Once you learn to make this homemade chai spice granola, there will be no going back to store bought! Extra chunky, 10 minutes of effort and so deliciously spiced, it is the perfect breakfast staple to keep on hand for busy mornings.
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Breakfast at a Glance
- Prep Time: About 1 hour (plus cooling time) and mostly hands off
- Planning Ahead: Prep it completely ahead of time
- Morning Effort: Pour over yogurt and enjoy!
- Protein: 7g (serve it over Greek yogurt to add more)
- Fiber: 6g (serve alongside berries to increase)
Nessy's Note
A granola and yogurt bowl is one of the breakfasts that I have come back for as long as I can remember (almost as long as peanut butter honey toast).
It is just so quick and easy yet so delicious and can even be filling too!
But it has been years since I bought granola from the store because I mastered the art of homemade granola over a decade ago (even though I'm obviously not old enough to remember a decade ago so vividly...).
Seriously, though, it is so much better homemade! It takes less than 10 minutes and compared to most store-bought brands, has more clusters, contains more wholesome ingredients and just. tastes. better. Especially this chai spice version!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Rolled Oats- Like in my Mocha Overnight Oats, I prefer to use large flake (a.k.a. old fashioned oats) but quick oats will work as well though the texture is slightly different.
- Pecans- You need to use raw nuts because if they are already roasted, they may brown too quickly and burn before the granola is done baking. If you need it to be nut-free, leave them out.
- Substitution: You can use another raw nut such as cashews, walnuts or almonds.
- Ground Flaxseed- I love adding ground flaxseed to granola as it is packed with protein, fiber + omega-3s and it helps to bind the granola to make it extra chunky.
- Substitution: You can leave it out if you prefer and add an additional ¼ cup of oats or use ¼ cup of chia seeds instead.
- Maple Syrup- Using a liquid sweetener is essential for binding. Be sure to use real maple syrup (not the flavored pancake stuff).
- Substitution: Honey also works well but I like the maple flavor best with the chai spices.
- Avocado Oil- This helps the granola to bind.
- Substitution: Another neutral tasting oil will work as well as melted coconut oil or butter.
- Egg White- Using an egg white is a key ingredient for extra clusters. If you need the recipe to be egg free, you can omit it.
- Sea Salt- A bit of salt balances out the sweetness and makes the flavors more pronounced.
- Cinnamon + Cardamom + Ginger + Allspice- This combo brings the chai spices. I recommend including them all but the cinnamon and cardamom are especially important.
My Notes for the Best Homemade Granola
- Include an egg white. I swear by this "secret" ingredient for extra binding in order to make granola with lots of clusters.
- Do not flip the granola during cooking. This is the second key to chunky granola. Stirring while it cooks breaks up potential clusters. Bake it at a low temperature, rotate the pan but do not stir or flip the granola.
- Allow the granola to cool completely. And the most important tip (but hardest part!). It is essential to cool your homemade granola completely before breaking into chunks. Trust me.
More Oatmeal Breakfast Recipes...
If you give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know what you thought in the comments below!
Chai Spice Granola
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ cups rolled oats
- ⅓ cup pecans raw
- 3 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon allspice
- 3 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 2 tablespoon egg whites
- 1 and ½ teaspoon avocado oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 °F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients. Add the syrup and oil and stir until evenly coated. Fold in the egg white.1 and ½ cups rolled oats, ⅓ cup pecans, 3 tbsp ground flaxseed, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp cardamom, ½ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp fine sea salt, ⅛ tsp allspice, 3 tbsp maple syrup or honey, 2 tbsp egg whites, 1 and ½ tsp avocado oil
- Spread the granola mixture out evenly onto a prepared baking sheet (lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat) and bake for 45-60 minutes, until dry. Rotate the pan 180 degrees after 30 minutes.
- Let cool completely on the pan (do not skip this!) and then break into chunks and store in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Note: Nutritional information is estimated using an online calculator and accuracy is not guaranteed. Remember food is more than numbers and this info is intended as a support.
Marie says
This might be my new favorite granola! It was so full of clusters and perfectly spiced.