There is something uniquely satisfying about starting the day with a breakfast that is not only nourishing but also genuinely beautiful to look at. This Granola with Fresh Fruit Recipe is exactly that. We’re not talking about the overly sweet, dusty cereal from a box. We are making our own golden, crunchy, cluster-filled granola from scratch, and it’s a game-changer. The aroma of toasted nuts and warm cinnamon filling the kitchen is enough to make anyone a morning person. Then, we pile it high over creamy yoghurt and top it with a medley of vibrant, fresh fruit. It’s a breakfast that feels like an indulgence but is packed with wholesome goodness.

This isn’t just a recipe; it’s a formula for the perfect start to any day. It’s the breakfast I turn to for slow weekend mornings, but it’s also brilliant for meal prepping a week of healthy starts. Friends always ask me for this recipe after trying it at brunch, surprised at how much better homemade granola tastes. The magic is in the texture – the satisfying crunch of the oat clusters, the snap of toasted almonds, and the soft sweetness of the fresh berries. It works beautifully for a solo breakfast treat or for laying out as a build-your-own bowl bar when you have guests.

Recipe Overview

This recipe guides you through creating a wonderfully crunchy, flavourful homemade granola, which serves as the perfect base for a vibrant fruit bowl. The granola itself has a deep, nutty flavour from toasted pecans and almonds, a gentle warmth from cinnamon, and a balanced sweetness from pure maple syrup. When I was testing this, I found that letting the granola cool completely on the baking sheet without touching it was the absolute key to getting those big, irresistible clusters. It’s a small detail that makes a huge difference.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes (plus cooling time)
• Servings: Makes approx. 750g of granola (about 10-12 servings)
• Difficulty: Easy

Why You’ll Love This Granola With Fresh Fruit Recipe

• Genuine Flavour: Forget the blandness of shop-bought cereals. Here, the pecans and almonds become deeply toasted and nutty, the coconut oil adds a subtle richness, and the cinnamon provides a gentle, aromatic warmth that ties everything together. It’s wholesome and tastes incredibly authentic.
• Ready in Under 30 Minutes: The hands-on time is minimal, and the granola itself is baked and ready to cool in about 25 minutes. You can have a huge batch ready for the week ahead with very little effort.
• Flexible Recipe: This is a fantastic base recipe. You can easily swap the pecans for walnuts, add a tablespoon of chia seeds for extra nutrients, or stir in some dried cherries after it has cooled. It’s easy to make it your own.
• Great for Meal Prep: Making a batch on a Sunday sets you up for a week of fantastic breakfasts. Just scoop and serve. It’s also ideal when you want to have a healthy breakfast ready for busy weekday mornings.
• Family Tested: My kids absolutely devour this every time I make it, especially when they get to choose their own fruit toppings. It’s a wonderful way to get them excited about a healthy breakfast.

Granola With Fresh Fruit Recipe

⏱️ 10 min prep  •  🍳 25 min cook  •  👥 14 servings

📌 Pin This Recipe

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the best granola, starting with quality ingredients is key. I always use jumbo rolled oats as they provide a much better texture than smaller porridge oats. For the maple syrup, I recommend using a dark, robust grade (often labelled Grade A Dark in the UK) as it lends a much richer, more complex flavour than lighter versions. If you enjoy baking with oats, you might also like these Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Cookies.

• For the Granola:
• 300g jumbo rolled oats
• 100g whole almonds, roughly chopped
• 100g pecan halves, roughly chopped
• 50g pumpkin seeds
• 50g sunflower seeds
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 125ml pure maple syrup
• 100ml melted coconut oil (or other neutral oil)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• For Serving (per bowl):
• 150g Greek yoghurt (or coconut yoghurt for a vegan option)
• A generous handful of fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
• ½ banana, sliced
• Optional: A drizzle of honey or extra maple syrup

Sophia’s Tip: Don’t chop the nuts too finely. Leaving larger pieces gives the finished granola a wonderful, rustic texture and a more satisfying crunch in every bite.

How to Make Granola With Fresh Fruit

The process is straightforward. We simply mix the dry ingredients, coat them with the wet ingredients, and bake until golden. The real trick is in the cooling method, which ensures maximum crunch and cluster formation. Let’s get started.

1. Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan) and line a large, rimmed baking tray with baking parchment.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients: the rolled oats, chopped almonds, chopped pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, ground cinnamon, and sea salt. Give it a good stir to ensure everything is evenly distributed.
3. In a small saucepan over low heat, gently warm the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk for about a minute until it’s combined and slightly warmed through. You don’t need to boil it.
4. Pour the warm liquid mixture over the dry oat mixture in the bowl. Use a spatula to stir everything together thoroughly, making sure every single oat and nut is completely coated.
5. Tip the mixture out onto your prepared baking tray. Spread it into an even layer. I find that pressing the granola down gently with the back of the spatula helps create those lovely, chunky clusters we all want.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once halfway through the cooking time to ensure it bakes evenly. The granola is ready when it’s a beautiful golden brown colour and your kitchen smells amazing.
7. Remove the tray from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. This is the most important step: let it cool completely on the tray *without stirring it*. This allows the syrup to harden and form those big, crunchy clusters. It will take at least 45 minutes.
8. Once completely cool, you can break the granola into chunks of your desired size. Store it in an airtight container.
9. To serve, spoon a generous amount of Greek yoghurt into a bowl. Top with a large helping of your homemade granola, a handful of fresh berries, and sliced banana. Add an extra drizzle of maple syrup if you like.

