Skip to Content

cinnamon granola with almond & apricot

Cinnamon granola with crunchy almonds and soft chewy apricot, bound with maple syrup. This deliciously quick and simple breakfast is one the whole family will enjoy.

A breakfast setting of granola, yogurt and fresh fruit.

Our crunchy cinnamon granola is a packed full of flavour and superior to any store bought granola. Making your own granola is a lot easier than you might first think.

Our granola with maple syrup is a simple recipe where some ingredients are melted together and mixed with oats, nuts and dried fruits. Pop in the oven to bake – it could not be any more straightforward.

Michelle started making her own granola a few years ago. She became fed up paying too much for a quality product, particularly when she realised how easy it would be to make her own!

Is granola healthy?

Is granola healthy? A very good question. Look at the list of ingredients and it certainly should be, when eaten in moderation. A combination of rolled oats, nuts and dried fruits that should keep you feeling fuller for longer.

However, store bought granola can often be loaded with extra salt and sugar that we just don’t need! I often want to cut back on sugar, which is why I find shop bought varieties simply too sweet for me.

By making your own cinnamon granola, as with most things, you can control what you put into it.

How to make granola – recipe steps:

Basic granola ingredients, optional dried fruit of your choice.
Preheat the oven to 140CFan/160C. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment or a silicone baking mat.
Measure out all your ingredients.
Maple syrup, salt, coconut oil and cinnamon warming in a pan.
In a small saucepan, add the coconut oil, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Warm gently to melt the coconut oil.
A bowl of porridge oats, sliced almonds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
Place the oats, almonds, chopped apricot, pumpkin and sunflower seeds into a large bowl and mix to combine.
Pouring oil, spices and sugars over dried ingredients to make granola.
Pour the warm liquid over the oat mix.
Stir well to combine, ensuring the oats are completely covered in the maple syrup.
Uncooked granola on a baking tray with a silicon mat under.
Spread the mixture evenly on the baking sheet, in a single layer, and pop into the oven for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes remove the tray and stir to turn the mixture, before returning to the oven for a further 10 minutes.
Partially baked granola.
Once cooked allow the granola to cool completely before placing in an airtight container.

Serving suggestions for cinnamon granola:

  • A portion of our crunchy cinnamon granola with ice cold milk poured over the top, is the perfect start to a day.
  • Spoon some Greek yogurt into a bowl and sprinkle over a tablespoon or two of cinnamon granola and top with fresh fruit.
  • Sprinkle a tablespoon or two of our crunchy cinnamon granola over the top of your bowl of porridge.
  • Baking some muffins, add a pinch or two of our granola to the top for added crunch.
  • Not just for breakfast, spoon some over vanilla ice-cream for a delicious dessert.

Recipe substitutions and variations:

  • Porridge oats can be found on our supermarket shelves. If you want to add a little extra crunch try adding some rolled oats to the mix too.
  • We have used ground cinnamon but you could also add a blend of cinnamon and nutmeg or cinnamon and ginger if you would prefer.
  • Flaked almonds add a lovely crunch and work well with the cinnamon and apricot. However, you can add in any other nuts, pecans and hazelnuts would work too, as would some shredded coconut.
  • Dried apricots add a little sweetness and become nice and chewy when baked. You can add any other dried fruits in place of the apricot: dried dates; prunes; cranberries and raisins would all work.
  • Pumpkin and sunflower seeds add crunch, but if you want to increase protein levels try adding some flax or chia seeds to the mix.
  • Maple syrup adds the sweetness to the granola, however you can replace the maple syrup for another sweetener like honey or agave syrup if you don’t like the maple taste or for dietary reasons. Note: if replacing with honey this will no longer be suitable for a vegan diet.
  • We like to use coconut oil, but if you don’t have any, replace it with another light flavourless oil.

