This tahini granola is slightly sweet, crunchy, and packed with nutritious nuts and seeds. Sprinkle on top of a smoothie bowl, enjoy with yogurt and fruit, or eat a handful straight from the jar!
The start of summer means it’s officially smoothie bowl season! I love adding all the toppings to my smoothie bowls, but I wanted a new flavor to crunch on. Homemade granola is one of the easiest things you can bake – without fail – and so I set out to switch up a basic granola with nuts and seeds by adding tahini.
What’s tahini?
All it is is ground sesame seeds! It’s one of the main ingredients in hummus, but it can be used in numerous recipes – including granola! If you’re not fan of tahini (it’s a little earthy) or if you don’t have any in your pantry, you could sub any creamy nut butter for the tahini in this recipe. You can also make it from scratch using sesame seeds!
When making my own granola I always try to keep the sugar as low as possible. Some store bought granolas are super sugary (which is why they are so delicious!) When I make my own at home, I usually opt for maple syrup, honey, or minimally sprinkled brown sugar. The more ingredients you add in like nuts, seeds, coconut, dried fruit, etc., the less you will miss that overly sweet taste.
Ways To Enjoy Tahini Granola
- Mix with your favorite cold cereal and milk of choice
- Make a yogurt parfait with layers of tropical fruit
- Use as a smoothie/smoothie bowl topper
- Add a sprinkle on top of oatmeal
- Pack it up for summer road trips (straight outta the baggie – yup!)
- Store in mason jars + gift to friends/neighbors
- Enjoy by the handful hot off the pan (that’s my favorite…)
Not only is this a tasty snack, but it’s also packed with nutrition: fiber from the oats and healthy fats from the various nuts and seeds.
The combination of crunchy nuts and seeds with a touch of slightly sweet pure maple syrup and creamy tahini makes this granola quite delicious!
Crunchy Tahini Granola
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1/3 cup almonds, chopped
- 1/3 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp. salt add more to taste
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine all dry ingredients (oats, nuts, seeds, coconut, salt, cinnmaon) in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the tahini, maple syrup, and coconut oil. Heat briefly in the microwave (for 20-30 seconds) or in a small saucepan (over medium heat for 3-4 minutes) until warm, but not bubbly. Stir again until smooth.
- Pour the tahini mixture over the oat mixture, and stir until evenly combined.
- Spread the granola out evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, and keeping an eye on the granola to ensure that it doesn’t burn.
- Remove baking sheet from the oven. Without stirring the granola, let granola cool until it reaches room temperature.
- Break the granola up into your desired size of clumps. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container at room temperature.
More Granola Recipes!
Kori says
I can’t wait to make and enjoy this granola! I love tahini.
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says
This looks really good! Definitely gonna try making it 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Laura Vander says
Yum, I always love trying new granola recipes … and can’t eat my yogurt bowl without it 😉
Diana says
How do you think it would work if u increased the tahini and left out the coconut oil?
Kath Younger says
Mixing might be a little hard. If your tahini has any oil on top, you could use that instead? Or if it’s on the runny side. If it’s thicker (more used) you might need just a little of any oil to sub in.
Diane says
This looks amazing and I would love to make it. Could you suggest an alternative to the oil?
Kath Younger says
Just add a little extra of the other wet ingredients to ensure the oats get covered, such as extra tahini.
Barbara says
I had enjoyed an earlier recipe for granola that you posted. And I’ve been thinking about making it again. But I might give this a try instead.