• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Season & Thyme
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About Me
  • Social
  • Subscribe
  • Spring Recipes
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • About Me
  • Social
  • Subscribe
  • Spring Recipes
×
  • Featured picture of bowl of elotes chicken salad.
    Mexican Street Corn Chicken Salad
  • up close of plate of seasoned chicken thighs.
    Homemade Nando's Chicken Thighs
  • bowl of crockpot southwest chicken with toppings.
    Crockpot Southwest Chicken
  • serving of chicken,mushroom, asparagus skillet in a bowl.
    One Pan Chicken with Mushroom and Asparagus
  • Garlic and Herb Roast Chicken
  • featured image for slow cooker venison roast shown up close on a white plate.
    Slow Cooker Venison Roast
  • parmesan garlic chicken thighs on a plate up close.
    Parmesan Garlic Chicken Thighs
  • featured image for pickle roll ups.
    Pickle Roll-ups
  • up close of sliced pork tenderloin.
    Cast Iron Pork Tenderloin
  • featured image for elote pasta salad.
    Elote Pasta Salad
  • Featured picture of olive garden stuffed chicken marsala.
    Olive Garden Stuffed Chicken Marsala
  • Featured photo of cooked venison jerky.
    Homemade Venison Jerky
Home » Recipes » Breakfast

Brown Butter Cinnamon Granola

Published: Apr 16, 2022 · Modified: Apr 30, 2024 by Sarah Baumeister · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This brown butter cinnamon granola with walnuts is lightly sweetened, delicious and totally easy to make. In less than 30 minutes, you can have homemade granola for a fraction of the price of store bought varieties.

brown butter granola spread out on a sheet pan

This small batch granola recipe was created with my husband and sister in mind. My husband loves to have granola for breakfast as a healthier alternative to traditional cereal. My sister and nephew have been eating a yogurt parfait almost everyday for breakfast, and you need a good granola for that!

Once you have made your delicious granola, enjoy it on it's own, with milk, in a yogurt parfait, in an acai bowl, or sprinkled over a scoop of vanilla ice cream as a tasty dessert topping.

Jump to:
  • Why make granola at home?
  • Ingredients for Cinnamon Granola
  • Optional add ins
  • How to make brown butter granola
  • Recipe Notes
  • How to make granola clump together
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More breakfast recipes to try
  • Brown Butter Cinnamon Granola
finished granola in a glass container

Why make granola at home?

Store bought granolas are delicious, but are often chock-full of sugar and very expensive. Making your own is so easy! The recipe I am sharing is pretty basic, so feel free to adjust with your favorite toppings. This granola is slightly sweet, but not overpoweringly so. If you want it sweeter, try adding chocolate chips or dried fruit.

Ingredients for Cinnamon Granola

  • Rolled oats: Most granolas are made with rolled oats, because of their texture, ability to absorb liquids, neutral flavor, and quick cooking time.
  • Finely chopped walnuts: Nuts are great in granola because they add fat and protein.
  • Ground cinnamon: Just the right amount of cinnamon is added to warm up and season the granola but not be overpowering.
  • Sea salt: Use a higher quality, slightly larger granule salt to really elevate that salty/sweet flavor combination
  • Brown butter: The key ingredient here is a fragrant brown butter. Brown butter only takes a few minutes to make, but it really takes dishes all the way up to a 10. It has a wonderful nutty aroma, and a toasty golden color.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients.

ingredients for brown butter granola with walnuts

Optional add ins

Granola is great because it's a real use 'em up situation. Similar to salads or stir frys, granola can really be made with all kinds of dried fruits, nuts, and oats from your pantry. Here are some ideas for ways to switch up this granola recipe.

  • coconut flakes
  • dried cranberries
  • steel cut oats
  • peanut butter
  • pecans
  • chia seeds
  • hemp hearts
  • maple syrup
  • pumpkin seeds

How to make brown butter granola

dry granola ingredients in a bowl

Step 1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (oats, chopped walnuts, flax seeds, salt, brown sugar, and cinnamon)

stick of butter in a blue saucepan

Step 2. In a saucepan over medium heat, brown butter.

brown butter in a blue saucepan

Step 3. Stir occasionally, until you see light brown flecks start to form. This should take about 4-5 minutes.

wet ingredients added to dry in a bowl

Step 4. Add vanilla, browned butter, and honey to the dry ingredients. Pour over top of the dry ingredients and stir until everything is evenly coated.

ingredients for granola poured on to a baking sheet

Step 5. Place granola on a baking sheet.

granola ready to go in the oven

Step 6. Make sure to spread it flat and packed together (this will also help to encourage clumping).

finished granola being flipped with a spatula

Step 7. Bake for 30 minutes, turning the granola with a spatula halfway through for even toasting. Be sure to check regularly, so as not to burn the granola. Let granola cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Recipe Notes

  • Regarding texture, be aware that the granola will take about 10-15 minutes to harden or clump up after coming out of the oven. When it first comes out, it will still be malleable. This may cause you to think it isn't finished cooking, but rest assured that it is!
  • Resist the temptation to move it around, just let it sit on the sheet pan. Let the room temperature air work its' magic. Don't mess around with it until it's hardened, or it won't clump!
brown butter granola shown in a pretty glass container

How to make granola clump together

This granola is low in sugar and isn't super clumpy. The sugar crystals are one of the things that help the granola stick to itself. There are a few ways you can make it clump more.

