Homemade Granola with Dried Apricots and Honey
This crunchy homemade granola with dried apricots and honey is my go-to for an easy and joyful breakfast. Served with yoghurt, the sweetness of apricot, nuttiness of almonds and tahini are a delight for a relaxed morning.

Don’t know anything better to have for breakfast than natural yoghurt with wonderful crunchy granola. This sunny, colourful homemade granola with dried apricots and honey is one of my favourites to enjoy as breakfast. It is full of fibre from the rye and oat bran and healthy fats and vegetable protein from the almonds and sesame seeds.
The recipe yields to a 2-liter glass jar and a bit more – so that there is a bit of extra granola that you can eat up right away after baking.
Tips for making homemade granola
- Choose ingredients of good quality. In the granola, the quality is way more important than quantity to keep it healthy and nutritious.
- To keep the dried fruits – like dried apricots – soft, mix dried fruits and berries in a separate bowl and add them later to the granola basis when it is baked and cooled down. When baking the dried fruits together with the basis they became harder. In this recipe I prefer the soft feel to get the contrast with the crunchy texture of baked almonds, seeds and oats.
- In the making of granola I guide you to keep the fruits separately for another reason too: to decrease the calories. When you mix only the nuts, seeds and oats with the liquids of the recipe, you need less oils and honey to get them well coated before baking the granola to become yummy and crispy in the oven!
- To have loose granola stir during the baking. If you prefer more chunky granola flatten and press it well to the oven pan and just turn the pan around during baking without stirring.

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FAQ
What is granola made of?
Mainly granola consists of rolled oats or oat flakes, seeds, nuts and dried fruits or berries. To get the crispy and yummy flavor you can use oils such as coconut oil or olive oil and sweeteners like honey or maple syrup. In addition, you can use nut butter and pastes like tahini which is made of sesame seeds.
Granola vs. muesli
Granola and muesli have many times the same ingredients, but granola contains oil and honey or other sweeteners that will crisp up in the oven to make the yummy crunchy granola. It contains more calories but is very versatile with the ingredient options. Granola has a higher sugar content than muesli, which you should be aware of if you are watching your calorie intake. Although granola is high in calories it is a good source of protein and fiber. When consumed in reasonable quantities it is a relevant option for a healthy diet.
How to eat granola?
The most common way to eat granola is the top your morning yoghurt with it. Add some fresh fruits or berries to complete your healthy breakfast portion. Instead of yoghurt, you can use cow milk or any vegetable milk of your choice as well. Try as well on the top of overnight oats! The overnight oats have a soft mouthfeel that many do not like, but when you garnish it with ingredients that have a harder texture like crispy granola and chopped crunchy apple cubes – it has a whole other feeling.
Is it cheeper to make homemade granola?
Yes and no. When starting to make granola the ingredients might cost more than a bag of granola, but when stocking up on the ingredients it will become cheaper in the long run. Making homemade granola is a good habit to have, for you can choose the best options for your diet, and decide the oils and the sweeteners you are using to make it healthier than a shop-bought option.
Why is granola so high in calories?
Granola has two ingredients that increase the amount of calories in the portion. They are oils and sweeteners. When making homemade granola the importance of choosing good quality ingredients is crucial. Choose good quality olive oil or coconut oil and the best options of honey or maple syrup.
Benefits of homemade granola
Granola contains seeds and nuts or almonds that are nutrient-dense with unsaturated fats, vegetable protein and minerals (source). When used as well rolled oats and brans are good sources of fibre granola is beneficial to our gut health in reasonable quantities.

What is the healthiest way to eat granola?
The healthiest way to eat granola is with natural yoghurt, which has no added sugars. When you add a reasonable portion of granola (about 50g per person) and top it with fresh fruits and berries you have a portion that has protein, unsaturated fats, fibres, and vitamins and that is beneficial to your gut health.
Why isn’t my homemade granola crunchy?
- To get your granola a crunchy texture you must most likely increase slightly the cooking time, beware not to burn it!
- After baking let it cool completely – I cannot stress this enough – and then when it is completely cooled move to an airtight container.
- Add more liquids. If the consistency is not right the granola cannot be crunchy. When you mix your dry ingredients with wet ingredients make sure that everything is well coated.
- When pouring your granola into an oven pan you can pack it tightly to get it more crispy and do not stir during the baking.

Tools you might need
- Big bowl and a smaller bowl
- Measuring cups
- Big spoon or spatula
- Baking pan and sheet
- Small cooking pan and spoon
- Good chef knife and cutting board
- Glass jars (2L) or other airtight container
How to make
Start making the Homemade Apricot Granola with Honey by chopping the apricots to the size you prefer. Mix with mulberries and yellow raisins and set aside.
Create the dry mixture by measuring the rolled oats, rye bran, oat bran, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and coconut flakes in a bigger bowl. Chop the almonds roughly and add to the mixture. Add the fennel seeds in as well.