Tips From My Kitchen

• Temperature Control: A lower oven temperature is crucial. If the oven is too hot, the maple syrup and nuts can easily burn before the oats have had a chance to properly toast and dry out, which is what makes them so crunchy.
• The Secret Step: I learned that resisting the urge to stir the granola as soon as it comes out of the oven is the key to success. Letting it cool undisturbed allows the sugars to crystallise and bind the clusters together. Don’t skip this!
• Make-Ahead: The granola is the perfect make-ahead component. Prepare a double batch over the weekend, and you’re set for breakfasts for a fortnight. It keeps brilliantly.
• Storage: Store the cooled granola in a large, airtight container or glass jar at room temperature. It will stay fresh and crunchy for up to 3 weeks.

Equipment You’ll Need

• Large rimmed baking tray
• Parchment paper
• Large mixing bowl
• Small saucepan
• Spatula or wooden spoon
• Airtight container for storage

Delicious Variations to Try

Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, it’s fun to experiment with different flavours and textures. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Chocolate and Hazelnut: Swap the almonds and pecans for 200g of hazelnuts. Once the granola is baked and completely cooled, stir in 100g of good quality dark chocolate chunks.
• Tropical Version: Add 50g of unsweetened desiccated coconut to the dry mix before baking. After the granola has cooled, stir through 100g of chopped dried mango and pineapple for a taste of sunshine.
• Nut-Free Option: For a nut-free version, replace the nuts with an equal amount of mixed seeds, such as extra pumpkin and sunflower seeds, plus some sesame seeds and linseeds. Check that your oats are certified nut-free if catering for an allergy.

What to Serve With Your Granola and Fruit Bowl

While a bowl of granola with yoghurt and fruit is a complete meal in itself, here are a few things that pair wonderfully with it for a more substantial brunch.

• Yoghurt Choice: Thick, full-fat Greek yoghurt provides a wonderful tangy contrast. For a dairy-free option, a creamy coconut or almond-based yoghurt works beautifully.
• Seasonal Fruit: Don’t limit yourself to berries. In autumn, try adding sliced figs or poached pears. In the summer, chopped peaches or nectarines are divine.
• A Morning Brew: This breakfast is perfectly matched with a freshly brewed pot of coffee, a frothy cappuccino, or a simple cup of English breakfast tea.

Frequently Asked Questions

Granola With Fresh Fruit

A crunchy, homemade granola packed with nuts and seeds, perfect for a healthy breakfast. Serve over yoghurt with fresh fruit for a satisfying start to your day.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 14 servings

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Calories: 535

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Granola

• 300 g jumbo rolled oats
• 100 g whole almonds roughly chopped
• 100 g pecan halves roughly chopped
• 50 g pumpkin seeds
• 50 g sunflower seeds
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 125 ml pure maple syrup
• 100 ml melted coconut oil or other neutral oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For Serving (per bowl)

• 150 g Greek yoghurt or coconut yoghurt for a vegan option
• A generous handful of fresh berries strawberries, blueberries, raspberries
• ½ banana sliced
• Optional: A drizzle of honey or extra maple syrup

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan) and line a large, rimmed baking tray with baking parchment.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients: the rolled oats, chopped almonds, chopped pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, ground cinnamon, and sea salt. Give it a good stir to ensure everything is evenly distributed.
3. In a small saucepan over low heat, gently warm the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk for about a minute until it's combined and slightly warmed through. You don't need to boil it.
4. Pour the warm liquid mixture over the dry oat mixture in the bowl. Use a spatula to stir everything together thoroughly, making sure every single oat and nut is completely coated.
5. Tip the mixture out onto your prepared baking tray. Spread it into an even layer. I find that pressing the granola down gently with the back of the spatula helps create those lovely, chunky clusters we all want.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once halfway through the cooking time to ensure it bakes evenly. The granola is ready when it's a beautiful golden brown colour and your kitchen smells amazing.
7. Remove the tray from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. This is the most important step: let it cool completely on the tray *without stirring it*. This allows the syrup to harden and form those big, crunchy clusters. It will take at least 45 minutes.
8. Once completely cool, you can break the granola into chunks of your desired size. Store it in an airtight container.
9. To serve, spoon a generous amount of Greek yoghurt into a bowl. Top with a large helping of your homemade granola, a handful of fresh berries, and sliced banana. Add an extra drizzle of maple syrup if you like.

Notes

For extra chunky clusters, let the granola cool completely on the tray without stirring. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

I really hope you give this Granola with Fresh Fruit Recipe a try. Making your own granola is one of those simple kitchen tasks that brings such a huge reward, elevating your breakfast from mundane to magnificent. It’s a recipe that has brought so much simple joy to my family’s mornings. If you make it, I’d love to hear what fruit combinations you come up with! Please leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out. Happy cooking!
– Sophia