Healthy Sugar Free Granola Recipe
If you’ve been looking for a healthy granola recipe with NO added sugar, this is the one! This Sugar Free Granola is crispy, crunchy and amazing while giving you healthy fats, protein, and energy-boosting whole grains without the added sweeteners.
For more sugar-free snacks, check out this post with 50 ideas!
Why We Love This Granola
You’ll love how crunchy and flavorful this granola is, without any sugar added! I’ve never loved an overly sweet granola – especially when I’m topping my yogurt with it. This granola gives you all the crunch and flavors of sweet oats, crunchy nuts and coconut without being overly sweet!
The best part about making granola sugar free is that you can add so many delicious fruits for natural sweetness! Whether you add dried fruit to take the granola on the go, or fresh fruit like blueberries to mix into your breakfast, that is 100% where we want to get the sugar we eat. Fruit sugar that comes in the form of whole foods is the best way to eat sugar because it doesn’t spike your blood sugars like added sugars do.
Ingredients for Sugar Free Granola
- Old Fashioned Oats: Granola is always best with old fashioned or rolled oats to give that sweet nutty flavor and texture.
- Cashews: I used salted cashews for this recipe to add a bit more flavor – you can use unsalted if you like.
- Sliced almonds – Pre-sliced almonds make it super quick to add to this recipe – you can chop your own from whole if that is all you have.
- Coconut flakes – To truly make this granola sugar free, use unsweetened coconut flakes. Sweetened are yummy too, if you don’t mind the teeny bit of added sugar.
- Cinnamon – adds warmth to the flavor profile of this granola.
- Egg whites – these are the key ingredient to getting a crunchy granola without sugar.
- Coconut oil – adds a nice flavor and helps to crunch up the oats
- Vanilla extract – makes everything taste better!
How to Make Crunchy Sugar Free Granola
Making sugar-free granola can be tricky. That’s because granola’s crunch usually comes from heating sugar. The longer sugar is heated, the crunchier your food gets (think hard candy, brittle stage.) The lower the heat of your sugar, the chewier something is (thing granola bars, vs. granola.) So, the question on my mind was, how do we get crunchy granola with NO SUGAR at all? The answer is: egg whites!
- Mix. First mix together all the dry ingredients, Feel free to experiment with a variety of nuts and seeds. (you can try almonds, pecans, sunflower seeds, and cashews.)
- Whip. In a separate mixing bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks formed. This will take about 5 minutes.
- Fold. Fold the egg whites into the dry mixture, then stir in the melted coconut oil and vanilla.
- Bake. Spread the oat mixture onto a baking sheet and bake stirring about every 20 minutes to avoid the top layer from getting too brown and to make it crunchy throughout.
Is Unsweetened Granola Healthy?
Granola itself is nutritious and filling. The problem is, a lot of commercial varieties and even homemade recipes add lots of sugar in different forms, making it a less healthy choice than you might think. My sugar free granola recipe gives you:
- complex carbohydrates for energy
- fiber for gut health
- protein for staying full, building muscle
- healthy fats to support cell function
Does Granola Spike Your Blood Sugar?
Oats are a lower glycemic index food which means that they don’t naturally spike blood sugar compared to a lot of other foods. They also have a high fiber content which helps to regulate blood sugars.
This recipe in particular does a great job with regulating blood sugars because there is no added sugar, and the other ingredients add protein and healthy fats which help to further stabilize your blood sugar.
Is Granola or Oatmeal Better for You?
Both granola and oatmeal are a healthy breakfast option – depending on how they are made and what other things are added to them. The biggest downfall of both granola and oatmeal are added sweeteners! Making your own granola or oatmeal at home allows you to control all of the ingredients and add your own healthy options.
More Low Sugar Recipes
- Sugar Free Cookies
- Sugar Free Cinnamon Pecans
- All-Natural Sugar Free Fruit Soda
- Lower Sugar Vanilla Cake with Fresh Strawberries
Sugar Free Granola
Ingredients
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes unsweetened
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3 large egg whites
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.
- In large bowl, combine oats, nuts, coconut and cinnamon.
- In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites into dry oat mixture. Stir gently until dry mixture is coated.
- Melt coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Combine with vanilla extract and stir into oat mixture.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Pour oat mixture onto the baking sheet.
- Bake in pre-heated oven for 60 minutes, stirring every twenty minutes or until it is as crunchy as you like it. The granola will get more crunchy as it cools.
