This keto granola has all the crunchy clusters you crave, with none of the grains or sugar. It makes a healthy low carb breakfast or an easy on-the-go snack. Sweet and crispy!
I think we can all agree that the big, crunchy clusters are the best part of any granola. Sometimes they have them and it’s like you hit the jackpot. Sometimes they don’t and the granola is somehow less delicious and satisfying. Why is that?
I have been a granola girl for a very long time. My mother made the best granola, chock full of nuts, seeds, and nice big clusters. Of course, it was also chock full of carbs and sugars. But oh boy, I used to love that stuff.
I started making my own keto granola almost from the moment I went low carb. I have several recipes, each with their own special twist. Readers love my Peanut Butter Granola and Banana Nut Cereal for the flavors and the simplicity.
But this keto granola recipe is all about the crunch factor. Crispy clusters of goodness!
Why you will love this recipe
I started thinking about good low carb back-to-school snacks (scary how quickly the summer goes!) and it occurred to me that big chunks of keto granola would be ideal. I mean, what’s not to love?
These keto granola clusters are crunchy, sweet, and slightly salty too. The ideal snack, really, and they appeal to all ages. Oh and did I mention can be made ahead and stored for two weeks?
They’re perfect for adding to lunch boxes when hunger strikes at school. Or kept on the counter for after school snacks, when hungry kids rummage around the kitchen, looking for anything that stands still long enough to be eaten.
And my kids did love this keto granola, but you know who I think loved it best? My husband. He ate a few clusters every time he came through the kitchen. And he made big breakfast parfaits with yogurt, berries, and a some crumbled clusters over top.
They’re great for snacking but they’re also just as good for breakfast. Or even dessert over some Keto Vanilla Ice Cream.
Reader Reviews
“If there were 10 stars on this recipe, I would have given it an 11. This isn’t just Granola…it’s a religious experience, meant to be eaten with swoon-like reverence.” — Lynn
“OMG indeed. Brown “sugar” and butter…. I had this for breakfast and it was like eating cookies.” — Sara
“Uhm, this didn’t even last 48 hours in my house! Unquestionably the best snack ever made. You are a true culinary goddess and I worship you.” — Jennifer
Ingredients you need
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- Raw nuts: I used pecans and almonds, but you could also use walnuts, macadamia nuts and cashews.
- Flaked coconut: If you aren’t a fan of coconut, use sliced almonds instead.
- Pumpkin seeds: You will need shelled pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas. You can use sunflower seeds instead.
- Salt: This balances the sweetness of the granola.
- Sweeteners: if you want truly crunchy clusters, you need to use erythritol based sweeteners. Any amount of allulose or xylitol will keep the keto granola from crisping up properly. See the Expert Tips section for a detailed discussion of what sweeteners work best.
- Butter: I think this granola works best with butter but you can try coconut oil for a dairy free version.
- Flavoring: You can use vanilla extract or maple extract.
Step-by-step directions
1. In a food processor, combine the nuts, seeds, and salt. Process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. A few larger pieces are okay.
2. In a large saucepan over low heat, combine the butter and sweeteners. Whisk until the butter is melted and the sweeteners are mostly dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
3. Stir in the nut mixture into the butter mixture until well combined. Transfer the mixture to a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread out evenly. Top with waxed paper or parchment and press down firmly and evenly to a uniform thickness.
4. Bake at 300ºF for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and let cool completely, then break into large chunks with your hands.
Expert Tips
As I experimented with this recipe, I did learn a few useful things along the way.
Pressing the mixture down firmly onto the pan is key to getting bigger clusters. It helps the mixture stick together and bake into a single piece. It can feel a bit greasy, so use some parchment or waxed paper overtop as you press down.
The edges will get more brown than the center so if you want to remove them early and keep baking the rest, you can do so. And as always with recipes like this, let it cool completely before breaking into clusters or chunks. It won’t be fully crisp until you do.
