Protein Granola Recipe • Kath Eats

This home made protein granola recipe is crunchy, naturally sweetened with maple syrup, and full of nuts, seeds, and protein powder.

Granola is a type of meals I’ve been making at dwelling for years, and this is perhaps one of the best recipe but!! I’ve made so many alternative variations from tahini granola to buckwheat granola to a wholesome granola recipe with out sweeteners. It tastes like a Reese’s cup because of the vanilla and peanut butter mixture!

Protein Granola Recipe

This protein granola recipe has a lift in protein and taste from my favourite vanilla bean protein powder by Historical Vitamin. It bakes proper into the clusters and you’ll’t detect any texture distinction, however the taste is unbelievable! Plus, the peanut butter and vanilla collectively give it a Reese’s taste. AND lastly, it clumps up completely! It jogs my memory of the Cville Cluster granola we used to make at Nice Harvest. I find it irresistible over Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, with a splash of milk, or straight out of the canister, cluster by cluster, as a snack!

How To Make Granola Crunchy and Clumpy

I did a little analysis on the meals science of granola texture to make this granola each crunchy and clumpy. I discovered that when oats, fats, and sugar warmth collectively, the sugars caramelize and the starches set, which is what creates the crunch. The fats coats every oat and seed, performing as a conductor for even toasting, whereas the sweetener binds every part into clusters because it cools. The cooling interval isn’t nearly temperature — it’s when the sugars harden and lock the clusters collectively. Should you stir it too early or break it up too quickly, you lose the clusters you labored for. So don’t stir this one!

Does Granola Have Protein?

Conventional granola does have some protein — oats naturally include about 5 grams per half cup, and nuts and seeds add extra. However most basic granola recipes yield 5–8 grams of protein per serving relying on substances. This recipe bumps that quantity as much as 10 grams of protein per 1/3-cup serving (together with roughly 280 energy, 17 grams of fats, and 25 grams of carbohydrates).

Why I Use Historical Vitamin Protein Powder

I’ve tried a whole lot of protein powders, and Historical Vitamin Vanilla Whey is my favourite. It has a vanilla bean taste, which I favor to a French vanilla.

As an RD, I additionally admire that Historical Vitamin makes use of grass-fed milk and consists of collagen. I went to a convention with Historical Vitamin in 2025 and discovered lots about their product high quality. The protein comes from grass-fed whey and natural regenerative A2/A2 milk protein — from cows raised with out hormones or antibiotics. A2 milk protein comes from cows that produce solely the A2 sort of beta-casein, which tends to be simpler to digest — value noting if you happen to’ve ever had a delicate abdomen with standard whey. There’s additionally the bonus ingredient: eggshell membrane collagen, which helps wholesome joints, improves pores and skin look, and affords different advantages. It’s additionally gluten-free, and licensed carbon impartial.

Plant-based powders can work on this recipe too, however they have a tendency to supply a barely denser texture. If that’s what you employ, go for it — simply know the clusters could also be rather less crunchy.

How To Make Excessive Protein Granola

The method is straightforward: combine your dry substances, stir in your moist substances, unfold on a baking sheet, and bake. The important thing to clusters is urgent the combination down firmly earlier than it goes within the oven and never stirring it whereas it bakes. Let it set undisturbed, and also you’ll get these satisfying clusters.

The entire course of takes about half-hour from begin to end, plus cooling time. Let it cool fully at room temperature earlier than breaking it aside and storing.

Components

• 2 cups rolled oats (old style, not fast oats)
• 1 scoop (about ¼ cup) Historical Vitamin Vanilla Whey Protein
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds (can sub sunflower seeds)
• ½ cup blended nuts (almonds, cashews, or pecans — roughly chopped)
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons impartial oil or melted coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter

Directions

Step 1: Preheat and Prep

Preheat your oven to 325°F.

Step 2: Combine Dry Components

In a big bowl, mix the rolled oats, protein powder, pumpkin seeds, chopped nuts, chia seeds, cinnamon, and salt. Stir till nicely mixed.

Step 3: Combine Moist Components

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk collectively the maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract, and nut butter. In case your nut butter is stiff, heat it barely so it blends easily into the maple syrup combination.

Step 4: Mix and Toss

Pour the moist combination over the dry substances and stir nicely till every part is totally coated. Each oat and seed ought to look shiny.

Step 5: Unfold and Press

Switch the combination to your baking sheet and unfold into a fair layer. Then press it down firmly with the again of a spatula or your palms. This step is the key to getting clusters as a substitute of unfastened crumbles. The extra compact the combination, the larger the clusters.

Step 6: Bake

Bake for 22–25 minutes, till the perimeters are golden and the middle seems to be set. Don’t stir. Mine was very brown at 22 minutes, so watch your oven on the finish.

Step 7: Cool at Room Temperature

Take away the pan from the oven and let it cool fully at room temperature — at the very least half-hour. That is the place the magic occurs. It would really feel smooth when it first comes out; it companies up into crunchy clusters because it cools.

As soon as totally cooled, break it into items and switch to a jar or hermetic container.

Step 8: Retailer and Take pleasure in

Retailer at room temperature in an hermetic container for as much as 2 weeks.

Serve over Greek yogurt, with milk, on smoothie bowls, or straight as a snack.

Suggestions & Notes

Don’t Overbake

Take away the granola when it seems to be simply golden — it’ll crisp up extra because it cools, so if you happen to wait till it seems to be totally performed within the oven, it might find yourself too darkish.

Make It Your Personal

Dried cranberries, coconut flakes, or darkish chocolate chips will be stirred in after baking (not throughout — chocolate melts, fruit dries out additional).

In search of extra home made granola concepts? Attempt my tahini granola for a nutty, sesame-forward model, or this buckwheat granola for a gluten-free crunch with a unique texture.