- Store in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.
Nutrition
www.superhealthykids.com
Natalie Monson
I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.
Learn More about Natalie
Is there any way to make a nut free, sugar free granola?
THK – I’m afraid there would be nothing left but oats!
I made this without nuts or fruits. I used your recipe (LOVE IT!!) but only included oats, egg whites, no sugar/low fat coconut, cinnamon, and a little pumpkin pie spice. It is not sweet at all, but it is exactly what I wanted. It perfectly compliments my cottage cheese & fruit parfaits. The texture is exactly what I was looking for — thank you so much for sharing your recipe!!!
Thanks Lindsey!
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Hello, I’ve made different granola recipes but always end up with a bitter after taste.
I find the oats have this taste after I bake them in the oven.
Any idea why I even bake them for less time but they still get these after taste.
I would really like to make this recipe but I don’t want to throw it away.
This ever happens to you?
I wonder if aquafava would work instead of egg whites?
I’ve never tried that product Roimata!
It’s amazing! It’s just the left over liquid from a tin of chickpeas and you can whip it up exactly like egg whites. You can make meringues and all sorts of things using it instead of beaten egg whites.
Your recipe indicates that the granola would last 1 to 2 weeks. Can it last longer in the refrigerator?
I’ve never stored it in the fridge, but I imagine it could!
Is there any way this could be made into bars or cookies please? Perhaps packing it in to a baking tray rather than stirring? I have an oats based cereal that I really like and I want to turn it into a crunchy bar without adding any more sugar, but I can’t work out how to stick it together. Thanks.
That might work, but I haven’t tried it Helen!
Perhaps there is an omission in the recipe? The text calls for 1 cup of seeds/nuts, but the recipe calls for 3/4 cup.
Thank you! I’ll fix it.
I also have the question whether to use 1 c. or 3/4 c. dry ingredients. Directions list three 1/2 cup ingredients, but specific it must equal 2 cups. Is there another dry ingredient missing, or are the portions wrong? Thank you for clarifying.
Sorry Jane= NOW it’s fixed!
This looks like a great alternative to sweet granola. I’d probably try flavouring it with pumpkin pie spice or gingerbread spices for the fall and winter.
Wouldn’t there be some natural sugars from the nuts? I know cashews, for example, are quite high in sugar.
In the commentary you state beat the eggs until soft peaks, but in the receipt you state hard peaks. Please let me know which is correct.
Thanks.
Penny.
Soft peaks are sufficient, hard peaks may be easier to work with. They both would work. But I”ll change it to soft to be consistent. Thanks!
Have you tried using applesauce or concentrated fruit juice to get a little bit of sweet? Do you think it would still crisp as nicely? I made your original recipe today so I’ll have something to compare and want to play with it a bit next time.
I haven’t tried it, but I’d love to know how it turns out Adrian!
Are you using quick oats or regular oats?
I’ve used both Lisa, and they both turn out great!
Looks delicious! Would it be possible to add cocoa powder (and at which stage) to make a chocolaty version of this? Also could I add a bit of honey or will it mess the consistency?
I haven’t tried those Yasmeen! Let us know if you do.
I found your blog as a result of this recipe. It is great and I can feel less guilty about adding chocolate chips for my chocolate fix. I do stir less to get bigger clumps in the finished granola. I also add 4 egg whites instead of 3 sometimes depending on eggs. Thanks so much.
Thanks for the feedback Elisa and welcome!
This is amazing!Absolutely love it! Came out perfect!Finally have a sugar free crunchy granola recipe. Definitely won’t last for more than a week.Thank you so much!
Hello! My little sister and I love this recipe, we gave it a go this morning. She managed to keep it sugar free but I needed a little chocolate kick today (oops!).
Loved it that much, I had to mention it on my blog as I’m doing a sugar-free series currently.
I look forward to more of your recipes! 🙂
Hi Amy, I’m a writer with Care2.com and I’d love to include a link to this recipe in one of my articles. Is it alright if I also use a photo? Thanks!
Sure zoe! We’d love for you to share!
Great, thanks Amy!
Amazing how it comes together. Kind of bland
Shredded coconut flakes add a little sweetness as well. Just add halfway through the baking. Delicious.
How many grams per serving?
Our daily granola since we found out my husbans was pre-diabetic. He’s always taking some on his business trips and we’ve been passing on the recipe to many people! Making a weekly batch by doubling the ingredients.
