Can granola be frozen?

Yes. Transfer the granola to freezer friendly bags and freeze for up to 3 months. It’s best to freeze in individually portioned freezer bags so that you only thaw individual servings at a time. Thaw at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.

What makes homemade granola stick together?

Sugar and avoiding stirring. When the granola bakes with the maple syrup (or honey or sugar), the sweetener caramelizes and cause the ingredients to stick together. Leaving the granola to cool without stirring also allows it to further crisp up and become firm. Once broken up into clusters, stirring again will cause the clusters to break a little. It’s best to gently stir in the dried fruit so that the clusters don’t break too much.

Where to store homemade granola?

Store homemade granola in a cool dry area, away from direct sunlight and places with high moisture. Your pantry or kitchen cabinet are the best places to store granola.

High Protein Granola

Made with nuts, seeds, and sweetened with maple syrup, this easy to make High Protein Granola gets a boost of protein from vanilla protein powder. It’s the perfect breakfast with yogurt or milk and fruit to kick off your morning with an energetic start!

Author: Lavina
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 26
Total Time: 31 minutes
Yield: 16 1x
Category: Breakfast
Method: Bake
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

4 cups Wholegrain Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (use gluten-free oats if needed)
1 cup raw Unsalted Pecan Halves
¼ cup raw Unsalted Pumpkin Seeds (pepitas)
¼ cup raw Unsalted Sunflower Seeds
50 grams / ½ cup Plant Based Vanilla Protein Powder (note 1)
1 TSP Almond Extract (optional – or use vanilla extract)
½ TSP Fine Sea Salt (use less if using table salt)
⅓ cup Pure Maple Syrup
½ cup Extra Light Tasting Olive Oil (or melted coconut oil)
¼ cup Sweetened Dried Cranberries
¼ cup Dried Figs – chopped (note 2)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prep: Preheat oven to 165°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3. Line a large rimmed baking tray (half sheet pan) with nonstick cooking paper (parchment paper).
Combine the ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, vanilla protein powder, almond extract, fine sea salt, maple syrup, and extra light tasting olive oil. Mix well until everything is evenly combined until everything is lightly coated with the oil and maple syrup.
Spread: Pour the granola mixture onto the prepared tray. Use a flat backed spatula or silicone spatula to spread into an even layer and press down on the mixture to flatten it.
Bake: Bake for 22-26 minutes, rotating the tray at the 12 minute mark so that that the back of the tray is facing the front. The granola should be slightly crisp and golden brown.
Cool: Transfer the tray to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely (about 40-45 minutes). The granola will continue to crisp up as it cools.
Break and stir through dried fruit: Once completely cool, break into clusters stir through the sweetened dried cranberries and dried figs.
Serve or store: Enjoy immediately with milk or over Greek yogurt, or on its own as a snack. Or transfer to a sealed airtight container and store in a cool dry area for 3 weeks.

Plant Based Vanilla Protein Powder

Buy Now →

Notes

Vanilla Protein Powder: You can use a plant-based vanilla protein powder to make this granola 100% vegan or a whey protein powder if you’re fine with consuming dairy/milk products. Make sure it is one that you like the taste of as some can be overpowering.
Dried Figs. Feel free to use more dried cranberries or other dried fruit of your choice instead if you prefer.
Spices: I didn’t add any additional flavoring because I like the simple vanilla and almond extract combo. However, you’re welcome to add ground cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice or any other warm spices if you like. Omit the almond extract if doing so.
To Freeze. Transfer to freezer friendly bags and freeze for up to 3 months. I recommend freezing in individually portioned freezer bags so that you only thaw individual servings at a time. Thaw at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.