Cinnamon granola is a staple in our house. With a gluten free granola recipe like this, you can eat it for breakfast, snacks, or even dessert. Our family puts cinnamon granola on yogurt, ice cream, and fruit crisps. We even eat it right off the baking tray!

Have you tried to make your own granola from scratch yet? Once you make homemade granola, it is very hard to go back to expensive store-bought granola!

You will also love all the fun things you can do with granola…like make granola tart crusts! Adding gluten free granola on top of yogurt is so good for breakfast!

Once you know the formula and the granola contents, you can make any flavor of homemade gluten free granola you like. Give this gluten free apple granola recipe a try too!

If you love granola as much as we do, but you need to follow a paleo, grain-free, or refined sugar diet, give this delicious Paleo Granola recipe a try! It has all of the granola flavors you love, but it is grain-free and refined sugar-free too!

Why This Granola is Great:

  1. The biggest and best reason to make this homemade gluten free granola is that it is so easy to customize. You can add anything you like and omit anything you don’t like.
  2. It tastes delicious and is so much cheaper than store-bought granola!
  3. You can flavor granola in a lot of fun ways!
  4. It is easy to store in the pantry.

If you love granola, you will love my homemade Gluten Free Granola Bars too!

Granola Ingredients:

Here are all the granola ingredients you need to make gluten-free granola from scratch. I include lists of substitutions and mix-in ideas so you can customize this gluten free granola recipe any way you like!

Photos of the gluten free granola ingredients.
Top Pick
Quaker Gluten Free Old Fashioned Rolled Oats, 24 oz Resealable Bags (Pack of 4)

There are a few brands of certified gluten free oats, and they are all good. I mostly buy this because you get four bags for a lower price.

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  • Gluten Free Rolled Oats – It is critical to use gluten free rolled oats if you are Celiac. Cross-contamination runs high in regular oats.
  • Walnuts – Or any other nuts you like
  • Sunflower Seeds – raw unsalted. You can use any nuts; just be sure to check for shells. I also love to add pepitas.
  • Chia Seeds – This adds even more protein to this healthy gluten free snack.
  • Maple Syrup – Not only is maple syrup a great sweetener, but the stickiness helps hold your granola together.
  • Coconut Oil – I use coconut oil, but you can use another light oil.
  • Raisins – You can use any dried fruits.

Use Certified Gluten Free Oats!

It is important to know that when you are on a gluten free diet, it is critical to ensure that the oats you use are certified gluten free. Cross-contamination is a huge issue for oats, and I don’t want anyone to get sick!!

Our family loves Quaker GF Rolled Oats and Bob’s Red Mill GF Rolled Oats. Both are certified gluten-free; nobody in our family has ever reacted to them.

A special note is that Trader Joe’s rolled oats are labeled gluten free. The Gluten Free Watchdog, an independent testing company, has found Trader Joe’s Oats to be over the 20ppm rule for gluten free products. I would not recommend eating this brand if you are gluten free.

Substitutions:

If you don’t have some of the ingredients, don’t worry. Here are some easy recipe substitution swaps you can use:

  • You can substitute honey or agave nectar for maple syrup.
  • If you can’t have coconut, use another light oil like avocado.

Tips For Sucess:

  • You do not want the granola piled thickly on the baking sheet. You want it in a thin layer. If you have too much granola, bake it in two rounds.
  • When you stir the granola part through the baking time, stir it gently so you don’t remove clumps.

Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 300º F. I also have used my convection toaster oven to make granola!

Gluten free oats and other ingredients in a glass mixing bowl.

Step 2: Add seeds, oats, ground cinnamon, and nuts to a large mixing bowl. Mix it well.

Step 3: Mix the syrup and coconut oil in the bowl. (Melt the coconut oil if you notice it is hard.)

Step 4: Use a large spoon to spread out the granola mixture onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. I really recommend lining your baking sheet because the granola can stick to the pan surface.

Using a spoon to dump the granola mixture on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Step 4: Bake your gluten free granola for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and stir the granola. This will help your granola bake evenly through. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Mix-In Ideas:

Homemade vegan gluten free granola is easy to customize to your favorite flavors and add-ins. You can add any of the following to my cinnamon granola recipe:

  • Nuts – chopped walnuts, pecans, or pistachios are delicious options for cinnamon granola.
  • Seeds like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and flax seeds.
  • Dried fruit like raisins, cherries, and apricots.
  • Unsweetened coconut
  • Chia seeds
  • Seasonings like pumpkin spice or even savory spices like chili powder or curry powder will kick up the flavor of any gluten free granola recipe!

Recipe FAQ:

Is granola considered a healthy snack?

