Raw vegan granola

Healthy, homemade raw vegan granola is something that we all need in our lives! It’s crunchy, wholesome and downright delicious! If you make your own, at least you know what’s in it, and it only takes 5 minutes to throw together. The vegan granola in the photo below has raw organic cereal flakes, hazelnuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries and cape gooseberries. Just mix the ingredients together in a bowl, then stir in the maple syrup so that it clumps a bit – and that’s it. You can adapt this basic recipe with your own favourite ingredients. Raw vegan granola is a great base for your morning breakfast bowl. Add fresh fruit and yoghurt, and you’ve got a tasty, filling, healthy breakfast to start your day.

Until I started making my own, I never realised how versatile and delicious homemade granola can be! Shop-bought granola is always too sweet for me and often contains unnecessary and unhealthy ingredients. They seem to lack imagination, too. Why settle for the same old flavours when there are so many combinations to choose from? I also realise the importance of eating raw foods, so this was a great way of eating a raw meal at breakfast time. I make small batches so I can vary the menu every week by swapping out the type of dried fruit, nuts and seeds I use.

About this recipe

The foundations of this simple homemade vegan granola recipe are organic raw cereal flakes. Most people use oats, but you can use whatever you fancy. There’s a shop called Natura Sì near where I live that sells a mix of raw organic wheat, oat, barley, farro, rice and buckwheat, flakes, which is what you can see in the photos on this page. Next, you need a couple of types of nuts, some seeds, and dried fruit. I added hazelnuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries and cape gooseberries because they are my favourites. The beauty of this raw vegan granola is that you can put whatever you want in it.

But granola is baked, you might be thinking… Well, you’re right, it is. So strictly speaking, this isn’t granola. This recipe is kind of a cross between a granola and a muesli.

What’s the difference between granola and muesli?

Muesli and granola are both popular breakfast options, but there are some key differences in terms of ingredients, preparation, and texture. One originated in Europe and the other in the US.

Which is healthier, granola or muesli?

They both contain the same basic ingredients and share a similar nutritional profile. However, granola often has a higher calorie and fat content due to the addition of sweeteners and oils.

Granola

Granola, or granula as it was first called, was invented in Dansville, New York, by Dr James Caleb Jackson at the Jackson Sanitarium in 1863. It is typically made with a base of rolled oats, mixed with various ingredients such as nuts, seeds, dried fruits, sweeteners (often honey or maple syrup), and sometimes oil. They are then baked until they become crisp and golden brown, creating clusters with a crunchy texture. Granola can include a variety of additional ingredients like coconut flakes, chocolate chips, or spices.

Muesli

Muesli was created by Swiss physician and nutritional pioneer Dr Maximilian Bircher-Benner, who developed it around 1900 for his patients.

It is a raw cereal made from a base of rolled oats combined with various ingredients such as nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and sometimes bran or wheat flakes.

Unlike granola, muesli is not baked. It is a raw or untoasted mixture of ingredients. Muesli has a chewy and softer texture compared to granola. It doesn’t have the crunchiness that comes from baking. Muesli is typically soaked or mixed with yoghurt or milk before consumption. This allows the oats to absorb the liquid and soften, creating a porridge-like consistency. People often add natural sweeteners like honey or fruit yoghurt.

In summary, the primary differences between granola and muesli lie in their preparation (baked vs. raw), texture (crunchy vs. chewy), and the presence of sweeteners and fats. Granola is known for its crunchy clusters, whereas muesli has a softer, more natural texture.

While this recipe is neither one nor the other, I had to call it something. It’s definitely more like granola than the soft muesli we’re used to eating here in Switzerland. Above all, it satisfies my desire for crunchiness without sacrificing my healthy food standards! Adding maple syrup to the raw ingredients not only makes it a bit sweeter, it also makes the ingredients clump together like granola. As the maple syrup dries, it gives everything a nice crunchy texture. Not as crunchy as baked granola, but then again, if you want a healthier option, you have to make a compromise.

How to make raw vegan granola

Ingredients

You’ll find a full list of ingredients and the exact quantities in the recipe card below. Further down the page, you’ll also find a list of suggested substitutions.

Cereal flakes

Oat flakes are the standard cereal used in granola, but you can experiment with any of the following:

• wheat
• farro or spelt
• barley
• buckwheat
• rice
• quinoa

Sunflower seeds

I usually use sunflower seeds because they have plenty of crunch and a great flavour. You could also add or use any of the following instead:

• pumpkin
• flax
• sesame
• hemp

Whatever seeds you decide to use, only grind what you are going to eat immediately. For storing, leave them whole. Ground flaxseeds tend to turn rancid relatively quickly. The reason for this lies in their composition. Flaxseeds contain healthy fats, specifically omega-3 fatty acids, which are susceptible to oxidation. When flaxseeds are ground, exposing more surface area to air, the fats oxidize more rapidly. This oxidation process leads to the seeds turning rancid. Once ground, flax seeds can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.

