil picture. It looks like an egg yolk but it’s an optical illusion
The pic in step 2 looks like an egg.
Definitely not an egg 🙂 It’s just cinnamon that has formed the shape from the spoon 🙂
So much better than store bought.
Could the oil be omitted entirely?
I think the appearance of the egg in the above picture is actually the coconut oil drenched in cinnamon and vanilla which makes it appear as if it is an egg. 👌
I hate nuts so how would I substitute the nuts in the recipe? With more oats or dried fruit? 🙂
What can I use to replace coconut oil?
I think you are looking at the salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg…
I think the egg is a rounded scoop of cinnamon that slid to the bottom if the bowl in the first picture😊
Kerry, I’m guessing it’s the photo of the spices (which can look like an egg yolk) in a dark bowl over a light liquid mixture in the lower bowl (text below is instructions #3). It’s just a spoonful of spices (likely cinnamon) that is neatly shaped and colored like an egg yolk. 🙂
I see the ‘egg’! It looks like it’s possibly the cinnamon that has been scooped out and sliding down. To look through the recipe I had the photos turned off but once I read your comment, Kerry, I saw the ‘egg’. 😂
I totally see the egg, but it might be the coconut oil blob
I just tossed this in the oven. I made two different batches. Regular per the recipe. A second batch I added espresso and chocolate powder.
Plus I added chopped dates. I used a mixed nut combination I had on hand so it has almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews. I also like clove so I put a pinch.
Love your recipes!
ooooh love the idea of the espresso powder! Yum! xo
I love homemade granola and I’m excited to see a recipe using sourdough discard! Quick question, can I sub something else for the coconut oil? That’s the only ingredient I don’t have on hand.
When you list the nutrition etc. is it designating for the entire end product? For instance, there is no serving size denoted per number of calories etc.
Recipe sounds delicious, can’t wait to try it! I am curious though why you do not provide the conversion for the other ingredients besides the spices? It would be so helpful for so many people who don’t have a scale/can’t afford one. Thanks!
Just adding to the comment by ‘Kerry’. The egg looks to be in the mixture about to be added to the sourdough starter. It is the first picture after the heading ‘Directions’.
I know it isn’t egg, but an incorrect photo which has found its way into your script.
Didn’t want Kerry to think she was seeing things. :))
What about using fresh fruit like blueberries? I’m thinking they might dry out nicely during the baking process?
I made it with my granddaughter. She’s two and she loved stirring it and patting in the cook tray. It tasted wonderful. I wish the recipe were in cups and teaspoons. It took twice long weighing it.
Going to try this soon! What can I use to replace coconut oil?
No need to buy granola in the stores anymore! I find I need to bake mine closer to 45-50 minutes for crunchy granola.
Can you suggest a substitution for the coconut oil?
You can use almond oil, walnut oil, avocado oil – anything like is fine 🙂
I’ve made this 2x now and it’s a GREAT recipe~! Thanks So Much~!!
This recipe tastes great! My husband and I loved it. When he looked at the container, he said, “Is this all you made?” I’ll quadruple the recipe next time. I love that your recipes make that easy.
If want to try other variations, should I basically aim for 50 grams of nuts and 50 grams of seeds? To add shredded coconut, do I substitute it for some or all of the nuts/seeds?
Also, my granola didn’t stick together very well. Far from become one big block (though I did try to smoosh it together), it was many small distinct pieces. I wonder if I needed to add more of the “glue.” I substituted maple syrup for the honey, could that have made a difference?
Have you ever done a peanut butter/chocolate combo?
Do you have to use coconut oil? Any substitutions?
You can use any oil you like, I’ve just used coconut because the flavor works well with granola, but other oil like walnut, avocado, light olive oil works well too.
I am wondering if you can make these into granola bars?
Why is the dried fruit added after the baking?
Because if you add it before baking, it will dry out and be brittle. It’s much nicer if you add it after baking 🙂
Made your standard. Perfect. Looking forward to the variations. Glad I made a double batch…it won’t last long! Thank you.
Amazing! Loved by all the family i keep
Making it again and again😃 thanks for the recipe!!
Quick question, how many cups does one batch typically make?
Hello! Looking at the maple almond flavor you said replace with rice cereal. Are you just referring to rice crispies? or is there something else you prefer?
I made it as written and it was very tasty. I made a double batch so I could package it up to give as gifts.
Do you think it would freeze well? And if not, how long do you think it can last in the pantry?
It should freeze well for a few months in an airtight container.
Would quick oats work?
Fabulous way to use discard and I can make it as sweet as I want, unlike purchased granola, I double the recipe each time, it is a big hit in our house!
No crisp to this. It was terrible.
Did you adjust the ingredients at all? It should be crispy.
I just made this. It’s wonderful! Can it be frozen?
Definitely! Just freeze in an airtight container.
Just love this granola and it’s not too sweet and nice and crunchy. This the the second time making it and decided to add a tablespoon of ground flax to the mix so we will see how it comes out.
I love this recipe. I made it as-is the first time and then tripled it the next time! I am going through the alternate flavors and it says in some to double the cinnamon to 2 tsp., but it looks to me like the cinnamon amount is 1/2 tsp. in the regular recipe, which would mean 1 tsp. is the doubled amount. I suppose I could just experiment, but thought I’d ask.
This is a hit with my husband who only eats breakfast at the weekend and then usually double helpings! I love it too and it keeps me satisfied for hours. I make it every week now. Thank you.
Hiya! Probs won’t last long, but just in case, how long will it stay fresh if I store it in glass? Should we aim to eat it within a couple of days or would you give it maybe a week? TIA!