If you're looking for a wholesome, crunchy, and irresistibly flavorful breakfast or snack, this Homemade Cardamom Granola with Almonds is about to become a staple in your kitchen. Lightly sweetened and warmly spiced with ground cardamom and cinnamon and ginger, this easy granola recipe is perfect served with milk, layered over yogurt and fruit, or simply enjoyed by the handful straight from the jar. It's deeply satisfying, endlessly snackable, and—fair warning—just a little bit addictive.
This cardamom-spiced almond granola is not only flavorful and customizable, it also fills your kitchen with the most amazing aroma as it bakes. One batch, and you'll be hooked.
This recipe was inspired by my love of cardamom and the cozy, spiced flavors found in so many Scandinavian baked goods, like these Brown Sugar Cardamom Scones or this Swedish Cardamom Cake. I wanted to bring that same comforting flavor to something simple and everyday - like granola. The result is a crisp, golden, slightly sweet granola with the unmistakable aroma of cardamom in every bite. If you love recipes that highlight this distinctive spice, you might also enjoy my Cardamom Hot Chocolate or these Norwegian Waffles flavored with cardamom!
Ingredients
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats - are the main component of this granola recipe. It's important to use the old-fashioned oats as opposed to the instant or quick oats which are cut more finely and will result in a granola without the same hearty, craggy texture.
- Raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas) and sliced almonds - provide another layer of texture and flavor.
- Ground cardamom, cinnamon and ginger along with both vanilla and almond extract - bring complementary warm spice to the mix.
- Pure maple syrup - is our sweetener here (feel free to substitute honey if you prefer)
- Canola oil (or any neutral-flavored oil such as vegetable or avocado oil) - is the fat that helps the granola brown and crisp nicely.
Substitutions
- Swap the canola oil for melted coconut oil for a subtle coconut flavor.
- Use chopped pecans in place of the almonds.
How to Make Homemade Granola
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix the oats, seeds, almonds, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and salt together in a large bowl.
- Add the canola oil and maple syrup and mix until fully combined.
- Spread in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and gently mix the granola with a spatula. Before putting it back in the oven, firmly press the granola back into the pan in an even layer (preferably with a firm metal spatula).
- Bake for an additional 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire cooling rack. Break into bite size pieces and enjoy!
Expert Tips
A few things to keep in mind for ensuring that your Cardamom Granola is the very best that it can be:
- Stir the dry ingredients well before adding the oil, syrup and extracts. This will help distribute the salt and spices evenly throughout the mixture.
- Stir the granola half-way through the baking process to redistribute everything on the baking tray.
- Firmly press the half-baked granola back into the pan in an even layer with the back of a metal spatula. This is a really important step if you want your granola to clump together.
- Let the granola cool completely before removing from the pan. If the granola is still warm when you package it, you run the risk of soggy granola.
- Freeze for long-term storage. Granola keeps well in an air-tight glass container at room temperature for about a week. For longer storage, freeze in zip-loc freezer bags. When we are really on top of it around here, we will make four batches of granola on a Sunday morning and stash it away in the freezer for a month's worth of breakfast and snacks. And granola straight from the freezer is oddly delicious, especially in the warmer months of the year!
What to Serve with Granola
Granola is so versatile and goes with so many things. I'm often found grabbing a handful from the jar and eating it plain, but here is a list of some other serving ideas for your homemade granola:
- with fresh fruit (berries, bananas, peaches, pears, apples...whatever is in season) and milk, yogurt or cream (plant or dairy-based)
- with a fruit compote such as strawberry rhubarb, blueberry cardamom, caramelized apple, pear cardamom, or peach ginger and a drizzle of milk, yogurt or cream
- with dried fruit such as raisins, cherries or blueberries and/or shredded coconut
- on ice cream with caramel sauce (yum!)
- add to your favorite muffin recipe for added crunch and nutrition
- on top of a smoothie or acai bowl
- on top of Swedish Blueberry Soup (Blåbärsoppa) with yogurt
- or make these beautiful granola and yogurt parfaits with roasted strawberries!