In small amounts, granola is considered good for you. It is full of nuts, seeds, and oats. This recipe has no added refined sugars, which makes it healthier than most store-bought granola brands.

How do you keep the granola from easily falling apart?

The main binding ingredient in granola, either honey or maple syrup, is sticky, and it helps hold your granola together.

How do you store granola?

Store this granola in an airtight container in your pantry. It will keep fresh for up to 2 weeks in your pantry. I like to store my granola in mason jars.

Does granola go bad?

Homemade granola and store-bought granola can go bad if they sit for too long. Ways to know if your granola went bad is to smell it. If the oats start to get soft and have a slightly sour smell, there is a good chance the granola is going bad. Nuts and seeds in granola can also go rancid, making an off smell.

Homemade gluten free granola on a baking sheet.

How To Eat Granola:

Our family puts this homemade granola on everything!! They even eat it right off the baking tray! Here are some of our favorite ways to eat granola

  • This is an easy granola for yogurt; sprinkle it on!
  • Spoon into ice cream
  • Top fruit crisps
  • Mix in a bowl with milk for cereal.
  • Use as a trail mix on a hike.

I used coconut oil in my recipe, but you can also use other light oils like avocado oil. This dairy-free and vegan recipe makes it a great allergy-friendly snack! You may also like this Protein Granola.

a brown ceramic container filled with gluten free granola

Also, check out this fun gluten free granola web story!

More Recipes with Gluten Free Oats:

overhead image of a crock filled with a gluten free granola recipe for cinnamon granola

Cinnamon Granola – Basic Gluten Free Granola Recipe

Sandi Gaertner
This is an easy cinnamon granola recipe that is an easy, customizable, homemade, gluten free.
4.70 from 13 votes
dairy free allergen icon
an egg free allergen icon
gluten free allergy icon
soy free allergy icon
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Gluten Free Breakfast Recipes, Gluten Free Snacks
Cuisine American
Servings 16
Calories 196 kcal

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups gluten free rolled oats * see note
  • ½ cup walnuts
  • ½ cup pecans
  • â…“ cup sunflower seeds
  • ¼ cup chia seeds
  • â…“ cup pepitas
  • 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • â…“ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ cup melted coconut oil * see note
  • ½ cup raisins
  • ½ cup shredded coconut

Instructions
 

  • Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl. 
  • Pour on melted coconut oil, vanilla, and maple syrup and mix well.
  • Spray coconut oil on a cookie sheet. Spread the granola onto the cookie sheet. (You may need to use two cookie sheets so the granola isn’t piled on too thick.)
  • Bake at 300º F for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and stir. Put back into the oven for an additional 10 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Store in a large ziplock bag or container.

Notes

  1. It is critical to use certified gluten free oats if you are Celiac. Cross-contamination runs high in regular oats.
  2. This granola will keep up to 5 days in an air-tight container.
  3. You can mix and match any way for this recipe so use any nuts or seeds you enjoy :-).

SPECIAL NOTE

Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 196kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 4gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 11mgPotassium: 168mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 6IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @FearlessDining or tag #FearlessDining!

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

(*This post was updated from an older September 2016 post.)

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Recipe Rating




15 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is very good. I just made a couple changes. I only used 1/4 c. maple syrup because I’m trying to cut down on sugar and I baked a half batch in the oven for 30 minutes total because I like it more crunchy and the other half batch I put in the air fryer. I liked the air fryer batch better. I will definitely make this again.

  2. Definitely trying this recipe. Do you add the raisins and bake them or toss them in after the oats and nuts are baked? Last time I made granola and added raisins to it, they got crispy and disgusting and ruined the whole batch. Now I’m traumatized and nervous to try again.

    1. Hi Nikki, I chuckled at your note because I have done that with raisins too. If you don’t like the raisins to be crispy, I would set the timer and add them in 5-8 minutes before the batch is done. That way they get heated a bit with the cinnamon flavors

  3. 4 stars
    Okay I’ve been looking for a good granola for breakfast and most I have tried have fallen short – this one looks incredible though! I cannot wait to try it out! Thanks for sharing! Yum!

  4. 5 stars
    I love, love, love making homemade granola – it’s probably one of my favorite things to keep in my pantry! This recipe sounds absolutely delicious! I love that you added pepitas, another one of my favorite things! Pinning!

  5. I love homemade granola it taste SO much better than the store stuff! So nutty and fresh! Awesome idea of using savoury spices too! You are brilliant!! 😀

  6. 5 stars
    OMG! This is such an quick recipe for Granola! Now, I can try making some at home. Plus I love the use of avocado and coconut oil! Thanks for easy recipe, Sandi! Pinning!

    1. Hi Beverly, I have also made this with avocado oil. Any light oil that doesn’t have much flavor should work well. Take care, Sandi