Good news! All of the most delicious things on the planet no longer require oil (apparently). Like roasted vegetables, french fries, and cake! Now granola?
Cool things are happening, people. Cool things are happening.
This easy, naturally sweetened granola requires simple methods and just 9 basic ingredients!
It all starts with aquafaba, or chickpea brine, that’s been whipped until light and fluffy. This mocks egg whites, coats the granola, and helps it become crispy without any added oil! Magic.
Next comes your dry ingredients. We kept things pretty classic with oats, coconut, chia seeds, and nuts. But it will work with just about any combination of these ingredients – and it’ll likely even work grain-free if that’s your thang.
Once mixed, it’s time for the oven. Bake at a low-ish temp for about 30 minutes and you’re in the money – ya know, granola money!
We hope you LOVE this granola! It’s:
Crispy
Crunchy
Golden brown
Naturally sweet
Easy to make
Wholesome
& Kind of addicting
We’ve been loving this granola straight up with almond or coconut milk. We also love it atop things like our Mango Coconut Yogurt, Perfect Bowl of Oats, Super Green Spirulina Smoothie and Tahini Chocolate Soft Serve!
If granola is your thing, be sure to check out a few of our other favorites: Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Granola, 7-Ingredient Quinoa Granola, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag a picture #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Aquafaba Granola (Oil-Free!)
Ingredients
GRANOLA
- 3 cups gluten-free rolled oats*
- 1 cup chopped raw nuts (pecans / slivered almonds)
- 1/2 cup desiccated or shredded coconut (unsweetened)
- 1 Tbsp chia seeds
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar (or other dry sweetener of choice)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup aquafaba
- 1/4 cup maple syrup, plus more to taste (or other liquid sweetener of choice)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1/4 cup dried blueberries – or other dried fruit (optional)
FOR SERVING (optional)
- Dairy-free milk
- Fresh or frozen fruit (banana, berries, etc.)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (162 C) and line one baking sheet (or more as needed) with parchment paper.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the oats, nuts, coconut, chia seeds, coconut sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir to combine.
- Add aquafaba (chickpea brine) to a mixing bowl and use an electric mixer to whip into loose peaks (see photo). This can take up to 10 minutes, usually 5. (If it has trouble blending, add a little cream of tartar to help peaks form.)
- Add maple syrup and vanilla (optional) to the aquafaba and beat for 30 seconds more. Pour the aquafaba mixture over the dry ingredients and fold to coat (see photo).
- Spread the mixture evenly onto a parchment-lined baking sheet(s) and bake for 28-35 minutes (or until fragrant and deep golden brown). Stir a bit near the halfway point and flip the pan around to ensure even baking.
- Let cool completely. Then add dried fruit (optional) and toss. Place in a container that has an airtight seal and it should keep for 2-3 weeks at room temperature. Store in the freezer up to 3 months (sometimes longer).
Kerry Worley says
This recipe is fantastic- my new go-to breakfast after avoiding granola for years because of the fat and calories. I love that I can omit coconut and tamper with sweetener. What I didn’t intend to do, however, was to zone out while multitasking and skip a crucial step- whipping the aquafaba! I’m sure this is even more delicious with the aquafaba whipped, but I’ll never know, because the granola is fantastic with the aquafaba straight from the can! 🙊
It’s so good as-is, I will not be busting out mixer nor vitamix for this one! Thank you, MB, for another great one- even great if it’s botched!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kerry. Thanks so much for the lovely review!
MD says
This is a weekly staple for me! Since I add it to my yogurt daily, I decided to leave out all of the sugar/syrup and it tastes delicious.
Whoop! We’re so glad you’re enjoying it. Thank you for sharing! xo
JP says
Thank you so much Minimalist Baker for this excellent recipe! What a genius idea to use aquafaba: I’m always looking for a good fat-free granola recipe… that is also nice and crunchy and this one fits the bill perfectly! I only put a sprinkling of coconut sugar as felt the maple syrup would be sweet enough (and I like to keep the sugar down too if possible) and added some pumpkin, sunflower and linseeds. Delicious! My new go-to granola recipe from now on. Thanks again!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, JP. Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Cathy says
This recipe far surpasses any of the oli laden recipes! If you start with basics and just add what you want it is absolutely amazing, and far cheaper than the store bought. Thank you, too, for a new use of my aquafaba! 5 stars!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Cathy! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Jeff says
Will it work if using Buckwheat groats with rolled oats like your other granola recipe that uses oil?