The Nutrition information is listed differently in two places in this article ( body of the article and green nutrition information box) . Which is correct?
I have candida and was looking for a sugar free granola when I cam across your recipe. This looks great, thanks!
Do you think this recipe will make good granola bars if you don’t stir it during baking?
Love it … do you ever add honey?
Hi Amy,
This recipe is awesome! Thank you so much. I tried it yesterday and the result was so good although i am not a good cooker. I used some quinoa together with nuts and I liked the crispy flavor this made.
I’m thinking to add some honey I r cranberries as I am eating the granola. This may be tasty.
Thanks again. I will try your other recipes as well.
Did you pre-cook the quinoa in water? I’m interested in trying that version.
What is considered a serving size
CAN I USE STEVIA SUGAR OR STEVIA LIQUID WITH THIS RECIPE
I’ve never tried it Lonalee! Let us know how it goes if you do.
Hi Amy I have been shocked by the amount of sugar in most granolas so I am looking forward to making a batch of your granola. Do you perhaps a recipe for a low sugar granola bar that I can have as a snack on
the go.
Thank you
Mariaroza Opperman
[email protected]
Not yet, but I’m working on one!!
Thank you so much for posting this! I had been jumping through some odd hoops to get my morning oatmeal “crunchy,” and this has been an excellent solution. I like to keep mine just straight oats/egg whites, preferring to add the nuts when I prepare my serving each day. My ratio is one cup of oats for each egg white, 1 tsp salt for every 6 egg whites. I use a 18×24 pan for a batch of 6cups oats/6 egg whites. It typically needs 2 hours at 225 to get as done/crunchy as I like it. Each morning, I warm it up a bit in the microwave, add some coconut oil, lots of nuts, and savor every bite! Thanks again!
HI
Does it make clusters?
Excited to try this as keen for no sugar granola option. Great British bake off this year had vegan week, they used chick pea water (aquafaba) to make meringue…. just wondered if this would work for those that are egg allergic?? Or whether it wouldn’t crisp up.
We haven’t ever tried it, so honestly it is hard for us to say how it would turn out. But if you try it, we would love to know the results!
Thank you, I am allergic to coconuts and trying to find a recipe without wasn’t easy. The other part I love is crunchy. I crave crunchy more than anything. I make today.
Hi!
Thanks for the recipe, my granola turned out great! I’m sure I’ll be making it again, possibly experimenting with different spices!
I am wondering what whipping the egg whites does for the recipe? My guess is maybe it keeps them from being soaked up by the oats or something? I’m curious to hear your reasoning.
Thanks!
Hi Halii, so glad you liked it! Whipping the egg white helps the texture of granola get super crispy in the oven. (Think of crispy meringue.) It also mixes easier with the oats when whipped.
How much is a serving size??
Hi Dani, one serving size equals 1/2 cup of granola. 🙂
You have had several people ask about adding Stevia to this, and no one has written back about how it worked out. I added Swerve (Erithryol and Stevia) to the mix in the bowl with the oats, walnuts, cinnamon, and salt. I was making some for my sister and my friend, as well as myself, so I doubled the recipe and added one cup of Swerve. It took a little over double the egg whites, and I cooked the large pan for 3 1/2 hours at 250. I also added a little vanilla to the egg whites while beating them. My family can’t tell the difference between the granola I’ve bought at the store and this batch with Swerve. It came out awesome!
Kim, thanks so much for sharing! I’m glad it turned out so well.
Looking forward to making this,, I will be back with results,,?
I know that others have mentioned using chickpea water to beat and make a sub for egg whites, but I happened to be boiling dried chickpeas and the white, stiff, foam forming at the top is amazingly like the egg whites. Has anyone used that for this recipe? If so, how much do you use? And could you beat the water from boiling dried chickpeas? Any thoughts?
Hi! Have you figured out how many calories per serving?
Hi Lynne! We no longer calculate nutrition data recipe on the Super Healthy Kids site. Every recipe on our site also lives in the Prepear app, along with nutrition facts, user reviews, and a layout that’s perfect for cooking. It’s all totally free and you can sign up here: https://www.prepear.com/
This was really good! I didn’t have all the nuts the recipe called for so I used sunflower seeds and almonds. I also added in some craisins to add a little sweetness for when I am just snacking on the plain granola – it is quite bland when eating alone but the added craisins makes it great! The no sweetness is great though when added to yoghurt.