  • An egg white. Adding an egg white before cooking will help the granola pieces to stick together.
  • Honey. Add an additional ⅓ cup of honey to this recipe to clump it up a bit and make it sweeter.
  • Chia Seeds. A secret ingredient for clumpier granola is chia seeds! When chia seeds are mixed with a liquid, they create a gel. The gel helps to bind the granola together and create some wonderful clumps. If you do use chia seeds, make sure they are mixed directly into the wet ingredients, and then that mixture is added to the dry. This helps the gel to form.

Recipe FAQs

How to store homemade granola?

Store finished brown butter granola at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.

Can steel cut oats be used instead of rolled oats?

Yes, but you may have to add 5-10 minutes of cooking time to ensure they are cooked through. The result will also be crunchier and chewier than the softer rolled oats.

More breakfast recipes to try

  • crepes featured
    Basic French Crepes
  • platter of silver dollar pancakes.
    Mini Pancakes (Silver Dollar Pancakes)
  • pecan kringle featured
    Danish Pecan Kringle Ring

If you tried this Brown Butter Cinnamon Granola Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love to hear from you.

finished granola in a container on a wooden cutting board

Brown Butter Cinnamon Granola

Sarah Baumeister
A simple recipe for brown butter cinnamon granola with walnuts and flax seeds. This granola is perfect with milk or over yogurt with fruit.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 6 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 36 minutes mins
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 504 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup walnuts chopped fine
  • ¼ cup flax seeds
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • ⅓ cup honey
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (oats, chopped walnuts, flax seeds, salt, brown sugar, and cinnamon)
  • In a saucepan over medium heat, brown butter. Stir occasionally, until you see light brown flecks start to form. This should take about 4-5 minutes.
  • Add vanilla, browned butter, and honey to the dry ingredients. Pour over top of the dry ingredients and stir until everything is evenly coated.
  • Place on a baking sheet flat and packed together (this will also help to encourage clumping).
  • Bake for 30 minutes, turning the granola with a spatula halfway through for even toasting. Be sure to check regularly, so as not to burn the granola.
  • Let granola cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Notes

Resist the temptation to move the granola around once it comes out of the oven, just let it sit on the sheet pan. Let the room temperature air work its' magic. Don't mess around with it until it's hardened, or it won't clump!

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 504kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 8gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 516mgFiber: 6gSugar: 26g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Breakfast and Brunch Recipes

  • slice of ham and broccoli quiche on a white plate with whole quiche to the side.
    Ham and Broccoli Quiche with Frozen Pie Crust
  • up close of one mini blueberry muffin on top of several muffins.
    Homemade Mini Blueberry Muffins
  • open faced egg sandwich featured
    Open-Faced Breakfast Sandwich
  • up close of plate of hard boiled eggs sliced in half.
    Ninja Foodi Hard Boiled Eggs

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Melina

    April 18, 2024 at 3:55 pm

    5 stars
    I've made this twice now with some modifications (substituting maple syrup for honey, and finishing the granola in the pan rather than in the oven) and it's been incredible! Very versatile as well, I added chocolate chips at the end to one batch, have substituted half the walnuts for pralines in the other, and it turns out delicious each time. My husband is obsessed! Will definitely be keeping this as a staple moving forward!

    Reply
5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

headshot of blog owner.

Hi, I'm Sarah!

I am a wife, mother, and believer. I have been cooking since I can remember and love sharing recipes with all of you. You will find a variety of recipes here from healthy family dinners, to ways to prepare venison, to soups, to baked goods, anything and everything delicious.

About Sarah

Fall Recipes

  • plate of finished chicken with rice in front of slow cooker.
    Crockpot Salsa Chicken
  • loaf of honey sourdough bread surrounded by parchment paper
    Rustic Honey Sourdough Bread
  • bowl of lasagna soup topped with cheese and parsley.
    One Pot Lasagna Soup
  • two sandwiches with melted cheese on a plate
    Crockpot Chicken Giardiniera Sandwiches
  • greek pork featured
    Pepperoncini Pork Roast (Crockpot and Instant Pot)
  • bowl of chicken noodle soup
    Classic Chicken Noodle Soup with Reames Noodles

Popular Posts

  • bowl of pastina topped with parmesan cheese.
    Chicken Pastina with Egg
  • overhead of finished ranch dressing.
    Copycat Wingstop Ranch Recipe
  • thai eggplant curry featured
    Thai Eggplant Curry Recipe
  • featured image of fermented pickles without vinegar in a mason jar
    Fermented Pickles without Vinegar
  • bowl of mexican sopita with a spoon.
    Mexican Sopita (Sopa de Conchas)
  • finished burger on a plate
    Ninja Foodi Frozen Burgers (in Air Fryer)

Footer

Sign up for emails and updates!

Sign me up!
  • Copyright © 2024 Season and Thyme LLC
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Policy
  • ↑ back to top

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.