This easy Maple Date Granola with almonds will have you coming back for more. Naturally sweetened with maple syrup and dates and loaded with oats, hemp seeds, and flaxseeds. Gluten-free and vegan.
Store-bought granola doesn't hold a candle to a homemade granola recipe.
Unlike the store-bought stuff, you can control how much sugar and what type of sweetener is going into your crunchy clusters. You won't miss the white sugar in this maple date granola with almonds!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Simple recipe
- A healthy breakfast option (and a great snack!)
- Sweetened with maple syrup and dates
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Ingredients and substitutions
Here are a few quick notes about the ingredients in this recipe. You can see a complete ingredient list and instructions in the recipe card below.
Dates - Chewy and sweet, these add a really great texture to the finished granola. I recommend Medjool dates, but any variety will do!
Maple syrup - The perfect natural sweetener. When you combine oats with it, the outcome is a perfectly clumpy, crunchy granola. Swap in honey (if not vegan) for a delicious honey almond granola.
Oats - Buy certified gluten-free oats to rule out wheat cross-contamination. Use rolled old-fashioned oats for the best texture.
Raw almonds - Use raw, unsalted slivered almonds. Don't have slivered? Finely chop whole almonds instead. You can easily substitute in other nuts.
Hemp seeds and flaxseeds - The recipe calls for hempseeds and flaxseeds as they are a great source of protein and fatty acids, but mix and match hemp, sunflower seeds, sesame, flax, or chia seeds instead if desired.
Seasonings - The flavors of vanilla, salt, and a touch of cinnamon enhance the other ingredients. A little goes a long way toward the perfect balance.
Olive oil - Quality olive oil adds healthy fat and a wonderful flavor. If needed, you can swap in avocado oil or cooled melted coconut oil.
Step-by-step instructions
Before you start: Preheat oven to 350 and line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray.
Step 1: Heat maple syrup and date pieces over medium heat to boiling, reduce slightly, and heat until reduced and dates are softened. Remove from heat. Mash dates a bit with the back of a spoon to break them down. Add remaining wet ingredients and stir.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, add dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Pour maple date syrup over the oat mixture and stir to coat.
Step 3: Place the mixture onto a prepared baking sheet.
Step 4: Press the oat mixture into an even layer, about a ½ inch thick. Bake and then remove and stir. Press back into a single layer. Bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven, stir, and pat back down firmly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Bake for about 5 more minutes (25-30 minutes total). It should be golden brown. Let cool to room temperature before breaking into pieces.
Tips
- When baking, it's important to stir carefully to get the inside parts to the edges and vice versa. This will ensure all the granola cooks evenly.
- Tenting with foil during the last half of baking will prevent any burning.
Serving suggestions
Here are some delicious ways to eat healthy homemade granola!
- Put in a baggie as a healthy snack
- Top a yogurt parfait
- Sprinkle over smoothie bowls
- Serve with fresh fruit
- Use as an ice cream topping for added crunch
- Place in a bowl with almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, or soy milk
FAQs
Oats are naturally gluten-free but are subject to cross-contamination if processed in the same facility as wheat, barley, or rye. Certified gluten-free oats in the United States have less than 19 parts per million of gluten.
As written it is vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free! Almonds are a main ingredient, but if need leave them out and use more seeds. This makes it very easy to control your ingredients for diet or allergy needs.
Wait until the granola has cooled enough to handle safely but isn't cold. This lets you break it easily into your desired size. Not waiting until it's completely cool results in smaller crumbles.
More granola recipes
Love this recipe? Please consider leaving a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating on the recipe card below and let me know what you think in the comments!
📖 Recipe
Maple Date Granola with Almonds
Ingredients
- 6 Medjool dates pitted and chopped
- ¾ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups gluten-free oats
- ½ cup raw sliced or chopped almonds
- 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
- ¼ cup flax seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract I use Rodelle
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray.
- In a small saucepan, heat maple syrup and date pieces over medium heat to boiling, reduce slightly, stirring occasionally until liquid has reduced and dates have softened, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat.Mash dates a bit with the back of a spoon to break them down. Add olive oil and stir to combine. Add vanilla extract and stir to combine.
