The Best Healthy Vegan Granola

By the Gracious Vegan

The genius ingredient in this plant-based granola is date syrup. The syrup sweetens and combines with chia seeds and flaxseed meal to create wonderful crunchy clusters. The date syrup also substitutes, along with almond butter, for oil, making this sugar-free and oil-free. You can customize the types of nuts and dried fruit, and I also give a few choices for seasoning. (My personal favorite is orange zest and nutmeg.)

My favorite way to eat this granola is with berries and homemade soy yogurt. It’s also great with nondairy milk, on smoothie bowls, on toast with a nut butter, in fruit parfaits, and on its own as a snack. It’s hard to leave it alone!

 Makes 7+ cups

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Stir together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

• 2 cups rolled oats

• 1 + 1/3 cups nuts (all one kind or a combination—almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts, etc.) (I prefer pieces rather than whole nuts so that they roast completely)

• 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (or unsweetened coconut flakes)

• 1/4 cup raw seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, hemp, etc.)

• 1.5 Tablespoons chia seeds

• 1.5 Tablespoons flaxseed meal

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon, or 1 teaspoon ground ginger, or a combination of the zest from one orange and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

Whisk together the wet ingredients in a small-medium bowl or 2-cup measuring cup.

• 1/2 cup date syrup or 2/3 cup maple syrup

• 2 Tablespoons almond butter

• 1 Tablespoon water

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir all the ingredients together so that they are well combined and coated. Divide the mixture between the two pans and spread it into a thin, even layer on the parchment. Bake for 35-45 minutes (stir after about 20 minutes and then check after another 15 minutes). (Note that if you use maple syrup rather than date syrup, baking time may increase to 5 or 10 minutes longer.) The granola should be dry and darker and the nuts should be. lightly roasted (the granola will crisp up as it cools, so not to worry at this stage). Let the granola sit on the pans and cool completely. Once it’s cooled, stir in dried fruit or cocoa nibs.

• 2/3 cup mixed dried fruit (raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, goji berries, chopped dried apricots, dried blueberries, chopped dates, etc.) and/or cocoa nibs

The granola will last at least 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature.

Timing: about an hour

Gluten-free