A cashew granola recipe should be simple, reliable, and flexible enough to fit your pantry. This version uses whole rolled oats, raw cashews, and a modest amount of maple syrup so the clusters stay crisp without turning sticky. You get a batch that keeps well and works for breakfast, snacks, or a topping.
The method below bakes low and slow so the cashews toast evenly instead of scorching. We stir only once midway, which helps large clumps form and hold together as they cool. If you have never made your own before, this is a good starting point because the steps are hard to mess up. If you enjoyed this, our navigation is worth trying next. Making this cashew granola at home is surprisingly straightforward once you know the key steps.
Why You’ll Love These Cashew Granola
- Stays crunchy for two weeks in a sealed jar thanks to a low moisture mix.
- Uses one bowl and one sheet pan, so cleanup is quick.
- Cashews give a buttery bite that pairs with almost any fruit.
- Maple and cinnamon keep it lightly sweet, not dessert-level sugar.
- Easy to scale up using the same ratios for a bigger batch.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 3 cups rolled oats (old-fashioned, not instant)
- 1.5 cups raw cashews, roughly chopped
- 0.5 cup maple syrup
- 0.33 cup neutral oil (sunflower or canola)
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Ingredient Substitutions
Raw cashews: Replace with an equal weight of raw almonds or pecans if cashews are unavailable. Almonds stay firmer and take a minute longer to toast, while pecans brown faster and taste richer. Expect a slightly different crunch and a deeper nut flavor, but the batch size and bake time stay close. The cashew granola works well for weeknight cooking when time is limited.
Maple syrup: Use an equal amount of honey for a firmer, glossier cluster with a floral note. Honey sets harder at room temperature, so the granola will feel denser and less crumbly. Keep the oven temperature the same, but watch the edges closely since honey browns quicker than maple.
Neutral oil: Swap for the same volume of melted coconut oil to add a faint tropical scent. Coconut oil solidifies below 24°C, so the cooled granola feels a touch waxy in cold weather. The texture crisps up again once the room warms or you spoon it over hot oats.
Brown sugar: Use an equal amount of coconut sugar for a lower-glycemic sweet with a mild caramel edge. Coconut sugar is drier, so the mix may look less coated; add 1 tsp water if it seems too dry before baking. The finished color will be a shade darker. For another easy option, check out our more.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Heat the oven to 160°C / 325°F and line a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment. A rimmed pan keeps loose oats from sliding off when you stir.
- Combine oats, chopped cashews, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a big bowl. Stir with a spatula so the dry mix is evenly colored before any liquid goes in.
- Pour maple syrup, oil, and vanilla into the bowl. Mix until every oat looks lightly coated and no dry patches remain at the bottom.
- Spread the mix in a thin, even layer on the pan. Press it down gently with the spatula to help clumps form during baking.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, opening once at the 15-minute mark to flip the outer edges inward. Stop when the cashews are golden and crispy and the kitchen smells toasty.
- Leave the pan on a rack and do not stir while it cools. The syrup hardens over 25–30 minutes, locking the clusters together.
- Break the sheet into pieces and store in a sealed container. If it feels soft, return it to the oven for 5 minutes at the same heat.
Pro Tips
Chop cashews by hand to keep piece sizes uneven; uniform bits from a processor fine too much and turn paste-like. For firmer clumps, let the mixed oats sit 5 minutes before baking so the oats soak up syrup.
Use the technique guides at toasting nuts if you want to pre-roast cashews separately for a deeper flavor. Pre-toasting adds a step but reduces any raw taste.
Spread the mix thinner than you think; a crowded pan steams the oats instead of crisping them. Rotate the pan front to back once if your oven bakes unevenly.
Add dried fruit only after cooling, or it hardens and burns. Stir in cranberries or apricots right before you jar the batch.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Stirring too often breaks clusters before they set, leaving crumbs instead of chunks. Touch the pan only at the halfway flip and then let it rest.
Baking too hot makes the syrup burn before the oats dry, giving a bitter edge. Stay at 160°C / 325°F even if you are in a hurry.
Skipping the cool-down means soft granola because the sugar has not hardened. avoid opening the oven early and let the pan sit untouched. You might also like our prawn pil pil.
