There’s something deeply satisfying about starting the day with a bowl of something you’ve made entirely from scratch. For years, I relied on shop-bought cereals, but they always felt like a compromise – either too sweet, not crunchy enough, or filled with ingredients I didn’t particularly want. I used to think all homemade granola was a bit of a faff until I landed on this streamlined method. This Granola With Fresh Fruit Recipe isn’t just about breakfast; it’s about creating a moment of pure, wholesome enjoyment to kick-start your morning.

What sets this recipe apart is the balance we strike between texture and flavour. We bake it low and slow to achieve deeply toasted, golden clusters of oats and nuts that stay crunchy for days. The sweetness comes from pure maple syrup, just enough to enhance the natural nuttiness without overpowering it, complemented by a gentle warmth from ground cinnamon. Piled into a bowl with thick, creamy yoghurt and a tumble of vibrant, juicy fresh fruit, it becomes more than just a meal; it’s a beautiful and energising way to face the day. It’s the kind of breakfast that works wonderfully for a busy weekday morning when you need something substantial, but it’s also special enough for a lazy Sunday brunch.

Recipe Overview

This recipe guides you through creating a deliciously crunchy, clustered fruit granola right in your own kitchen. Expect a wonderful aroma of toasted nuts and cinnamon to fill your home as it bakes. The final result is a golden-brown granola with a satisfying texture, subtly sweetened with maple syrup and vanilla. After a few batches, I found that a lower, slower bake is the key to preventing any burnt bits while achieving that perfect, uniform crunch. It’s a straightforward process of mixing, baking, and cooling to create the ultimate base for your breakfast bowl.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes (plus cooling)
• Servings: Makes approx. 750g (about 12 servings)
• Difficulty: Easy

Why You’ll Love This Granola With Fresh Fruit Recipe

• Genuine Flavour: This isn’t your average sugary cereal. You get the rich, nutty taste of toasted pecans and almonds, the earthy depth of pumpkin seeds, and the warmth of real cinnamon, all tied together with the wonderful caramel notes of pure maple syrup.
• Comes Together in About 40 Minutes: From gathering your ingredients to pulling the trays out of the oven, the active process is minimal, making it an ideal recipe for a Sunday afternoon batch-bake.
• Flexible Recipe: This is a brilliant base for customisation. You can easily swap the pecans for walnuts, add a tablespoon of chia seeds for extra nutrients, or use melted butter instead of coconut oil for a richer flavour.
• Great for Meal Prep: A single batch provides breakfasts for well over a week. It’s a fantastic way to ensure you have a wholesome and delicious option ready to go on hectic mornings. If you enjoy make-ahead breakfasts, you might also like these Easy Sheet Pan Pancakes.
• Family Tested: This recipe always gets compliments in my house. My children love setting up a “granola bar” with different yoghurts and fruits, giving them a fun way to build their own perfect breakfast bowl.

Granola With Fresh Fruit Recipe

⏱️ 15 min prep  •  🍳 30 min cook  •  👥 10 servings

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For the best results, start with quality ingredients. I always use proper rolled oats (sometimes called jumbo oats) rather than the instant kind, as they provide a much better, chewier texture. I find that a good quality, dark maple syrup, like a Canadian Grade A Dark, gives the most robust flavour that really shines through after baking.

• 300g rolled oats (not instant or quick-cook)
• 100g raw pecan halves, roughly chopped
• 80g flaked almonds
• 50g pumpkin seeds
• 50g sunflower seeds
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 120ml pure maple syrup
• 80ml melted coconut oil (or another neutral oil)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• For Serving:
• Greek yoghurt or coconut yoghurt
• A selection of fresh fruit (e.g., raspberries, blueberries, sliced banana, kiwi)
• A drizzle of extra maple syrup or honey (optional)

Marcus’s Tip: Ensure your coconut oil is fully melted and your maple syrup is at room temperature. This helps them combine easily and coat the dry ingredients more evenly, which is crucial for uniform browning.

How to Make Granola With Fresh Fruit Recipe

The process for making this fruit granola is very straightforward. The most important stages are ensuring the dry ingredients are evenly coated with the wet mixture and allowing the granola to cool completely without disturbance to form those desirable large clusters.

1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan). Line two large baking trays with baking parchment. This prevents sticking and makes clean-up much easier.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the rolled oats, chopped pecans, flaked almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, ground cinnamon, and sea salt. Give everything a thorough stir to ensure the nuts, seeds, and spice are evenly distributed.
3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate smaller bowl or a jug, whisk together the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until well combined.
4. Coat the Mixture: Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients in the large bowl. Using a spatula, fold and stir everything together until every last oat and nut is lightly coated. Don’t rush this step; good coating means good flavour.
5. Spread on Trays: Divide the granola mixture evenly between the two prepared baking trays. Spread it out into a thin, even layer. What works best for me is using two trays; this gives the granola space to toast properly rather than steam, which is key for crunch.
6. First Bake: Place the trays in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
7. Stir and Rotate: After 15 minutes, remove the trays from the oven. Give the granola a gentle stir and rotate the trays (swap their positions on the oven racks) to encourage even browning.
8. Final Bake: Return the trays to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the granola is a lovely golden brown and your kitchen smells divine. Keep a close eye on it during these last few minutes, as the nuts can catch and burn quite quickly.
9. Cool for Clusters: This is the most crucial step for getting big clusters! Remove the trays from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool completely. Do not stir or touch the granola while it cools. Let it sit for at least an hour. As it cools, the maple syrup will harden, binding the oats and nuts together.
10. Assemble and Serve: Once completely cool, break the granola into clusters of your desired size. Serve a generous portion in a bowl with a big dollop of Greek yoghurt and your favourite fresh fruits.

