We have a serious thing for golden milk — the traditional Indian beverage that has its roots in Ayurveda and is most traditionally known as haldi ka doodh. In its simplest form, it’s a combination of warmed milk and ground turmeric, which may sound like an interesting combination, but once you try it, you just get it. It’s not only comforting but also incredibly anti-inflammatory and delicious. This granola is an homage to golden milk.
All of the spice, warmth, and sweetness of golden milk in crunchy, satisfying granola form. We include plenty of nuts and seeds for a nutrient-packed breakfast or on-the-go snack! Just 9 ingredients required. Let us show you how it’s done!
Good news, friends! We tested this recipe two ways and found it works beautifully with both aquafaba (for an oil-free option) and coconut oil (for those looking for simplicity). No matter which version you choose, crispy, vibrant golden milk granola is in your future.
We’ve been making aquafaba for years now, but we’re still amazed by the magical, fluffy texture that is created by simply whipping chickpea brine (check it out below!). Not only is it a great binder for granola, but it makes some seriously good vegan mayo, waffles, and cookies — like woah!
For this granola, we included rolled oats for a classic granola feel, almonds and chia seeds for crunch, coconut flakes for richness, and a little salt for flavor. Coconut sugar adds sweetness, golden milk spice mix provides the golden milk component (which is rich with ground turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon), and the combo of maple syrup and whipped aquafaba yields crispy granola clusters. An optional touch of vanilla extract infuses the granola with subtle vanilla flavor.
*Note: You can learn about golden milk and its ancient history in India and Ayurveda here.
After mixing up the ingredients, the final step is to give it a quick bake. Optionally, stir in some golden raisins for even more golden color and bites of sweetness!
We hope you LOVE this golden milk granola! It’s:
Toasty
Crunchy
Perfectly sweet
Subtly spiced
Balanced
& Nutty!
It’s a delicious (and addictive) snack by the handful or enjoy it in a bowl with dairy-free milk, yogurt, and/or fresh fruit.
More Recipes Using Golden Milk Spice Mix
- 5-Ingredient Golden Milk Snack Bites
- Golden Milk Ice Cream
- Dark Chocolate Golden Milk Macaroons
- Creamy Golden Milk Smoothie
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Golden Milk Granola
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats (gluten-free as needed)
- 1 cup chopped raw almonds (or slivered almonds)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 Tbsp chia seeds
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar (or other dry sweetener of choice)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 ½ Tbsp golden milk spice mix (see notes for individual spices)
- 1/4 cup aquafaba (measured before whipping // if not oil-free, option to sub an equal amount of melted coconut oil or avocado oil)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1/3 cup golden raisins (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F (163 C) and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the oats, chopped almonds, coconut, chia seeds, coconut sugar, salt, and golden milk spice mix (see notes for individual spices). Stir to combine.
- Add the aquafaba to a mixing bowl and use an electric mixer to whip into loose peaks. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes. NOTE: If using oil in place of aquafaba, skip the whipping step.
- Add the maple syrup and vanilla (optional) to the aquafaba and beat for 30 seconds more (or if using oil, stir to combine). Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and fold to evenly coat.
- Spread the mixture evenly onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes. Stir at the halfway point and rotate the pan to ensure even baking.
- Let cool completely, then add the golden raisins (optional) and toss. Store the granola in an airtight container and enjoy as a quick snack or in a bowl with some dairy-free milk! Store at room temperature for up to 3-4 days, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Video
Notes
*Individual spices (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust as needed if adjusting batch size): 1 ½ Tbsp ground turmeric, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, pinch of ground nutmeg, pinch of ground clove.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with aquafaba and without optional ingredients.
Coby says
Oh my goodness, this granola is amazing! I literally just stuck it in the oven, and took a bite before baking it! I don’t like golden milk because of the milk, but I love the spices. This granola is zippy and sweet, and I really appreciate the oil-free option. I’m going to try it on a roasted sweet potato drizzled with DF vanilla yogurt, and the granola sprinkled on top. I see this recipe going on repeat!
We’re so glad you’re enjoying it, Coby! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Karen says
This is seriously addicting! I have tried several of your granola recipes and they are always delicious but the tumeric gives this one such an interesting flavor, as well as the healthy boost.
I followed your recipe exactly although added more cinnamon and tossed in a few chopped dates since I didn’t have raisins.
Unrelated: I was at first surprised and then disturbed by the vitriolic anti-Semitic rant on 8/4 (about tahini) when I was checking needed ingredients for your just- posted (and awesome looking) black bean Buddha bowl, before writing this review.