Pour olive oil, honey and tahini into a small cooking pot. Measure the oil first then the next ingredients do not stick to the measuring cup. Put the pot on the stove on a moderate heat. Stir until the ingredients mix smoothly – don’t let it boil.
Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and stir well. Then you can use your hands to get all well coated, beware not to burn your hands with the warm liquid you poured.
Transfer the granola basis to two oven pans covered with baking sheets. If you prefer more chunky granola, flatten and press it well into the oven pan. Put the pan in the oven for 20 minutes. For a chunky result just turn the pan around during baking without stirring and cook additional 10-15 minutes. Follow closely to not burn it.
I prefer to have a bit loose granola, so I stir the granola during the baking as follows: take the pan out, grab carefully the two opposite sides of the baking sheet, and lift slightly to let the granola slide in the middle. Repeat with the other opposite corners of the baking sheet. Then with a wooden spatula or spoon spread the granola evenly on the oven pan and return it for an additional 10-15 minutes. Watch carefully to not burn it.

Let the granola cool down completely. When completely cooled pour back into the bigger bowl and mix the ready-measured fruits on the basis of granola. Stir until well combined. Store air tightly.

How to alternate
Basic granola recipe is easy to alternate:
- 7 dl rolled oats
- 1 dl brans (rye, oat, wheat…)
- 6 dl nuts and seeds (walnuts, pistachio, almonds, coconut flakes or bites… / pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, chia…)
- 6 dl dried fruits (apricots, raisins, ananas, mango… / mulberries, cranberries…)
- Spices (cinnamon, ginger, fennel seeds…)
- 3-4 dl liquids containing oil AND sweetener, pick 2-3 different (Oils: olive, coconut, avocado… sweetener: honey, maple syrup… / Nut butters: peanut, almond… / Seed butters and pastes: tahini, sunflower)
Serving
Enjoy granola (about 50g per portion) with natural yoghurt or plant-based yoghurt of your choice. Garnish with some fresh fruits or berries. Underneath you’ll find the yoghurt with homemade granola that I have served with persimmon (khaki) slices and lemon balm leaves and drizzled on the top some honey.

Storage
Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks to enjoy it at its best.
Little Helper
If you have a little helper in the kitchen with you this is the best recipe to do with your child! Measuring is one of my daughters’ favorite things – and snacking the dried fruits. This recipe has lots of easy ingredients to measure. For smaller toddlers, you can measure things ready to cups and let her pour them into the bowl.
When you cut the dried apricots, use a big cutting board, so that you can push the ready ones to the other end of the cutting board for your helper to add them to the mixture without danger. Put the fruit mixture aside and then repeat the same with the other dry ingredients and cutting the almonds.
Have you tried yet?
Have you tried this recipe or other combinations? Which is your favourite? Let me know in the comments!

Homemade granola with dried apricots and honey
This crunchy but loose homemade granola with dried apricots and honey is my go-to for an easy and joyful breakfast. Served with youghurt, the sweetness of apricot, nuttyness of almonds and tahini are a delight for a relaxed morning.
Ingredients
- 2,5 dl (200g) dried apricots, chopped
- 1 dl (75g) mulberries
- 2,5 dl (180g) yellow raisins
- 7 dl (245g) rolled oats
- 0,5 dl (20g) rye bran
- 0,5 dl (30g) oat bran
- 2 dl (115g) sunflower seeds
- 1,5 dl (105g) pumpkin seeds
- 1,5. dl (100g) almonds, chopped
- 1 dl (35g) coconut flakes
- 2 tbsp (10g) fennel seeds
- 1 dl (60g) olive oil
- 1 dl (105g) honey
- 1 dl (100g) tahini
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F)
Chop the apricots to the size you prefer. Mix with mulberries and yellow raisins and set aside. - Create the dry mixture by measuring the rolled oats, rye bran, oat bran, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and coconut flakes into a bigger bowl. Chop the almonds roughly and add to the mixture. Add the fennel seeds in as well.
- Pour olive oil, honey and tahini into a small cooking pot. Measure the oil first then the next ingredients do not stick to the measuring cup. Put the pot on the stove on a moderate heat. Stir until the ingredients mix smoothly - don't let it boil.
- Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and stir well. Then you can use your hands to get all well coated, beware not to burn your hands with the warm liquid you poured.
- Transfer the granola basis to two oven pans covered with baking sheets. If you prefer more chunky granola, flatten and press it well into the oven pan. Put the pan in the oven for 20 minutes. For a chunky result just turn the pan around during baking without stirring and cook additional 10-15 minutes. Follow closely to not burn it.
- I prefer to have a bit loose granola, so I suggest that you stir the granola during the baking as follows: take the pan out, grab carefully the two opposite sides of the baking sheet, and lift slightly to let the granola slide in the middle. Repeat with the other opposite corners of the baking sheet. Then with a wooden spatula or spoon spread the granola evenly on the oven pan and return it for an additional 10-15 minutes. Watch carefully to not burn it.
- Let the granola cool down completely. When completely cooled pour back to the bigger bowl and mix the ready-measured fruits on a granola basis. Stir until well combined. Store air tightly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 28 Serving Size: 50Amount Per Serving: Calories: 217Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 6mgCarbohydrates: 54gFiber: 12gSugar: 26gProtein: 6g
Try other breakfast recipes
Whipped Lingonberry Porridge – easy nordic snack
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