Tips From My Kitchen

• Temperature Control: A lower oven temperature is your friend here. Baking at 160°C (140°C fan) allows the oats to dehydrate and become crisp while gently toasting the nuts and seeds without burning them. Higher temperatures can toast the outside too quickly, leaving the inside chewy.
• The Secret Step: I learned that letting the granola cool completely on the baking tray *without stirring* is the secret to getting those lovely, big clusters we all love. Resisting the urge to stir it while it’s warm is hard, but the payoff is a wonderfully chunky texture.
• Make-Ahead Magic: This granola is a brilliant make-ahead breakfast. I often make a double batch on a Sunday to see us through the week. Just ensure it’s fully cooled before you transfer it to a storage container to prevent any condensation from making it soft.
• Storage: Store the cooled granola in a large airtight container or jar at room temperature. It will stay fresh and crunchy for up to 3 weeks, though I find a batch rarely lasts that long in our house!

Delicious Variations to Try

Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, it’s fun to experiment. The base is wonderfully adaptable to different flavours and ingredients you might have in your pantry.

• Tropical Fruit Granola: After baking and cooling, stir in 100g of dried tropical fruits like mango, pineapple, and 50g of toasted coconut flakes. This adds a delightful chewiness and exotic flavour.
• Nut-Free Version: For a nut-free alternative, simply omit the pecans and almonds. Replace them with an equivalent weight of extra seeds, such as a mix of sesame seeds, flax seeds, and extra pumpkin seeds.
• Dark Chocolate and Cherry: For a more indulgent treat, allow the granola to cool completely, then stir through 80g of good-quality dark chocolate chips (they will melt if the granola is warm) and 100g of dried sour cherries. It makes for a breakfast bowl that feels like a dessert. If you love decadent treats, you might also enjoy these Gooey Stuffed Cookies.

What to Serve With Your Granola With Fresh Fruit Recipe

A beautiful breakfast bowl is all about the layers of texture and flavour. While this granola is fantastic on its own, here are a few ways we love to serve it.

• Creamy Yoghurt: The classic pairing is a thick, tangy Greek yoghurt. Its creaminess is the perfect counterpoint to the crunchy granola. For a dairy-free option, a rich coconut or almond yoghurt works beautifully.
• Stewed Fruits: Alongside the fresh fruit, a spoonful of warm, spiced stewed apple or rhubarb adds a comforting, soft element to the bowl, especially on a chilly morning.
• Freshly Brewed Coffee: A robust cup of coffee or a smooth latte is the ideal companion to this wholesome breakfast, cutting through the richness and getting you ready for the day ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Granola With Fresh Fruit Recipe

A crunchy, homemade granola packed with oats, nuts, and seeds, naturally sweetened with maple syrup. The perfect wholesome breakfast or snack when served with yoghurt and fresh fruit.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 10 servings

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Calories: 385

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 300 g rolled oats not instant or quick-cook
• 100 g raw pecan halves roughly chopped
• 80 g flaked almonds
• 50 g pumpkin seeds
• 50 g sunflower seeds
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 120 ml pure maple syrup
• 80 ml melted coconut oil or another neutral oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For Serving

• Greek yoghurt or coconut yoghurt
• A selection of fresh fruit e.g., raspberries, blueberries, sliced banana, kiwi
• A drizzle of extra maple syrup or honey optional

Method

 

1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan). Line two large baking trays with baking parchment. This prevents sticking and makes clean-up much easier.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the rolled oats, chopped pecans, flaked almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, ground cinnamon, and sea salt. Give everything a thorough stir to ensure the nuts, seeds, and spice are evenly distributed.
3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate smaller bowl or a jug, whisk together the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until well combined.
4. Coat the Mixture: Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients in the large bowl. Using a spatula, fold and stir everything together until every last oat and nut is lightly coated. Don't rush this step; good coating means good flavour.
5. Spread on Trays: Divide the granola mixture evenly between the two prepared baking trays. Spread it out into a thin, even layer. What works best for me is using two trays; this gives the granola space to toast properly rather than steam, which is key for crunch.
6. First Bake: Place the trays in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
7. Stir and Rotate: After 15 minutes, remove the trays from the oven. Give the granola a gentle stir and rotate the trays (swap their positions on the oven racks) to encourage even browning.
8. Final Bake: Return the trays to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the granola is a lovely golden brown and your kitchen smells divine. Keep a close eye on it during these last few minutes, as the nuts can catch and burn quite quickly.
9. Cool for Clusters: This is the most crucial step for getting big clusters! Remove the trays from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool completely. Do not stir or touch the granola while it cools. Let it sit for at least an hour. As it cools, the maple syrup will harden, binding the oats and nuts together.
10. Assemble and Serve: Once completely cool, break the granola into clusters of your desired size. Serve a generous portion in a bowl with a big dollop of Greek yoghurt and your favourite fresh fruits.

Notes

For extra crunchy clusters, allow the granola to cool completely on the baking trays without stirring. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.

There you have it – a truly superior homemade granola that will transform your mornings. The simple act of making your own food can be so rewarding, and this recipe is a perfect example. I hope you and your family enjoy creating your own perfect breakfast bowls as much as we do. Let me know in the comments how you customise your batch; I’m always looking for new ideas!

Happy cooking,

Marcus