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My family can’t get enough of this Crunchy Sourdough Granola! It’s made with simple, wholesome ingredients like nuts, oats, sourdough discard, and maple syrup. It bakes up golden and crunchy in just about 40 minutes, making it a quick and easy homemade staple.
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“This recipe is awesome. Nice crunchy granola every time.” -Lisa
This homemade sourdough discard granola is perfectly crunchy and a great source of healthy fats. It’s a satisfying snack with a well-balanced sweet and salty flavor. If you love granola, be sure to check out my Chocolate Pumpkin Sourdough Granola and Sourdough Granola Bars.
Why you will love this recipe
- Crunchy texture – This sourdough granola recipe is crunchy and the perfect texture to add to yogurt, ice cream, or as a crunchy snack.
- Sweet and salty – It is the perfect flavor combination of sweet and salty and is lightly sweetened with maple syrup.
- Simple ingredients – This homemade sourdough granola is full of healthy and simple ingredients such as chia seeds, nuts, and oats.
Important Ingredients and Substitutions
- Old-Fashioned Oats – I recommend using old-fashioned rolled oats over quick cooking or steel cut oats for the best texture.
- Nuts & seeds- For seeds, I used pepitas and chia seeds. You can omit or swap them out for a different seed, such as sunflower seeds, if preferred. The type of raw nuts you use is up to you. I did a combination of cashews, almonds, and pecans. You could also try walnuts, pistachios, or peanuts. If you love almonds, be sure to also try my Sourdough White Chocolate Almond Scones and White Chocolate Almond Sourdough.
- Sourdough Discard– This can be taken right from the fridge or can be at room temperature.
- Maple Syrup- Be sure to use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup. You can also use honey if you prefer.
- Coconut Oil- You can swap this for butter if preferred.
- Optional Mix-Ins– For a sweeter version, add in some chocolate chunks and 1/2 cup shredded coconut after baking.
See all the ingredients and amounts in the recipe card below.
Instructions to make Sourdough Granola
Step 1: Begin by mixing together all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: In a smaller bowl, combine the maple syrup, coconut oil, and sourdough discard.
Step 3: Add the wet ingredient to the dry ingredients and mix to combine.
Step 4: Spread the granola on a lined baking sheet. Use a spatula to spread it out into an even layer.
Step 5: Bake at 325°F for about 30 minutes until lightly browned.
Recipe Tips
- To have extra crispy granola you can keep it in the oven with the door ajar while the oven cools.
- To make bigger clusters of granola, press the granola mix with the back of the spatula to help the oats clump together.
- If you want to add dried fruit or chocolate, add it in after the granola cools.
How to Store Sourdough Granola
Granola lasts quite a while in an airtight container. Once the granola is completely cooled transfer to a container and leave on your counter or in the pantry. My personal preference is to use a large glass mason jar. Glass will keep your granola crunchier for longer but if needed you can use a plastic container or ziplock bag.
Ways to Use your Sourdough Granola
The possibilities are endless! Here are just a few ways you may not have thought of.
- Parfaits: Layer granola with yogurt and fresh fruits to create a delightful parfait. This can be a quick and nutritious breakfast or a satisfying snack.
- Smoothie Bowl Topper: Sprinkle granola on top of your smoothie bowl for added crunch and texture. It complements the creaminess of the smoothie so well.
- Fruit Salad Topper: Sprinkle granola over a bowl of fresh fruit salad to add a crunchy element. This works particularly well with tropical fruits like mango, pineapple, and berries.
- Ice Cream Topping: Use granola as a topping for your favorite ice cream flavors. The combination of creamy ice cream and crunchy granola is irresistible.
- Stuffed Baked Apples or Pears: Core apples or pears, fill the center with granola, and bake until the fruit is tender. This creates a warm, comforting dessert with a delicious contrast of textures.
- Yogurt Bark: Mix granola with yogurt, spread the mixture on a baking sheet, and freeze. Once frozen, break it into pieces for a tasty and nutritious yogurt bark.
- Savory Salads: Sprinkle granola over salads to add a crunchy element. This works particularly well with salads that have a sweet and savory combination, such as those with roasted vegetables and a balsamic vinaigrette.
Recipe FAQ
When baking granola it is important to bake low and slow. Too high of heat will cause the granola to brown too quickly and will lead to it burning. Keeping the temp down and baking it slower will ensure a crunchy and perfectly baked granola.