Useful hints and tips:

  1. Bake for longer if you want extra crunchy granola.
  2. The sugar can be reduced by cutting back a little on the maple syrup and reducing or swapping the dried apricot for extra nuts and seeds.
  3. This recipe is suitable for vegans.
  4. If making granola for a gluten free diet, ensure that you use gluten free oats.
  5. If you suffer from a nut allergy leave the nuts out entirely and add extra dried fruits and seeds instead.
  6. Stored in an airtight container, this granola will keep for up to 4 weeks.

Pin the recipe:

Additional recipe suggestions:

If you like this recipe then try some of our simple breakfast recipes:

Hosting your own brunch then take the stress out of it and head to our Ultimate Guide to Brunch. Here you’ll find all our brunch recipes together with some great advice on how to get started?

A tray of freshly baked granola

Cinnamon Granola with Apricot & Almond

Cinnamon granola with crunchy almonds and soft chewy apricot, bound with maple syrup. This deliciously quick and simple breakfast is one the whole family will enjoy.
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Save
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 196kcal

Ingredients

  • 150 g porridge oats
  • 75 g flaked almonds
  • 20 g sunflower seeds
  • 20 g pumpkin seeds
  • 100 g dried apricots (chopped)
  • 70 g coconut oil
  • 100 g maple syrup
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 140°CFan or 160°C. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment or a silicone baking mat.
  • In a small saucepan, add the coconut oil, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon and vanilla. Warm slightly to allow the coconut oil to become liquid.
  • Mix the oats, pumpkin and sunflower seeds along with the flaked almonds and chopped dried apricots in a bowl.
  • Once the sugar and oil mixture has warmed through and in a liquid state, add to the oat mix. Stir together until fully incorporated and all the oats are covered evenly with the sugar mixture.
  • Pour the mixture onto the lined baking sheet and spread evenly across the sheet in a single layer.
  • Place the tray in the oven and bake 15 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven, turn the oats over and place the tray back in the oven for a further 10 minutes.
  • Allow the granola to cool on the tray before placing in an airtight container. Placed in a cool dark place this granola will keep for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

This is a really versatile granola, add the nuts, seeds and dried fruits of choice. 
Change the spices, for example add a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Maple syrup can be replaced with another sweetener, for example honey.
Nutrition Facts
Cinnamon Granola with Apricot & Almond
Amount Per Serving
Calories 196 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Trans Fat 1g
Sodium 51mg2%
Potassium 230mg7%
Carbohydrates 21g7%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 302IU6%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 40mg4%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •

Course : Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine : British
Keyword : apricots, cinnamon granola, cinnamon granola cereal, fruit, granola with cinnamon, Healthy, vegan
Tried this recipe? We’d love to see your photos!Mention @lostinf00d or tag #lostinfood!
Share on Facebook

This recipe has been shared to CookBlogShare, click on the link to find recipes by fellow food bloggers.

Recipe Rating




Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie

Tuesday 16th of March 2021

Wow - what a breakfast! This looks amazing :-D

Lesley

Tuesday 16th of March 2021

Thank you Eb, it's a great quick and simple breakfast.

Jacqui - Recipes Made Easy:Only Crumbs Remain

Sunday 14th of March 2021

Homemade Granola is the best!

Lesley

Monday 15th of March 2021

Thank you Jacqui, it is indeed and you can make it exactly how you want it.

Cat

Friday 12th of March 2021

Love this! The flavours are delicious and it is so much nicer than anything you can buy in the shops.

Lesley

Monday 15th of March 2021

Thank you Cat, I couldn't agree more. Homemade granola means you can add what you want.

Kacie Morgan

Friday 12th of March 2021

I've been eating granola more often lately so I should probably have a go at making my own sometime. Almond and apricot sounds like a wonderful combo.

Lesley

Friday 12th of March 2021

Thank you Kacie, this is such a simple recipe and if you like granola making your own could not be any easier. Adapt it to suit your own palette.

Janice

Tuesday 9th of March 2021

I was sold just at the title of this granola because it contains some of my favourite ingredients. It is so easy to make and tastes as good as it looks! .

Lesley

Wednesday 10th of March 2021

Thank you Janice, this is a mix of flavours that really work for me too. It's a delicious granola and so easy to make yourself.