Hi Jeff! Other readers have had success adding buckwheat groats to the rolled oats. Hope you enjoy!
Cathy says
OK, I was a little reticent to try this because my last experiment with aquafaba was a disaster. Not this time!! This was sooooo good!!! This recipe is a keeper! THANK YOU for a fantastic recipe!
Chelsea says
I was so excited to find this oil-free granola recipe! The only thing I would modify if I were to make this again is the baking time. Even the lowest suggested time, 28 minutes, was a little too long and left my granola a bit charred. Still edible, but maybe something to note if you decide to make this recipe!
Thank you for sharing, Chelsea! xo
Viv says
Could you potentially replace oil in all your granola recipes with aquafaba?
Hi Viv, we haven’t tried that swap in all of our granola recipes so we can’t guarantee results, but it could be worth trying!
Tracy says
Oh my gosh. . . . . Don’t make this—unless you want to be addicted, that is. I seriously want to have this for every meal. and snack. It is sooooooo good! I’ve made it a few times now; this last time I used freeze dried raspberries and that put it even more over the top in deliciousness. Just writing this review makes me want to have a bowl! (another bowl, that is. . . . . )
Ha, AMAZING! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Tracy! xoxo
Elaine Romero says
I was craving granola and had so many nuts in this house, I landed here. I had some aquafaba from a salad. I do not own a mixer, so mine did not peak like yours, but the recipe worked! I used monkfruit sugar. I had some fresh dried cranberries so I subbed those for the blueberries. I warmed up so Almond milk and served it with fresh banana. Yum!
Yay! Sounds yummy. Thanks so much for the review, Elaine!
Angela says
This is the most amazing granola every! I’m so excited to find an oil and nut butter free granola. Don’t stir this too much when it’s cooking so that you can still have granola chunks. The key to whipping aquafaba without losing your mind while waiting endlessly for the darn thing to whip up is to put it in the vitamix for a minute or so first. Then, once it’s white and still resembles a liquid, pour it in the mixer with the whip and whip it good. Why is this a better way: 1) It’s super easy to clean the vitamix with just aquafaba and 2) you were going to get the kitchen aid dirty anyway. (Can you tell how much I hate dishes and waiting…before I start cooking I start thinking about dish clean-up.)
We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe, Angela! Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing that Vitamix tip – we’ll have to give it a try! xo
Malene says
Hands down the best oil free granola recipe ever! Great for subbing ingredients you love – in my case I replaced 1/2 cup oats for 1/2 cup buck wheat groat and a pinch of cardamon. Crunchy, toasty, perfect. Thank you!
Woohoo! We’re so glad you think so, Malene! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Ashley says
Grateful for a delicious way to get rid of aquafaba- we eat a lot of chickpeas!! Made the mistake of piling too much on one baking sheet- split it onto 2 into an even layer and baked a little longer- much better! Thank you!
We’re so glad it was helpful and you enjoyed it! Thank you for the lovely review, Ashley! xo
Maria says
Replacing oil with Aquafaba is a fantastic idea! I took this idea as a base for all my other granola creations! You can make it also sugar free and it turns out great as well! Let your imagination run wild with the healthiest granola recipe!
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe, Maria! Thanks for the lovely review! xo
Francine says
Really loved this recipe. I did a splash of maple syrup and halved the coconut sugar. I subbed the oats with puffed quinoa and didn’t see the aquafaba measurement so I did a whole drained tins worth. It all worked out delicious! Very pleased! Except!…. Slightly confused and perplexed and fearful of the calorie calculation for only a quarter cup. I’m using measuring cups in the UK. A quarter cup is tiny for 174 calories. It also doesn’t look like a quarter cup on the video when served up. Please help me understand this. A cup seems like a good portion size but that’s A LOT of calories in one sitting.
Hi Francine, we’re so glad you enjoyed it! Nuts and coconut are higher calorie foods, but the oats also contribute. Keep in mind it’s important to consider nutrients, not just caloric value. Hope that helps!
Sue says
This is the most delicious granola i’ve ever made!! I add sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds to the recipe – my family loves it!!
Woohoo! We’re so glad you and your family enjoy it, Sue! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Rachel says
This granola is so tasty, thank you! I had a packet of gingerbread spice from a recipe kit I used and it’s delicious.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Rachel! Love that gingerbread spice mix addition. Thank you for sharing! xo
Vivian says
Hi,
I was wondering if I could somehow add 1/2 cup of sweet potato puree to this? I saw your sweet potato granola recipe and want to use aquafaba because I tried the aquafaba recipe and it was so crispy!
