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
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This is my favorite keto cereal recipe. I always double the recipe, though, because it’s so good, and keeps well. I do reduce the butter to 1/4 cup, though, which works fine. My favorite way of eating it is with unsweetened, dried cranberries, heavy cream and some unsweetened, almond milk. But it’s just as good as a snack, out-of-hand!
I make this recipe at least once a month since I found your blog and I LOVE it!! I use it in my yogurt and it’s the perfect combo!! Thanks for all you do!
Great to hear!
This was a great change from my usual granola. I love how the brown sugar substitute and butter made the granola more like clusters! I used my own homemade vanilla so the taste was extra special. The recipe was easy to follow and makes a good amount! This will be a repeat for our family as we use it in morning cereal , oatmeal and as a snack! Thinking about bagging some up as gifts at Christmas!
This is SO GOOD. I used 1/2 pepitas and half sunflower seeds. And so easy to make. No rolling or cutting! My favorite cereal by far!!
I made a batch to take to State Fair as a snack. The recipe is wonderful. My invalid husband who rarely eats solid food, was so enticed by the wonderful smell he asked for some and enjoyed it. I’ve been eating Keto for years and this is the first cereal I’ve tried. It was wonderful with some heavy cream. I will definitely be making this recipe often. Thanks Caroline!!!
I just made this for the first time and it is delicious! The instructions were perfect. As soon as it came out of the oven, I cut it into 8 pieces and they cooled crispy enough to pick up and stack in a glass container. Now we can just grab a portion and go! I used a bit of both maple extract and vanilla because…why not?
Tasty!
am very interested in trying the keto diet I find myself wanting to eat sweets I think this is really going to help me
I make this often and use it as a topping for my morning yogurt and blueberries. It’s delicious and crunchy…perfection!
Excellent!
Hi Carolyn, I made this recipe without reading your notes so whoops – even with the allulose it still turned out good!
Love your stuff!
I just made this & it is fantastic. I know you have a disclaimer on your nutritional values but am wondering if a one got left off. Yours says 6.5 carbs per serving and I’m wondering if it should be 16.5. I imported your recipe into Lose It app & it shows 16.5 carbs. Just checking!
:o)
I made this exactly as the recipe says. It is delicious, but it came out very wet – not at all like a crunchy granola. I used 2/3 cup of butter (I was using a recipe that is double the one above) just like it called for. What could I have done wrong? Thank you!
What sweetener did you use?
This is better than any store bought or recipe I’ve tried. I mix it with yogurt, a bit of stevia and some Fiber 3, for breakfast and it fills me until dinner. So good. I used to put Fiber 3 in my coffee to get the prebiotics, but I’d gag on it. It’s mostly flax seed, so mixing it in the yogurt with this great granola solved a huge problem for me. Thank you for this magic.
How much is 1 serving?
The recipe card states the amount per serving.
Good grief, this is some sort of insane dark art/black magic stuff, because it’s actually made my non-keto partner declare that this is WAY better than the stuff from the local cafe that he’s been addicted to for ages! 🙂 I made this almost exactly as written, using powdered erythritol (which is more easily available here in the UK and cheaper) instead of Swerve, and used vanilla extract rather than maple, and it was delicious! It has the perfect balance of sweetness with that hint of salt, and the crunch is marvellous. Thank you for another brilliant recipe, and my partner’s health thanks you too 🙂
Best low carb granola I have tried. I used white granulated Swerve and maple flavoring instead of the brown Swerve I did not have.
This is amazing! I’ve missed cereal and I have enjoyed this so much! I finally read all the post and realized why my granola wasn’t clustering. My sweetener has allulose. But it still turns out delish. Thanks for the awesome recipe❤
Made this for the first time and it was phenomenal! I wanted something crunchy for my low-carb yogurt and this did not disappoint. It’s a great base recipe that can easily be switched up with different nuts, SF chocolate chips (or any flavor). So good!
This is fantastic! my whole family loves it. Thanks so much for sharing this❤
I enjoyed this recipe and will make it again.
Question. Would adding flax or chia seeds do well in this recipe?
Sure, you could add a little.
The first time I made it the other day and added chia and flax seed, came out fantastic.