Yes, if you do not want the granola to be super crunchy, simply bake for a shorter amount of time until your desired chewy or crunchy level.
Yes! Either active starter or discard will work.
Yes! You can add dried fruit such as raisins, cherries, apricots, or unsweetened coconut flakes or any type of chocolate, such as chunks or chocolate chips. I recommend adding dried fruit or chocolate after the granola is baked and cooled.
Yes, you can substitute melted butter for coconut oil if you prefer.
Yes, you can use either for the sweetener.
Yes! Fermenting the oat mixture overnight is not essential, but it does help break down the starches present in oats, which makes it easier to digest and allows the nutrients to be better absorbed. Similarly, soaking the nuts helps to break down some of the phytic acid in nuts, which increases the nutrient content of the seeds and nuts.
Fermenting the mixture overnight will require more liquids to cover the oats, so you will need to increase the amount of sourdough discard to 1 cup and maple syrup and coconut oil to 1/2 cup.
Steps for fermenting granola overnight:
1. Mix together all the oats, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup melted coconut oil, and 1 cup sourdough discard. Cover and let sit for 8 hours at room temperature.
In a second jar, add nuts of choice, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds. Pour just enough water overtop to cover the nuts and seeds and add 1 Tbsp salt. Stir and cover. Let sit at room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F.
3. Rinse nuts and drain any excess water from the jar.
4. In a large bowl, mix together the oats and nuts mixtures. Add the additional 1/4 cup maple syrup and 1/4 cup melted coconut oil. Sprinkle salt and cinnamon over-top. Mix well until fully incorporated.
5. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and pour the granola mixture onto the pan. Spread the granola out as thinly as possible.
6. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the granola has dried out. Every 30 minutes stir the granola to ensure an even bake. If the granola is browning too quickly or is beginning to burn turn down the heat to 300°F. The reason this bakes much longer than the quick version of this recipe is because of all the extra liquid.
Let granola cool completely. As it cools it will crunch up. Mix-in chocolate chunks or dried fruit if you would like.
More sourdough snacks
Sourdough Breakfast Recipes
Sourdough Breakfast Bars with Jam
Sourdough Discard Recipes
Sourdough Granola Bars Recipe (Easy And Chewy)
Sourdough Discard Recipes
Homemade Sourdough Cheez-It Crackers
Sourdough Snack Recipes
Soft Sourdough Pretzel Bites (made with active starter)
Tried this Sourdough Granola or another recipe from the site? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments—can’t wait to see what you’re baking!
Sourdough Granola
Ingredients
- 180 grams old-fashioned oats, 2 cups
- 120 grams sourdough discard, ½ cup
- 60 grams maple syrup, ¼ cup
- 55 grams coconut oil, melted, ¼ cup
- 290 grams mixed raw nuts (your choice), 2 cups
- 69 grams pepitas, ½ cup
- 20 grams chia seeds, 2 Tablespoons
- 6 grams salt, 1 teaspoon
- 2 grams cinnamon, 1 teaspoon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325℉.
- Mix together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.180 grams old-fashioned oats, 290 grams mixed raw nuts (your choice), 69 grams pepitas, 20 grams chia seeds, 6 grams salt, 2 grams cinnamon
- In a smaller bowl mix sourdough discard, melted coconut oil, and maple syrup.120 grams sourdough discard, 55 grams coconut oil, melted, 60 grams maple syrup
- Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread the granola around the pan.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Flip over the granola at 15 minutes with a spatula to break up the mixture and continue to bake. Pull when lightly browning.
- Let cool and store in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can you substitute the coco toil with a different oil? Family is sadly allergic to coconut 😢
Yes! My first choice would be to use butter.
Delicious!! Instesd if just nuts, I did 2 cups of a combination of coconut, flaxseed, hemphearts and raisins. 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds instead of pumpkin and I used honey vs maple syrup cause that’s what I had in the house. It tastes amazing!
Yum thanks Rachel!
Best granola ever!
Thanks so much Ann!
Perfect amount of sweet and salty. Weekly rotation in our house. My favourite granola by far
This recipe is awesome. Nice crunchy granola every time.
I made a few modifications to this recipe. I swapped out 25% of the oats for rolled wheat. Then I added 50 g of wheat germ to give it a graham cracker taste. Also I doubled the syrup because it didn’t taste sweet enough and it seemed like this recipe has less sugar than others I tried, also I took my oven down to 300° and went for about an hour on the baking to get more even browning and a shattering crisp crunch.