Hmm, that might work! We haven’t tried it. Let us know if you do!
Julea says
Great granola recipe! My 2 year old and I made this together, which meant that I completely missed the fact that I was supposed to whip the aquafaba before adding it to the dry mixture. But I didn’t notice anything odd about my granola afterwards – crunchy and yummy! To be honest, I also subbed aquafaba for the maple syrup (as in, 2 x aquafaba, and no maple syrup), and again, still a great tasting, lightly sweet granola. We had it on soy yogurt for snack afterwards. Thanks for another great recipe!
Great! Thanks for the lovely review, Julea!
Adrienne Gembala says
Tasty granola and not too sweet granola but mine is not as crunchy as I imagine all those who have commented is. Any thoughts on how to make it crunchier? I do use a silicone mat so for the second batch I baked it for 40 minutes with a turn halfway through.
Make sure it’s in a very thin layer (no overlap / crowding), turn off the oven near the end of baking but leave the granola in the oven to really dry out. Then let cool fully. That should help!
Irene Binyon says
I did leave my granola in as you directed. That worked really well.
Yay!!
Davida says
Could you use ground flaxseed and water as a replacement for the aquafaba? Or, if you don’t have a whip machine, could you use a blender to blend it?
Hmm, I’d stick with the aquafaba, but a flax egg *may* work. It’s best to whip aquafaba by hand whisking or using a mixer!
Sena Aydın says
Hello! I am planning to do this today, but I think I’m going to replace the coconut sugar with honey. Also, can I store these in a jar, and for how long?
That should work. It will keep ~2-3 weeks, depending on the humidity level.
Sherri says
This is great. I now have a nice crispy granola I feel good about eating. Another new Dana addiction. Thank you so much for creating.
haha yay!! Thanks for sharing, Sherri!
Sharon says
Love this granola! Homemade granola is so simple to make and you can control what goes in it! Aquafaba as a binder is amazing….it whipped up beautifully in just a few minutes! Added some pumpkin seeds and hemp hearts and the zest of an orange! The dried fruit just takes it to the next level!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Love your creative additions too. Thanks for the lovely review, Sharon!
Amrita says
Hi there, I usually soak dried chickpeas in water overnight anytime I need them for a recipe. Do you know if that leftover water would work as aquafaba or if it’s best to use the aquafaba from canned chickpeas? I suspect it won’t work but thought I’d ask in case you’ve ever tried.
Thank you! I look forward to making this granola :)
Hi Amrita, unfortunately that won’t whip up well. Canned is best.
Kiara says
Hi! Im DYING to try this recipe but i only have quick oats on hand!😭 Do you think they could work ?☺️
We haven’t tried it that way, but it should be okay. Just not as textured.
Kaitlyn LeClaire says
I have never made aquafaba before but was making a vegan chickpea curry and thought I would give it a try with the leftover brine. Wow! The aquafaba was really simple to make and made this granola deliciously crunchy! I don’t know if I would open up a can of chickpeas to make the granola this way, but won’t ever waste that brine again! I added a little extra salt (I like my granola more salty to go with sweetened yogurt) and a bit of reishi too. Will definitely make again!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kaitlyn! Love the reishi addition, too. Thanks for sharing!
LaTesha says
Hi! Could we add some kind of nut butter to this recipe? If so, where would be the best place to add it? Thanks so much for your help!
We haven’t tried that, but we think so! Perhaps in place of some of the aquafaba? Let us know if you try it!
Belen says
I am so happy I came across this truly delicious and satisfying recipe! I only added 1/2 cup of nuts because I am not going to restrict myself to a 1/4 cup serving. 🙂 Thank you !
Great! Thanks for sharing, Belen! Glad you enjoyed it!
Serena Wong says
Hi! Is it possible to leave out chia seeds? Will it affect the recipe? Thanks!
That’s fine!
Josefine says
Hi, I am very new to egg substitutes such as aquafaba, so I wonder if the sweeteners are neccessary for the texture, or would it work to make this recipe completely without sweeteners?
Have a nice day!
It wouldn’t taste very good unfortunately!
Josefine Hugosson says
Hello again
In what way would it not taste good? Would it simply be “tasteless”?Because that is not a problem, or will the aquafaba give some sort of bitter or funky taste…?
What I want to know is if it’ll work, like, will the the texture be the same?
They also help with texture – they help the oats crisp and caramelize. With aquafaba only this recipe would turn out on the soggier side.