Sweetener Options
As mentioned above, only erythritol-based sweeteners allow keto granola to become truly crisp, so be sure to check the ingredients in your sweetener. Even the smallest amount of allulose, xylitol, or BochaSweet will prevent it from becoming crispy. If your sweetener contains monk fruit or stevia, that’s okay.
I used the OLD version of Swerve Brown, but the new version contains allulose so it’s not a good choice. They do now have an organic version Swerve Brown that’s mostly erythritol and monk fruit, so you can use that. I know this is confusing so make sure you read the labels.
Lakanto Brown, Gold So Nourished, and Purecane Brown should also work.
Serving Size and Storage Information
Unlike most recipes, I found there isn’t a good way to measure a serving by volume, as the clusters can be all sorts of different sizes. In the end, I weighed out the entire recipe and divided it up that way.
This recipe makes 8 servings of each about 64g, or a little over 2 ounces. But it’s rich and filling so could easily be divvied up into 10 or even 12 servings, especially as a snack.
I stored my granola clusters on the counter in a covered container for over a week. Because it has no eggs or super perishable ingredients, it can be easily stored at room temperature. Glass jars work well, if you have one big enough to keep all the clusters. Tupperware is fine too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conventional granola is made with oats and typically has a lot of added sugar, so it’s not a keto-friendly option. However, keto granola uses nuts, seeds, and low carb sweeteners to simulate the same taste and texture. You should still pay close attention to the carb count.
These keto granola clusters make an excellent healthy breakfast or snack. They are low carb and packed with healthy fats, antioxidants, and fiber. It’s a delicious way to satisfy that craving for crunch!
This recipe for keto granola has 6.5g of carbs and 3.7g of fiber per serving. That means it has 2.8g net carbs.
Store this granola on the counter in a covered container for up to 10 days. Because it has no eggs or other perishable ingredients, it can be stored at room temperature.
More crunchy keto snacks
Keto Candied Pecans
These easy Keto Candied Pecans are the perfect crunchy, salty-sweet snack. They take only 5 ingredients and you can make them in your slow cooker or on the stovetop. They make a great last minute gift too!
Keto Cheese Crackers
Make easy Keto Cheese Crackers with only 5 ingredients! Crispy, salty, and deliciously cheesy, they taste like your favorite snack crackers but with a fraction of the carbs.
Keto Granola Bars
These easy keto granola bars are sweet, salty, and delicious. Chockfull of healthy nuts and seeds, they’re one of my favorite keto snacks!
Keto Granola Clusters Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (129 g) pecan halves
- 1 cup (85 g) flaked coconut
- 1/2 cup (71.5 g) almonds
- 1/2 cup (74 g) pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- 1/3 cup (75.67 g) butter
- 1/4 cup (45.5 g) brown sugar replacement
- 1/4 cup (45.5 g) powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) vanilla extract or maple extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, combine the pecans, coconut, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and salt. Process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. A few larger pieces are okay.
- In a large saucepan over low heat, combine the butter and sweeteners. Whisk until the butter is melted and the sweeteners are mostly dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Stir in the nut mixture into the butter mixture until well combined. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and spread out evenly. Top with waxed paper or parchment and press down firmly and evenly to a uniform thickness.
- Bake 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and let cool completely, then break into large chunks with your hands.
- Store on the counter in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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My whole family loves coconut, so these would be a huge hit! School starts next week, so I’ll have to make them for after school snacks!
This is such a perfect snack! My kids can’t stop eating these!
Absolutely the best and tastiest snack on the go. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Unfortunately inulin causes me heavy GI issues, and also spikes my BG, so can I use golden monkfruit (like Lakanto Golden) and powdered erythritol instead the two versions of Sweerve mentioned in the recipe? I’d really like to try this yumminess… Thank you for support our needs of healthy jet tasty diet: your recipes are always a huge resource 🙂
Only erythritol sweeteners will work here but any of them should
By the way, Swerve does not contain inulin. It contains oligosaccharides.
