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Banana Bread Granola
5 from 15 votes

Banana Bread Granola

Banana Bread Granola combines rolled oats with chopped pecans, walnuts, and almonds, coated in a mixture of mashed ripe banana, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. The granola bakes into a crunchy, slightly sweet cereal that captures the mellow flavor of ripe banana with warm cinnamon notes. Its texture benefits from the mix of whole and chopped nuts, adding a satisfying crunch.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 344 kcal
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rolled oats old fashioned
  • ½ cup pecans chopped
  • ½ cup walnuts chopped
  • ½ cup almonds chopped or left whole for texture, sliced
  • ½ cup banana 1 medium banana - the browner the better!, very ripe
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • ¼ cup coconut oil melted and cooled
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract pure
  • ¼ tsp salt sea salt
  • ¾ tsp ground cinnamon add to taste
OPTIONAL EXTTA
  • ¼-½ cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Pre-heat oven to 300°F with wire rack in the center/middle position. Line an 11×17-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for best results.
  2. In a large bowl, combine oats, pecans, walnuts, and almonds.
  3. In a small bowl whisk together melted coconut oil with maple syrup, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon.
  4. Mash banana until smooth and add to the wet ingredients. Pour over oats/nuts and mix well to coat.
  5. As written this granola is lightly sweetened by the maple syrup and ripe banana. The riper the banana, the sweeter it will be. If your banana is just lightly spotted or you have a sweet tooth, you can add a little honey, brown sugar, or coconut sugar.
  6. Use a silicone spatula or bowl scraper to transfer the granola mixture onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet and spread out very well in a super thin layer. Almost all the parchment paper should be covered by granola. Pat to flatten.
  7. Bake on the center rack at 300°F for 20 minutes. When timer beeps, rotate the pan 180 degrees for even toasting and continue to bake an additonal 10-15 minutes (I do 15 typically) or until golden and cripsy. Keep an eye on it and yank from the oven once it's your idea of crispy golden perfection.
  8. NOTE: I don't stir at the halway mark so I can break it into chunky clusters when it cools off. If you like your granola stirred and separated, you can do this at the halway point.
  9. Once you remove your granola from the oven, allow it to cool on the baking sheet until completely cooled. This will give it the necessary time to get that signature crunch we all know and love. (The granola will not crisp up until it has cooled.) If you're adding the optional chocolate chips, add them at this step.
  10. Once it's cooled and crispy – dig in! Granola will keep for up to two weeks in a lidded airtight container. Enjoy as a snack, in your favorite trail mix, or on top of yogurt with fresh fruit and all your favorite toppings.

Notes

  • Use ripe or very ripe bananas for natural sweetness and moisture.
  • Certified gluten-free oats are necessary if gluten intolerance is a concern.
  • Spread the granola thinly and evenly for best baking results and crispness.
  • Adjust sweetness by adding honey or brown sugar if the banana isn't very ripe.
  • This recipe yields approximately 4 cups of granola.

Nutrition Information

Calories 344kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 26g (9%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 25g (38%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Sodium 75mg (3%) Potassium 260mg (6%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 7g (14%) Calcium 74mg (7%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 344

% Daily Value*

Calories 344kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 26g 9%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 25g 38%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Sodium 75mg 3%
Potassium 260mg 6%
Fiber 5g 20%
Sugar 7g 14%
Calcium 74mg 7%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.