I have assumed “your review is awaiting moderation” when submitted meant just that? This “review” didn’t even mention if they made the recipe! I know in the past you’ve been corrected, curry’s origins, for example- but not anything like the post to which I’m referring. It’s honest of you to have left it there. And apparently it hasn’t spawned a lot of responses either way
Anyway, aside from their healthy deliciousness I appreciate the lengths to which you and your team go to be sensitive to dietary restrictions, credit your sources, etc. Thank you, MB!
We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes, Karen! Thank you for your thoughtful review! We’ll take a look into the comment to see if we missed something.
Michelle Harmon says
Would shredded coconut be ok, or would it burn? I have that (no flakes) and everything else ready to go but would hate for that to ruin it!
Hi Michelle, we do think it would be more prone to burning. Perhaps add it in the last 3-5 minutes of baking or leave it out and add more oats/almonds?
Rebekah says
This is super tasty. Agree with prior suggestions to exclude the dry sweetener for a still tasty and sweet enough flavor.
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Rebekah!
Irene says
This is the most delicious granola! I had a powdered chai spice mix that I used instead of the golden milk mix, and subbed erythritol and date sugar for the sweeteners.
When doubling the recipe, I suppose you would need to baking trays ? I currently only have one and it didn’t quite crisp up like the first time I made it (when I just made the recipe with the quantities as written).
Hi Irene, for the best texture you do want the granola to be spread out on the baking sheet, so for doubling we would recommend two baking sheets, or baking in batches. So glad you still the final results!
Sage's mom says
I made this for a brunch get-together and everyone loved it, including a four-year-old!
I left out the coconut sugar to lower the sugar content and found that it was sweet enough without it.
Thanks for the great recipe–I have another batch in the oven right now!
Thanks so much for the lovely review. We are so glad everyone enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Patricia says
I have been making this granola weekly and I love it. I was wondering if it is safe to freeze as I would like to make bigger batches.
Hi Patricia! This granola should freeze well, but it may lose some of its crunchiness once thawed. If you make a big batch it should also last for 3-4 weeks in a sealed container at room temperature. Hope this helps!
Marie Biddix says
I make this granola, plus other MB granola and always freeze the batch once it has cooled, it’s perfect! I usually make extra large batches and they last for months in the freezer, plus they are extra cold in the bowl with milk when I take it out to eat. So lovely!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Marie. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Hillary Woods says
I will never buy granola again! This was amazing. I was a little worried it wouldn’t be dry enough but it turned out great! I substituted pumpkin seeds for the almonds to keep it nut free. Sensational.
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Hillary. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modification! xo
Jen at Dannifer's Kitchen says
Obsessed!! this is by far one of our favorites at home!! I’ve been doing my own granola for a while, but this is a very very original recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Jen! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Yumna Islam says
Looks amazing! I love golden milk and I can’t wait to try. I try to stick to a low as possible sugar diet, so what would be the minimum amount of syrup and sugar I could use, with all your granola recipes? (they all look gorgeous) Do you use both liquid and dry for texture purposes?
Hi Yumna, We use both liquid and dry for texture and sweetness. You might be able to get away with omitting the coconut sugar and just using maple syrup, but we haven’t tried with that modification here. Let us know how it goes!
Cleo says
So good! I was out of ginger powder, so used minced fresh garlic which was a great addition.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Cleo! Thank you for sharing!
Dana says
This is delicious!! I used coconut oil and my favorite golden milk mix.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Dana! Thank you for sharing! xo
Amy says
I had been wanting to make this for a while and I am so glad I finally got around to it! It was very easy/quick to make, I opted for avocado oil, and it is so delicious! I made it with the plan to eat it with fruit/yogurt in the mornings but after I took it out of the oven I ate a bowl of it with almond milk for dinner. Next time I might add more flax seeds since I barely noticed them, but overall this is a really tasty recipe with unique flavors.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Amy! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Michele says
I made this granola this evening and my kitchen smells amazing. Can’t wait to try it tomorrow on my breakfast 🤗🤗. Thankyou for another great recipe. 🙏🙏
xoxo!
Sarah says
What a delicious recipe! I can’t get enough of Minimalist Baker recipes these days :) I used liquified coconut oil instead of aquafaba. I almost substituted the coconut sugar because I was having a hard time finding it but then spotted some at Trader Joes that I ended up using. The granola with oat milk was so so yummy especially with the flavored golden milk at the end!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sarah! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Diana says
I made this granola instead of my usual go-to, your Sea Salt Dark Chocolate one. In the process of making it I grew more and more skeptical that I’d actually like it. ‘I mean, I thought, it has turmeric in it, how good can it be?!’ But I remembered what it said at the beginning of the post, that after you try it, you just ‘get it.’ Well, I can happily say that after tasting it, I TOTALLY GET IT NOW! So flavorful, warming and perfectly spiced. Oh, and I subbed coconut oil because I was too lazy to whip aquafaba, and it worked really nice.
