Crunchy Vegan Granola
This Crunchy Granola recipe is a wholesome, plant-based twist on a pantry staple—made without refined sugar or oil, but full of flavor, texture, and natural sweetness. Ripe bananas and soaked deglet dates create a creamy base infused with vanilla, cinnamon, and a hint of optional almond extract for depth.
Rolled oats and your favorite mix of chopped nuts and seeds add satisfying crunch and protein, making this granola a nourishing choice for breakfast or snacking. The two-step baking process ensures the perfect crisp texture: first, the mixture is baked as a slab to lock in moisture-free structure, then broken up, pulsed into clusters, and baked again until golden and crunchy.
This recipe is incredibly versatile and freezer-friendly. Sprinkle it over vegan yogurt, serve it with plant milk, or snack on it by the handful right from the jar. No added sugar, no oil—just real, whole ingredients that support your wellness journey.
Why You’ll Love It:
✔ Naturally sweetened with fruit
✔ Crispy, crunchy texture without added oil
✔ Vegan, gluten-free (if using GF oats), and easy to customize
✔ Stores beautifully for grab-and-go mornings
At Ellen’s Healthy Kitchen, we believe nourishing your body should be simple and joyful. This granola hits all the right notes—sweet, crunchy, and deeply satisfying.
Crunchy Granola
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 3 large very ripe peeled bananas
- 12 deglet pitted dates (soak for 10 minutes in boiling water)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4-1/2 tsp almond extract (OPTIONAL)
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cup rolled oats
- 3/4 cup chopped nuts and seeds (your choice)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Put bananas in food processor. Add dates, vanilla extract, optional almond extract, and cinnamon. Using the S blade, blend until smooth. As needed, stop and wipe sides of the food processor bowl to make sure all ingredients are getting blended. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Wash the food processor immediately to keep it from getting crusty. Dry it thoroughly in preparation for the next step.
- Put oats in large bowl. Pour banana mixture into oats and mix well with large spoon.
- If the mixture looks too dry, it might be necessary to make another banana-vanilla mixture.
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop the mixture onto the pan. Spread, mashing with hands till it forms a flat slab. Make sure it's not too thick or it will take longer to dry out in the oven. Lightly wet hands as needed to help spread the mixture.
First baking:
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, rotating the pan after 15 minutes. Every oven behaves differently, thus the 20-30 minute options. The object is to dry out the mixture. After baking, if the mixture isn't dry OR if the top is dry but the bottom of the slab is still wet, turn it over and bake for a few more minutes.
- Remove from oven. Using your hands or a large utensil, break the mixture into small clumps. Put the clumps into the food processor bowl. Pulse repeatedly until it's broken down into a granola-like mixture. Avoid pulsing it into a flour-like substance.
- Spread on two parchment lined baking sheets.
Second baking:
- Lower oven temperature to 250. Wait a few minutes before proceeding. Put the two baking sheets into oven and bake for 40 minutes. Rotate 1/2 way through (front to back as well as change the rack that the pans are on). Check on the granola periodically to make sure it doesn't burn (which can happen very quickly). Again, your oven might require less or more time to bake the granola. Cook until crispy. Remove from oven.
- Once the granola mixture has cooled, store in jars. Keep covered.
Hello, I’m Ellen. I love all things whole food plant-based food. I love to eat, I love to cook, I love to develop recipes and I love sharing them with you from my home in Gloucester, MA. And I am especially passionate about helping inspire you on your health journey.