Serving Suggestions
Spoon the clusters over yogurt parfait with berries for a quick breakfast. The crunch holds up for several minutes before softening in cold dairy.
Use it as a topping on bagels with cream cheese for a sweet-savory bite. A small handful also works in a brown bread breakfast plate.
For a light dessert, crush a portion over sliced banana and a drizzle of honey. The cashew granola recipe scales well, so keep a jar near the cereal shelf.
Storage and Reheating
Keep the cooled granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 14 days. In humid kitchens, a silica packet or a dry spoon helps prevent sogginess.
It does not need reheating, but if it softens, spread on a pan and warm at 160°C / 325°F for 5 minutes. Let it cool again before sealing so steam does not build inside the jar.
This mix does not freeze well because the nuts pick up fridge odors; stick to a sealed pantry jar. Never leave a cooked batch out for more than 2 hours before storing.
Recipe Variations
Coconut Cashew
Add 0.5 cup unsweetened shredded coconut with the dry mix for a tropical note. Coconut browns faster, so check the pan 3 minutes earlier and pull it once the flakes turn light gold. The result is lighter and a bit more fragile.
Spiced Version
Add 0.25 tsp ground ginger and a pinch of clove to the cinnamon for a warmer profile. These spices intensify as the batch cools, so start small and taste the raw mix before baking. It pairs well with stewed apple.
Chocolate Chip
Stir 0.33 cup mini chocolate chips into the cooled granola for a snack-friendly twist. The chips stay soft at room temperature and add a mild sweet contrast to the nuts. Keep the rest of the cashew granola recipe unchanged.
Low Sugar
Cut maple and brown sugar to 0.33 cup and 1 tbsp, then add 1 tbsp water to coat the oats. The clusters will be looser and less glossy but still crisp. Bake 5 minutes longer to drive off the extra moisture.
Cashew Granola
Description
A reliable cashew granola baked low and slow with rolled oats, raw cashews, and maple syrup for crisp clusters that hold together. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, or a crunchy topping.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Heat oven and line pan
Heat the oven to 160°C / 325°F and line a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper. A rimmed pan keeps loose oats from sliding off when you stir later, so use one with edges at least 1 inch high.
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Combine dry ingredients
Combine 3 cups rolled oats, 1.5 cups chopped cashews, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 0.5 tsp salt in a big bowl. Stir with a spatula so the dry mix is evenly colored before any liquid goes in, about 30 seconds of mixing.
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Add wet ingredients
Pour 0.5 cup maple syrup, 0.33 cup neutral oil, and 1 tsp vanilla extract into the bowl. Mix until every oat looks lightly coated and no dry patches remain at the bottom, scraping the sides as needed.
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Spread and press mix
Spread the mix in a thin, even layer on the prepared pan, using the spatula to cover the whole surface. Press it down gently with the spatula to help clumps form during baking, aiming for a layer no thicker than 1/2 inch.
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Bake and flip edges
Bake for 25–30 minutes at 160°C / 325°F, opening once at the 15-minute mark to flip the outer edges inward with your spatula. Stop when the cashews are golden and crispy and the kitchen smells toasty, checking that the oats look dry not wet.
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Cool undisturbed
Leave the pan on a rack and do not stir while it cools for 25–30 minutes. The syrup hardens during this time, locking the clusters together, so resist touching it until fully set.
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Break and store
Break the cooled sheet into pieces of your preferred size using your hands or a spatula. Store in a sealed container at room temperature, and if it feels soft, return it to the oven for 5 minutes at the same heat before jarring.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 350kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 18g28%
- Saturated Fat 3g15%
- Sodium 150mg7%
- Total Carbohydrate 42g15%
- Dietary Fiber 4g16%
- Sugars 14g
- Protein 8g16%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Storage: Keep cooled granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 14 days; in humid kitchens use a silica packet to prevent sogginess.
- Make it ahead: Let the mixed oats sit 5 minutes before baking so the oats soak up syrup for firmer clumps, as shared in our recipe keys tips.
- Pro tip: Add dried fruit only after cooling, or it hardens and burns; stir in cranberries right before jarring.
- Reheat: If it softens, spread on a pan and warm at 160°C / 325°F for 5 minutes, then cool again before sealing.
