Low Sugar Granola Recipe
Unsweetened applesauce replaces most of the oil and sugar you'd normally need to bind the oats, so the granola still clumps into crunchy clusters with only 3 tablespoons of maple syrup for the entire batch, and a low, slow bake toasts the nuts and oats fully without needing extra sweetener to mask underbaked flavor.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 80 min
- Servings
- 8
Ingredients
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 4 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 363
- Protein
- 10g
- Carbs
- 32g
- Fat
- 23g
Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.
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Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C) and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2In a large bowl, combine the oats, chopped almonds, pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut, cinnamon, and salt.
- 3In a small bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, applesauce, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- 4Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until every oat and seed is evenly coated; the mixture will look wet and loose.
- 5Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer, then press down firmly with the back of the spatula to compact it.
- 6Bake for 35-40 minutes, stirring and redistributing the granola every 10-12 minutes so the edges don't scorch, until deep golden brown throughout.
- 7Remove from the oven and let the granola cool completely on the pan, undisturbed, for at least 30 minutes.
- 8Break the cooled granola into clusters of whatever size you like, then transfer to an airtight container.
Tips & variations
- Swap the almonds for pecans or walnuts, and the pumpkin seeds for sunflower seeds, keeping the total nut-and-seed volume the same.
- Stir in unsweetened dried fruit like tart cherries or cranberries after baking, not before, since dried fruit turns leathery and hard if it bakes with the oats.
- For an even lower sugar version, cut the maple syrup to 2 tablespoons and add an extra tablespoon of applesauce to keep the mixture moist enough to clump.
- Pressing the mixture down firmly before baking matters more than any ingredient for getting big clusters instead of loose granola.
Storage & reheating
Store fully cooled granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. No reheating needed; if it loses crunch from humidity, spread it on a baking sheet and warm at 300°F (150°C) for 5-8 minutes, then cool completely before resealing.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- Use a metal baking sheet rather than glass; it conducts heat more evenly and browns the oats without hot spots.
- Resist the urge to add more maple syrup for stickiness, the applesauce and oil are what bind the clusters, not the sweetener.
FAQ
How much sugar does this granola actually have per serving?
Each 1/2-cup serving gets roughly 1 teaspoon of added sugar from the maple syrup, far less than most store-bought granolas, which often pack a full tablespoon or more of added sugar per serving.
Can I make this granola with no oil?
Yes, replace the coconut oil with an additional 4 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce; the granola will be a bit less crisp but still clumps and toasts fine.
Is this granola gluten-free?
Use certified gluten-free rolled oats, since regular oats are often processed in facilities that also handle wheat; every other ingredient here is naturally gluten-free.
Why isn't my granola forming clusters?
The two most common causes are not pressing the mixture down firmly enough before baking and breaking it apart while it's still warm; let it cool fully and undisturbed first.
Can I use honey instead of maple syrup?
Yes, swap it 1:1 by volume; honey browns slightly faster, so check the granola a few minutes early during the last bake interval.