The Best Oats For Homemade Granola

As a healthy snack or a topping for tomorrow morning's yogurt, granola has a range of uses. One thing about buying store-bought granola is that you don't have control over the ingredients, sugar levels, and preservatives that keep it fresh in that plastic bag. A workaround is to make your own granola, but it hinges on the right type of oats. And rolled oats are the best option.

The reason why rolled oats are supreme for homemade granola is all about texture. When rolled oats are baked, it will retain their shape and are crunchy out of the oven. It also works with overnight oats to withstand the yogurt or buttermilk that goes into the batch. 

Meanwhile, you should avoid instant or steel-cut oats, because they won't obtain the same crunch factor when mixed with other ingredients like pumpkin seeds, nuts, or honey. The granola might even turn out soggy with these varieties. Granola provides crunch to creamy yogurt, and satisfies the desire for other crunchy snacks like chips; those other quick-cooking oats just won't cut it (that includes steel cut too — no pun intended).

Another option, in addition to rolled oats, or old-fashioned oats as they're sometimes called, is the jumbo variety. Jumbo rolled oats are essentially the same, but are larger and thicker. What this means is that they will provide an even better crunch in each bite after being combined with other ingredients and baked into granola. Scottish oats, which are not steamed whatsoever, are also a popular choice in homemade granola recipes. And if you don't consume gluten, you should be fine to use gluten-free oats.

Ready to try homemade granola with rolled oats? Try our homemade crunchy granola recipe that has almonds, pecans, and coconut oil. Another option is our baked apple chip granola recipe that combines the fruit with cinnamon, pumpkin seeds, and a few other ingredients. For those who skirt gluten intake, try this gluten-free coconut pecan granola as a snack or yogurt parfait topping. Despite what recipe you try, don't forget the rest of our pro tips for making granola, like how to properly store it later so your effort doesn't go to waste.