FAQs
Granola keeps well stored in a tightly sealed container (I use a glass jar with a lid) at room temperature for two weeks. For longer storage, it's best to freeze granola. See the question below for freezing tips.
Homemade granola freezes really well! Once the granola has completely cooled, simply transfer it to a plastic freezer bag or another tightly-sealed freezer safe container. Granola will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer if stored properly.
Absolutely! Use two rimmed baking sheets rather than one and rotate the sheets halfway through the baking time.
Related Recipes
Looking for more delicious breakfast recipes featuring old-fashioned rolled oats? Give these tasty options a try:
Recipe
Homemade Cardamom Granola with Almonds
Ingredients
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- ½ cup raw pepitas pumpkin seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup canola oil
- ½ cup real maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add oil, syrup and extracts. Using a rubber spatula, stir well to combine.
- Transfer granola to prepared pan. Pat down with a rubber spatula to distribute the mixture in an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove granola from the oven and stir with a metal spatula to redistribute on the baking sheet. Firmly press down on the mixture using the back of your spatula, creating an even and tight layer of granola. Bake for an additional 12-15 minutes or until granola is toasty and golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Use a spatula to transfer the granola to glass containers for storage (or freezer bags if freezing). Granola keeps for about two weeks at room temperature or several months in the freezer
Notes
- Let the granola cool completely before removing from the pan. If the granola is still warm when you package it, you run the risk of soggy granola.
- Freeze for long-term storage. Granola keeps well in an air-tight glass container at room temperature for about a week. For longer storage, freeze in zip-loc freezer bags. When we are really on top of it around here, we will make four batches of granola on a Sunday morning and stash it away in the freezer for a month's worth of breakfast and snacks. And granola straight from the freezer is oddly delicious, especially in the warmer months of the year!
Nutrition
If you loved this recipe, give it a star review! Also, snap a picture of your Homemade Cardamom Granola with Almonds and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #truenorthkitchen and tagging me @true_north_kitchen.
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Faith
Delicious! Used olive oil in lieu of canola - excellent results. Definitely my go to homemade granola recipe.
J G
Due to my allergy to Canola Oil, I have had a hard time finding good granolas. My first batch I followed the recipe using honey instead of syrup. I didn’t measure the honey, but estimated. I just finished my second batch. This time I measured the honey. Much better! I also added extra cinnamon and cardamom (not much, just a little extra).
Another time I may stir in dried blueberries and/or toasted coconut. Have you tried theses?
Kristi
Thanks so much for your comment! I think blueberries and coconut would be great. I have tried it with dried blueberries which was excellent.
Kristi
Marcia Holm
Irresistible! Not a word I would generally use to describe granola. Thanks for the great recipe.
Kristi
Thanks so much for your review, Marcia! I'm so glad you are enjoying the granola. It's a house favorite around here!
Kristi
Nic
Frozen granola IS the best, and my favorite, all year round! So fresh and refreshing right out of the freezer. Thanks for the tips and I'm eager to use your recipe as a guideline for spice ratios.
Kristi
I agree! SO good. I hope you enjoy this flavor combo!
Ann
This is my favorite granola recipe! I often make a batch for my mom as a gift too. She loves it as well!
Kristi
Hi Ann,
Thanks so much for your comment! This granola is so GREAT for gifting. We give away many jars of it each December for holiday gifts! So glad you and your mom are enjoying it!
Kristi
Leah
I’ve been looking for a healthier way to enjoy my favorite spice, cardamom, in something other than cardamom buns, which aren’t as healthy for me. This fits the bill perfectly! A wonderful recipe! I chose to add 50% more cardamom and grind my own seeds so that I could get some bigger chunks in the mix and it worked out really well.
Kristi
HI Leah,
Thanks for your comment! I bet it was really good with the extra cardamom, especially freshly ground!
Kristi
Deborah
Could I use organic Coconut oil instead of canola oil?
Kristi
Hi Deborah,
Yes you can! Just make sure to warm it up slightly first so it's in liquid form before you mix it in with the other ingredients.
Kristi
Kristi
Our favorite granola recipe!
Lesley
Making this today—yum!
Kristi
Yay! Let me know how it turns out!