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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I used cake batter instead of vanilla extract 🙂 So good!
This recipe is so yummy! I love it crumbled into almond milk as a cereal or as bigger clusters as a snack! I don’t eat coconut (major texture issue) so I sub with 1 cup of extra almonds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, pecans or a combination of all of the above! I also use lakanto brand instead of swerve for personal preference.
So glad you like it!
Is it ok to use Monkfruit brown and powdered sugars for this recipe?
It’s okay to use any sweetener but it won’t necessarily have the same texture if you make substitutions.
Hi Carolyn, I asked our friend to pick up “Flaked unsweetened coconut. Don’t buy if it’s not flaked” for our groceries. We got Bob’s Red Mill unsweetened SHREDDED instead. Any suggestions for low carb recipes using it? I tried looking up recipes for it on your blog, but you ask for flaked.
Thank you! Love your recipes. Your voice is so soothing during this trying time, also! Can’t wait till I get the ingredients for the oatmeal cookies
Judy
Simi Valley, CA
Hi Judy… tons of my recipes actually use shredded. The granola bars, granola, and oatmeal cookies take the flaked but most take shredded. Here are a few recipes that use it…
https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/low-carb-coconut-cream-poke-cake/
https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/keto-almond-joy-bars-dairy-free/
https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/coconut-chocolate-chip-cookies-low-carb-and-gluten-free/
https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/keto-samoa-bundt-cake/
That ought to do you for now! 😉
You are so very awesome, Carolyn!!!! Thank you
The cookies look really good and more portion controlled. I really didnt want to make macaroons
This is the best snack I’ve made while on a low carb eating plan. Thank you for sharing!
Glad to hear it!
I found it really bakes faster. I only do 12 to 15 minutes. It starts to get too brown around the edges
Then your oven may run a bit hot.
Hi what can I use in place of brown swerve? I’m in the uk and can’t get hold of it
Use regular Swerve or regular erythritol with 1 tsp molasses. It won’t raise the carb count more than about 0.4g carbs per serving.
Hello Carolyn, I lined my pan with parchment paper. Will this affect the baking time or texture? I’m thinking not but sure. Thanks for a wonderful product!
It should be okay but may brown more quickly so be sure to keep your eye on it.
I loved this!! But im a bit shocked about the calorie counts… any thoughts on that matter?
The thoughts are that it is filling and satiating and you don’t need a lot of it. 327 calories is not actually a lot when it’s a full breakfast. While calories do matter some, it’s more important to feel satiated but not overeat and keto food tends to be calorie dense but very filling and satiating.
Can I use regular brown / white sugar in the recipe? My budget is limited& until I use what’s in my pantry I can’t get the sweetener subs…
Sorry, I honestly cannot help you there. I haven’t cooked with sugar in about 10 years.
Hi! I made this today! Went by your recipe except used regular brown sugar. It has a delicious taste but was so greasy! Way too much grease in pan and granola. Also, it did not get crunchy. I tried to blot as much grease out as I could. I used real butter. I would like to make it again but question as to why it was so greasy. Didn’t know if using the regular brown sugar was a problem! Thanks for your insight on this!
Yes, it would be the sugar. Keto sugar substitutes have fibre that help them absorb more oils. Mind you, this recipe is a bit greasy and that’s fine because on keto, we love our fats. But it shouldn’t be overly greasy.
You should try it with Swerve.
Just wondering about the nutritional information. The stats it gives is that for the whole batch or a specific serving size? It doesn’t say.
Nutritional info is always given per serving.
What is the serving size?
Because these are irregular sized clusters, you need to eyeball it and divvy up the recipe into the correct number of portions.
Absolutely delicious, especially with a bit of cinnamon. The only problem with this is that it’s difficult to stop munching. Time to portion it up!
Thank you for sharing!
Blown away with how yummy AND low carb these are…are you sure?!!
These are soooooooo good! My non-life carb friend and my super picky son liked them too!
OMG these are so delicious. I made it this morning and my husband and I can’t stop eating it
Love this recipe…have made it twice, but can’t seem to keep it in good clusters, just completely falls apart..
What sweeteners are you using?