Dried cranberries

I love the deep red colour and the delicious combination of tartness and sweetness of dried cranberries. Instead of, or as well as cranberries, you could add any of the sweet dried fruits below:

• raisins, sultanas, or currants (all dried grapes)
• figs
• dates
• prunes

It’s best to cut larger dried fruit like prunes, figs and dates into small pieces.

Cape gooseberries (aka Peruvian ground cherry, golden berry, Inca berry, or physalis peruviana)

If you’re not familiar with Cape gooseberries, they are those small orange fruits encased in a papery husk. Most often, you’ll find them in their dried form, and they are perfect for making granola. They are golden brown and have a deliciously tangy, tart, flavour. This is a great contrast to the sweetness of cranberries, dates, raisins etc. Below are some other dried fruits you could try:

• mango
• apple
• apricots
• pineapple
• cherries

Walnuts and hazelnuts

Walnuts and hazelnuts are two of my favourites, but you could mix and match them with any of the following:

• almonds
• brazil nuts
• pecans
• cashews
• peanuts

Maple syrup

I use maple syrup because it’s the only liquid sweetener that I have in the house. If you prefer, you could use agave syrup or date syrup instead. I only use a tiny amount – just to sweeten the granola a little. It barely clumps with such a small quantity, so feel free to add more if you want.

How to make raw vegan granola – Instructions

It’s so simple to make granola, that you hardly need a recipe. Anyhow, you’ll find step-by-step instructions with photos in the recipe card below.

• Chop the cranberries, cape gooseberries, hazelnuts and walnuts into small pieces.
• Put all the dry ingredients together in a bowl and mix.
• Add the maple syrup and stir to combine. That’s it!
• You can keep this raw vegan granola in a covered container on the counter for a week or for longer in the fridge.

Other tasty additions/substitutions for homemade raw vegan granola

Another fruit that I absolutely adore in granola is dried raspberries. They’re not very easy to find, unfortunately. But I’ve got raspberry bushes in my garden, so this year I’ll be drying some as well as eating them fresh by the ton and freezing them. That way, I’ll have enough to last me all through the winter months!

Chocolate! From dark chocolate to white, as long as it’s vegan, anything goes! Little chunks of chocolate are great in granola. Perhaps not with the ingredients in this recipe, but it would definitely go with peanuts, hazelnuts, dried cherries, raspberries, and dates!

Coconut chips are another great ingredient in granola. Try a mix of dried pineapple, apricots and chocolate.

Spices – Although I’m not a huge fan of spices in granola, Americans often add cinnamon or allspice. I do find vanilla a nice addition in some combinations though.

Dried bananas – The king of crunch! Dried banana slices go with pretty much any combination of ingredients.

Can you make raw vegan granola in a food processor?

You can, and some people do, but I don’t recommend using a food processor for this recipe. The beauty of this raw vegan granola is the whole grains and chunky pieces of nuts and dried fruit. As I said, this recipe has a muesli soul, and muesli never goes in a food processor.

Suggested toppings and accompaniments for raw vegan granola

Fresh fruit

Pretty much any kind of fresh fruit goes with this granola recipe. Seasonal fruit is always best. Strawberries, cherries and berries in spring; peaches, apricots, melon and pineapple in summer; apples, pears, grapes, pomegranates and persimmons in autumn; oranges, grapefruit and bananas in winter.

Plant-based yoghurt

There are so many different kinds of plant-based yoghurt to choose from. Soya, coconut, almond and oat yoghurt are the most common. I only really eat soya yoghurt, occasionally coconut, and always look at the labels to see what they contain. Oatly, as the name implies, makes dairy alternatives using oat milk, including yoghurt. I love barista oat milk, but I didn’t like oat yoghurt. I also tested an almond yoghurt and ended up ditching it. Don’t let me influence you, try stuff and decide for yourself!

There are great-tasting soya yoghurts out there with only two ingredients; soya milk and vegan cultures. My favourite brands are Alnatura (Switzerland), Sojasun (Italy) and Alpro (available in 50 countries around the world at the time of writing). Alnatura and Alpro also make coconut yoghurt. All three brands do a plain version, which is great if you want to add your own fresh fruit. But there are also other flavours, like blueberry, mango, cherry, and vanilla, so there’s plenty of choice.

Plant-based milk

If you add plant-based milk to your raw vegan granola, the result will be a breakfast bowl similar to Swiss muesli. There are more types of plant-based milk on the market than I care to list here. I’ve even seen potato milk. The most common, however, are soya, oat, almond, cashew, and rice. Bear in mind that if you add milk, you’ll lose the crunch.

How long can you keep homemade raw vegan granola?

You can keep this raw vegan granola in a covered container on the counter for a week or for longer in the fridge.

Can you freeze granola?

Yes, you can. Freeze it in an airtight container or ziplock bag. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

I hope you like this recipe for raw vegan nola! If you do, would you consider leaving a rating and a comment below? Thanks! It always makes my day when I receive positive feedback and it helps other readers too.

While you’re here on Vegan Hot Stuff, maybe you’d like to take a look at some other popular healthy breakfast recipes…

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