That sounds yummy, thanks for sharing!
This is the granola recipe I’ve been searching for! I was racking my brain for how to get the crunch without sugar and egg whites never even crossed my mind. I will be making this weekly 🙂
I’m glad you like it, Paige!
Hello, I just made the recipe and love it!
Just curious if I store them in the cupboard or fridge??
Thank you!!
Hi Chelsea, this granola will stay fresh in the cupboard for about a week.
I am so glad I found this recipe! I was thinking it was impossible to have granola without a bunch of sugar and oil. I made it for the first time today and didn’t have nuts. I used only oats and egg whites, adding a little stevia power and pumpkin pie spice to the dry ingredients. I used 2 cups of oats and 2 egg whites with the same amount of spices. It turned out great! I’m sure it will be even better when I try again adding nuts. I might try another egg white next time because my eggs were fairly small. I’m hoping to create more clumps next time. This is really good though, even for my first attempt. Thank you so much for this, you are a genius! 🙂
Thanks for sharing Amanada! I’m so glad your granola turned out so tasty.
I added granular Truvia to melted coconut oil and it worked great.
Are you using raw nuts and seeds or roasted?
Hi Pam! We used raw.
Hi, is the nutrition fact per serving? Thanks
Hi Regina, yes!
I’ve just tried making this. As a diabetic I wanted something with out sugar.
This turned out great.
Once it was cooked, I’ve just sprinkled a small amount to powdered sweetener and it tastes lovely.
Hi how many grams is 2 cups please?
Hi Deebi, I googled it for you and it looks like 2 cups of rolled oats is around 180 grams.
This is wonderful stuff! So addictive!
I suggest increasing the amount of oats to 3 cups. The 3 egg whites go a pretty long way. I’ve started using powdered egg whites, which work fine. You don’t have to beat them all that much; just until foamy. Also, if you add some water (maybe 1/2 cup) to the oat mixture it will stick together better. Pat it down and don’t stir while baking. Let it cool in the oven.
That gives you nice crispy clumps!
It disappears fast at our house!
Would adding just a little honey or maybe syrup to this ruin the crunchy texture since it’s baked at a low temperature?
I don’t want to make the other recipes I’ve seen that have SO much sweetener in them, but I’d like to add just a touch…
Hi Chelsea, I would think that a little bit of honey or syrup would still work, go ahead and give it a try!
This was really good! I made it vegan by using flax eggs intead of egg whites. I simply mixed 3 tblsp of ground flax seed with 1/3 cup of water and let it sit until it had thickened, about as long as it took me to mix everything else together. Then just mix it well together! I kept the oven temp the same but only baked for 20 mins, mixed it around and baked for 15 more. It gets crunchy after it cools. I was able to get decent clumps by laying the granola out flat on the pan and then squeezing it together into clumps. I also added raisins and whole roasted almonds instead of the cashews! I did less cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg. All in all it seems like a flexible recipe that tastes great and has great texture! I’m so happy it is oil free too. Thanks for sharing!!
Can i form these into small pearl size balls & later coat with sugar free dark chocolate
We haven’t tried that- but love the idea! Please let us know how it works out if you try it!
Made this for the first time today with the intention of using it for breakfast . However, the smell was so good, I just had to try it!! I had some fat free yoghurt and sugar-free blueberry compote that I’d made. I just sprinkled a bit over the top and had it as an afternoon snack. Great recipe and I can’t wait to have it for breakfast tomorrow. Thank you!
This recipe is the best so far. I have tried many recipes for granola and it does not come out crunchy. While I will probably make this again and drizzle honey over it and a little brown sugar substitute to sweeten it a bit, this is the crunchiest granola ever! Thank you for posting this.
Great recipe. I use the Brightline Eating plan, so no flour, no sugar. I used BRM GF oats, pecans and refrigerated.
My 71 year old fit mom loves this fat free sugar free granola. I add dried fruit and flaxseed then deliver it every month. She adds to her morning yogurt. I replaced her Y
Trader Joe’s museli which had pear juice concentrate-sugar. I showed her that this was healthier. She loves it! Thank you!
That’s great!! Thanks so much for sharing! Tell your mother hello! 🙂
it’s little pluffy. i mean .. not crisp. in my case, i guess maybe because 3 egg white was too much. i will try it again put less egg white. thks anyway.
and.. if you have tips to make this crisp, plz anyone answer for me!
