Toasted Sesame Granola (Chunky or Regular)

This toasted sesame granola is an easy homemade breakfast made with rolled oats, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, nuts and coconut. Sweetened with maple syrup and baked until golden and crunchy, it's a fragrant granola packed with toasted, nutty flavour.

This homemade granola is also a source of iron and fibre. Serve it with plant-based yoghurt and fresh fruit for breakfast, or grab a handful straight from the jar when you need a quick snack

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I am always promising myself that I will whip up some tasty homemade granola for the week, but until now I've been a bit lax in my granola duties. To be honest, I often take the easy route and buy ours. Even nutritionists take shortcuts. Often.

Given that granola gets eaten most mornings in our house, that has become an expensive little exercise.

The good news is that this homemade granola is easy to make, and you can adapt it depending on what's in the pantry. Use almonds instead of pecans, swap the dried fruit, leave out the coconut or add different seeds. When the budget is tight, skip the pricier extras; when things are a little more flush, go wild.

And then there is the smell. When the cinnamon, sesame seeds and coconut start to toast and the aroma fills the whole kitchen, one could get drunk on the barefoot Martha Stewart vibe of it all. The granola costs money, but that little buzz is free.

Why You'll Love this Homemade Toasted Sesame Granola

Need more granola? Mix up your rotation with my Maple Almond Granola or a grain and Gluten-Free Granola recipe.

Why Use Sesame Seeds in Granola?

A few months ago, I was toasting sesame seeds for my za'atar spice mix and, as that distinctive, toasty aroma filled the kitchen, I imagined so many uses for the little seeds.

Besides being endlessly versatile and delicious, sesame seeds are a useful source of plant-based iron, providing around 1.3 mg of iron and 88 mg of calcium per tablespoon. Adding sesame seeds to granola is an easy way to bring more of these nutrients into your day, along with fibre, unsaturated fats and a little protein.

But my favourite reason to use sesame seeds in granola is the flavour. Nutty, slightly buttery and deliciously toasty, sesame seeds add flavour and aroma to baked granola.

What You'll Need to Make Granola

Rolled oats. The base of the granola. Use traditional rolled oats rather than quick oats for the best texture and crunch.

Coconut flakes. Add texture and a subtly toasted coconut flavour. Shredded coconut works too.

Sesame seeds. The star ingredient, adding a deliciously nutty, toasted flavour along with iron and calcium.

Pumpkin seeds. Also known as pepitas, these add crunch and contribute iron, fibre and healthy fats.

Raw sugar and maple syrup. A combination of sugar and maple syrup gives the granola its sweetness and helps it become golden and crisp.

Neutral-flavoured oil. Helps the granola crisp up as it bakes. A mild olive oil can also be used if you enjoy its flavour.

Cinnamon. Adds warmth and brings out the toasted flavour of the seeds and nuts.

Nuts. Use pecans or almonds, whichever you have on hand. Both add crunch and richness.

Dried fruit. Dried currants and apricots add chewy texture and little pops of sweetness. Add them after baking so they don't become hard or overly toasted.

How to Make Vegan Granola Chunky

You'll find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

1. Coat everything well. Make sure the dry ingredients are thoroughly coated with the maple and oil mixture.
2. Press it down. Press the granola into the pan a little before you bake it
3. Don't stir. For chunky granola, resist the urge to stir while it's baking - hold back, you got this.
4. Cool it down. Let it cool completely before breaking the granola into clumps. This is when it firms up and gets properly crunchy.

Storage

Store the granola in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. It will keep for a few weeks.

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