Cinnamon Granola with Almonds, Coconut, and Cherries

This simple and delicious cinnamon granola recipe makes a nice big batch and keeps for weeks. You can make the recipe exactly or substitute nuts, seeds, and dried fruits to your heart’s desire. Toss a handful on top of some Greek yogurt and call it breakfast.

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Why we love this recipe

Granola is such a versatile, happy-making food. A little bit good for ya, a little bit indulgent-feeling, a little bit snacky, a little bit breakfasty, a little bit totally idea. Our cinnamon granola:

• Yields a nice combination of clusters and free pieces
• Has a mild cinnamon flavor that doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the ingredients
• Is highly amenable to your additions and substitutions of nuts, seeds, dried fruits, or even chocolate
• Makes a nice big batch that keeps well

I originally published this recipe here way back in 2008. At the time, it was heavily adapted from The Barefoot Contessa. It looks like she subsequently made some big changes to her recipe, too. Yay for evolution. Yay for granola.

What you’ll need

Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.

• Use old-fashioned rolled oats, which are heartier than quick oats and make a much better granola.
• I like to use a standard, mild-flavored honey so it doesn’t overpower the other flavors. You can use whatever you like.
• Coconut flakes are dried and unsweetened.
• I’ve pictured pepitas here because that’s what we used when making the video. They’re great in this recipe, but I originally wrote it with sliced almonds, which also make a terrific combination with coconut, cinnamon, and dried cherries.
• Over the years I’ve used all sorts of dried fruits in this recipe. I particularly love dried, sweetened sour cherries for their soft, chewy texture and combination of tanginess and sweetness. You can use any kind you like.

How to make it

Here’s what you’ll do to make a great batch of cinnamon granola. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, coconut, and almonds (or pepitas).
2. Pour in the oil and the honey and mix well. Then sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and mix well again.
3. Divide mixture between two baking sheets and spread into a single layer on each. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes or 325°F with convection for 15 minutes, flipping the position of the baking sheets halfway through. Toward the end, watch carefully to make sure it doesn’t get overly browned.
4. When still warm but cool enough to handle, sprinkle half the dried cherries over each baking sheet and break up the granola a bit with your hands. Once cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.

Suggested additions & substitutions

You can play around a lot with the nuts, seeds, and dried fruits in your cinnamon granola. The key is to keep the total ratios about the same as in the original recipe.

Instead of some or all of the almonds, try:

• Pepitas
• Sunflower seeds
• Chopped walnuts or pecans
• Pistachios

Instead of some of all of the cherries, try:

• Dried cranberries
• Chopped dried strawberries
• Dried blueberries
• Chopped dried apricots

And, hey. A cup of mini dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate isn’t the worst idea, either. Just be sure to stir it in after the granola has cooled completely.

Expert tips and FAQs

More favorite ways to use old-fashioned oats

• Creamy oatmeal
• Creamy vegan oatmeal
• Savory oats with spinach
• Savory oats with shiitakes
• In crisp topping for apples, strawberries and rhubarb, cherries, or blueberries

4.89 from 9 votes

Cinnamon Granola with Almonds, Coconut, and Dried Cherries

By Carolyn Gratzer Cope

This simple and delicious cinnamon granola recipe makes a nice big batch and keeps for weeks. Make it as-is or swap in any seeds, nuts, and dried fruits that you like. Toss a handful on top of some Greek yogurt and call it breakfast.

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 20

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Ingredients 

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• ▢ 4 cups (320 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
• ▢ 2 cups (195 grams) unsweetened coconut flakes
• ▢ 2 cups (180 grams) sliced almonds
• ▢ ½ cup (120 ml) safflower oil
• ▢ ⅓ cup (80 ml) mild honey
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 2 cups (240 grams) dried cherries

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Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F, or 325°F if you have a convection oven. Place two racks as close as possible to the center.
• Place the oats, coconut, and almonds into a large mixing bowl and mix well.
• Add the oil and honey to the bowl, and mix gently until all ingredients are coated.
• Sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, and mix gently to distribute well.
• Divide the mixture between two rimmed baking sheets (half-sheet pans) and bake for about 20 minutes in a regular oven or 15 convection, until golden brown. Swap the position of the baking sheets halfway through cooking. Watch carefully toward the end, since all ovens are different, and it can go from perfect to burned quickly.
• When still warm but cool enough to handle, sprinkle half the cherries over each pan. Use your hands to stir them in and break up the granola as much as you like.

Notes

1. I like to use a standard, mild-flavored honey so it doesn’t overpower the other flavors. You can use whatever you like.
2. Coconut flakes are dried and unsweetened.
3. Protip: Measure the oil first in a liquid measuring cup and pour it into the bowl. A little bit will remain behind to coat the bottom and sides of the measuring cup. Measure the honey in the same cup. It will pour out much more easily than it would otherwise.
4. Suggested substitutions: You can play around a lot with nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and more. The key is to keep the total ratios about the same as in the original recipe. Instead of some or all of the almonds, try: pepitas, sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts or pecans, or pistachios. Instead of some of all of the cherries, try: dried cranberries, chopped dried strawberries, dried blueberries, or chopped dried apricots And, hey. A cup of mini dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate isn’t the worst idea, either. Just be sure to stir it in after the granola has cooled completely.
5. Once completely cool, granola will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for about a month.

I first published this recipe here in 2008, having heavily adapted it from Ina Garten. I’ve updated the post for clarity, but the recipe remains the same.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/2 cup, Calories: 319kcal, Carbohydrates: 36.6g, Protein: 4.8g, Fat: 17.5g, Fiber: 4.5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Breakfast and Brunch

Cuisine: American

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