Granola is one of those foods that I would not consider a pantry staple, but I sure do miss it when it’s not around. Homemade granola is nearly a perfect food. It’s crunchy, toasty, and as sweet as your pallet prefers. And the good news is that it’s easy to make with your pantry staples! Try this easy olive oil granola and customize it with whatever you have on hand.

Oats, Fat, and Sugar

Let’s start with the basics: oats. I recommend regular rolled oats instead of the quick variety. In a pinch, however, you can use quick oats. It just breaks down a bit more when you bake it.

Fat: You can use any kind of oil you have on hand. Coconut oil is lovely. Regular vegetable oil works too, but I love olive oil in this recipe. It gives the flavors a little more depth and that extra something something.

Sugar: Liquid sugars work better for mixing. Use can use honey, agave, or even molasses. I love using maple syrup in this recipe, so that’s what I’m using here. It melds nicely with the nuts and olive oil.

Mix and Bake

There’s really not much else too it. Mix all your ingredients together, bake on a low temp (300 degrees), and stir about every 15 minutes to get everything toasted on all sides.

Customize It!

Once you understand the basic quantities, this recipe is so easy to customize. Generally the dry to wet quantities are about 6 to 1. If you like dried fruit, add more! If you want all nuts and no fruit, you can do that too. Other additions I like include coconut and seeds. Nut butters are also lovely. Honestly, use whatever you have in your pantry. Use the little bits you have left over from holiday baking. It’s a great way to use your remaining dried fruit or nuts.

Give this easy olive oil granola recipe a try and let me know how you liked it. And if you want to try another version, see my Apricot Molasses granola recipe.