So good…and addictive! Took longer than I expected to harden/crisp out of the oven, but I’m not sure I would have cared anyway-it’s THAT tasty! (#teamvanilla)
Glad you liked it!
edited to add: WARNING!…SERIOUSLY ADDICTIVE!! Just had my husband hide the remainder from me for a few days!:)
Oh my, Carolyn, this stuff is heaven! I made a double batch last night using pecans, cashews, almonds & coconut. What a heavenly treat! Thank you for the recipe!
So glad you liked it!
I was wondering if these would hold up as bars instead of clusters. Then I guess if one wanted the cereal or cluster effect could crumble the bars. Or will the bars not hold up as well because it uses swerve vs yakon syrup? The peanut butter granola is delicious and the bars we delicious too. Excited to try this version too.
They are based on my bars so they should. They might be a bit brittle as bars, though.
I don’t know how to rate this! This is seriously delicious. Absolutely addicting. Like….I don’t know whether to set your site as my homepage (which let’s be real…when I get up the first thing I do is check your site anyway because you are amazing) or find some way to keep from ever visiting it again…because you make this lifestyle completely delicious. I hadn’t realized how much I missed things like granola until I made this recipe. And unlike a lot of these type of treats…rather than pushing me towards the store to get the “real” thing; all I want is the whole jar of this granola.
I’m so sorry for the long post, but I had to say just how EASY and delicious this is. Highly recommended; you won’t be disappointed (Maple all the way!!!!)
Thanks, Amanda!
Can I use walnuts instead of almonds?
I think that should be fine.
Love this! Mine seemed to be a little oily when finished baking. Any ideas what I might have done wrong. It still tastes amazing just oily…?
Not sure but sometimes if it’s not absorbing, just set the pieces on paper towels or blot them drier.
Shsucks! I should have done that (blotted with paper towels). Mine were delicious but greasy from all the butter.
I use walnuts in addition to the other nuts and also add sesame seeds. I don’t use the coconut. It is great.
Thank you for another great recipe! Have you noticed brown sugar swirls affecting or elevating your blood sugar more than regular swerve? We tried one bag and it seemed My t1d Daughter.
Brown swerve affects my blood sugar as well. Not nearly as much as a simple sugar, but definitely a spike. This is tasty though. I just finished the last of my Swerve, hopefully this is as tasty with Sukrin, but without the blood sugar jump. Thanks for another great recipe Carolyn!
Trader Joe’s still sells “Just the Clusters”. It was beckoning me just last week. Can’t wait to try this one!
Good to know. I will stay clear of the cereal aisle at TJs! 😉
Thoughts on coconut oil vs. butter or half of each? I wanted to see what you thought before making it because I have limited supplies and live in a very rural area (order most of my pantry supplies). Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences with us!
Butter works best, to be honest, but if you need to be dairy-free, coconut oil should be okay. It doesn’t combine as well and can feel a bit greasier when baking it.
Would ghee work?
It should!
Can I use stevia?
No, I am sorry. It won’t create the right texture and they will fall apart and won’t be crisp.
Can’t wait to make this! Carolyn what size pan did you use? I have a huge bag of Sunflower seeds I need to use up so I am hoping I can use then instead of the pumpkin. I love the maple extract!
As long as it’s a big rimmed pan, it doesn’t matter. You aren’t filling the pan, you are just pressing the mixture down as firmly as you can.
Unfortuantely I can’t abide coconut. Would flax work or do you have another recommendation?
Perhaps just some sliced almonds.
I added hemp hearts instead of coconut and it was fabulous! I also added 1 whole cup of sliced almonds and a 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds. It was so good that right now I have the same recipe in the oven except I added 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. I can’t wait to see how that turns out.
I was just thinking it also needed cinnamon!
Hi Carolyn, These looks so yummy ! Just checking to see if you think I can use a vegan butter and they still turn out good? I have to be dairy free! Thank you in advance.
I think so, yes.