I’m not sure- you might need to add another 15 minutes to the cook time!
This was fantastic! A little too much cinnamon for my taste when I doubled the recipe but I’ll adjust it next time. I made it with oats, chia seeds, flax seeds, sliced almonds, shredded unsweetened coconut, and pumpkin seeds (I only had roasted and salted pumpkin seeds so I omitted the salt.) Hands down the best granola recipe I’ve made- with or without sugar. Excellent with yogurt and frozen fruit.
I love purley elizabeth’s granola but it is high in sugar so I am going to mix this recipe together to cut down on the sugar . Why does it only last a week?
It’s best in the first 1-2 weeks. It won’t go bad after that, but you’ll lose some crunch.
Has anyone tried this with just beating the egg whites with a fork instead of whipping them? I don’t have a blender or mixer, so I’m wondering if it will still come out good or if I’ll just end up with scrambled eggs?
You could certainly use a whisk and do it by hand- as long as you get it to the soft peak stage. 🙂
hello,
i can not have egg white.What can i use instead?
i do not want to use any maple syrup or honey.
let me know
M xxx
You can use flax egg. In order to whip it to a soft peak, it requires simmering the flax meal and water for about 20 minutes to thicken up. Then you strain it, and it will be at a consistency to allow you to beat it like you would an egg white. I suggest looking up the exact method online- we haven’t tried it yet. Good luck!
It’s 300 calories per serving, how big is a serving?
One serving is 1/2 cup granola. 🙂
Hi just wondering if you could use aquafaba the chickpea liquid instead of egg whites.
We haven’t tried it- but I think it should work just fine! Let us know how it turns out for you!
Awesome recipe!! I love plain yogurt, granola, and fresh fruit for breakfast but I stopped eating it entirely because granola typically has so much sugar. Now I can eat my favorite breakfast without having to feel like I’m eating dessert!
Easy to remember, easy to get right. First time I made it, I forgot it in the oven for an extra hour and it still turned out delicious!
I found your recipe while seeking “healthy” granola. At 225 degrees F, is your recipe acrylamide free as well as sugar free?
I followed Amanda’s suggestion and used ground flax mixed with water instead of egg. (3 TB ground flax mixed with 1/3 cup water). Perfect results! This is a keeper.
Thank you Natalie and Amanda.
– Kathleen
Oh man. I’ve just had a total disaster with this because I didn’t realise it was in Fahrenheit – please put both on recipes for us Brits! 😭
So sorry about that!
Very interesting blog. I would definitely recommend this to my family and friends. I have been using No Added Sugar Muesli – Diabetic Food from True Elements as a breakfast option for my mom who is a diabetic patient and she finds it very tasty and healthy. Thank you.
What an Amazing and Healthy Sugar Free Granola Recipe it is! This is one of the best healthy granola recipe I’ve ever seen, and what makes it more healthy is that it’s completely sugar free. Would definitely love to try this. And recently I’ve been using True Elements Products which are 100% Wholegrain Certified and are a Clean Food Label Brand. I’d like to try this with True Elements Rolled Oats and Sesame Seeds and I’m sure the results would be great. Thanks for sharing such delicious and moth-watering recipe. 🙂
Do you know what the nutrition break down would be for 60 grams served?
I love this recipe! I actually just use the egg to oats ratios and than just dp a handful of whatever nuts etc. I have in it. I even add coco powder or cinnamon to make flavors. Broken up pretzels with nuts etc. Tastes great! If you wait to add dried fruit though add after baking… They will burn in oven.
I just made this today and it has to be one of my favorite granolas ever. So simple and delicious. Really good and actually sugar free!
Thank you for this recipe! It’s truly awesome. We make it once every two weeks for the past year. My husband and I were prediabetic and eating low to no added sugar has improved our blood sugar level tremendously!
Finally a truly no sugar recipe! Thank you for this, it’s now my staple breakfast with greek yogurt and fruit. I made mine with pecans, almonds, and pumpkin seeds.
We’re so happy you liked it!
Hi. Is there any replacement for eggs in this recipe?
Although we haven’t tried it, chia seeds work as a good binder in granola! You might need to increase the amount of oil to ensure that there is another liquid to allow the chia seeds to gel. Let us know if you try it and how it works out for you!
Can you use another oil besides coconut oil?
Yes! You can use whichever neutral-flavored oil you prefer.