Vanilla Fig Granola (vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free, oil free)
Mar 31, 2020 • Updated Jun 20, 2023
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This homemade Vanilla Fig Granola is the perfect combination of crunchy, sweet and chewy. Think perfectly spiced, toasted oats, coconut chips, soft dried figs. It makes for a delicious topping over vegan yogurt, smoothie bowls, oatmeal and can even be enjoyed by the handful as a snack. It takes about 30 minutes to make, in 1 bowl, and will make the house smell absolutely delicious while it’s baking.
Unlike most store-bought granolas, we’re using simple, whole food plant based ingredients to make this healthy granola. Yup, that’s right. It’s not only super yummy but also good for you too!
what’s in this vanilla fig granola?
- This Vanilla Fig Granola is vegan, gluten-free, oil free, refined sugar free and can be meal prepped.
- Dried figs → are a delicious way to add sweetness and texture to granola. I love the chew, and finding bites of figs sprinkled throughout really adds to the granola eating experience. Figs are a great source of fiber and calcium, as well as vitamin C and K.
- Rolled oats → are the base of our granola. Just be sure to use certified gluten-free oats if you’re allergic to gluten. Rolled oats are an accessible and cheap grain, and are super nutritious as well!
- Coconut chips → not only add to the texture of the granola, but also adds a little bit of flavour. You can use toasted coconut chips (in which case, you may want to toss it into the mix after baking, or use untoasted coconut chips. They’re a wonderful source of healthy fats, and can help to stabilize your blood sugar levels.
- Maple syrup → is my favourite unrefined sweetener! I always use this when baking, and especially when making granola. It has a mild flavour once baked, so it shouldn’t turn your granola into a maple granola, but adds just enough sweetness.
- Almond butter → provides the healthy fat and also makes the granola cluster and crisp. We don’t need to use added oil as a result, and I recommend using smooth roasted almond butter with no added sugar or salt.
- Vanilla bean → is what I’d highly recommend to make the vanilla flavour really pop in this recipe. You can also use vanilla extract, which is a lot more affordable and accessible but if you’re able to find fresh vanilla bean, I promise it makes a world of difference in flavour! YUM!
- Puffed quinoa (or grain of choice) → I threw in this extra grain for some added texture. You can use puffed rice, puffed amaranth, anything you’d really like!
secrets to success
share this helpful tip every time I make granola–consider using a nonstick baking mat! It’s the handiest tool I own, and makes oil-free baking a breeze. When making granola in particular, it’s easier to bake mess-free and you can roll up the edges to easily transfer your cooled granola into its final home. If you don’t have a non-stick baking mat, you can also use parchment paper as an alternative.
Before storing your granola, be sure to allow the granola to fully cool. As tempting as it is to try it right away, this granola will cluster better if you allow it to cool. Also, storing it while hot will create steam and the end result will be a soggy granola. Trust me, it’s worth the wait!
If you’d prefer to keep your figs and coconut chips less toasted, you can also opt to add those ingredients in once the granola is out of the oven. Alternatively, you can add them in halfway through, when flipping. I like to add them in because I feel like it gives the figs a bit of a caramel-like flavour, and a nice chew, but it’s totally up to you!
if you like this recipe, try…
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch Granola
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Granola
- Pumpkin Spice Granola
- Double Chocolate Quinoa Granola
- Cinnamon Date Buckwheat Porridge
If you try this recipe out, tag me on Instagram @veggiekins so I can see your delicious re-creations and for a chance to be featured! As always, I love when you share your reviews in the comments below, and if you make any fun substitutions, let me know how it worked out below too!
Vanilla Fig Granola (vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free, oil free)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup creamy almond butter or other nut/seed/coconut butter
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1/2 large vanilla bean scraped, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1/4 cup puffed quinoa or other puffed grain of choice
- 1/3 cup coconut chips
- 1/3 cup dried figs chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F while you prepare your granola mixture.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together maple syrup, almond butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla bean and pinch of salt until smooth.
- Add remaining ingredients and toss with a spatula until everything is evenly coated. Transfer mixture onto a baking sheet lined with a baking mat and spread evenly.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then flip granola using a spatula and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool completely before storing.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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