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
This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
- 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.
Free Bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Sign up for your favorite recipes delivered straight to your inbox plus get our FREE bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Since restarting keto a few months back, I was heartbroken that I could no longer enjoy the mass produced oat and honey granola bars that I adored. Enter ADIDAF’s keto granola recipe…SCORE! Now, I don’t miss the sugar laden stuff one bit. Crunchy, sweet, and oh-so-satisfying, whether enjoyed by itself, with a bit of macadamia milk, or as a topping for keto yogurt, it’s absolutely wonderful!
Thank you!
Made this for the first time on Saturday night (3 days ago) and it is fantastic! We left for Switzerland on Sunday and took most of it with us to stay away from high carb food and it traveled on our 8 1/2 hour plane ride really well! Thank you so much for this delicious granola treat.
Hi Carolyn!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe! It’s the first granola one I tried to make and will be a staple for me. Whether just for snacking or to put in my yogurt it’s delish. I do have a question though … I know this is might be a little odd but can either of the sweeteners be cut down at all? I find a little sweet for me …. I said Odd but I’ve never really been a sweet person more of a salty one. Hubby who is also low carb loves it as well and says it’s just sweet enough for him. LOL Thank you for all your time and effort in creating and sharing your wonderful recipes!!!!!
VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!!!!!!
Forgot to click my stars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Another amazing recipe! This was delicious as an Ice Cream topping! I can’t wait until tomorrow! Thanks again, Carolyn!
Delicious! I ran into A LOT of oil in my first batch. The bits were swimming in an excessive amount. Still, it tasted really good, but…I followed directions on measurements but I thought maybe I used too much butter w one stick. I read correctly. I was able to save the batch. I blotted as much as I could with pamper towels and put it back in a warm oven to works itself out. It did. The second batch I used same brand of butter ( Challenger Brand) but used 6 Tb or 3/4 of stick. Left all other measurements the same. This helped a lot. Still had to blot and put back in oven at 175° for maybe 5-10 minutes and left it in the OFF oven for the rest of the day. It was very humid here in FL so… a few hours later I came back to it
and it was perfect. THANK YOU for the recipe!!!!
Delicious! I misread the recipe and thought the granola needed to harden in the oven, so it was overcooked by about 10 minutes. But but did that keep me from devouring it? Nope! And good thing I made a double batch! Can’t wait to eat some tomorrow, then it goes in the freezer so I can try other yummy looking recipes on your site. Whenever I have a craving for something, I check your site first. You’re the best!
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. Like a dolt, I managed to forget the coconut, which I’m sure would have sent me over the edge, to the point where I would have needed a straightjacket to keep from eating the entire batch. As it is, I merely need three strong men carrying explosives. Brava, Carolyn. Yet another winner.
WOW. Now that’s an endorsement!
Can I store this in my freezer?
I would think so, yes, but I’ve never tried…
Thank you so much for this recipe!! I have my portion with some unsweetened Almond Milkfor a quick breakfast on the go or a half portion with some whipped double cream and a couple of mashed strawberries. I like in Ireland so I was unable to source the Swerve brown sugar do I just used the full amount of my regular sugar substitute and it is still amazing. So amazing intact that my kids and husband eat my granola now!! Its great knowing they are having a healthy start to the day as opposed to the sugar and processed granola they used to have.
I want to marry this granola!
HAHAHAH! <3
OMG indeed. Brown “sugar” and butter…. I had this for breakfast and it was like eating cookies. Thank you for your cookbooks and this website. Every recipe is delicious.
OMG! You are a recipe queen! You are a kitchen Ninga! I am your biggest fan! I have never gushed over anyone before but, your work in the kitchen has changed my life. The husband loves when he sees me flipping through one of your cook books cause we know its going to be delish. Thank you for all you do, we appreciate your skills and dedication to creating wonderful dishes.
This is delicious. It was wonderful on plain Greek yogurt with a drizzle of sugar free blueberry syrup. My husband enjoyed his with almond milk in a bowl. He has really been missing cereal since being on keto. Such a nice change for breakfast. Thank you.
Soooooooo goooood!!!! I made this as directed and it is so tasty and made my kitchen smell so yummy!! Will put this in my favorites!! Thank you for making my diabetic and weight loss keto journey much more palatable and enjoyable!
Just ran across this recipe. Not sure if this question has been asked or not. Are you using raw nuts or roasted? Thanks for your time!
They’re raw… because they get roasted during the cooking process. Never use already roasted nuts in something like this or they will get burned.
I just made this yesterday! It is my go to granola recipe. So easy! I do find that I need to add a few more nuts etc. and also about 2/3 cup of almond flour. It seems to keep it from getting to greasy from the butter. I keep it in the freezer and then when adding almond milk it’s super cold. Just the way I like it!
This is the first time I ever made granola. I am delighted with it. Sooo Goood! My non-low carb hubby loved it, too. I’m making yogurt parfaits for dessert tonight and topping them with this granola. Thank you.
My house smells fantastic after baking this!!! Thank you so much for your hard work and sharing!!!
Modifications that I made:
I used Lakanto monkfruit granulated and powdered. I did not have brown sugar substitute, so I just didn’t use it. I have a feeling swerve must have something Lakanto does not, mine came out super buttery (I don’t mind this one bit.) I used all the same nuts, but added sunflower and about 1/3 c golden flax seed meal.
This is going to be on regular rotation as long as I can control my portion sizes!