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This grain free granola recipe is the best crunchy snack or yogurt topping. Full of seeds, it’s perfect for those looking for a granola recipe without oats or nuts.
Most granolas on the market are packed with sugar, nuts, and oats, making them difficult for those who have nut allergies, are gluten free, or want to lower their added sugar. This recipe is an easy one, made in under an hour, and perfect for meal prep.
You’ll love this grain free granola with these cottage cheese with fruit bowls, mango lassi without yogurt, or blended cottage cheese.
Table of Contents
Why Make Grain Free Granola?
This recipe makes the ultimate granola for those who are nut free or gluten free and want an alternative. Nuts and oats are two very common intolerances, but there aren’t many options on the market for them. With this recipe you’ll get:
- Allergy-friendly granola – Perfect for kids lunchboxes, snacks, or any friends who are gluten and grain free. For a greater crunch, try this buckwheat granola.
- Packed with seeds – This offers a great crunch and also boosts the omega-3 content compared to regular granola.
- More even baking – Using seeds allows more even baking than mixing with oats or other nuts.
- Customizable – Great for dessert toppings, yogurt, cottage cheese, or just a snack.
Ingredients
Below are a few main ingredients, with the full ingredient list and amounts in the recipe card.
- Seeds – I used a mix of pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds for flavor variation, but feel free to use all of one or another. If using all sunflower seeds, this may lower the cooking time. Hemp seeds are added for variety and an omega-3 boost.
- Maple syrup – An unrefined sugar substitute, this helps add sweetness and binds the granola into more chunky pieces.
- Coconut oil – I used Nutiva. This can be substituted with olive oil or melted butter, if desired.
- Kosher salt – Needed to balance the maple syrup with a little bit of saltiness.
How to Make
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. Then spread it out in a single layer on a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Step 2: Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring the granola every 10 minutes. Allow it to cool on the baking sheet at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
Recipe Tip
Granola will crisp up as it cools so don’t worry if it’s a little soft right out the oven. Make sure it comes to room temperature fully before packing it up for storage. Low and slow is the key! You want to bake this at 325 degrees Fahrenheit so the smaller seeds don’t burn.
Storage Information
This grain free granola will keep well in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature. I recommend a glass container for best results. It does not need to be refrigerated.
This can easily be packaged as gifts in small mason jars or cellophane bags. It’s one of my favorite gifts for teachers if I’m not sure if they have food allergies!
Freezer information – Granola can be frozen to extend it’s shelf life. Cool completely before packing in air-tight containers or bags and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
My favorite way to eat this granola without oats is as a snack or a quick and light breakfast on the go. You can also use it on top of this acai bowl without bananas or vanilla blended chia pudding.
For another smoothie bowl, this would pair so well with my berry smoothie without yogurt. For a sweet treat, add to vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt as a topping! Add a few berries and you have a great dessert.
Grain Free Breakfast Recipes
Breakfast
Vanilla Blended Chia Pudding
Breakfast
Cottage Cheese with Fruit
Smoothies
Ginger Smoothie
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 review in the recipe card! Don’t forget to tag me @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram, and follow along on Pinterest for more great recipes!
Grain Free Granola without Oats
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas), unsalted
- 1 cup raw sunflower seeds, unsalted
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 3 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup OPTIONAL: coconut flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine the pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, maple syrup, cinnamon, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and kosher salt in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the seed mixture in an even layer on top. Place in the oven and check every 10 minutes (so 2 times total) to stir so that the granola browns evenly. If using coconut flakes, add them the final 10 minutes of cooking. Cook for 30 minutes total or until golden brown. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for at least 20-30 minutes. It will get crispy during this time.
- If you like your seeds a little more crispy and brown, I kick up the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for another 5 minutes.
Notes
- In the fall, I love to switch out the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice.
- Substitute melted coconut oil for melted butter or olive oil.
- Optional add in – mix in 1/2 cup large coconut shreds.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hello Alicia,
I want you to know how much I appreciate everything that you share! I just ordered your dizzy cookbook and can’t wait to get it!
I’m going to make the sun butter energy balls that I found online and was wondering if I could use un roasted pumpkin seeds? Do I need to toast them?
Also, for your other ball recipe(I want to make this too) that calls for epic pumpkin seed powder-just interchangeable with pumpkin seeds? How are they different?
Thanks for truly helping people. Your information is organized, thorough and not overwhelming for a beginner. I appreciate YOU so much.
Hey – thank you! Since those balls aren’t baked you need to toast them for the best flavor. You can use them plain but it won’t be as good – but maybe you don’t care as much about that! The pumpkin seed protein powder is more like a flour, so it’s needed to hold everything together and they can’t be interchanged. You can sub another type of protein powder you like though!
I read in the Johns Hopkins elimination diet that all seeds should be avoided. is that true? Thank you!
I believe seeds are under the limit section on some lists but mostly they recommend avoiding nuts.
Made this yesterday and LOVE it! What serving size does that nutrition information chart reflect? Thanks!
A little over 1/3rd a cup!
Addictive is the best way to describe this granola. Crunchy with the perfect amount of sweetness, not so much you feel guilty eating it but just enough that it balances the saltiness and crunch perfectly.