Amaziiiing! We love to hear this, Diana. Thank you for the kind review, we’re so glad you enjoyed! :)
Patricia says
Just made this and I kept nibbling at it even before I put it in the oven, delicious. I love my granola so this will be my new go to. I omitted the sugar as I find the maple syrup adds enough sweetness. Cant wait for breakfast so I can enjoy a bowl with almond milk. Thanks yet again Dana, you are amazing.
Yay! Thanks as always for such a kind review and sharing what you changed, Patricia. We think the Golden Milk Granola is a winner, too! xo
Janelle says
Another amazing recipe, Dana! I’m the golden milk lover in my family but even my kids, 8, 6, and 4 year olds loved it. It has the perfect amount of spice and will be a lovely addition to our summer granola rotation. Because of allergies, I used olive oil instead of either aquafaba or coconut oil and I omitted the raw sugar because I find it is not necessary. I also add hemp seeds after the bake to add another punch of nutrient density.. SO, SO GOOD!
Aw, love this! Thank you so much for sharing, Janelle! xo
Jenny says
I love the way you used aquafaba here. Could I use it pretty easily in your other granola recipes? I know you have a specific one for aquafaba, but I am curious about subbing it.
Yes! It works in place of oil in most granola recipes.
Jenny says
I tried using aquafaba in a waffle recipe a few months ago, and I allowed the total fail to scare me off. BUT – then I made this recipe, and I discovered how warm and cozy and crispy this granola was :)! Thanks for a great recipe!
Yay! We’re so glad you gave this one a try and enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing, Jenny! xo
Kitkat says
So. Delicious!!! I kept nibbling at it even before putting it in the oven. I added some puffed rice cereal because I needed to use it up. Had with non dairy milk, banana coins and hemp seeds. It was perfectly sweet, warming with a hint of spice here and there, and so crunchy! Definitely will be kept in rotation! Thanks MB! {heart emoji}
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! And love your modification! Thanks for the lovely review!
Stephanie Cruz says
This is the breakfast I would exchange for my usual coconut oil coffee. Delicious and filling.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Stephanie!
Marie Biddix says
Umm, no need to create any more recipes, I will be living off of Golden Milk Granola from this point forward. WOW! Talk about life changing! As you all know by now, I only eat what I make, nothing packaged and nothing that might even make me sick again. So, cereal has been out of my life for a while. I knew when I saw this I should just go ahead and make a double batch, which I did, two sheet pans were needed. I used a combination of coconut oil and avocado oil. Oh thank you sweet MB team for helping us stay healthy, you are so loved and appreciated!
haha YAY! Thanks for sharing, Marie!
April says
What could I use in this recipe instead of Almonds? This looks delicious but I have a nut allergy and it seems like every healthy recipe these days contains some kind of nut. Thank you
You could perhaps sub in additional coconut flakes and oats OR a seed of choice, such as pepita or sunflower?
Eliza says
I used pumpkin seeds, as I didn’t have almonds on hand and it’s super yummy!
Sounds delish! Thanks for the lovely review, Eliza. xo
Sylvia says
Hi do you have to bake the granola mixture With the Aquafaba or can you eat it raw?
I would definitely bake it or it would just be soggy.
Hannah says
Any tips for making this in my dehydrator? Or would you say nay nay to that approach?
It may work! We haven’t tried it, but let us know how it goes!
Sarah says
Oh baby! Just made this and ate half the batch. Now I need to go get on my peloton :-) I did not have almonds so subbed pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. I also used whole cane sugar because that’s what I had on hand. This turned out awesome! Pondering the idea of being John Malkovich inside Dana’s head! Oh to have such creative and healthy ideas!! You never let us down, girl!
Aw, we’re so glad you enjoy it, Sarah! Thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review! xo
TKG says
I’m a granola fiend, and this sounds delicious so I’ll definitely try it! I appreciate that you’re trying to keep it vegan, but do you think replacing the aquafaba with egg white would yield a similar result? It’s something I always have to hand and have used it successfully with granola in the past.
Thanks so much for your fab recipes, you’re my go-to for healthier sweets these days!
Yes, that should work! Let us know how it goes!
TKG says
Yep, it works! I swapped 1/4 cup egg whites for the aquafaba, I did NOT whip them but kept to the way I would usually use egg whites in granola, and simply whisked the egg whites, maple syrup and vanilla together then mixed through the dry ingredients.
I was wary of over toasting since I wasn’t using any oil, so I lowered the oven temp to 135C fan-assisted (convection), which is also what I usually bake granola at. 40 minutes was perfect.
It’s unusual and delicious! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Amazing! Thanks for sharing, TKG!