- In a large bowl, add oats, almonds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Pour maple-date syrup over oat mixture. Stir until dry ingredients are completely coated. Transfer mixture to prepare cookie sheet.
- Using an extra piece of parchment paper, press granola into an even layer, about a ½ inch thick. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, stir, making sure to fold in edges. Pat back down firmly with a spatula. Tent with foil and bake for 10 more minutes.
- Remove from oven and again stir and pat granola back down firmly with spatula. Tent with foil again and bake for about 5 more minutes. Place pan on a wire rack and allow to cool almost completely. When mostly cool, break up granola into pieces.Store in an airtight container for 5-7 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Ivy
Amazing recipe!! The texture, the taste, everything is so great! Thanks for sharing this, looking forward to bake more!
Tessa
Thank you, Ivy! That is so great to hear! :)
Jenna
Hi how long can this be stored for?
Tessa
I'd say for best freshness 3-4 days, but up to 5-6 days.
Terri
Would it be possible to substitute honey for the maple syrup.
Tessa
Hi Terri! Honey should work just fine as a sub here.
Regina
I just made this recipe and it is hands down the best tasting granola I've ever had! I added coconut and pecans. Delicious in smoothie bowls!
Tessa
That is awesome! Thank you, Regina!!
Marie
Is there a substitute for the Hemp seeds? Could I use chia seeds?
Thank you
Tessa
Hi! You could definitely use chia seeds, or really, any seed would work well here.
Tricia
Hello,
I am wondering if you could provide the nutritional information for this recipe.
It looks delicious!
Tricia
Tessa
Hi Tricia! I don't currently have nutritional information for my recipes but do hope to start providing that info very soon. Thank you!!
Yvonne
Hi Tessa, I wanted to leave you a comment as soon as I had made your granola, but somehow a few weeks already seem to have past :) I made the granola exactly as you described and it was delicious! Very big clusters - I ate quite a few that were as big as a cookie and the rest I ate with yogurt/almond milk and the clusters stayed sturdy in the liquid without becoming soggy. And you were right the 3/4 cup of maple syrup didn't made the granola too sweet - it was perfect! Thank you for your scrumptious recipes!
Tessa
Hi Yvonne - that is wonderful to hear! I'm so glad you enjoyed it and that you didn't find it too sweet. Thank you for letting me know!
Traci | Vanilla And Bean
LOL - I still change the words to songs... it makes for a good laugh too! You know I'm a huge fan of granola. Rob eats most of what I make, but our favorite it Maple Pecan Granola.. easy peasy. I'm going to give this a go because, like you, I get obsessed with one recipe and have a hard time breaking out of the same thing. This looks absolutely scrumptious, Tessa! I'm a big fan of dates and maple!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
I'm always looking for new granola recipes to add to my arsenal Tessa! I'll be trying this one soon. Thanks for sharing!
Yvonne
Hello Tessa, I want to make this maple date granola but I'm a bit worried about the 3/4 cup maple syrup - because it's just for two cups of oats it seems so much compared to the french toast granola of which you adapted this from. Please can you confirm it's really 3/4 cup maple syrup that is needed for this maple date granola? Is it a very sweet granola?
Tessa
Hi Yvonne! Yes, it is 3/4 cup maple syrup. While the maple syrup is simmering with the dates, it will reduce some before you add it to the dry mixture. It is definitely a sweet granola, and sweeter than my french toast granola, but I don't find it "sugary" sweet. I hope that helps - I know it is very much personal preference.
Natalia@Cookwarelab
Delicious! Definitely, I am going to try this!
Tessa
I'm so glad! Hope you love it!
Rachel @Clean Eating for the Non-Hippie
FALL in a bow, I can't wait to make this!
Tessa
YES! :) Thanks, Rachel!
Mimi
Very nice. This will be fun in the cooler months.
Tessa
Thanks, Mimi! I agree, will be really nice for the fall and winter months!
Kelsey @ Appeasing a Food Geek
This looks super drool-worthy! I love the combo of the dates and maple syrup. Will DEFINITELY be making this very very soon. xoxo
Tessa
It is SO addictive! xoxo