An Easy Way to Make Homemade Granola That Is Always Crispy, Toasty, and Never Hard

Deep winter is an ideal time to remain home, snuggle up, and work on a fun project (or two). This year, I’m focusing on putting the pantry in order, finally finding out how to organize all of our pots and pans, and making mornings more enjoyable than opening a cereal box.

To that end, I’ve been thinking about granola, especially homemade granola. Making homemade granola is fantastic because you can pick your ingredients, add extra nuts and dried fruit to your diet, and save a lot of money. It’s delicious with milk, sprinkled on yogurt with berries, or as an afternoon snack.

The main drawback is that cooking this homemade granola requires some time. That’s why I was ecstatic when I discovered @graceelkus’ brilliant 5-Minute Microwave Granola recipe. Grace created one of my favorite breakfasts of 2023 (and still is in 2024), the crispy feta-fried egg, so I was convinced this dish would be a success as well. Plus, I’m constantly looking for a microwave cooking shortcut. Here’s what occurred when I tried the recipe at home.

You probably have everything (or almost everything) you need in your kitchen, but you could simply make some changes. Grace calls for maple syrup, olive oil, peanut butter, water, rolled oats, flaky salt, and whatever nuts, seeds, or dried fruit you want. Substitute honey or agave syrup for maple syrup, melted butter or vegetable oil for olive oil, and your favorite nut butter. If you don’t want to use nut butters, I imagine tahini would work well in this recipe.

This is a straightforward “mix and stir” process. Start by combining the maple syrup, olive oil, peanut butter, and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir in the oats, nuts, seeds, and a sprinkle of salt until evenly covered. Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten about the dried fruit. That will be added after the granola has finished cooking in the microwave. If you mix it in with the rest of the ingredients, the fruit will burn and/or become hard as rock.

Place the bowl with the granola mixture in the microwave for a minute and a half. Stir thoroughly, then cook for another minute and a half. Continue heating in 30-second bursts, stirring after each, until the granola is as toasted as you like. Mine took 4 minutes overall, although the cooking time can vary depending on the microwave. Spread the heated granola on a platter and let to cool. Add the dried fruit to the granola and you’re ready to enjoy!