Homemade Maple Pecan Granola

Here is my favorite maple pecan granola recipe, with a crunchy, sweet mixture of oats, pecans, maple syrup, and warm spices that’s perfect for breakfast or snacking.

This granola is what I make every Sunday to get our week started right. My kids love it with milk for breakfast, and I’ll grab a handful when I need an afternoon pick-me-up. Nothing beats homemade granola that fills your kitchen with the smell of toasted pecans and maple, right?

What Kind of Oats Should I Use?

For this granola recipe, you’ll want to stick with old-fashioned rolled oats rather than quick oats or instant oats. Old-fashioned oats hold their shape better during baking and give you that satisfying, chewy texture that makes granola so good. Quick oats tend to get mushy and won’t give you those nice clusters you’re looking for. You can find old-fashioned oats in the cereal aisle of any grocery store, and they’re usually available in both regular and organic varieties – either will work perfectly fine for this recipe.

Options for Substitutions

This granola recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps – here are some easy substitutions you can make:

• Old-fashioned oats: Stick with old-fashioned oats for the best texture – quick oats will get too mushy and won’t give you those nice clusters we’re after.
• Pecans and walnuts: Feel free to mix and match any nuts you have on hand. Almonds, cashews, or hazelnuts all work great. You can also use all pecans or all walnuts if that’s what you prefer.
• Ground flax seed: If you don’t have flax seed, try chia seeds, hemp hearts, or even sesame seeds. You can also leave it out completely if needed.
• Canola oil: Any neutral oil works here – vegetable oil, melted coconut oil, or even melted butter will do the trick. Just let melted ingredients cool slightly before mixing.
• Pure maple syrup: Honey is the closest substitute, though it will change the flavor slightly. You could also use agave nectar or brown rice syrup in the same amount.
• Maple flavoring: This is totally optional – you can skip it entirely and still have delicious granola, or try vanilla extract instead for a different flavor profile.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making granola is not stirring it frequently enough during baking, which leads to burnt edges and undercooked centers – aim to stir every 10-15 minutes for even browning.

Another common error is baking at too high a temperature, so stick to 300°F or lower to prevent the maple syrup from burning and turning bitter before the oats are properly toasted.

Don’t forget to let your granola cool completely on the baking sheet before storing it, as putting warm granola in a container will create moisture and make it lose its crunch.

For extra flavor, try toasting your nuts separately for 5 minutes before adding them to the oat mixture, and remember that granola will continue to crisp up as it cools, so don’t overbake it thinking it’s not crunchy enough.

What to Serve With Maple Pecan Granola?

This crunchy maple pecan granola is perfect sprinkled over Greek yogurt for a protein-packed breakfast or snack. I love layering it with fresh berries and yogurt to make parfaits, or just eating it with cold milk like cereal on busy mornings. You can also try it over vanilla ice cream for a simple dessert, or mix it into pancake or muffin batter for extra crunch and flavor. For something different, sprinkle it on top of oatmeal or smoothie bowls to add texture and that sweet maple taste.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This maple pecan granola stays perfectly crispy when stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. I like to use a glass jar or sealed container to keep all that crunch intact. Just make sure it’s completely cooled before storing, or you’ll end up with soggy granola!

Freeze: You can easily freeze this granola in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to 3 months. It’s great for making big batches ahead of time, especially during busy weeks when you want a quick breakfast ready to go.

Serve: Frozen granola thaws quickly at room temperature in just 10-15 minutes, and it keeps all its crunch. If you want to refresh it a bit, spread it on a baking sheet and pop it in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes to crisp it back up.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	40-45 minutes
Total Time	50-60 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3000-3250
• Protein: 60-70 g
• Fat: 170-185 g
• Carbohydrates: 340-370 g

Ingredients

• 4 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces
• 1/2 cup flaxseed meal
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp maple extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Baking Sheet

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the granola from sticking and to make cleanup easier.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

• 4 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces
• 1/2 cup flaxseed meal
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, pecan pieces, walnut pieces, flaxseed meal, and ground cinnamon.

Stir them well to evenly distribute the nuts and spice throughout the oats.

Step 3: Prepare and Add the Wet Ingredients

• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp maple extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

In a small bowl, whisk together the canola oil, maple syrup, maple extract, and salt.

Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients from Step 2, and stir very well to ensure that all of the oats and nuts are evenly coated.

I like to use a spatula to really scrape the bowl so none of the syrupy goodness goes to waste.

Step 4: Spread and Bake the Granola

• oat and nut mixture from Step 3

Spread the coated oat mixture from Step 3 evenly onto your prepared baking sheet.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the granola is lightly browned and fragrant.

For more even browning, stir the granola once or twice during baking.

Step 5: Cool and Store the Granola

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the granola cool completely on the sheet.

Once cooled, break it into chunks and transfer to an airtight container for storage.

For extra crunch, I let it cool undisturbed so it forms big clusters.