This tahini granola comes together quickly, delivering a beautifully nutty, sesame-rich flavour with the perfect light crunch from an egg white. It bakes in under 30 minutes and fills the kitchen with the warm aroma of toasted oats and honey. It's an easy, homemade staple that makes breakfast interesting.
I made Tahini granola when I was craving something new for a breakfast bowl. Packed with toasty oats, crunchy nuts, and a nutty sesame butter, it's the perfect balance of flavour and nourishment. I've been making this on repeat, and every batch vanishes faster than I can stash it! Follow my recipe video to make an easy granola recipe you can show off!
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
This granola brings a nutty, toasty twist with sesame seed butter, honey, and just the right crunch, thanks to whipped egg white and roasted almonds. Need more convincing? Here you go...
Unique flavour - Tahini gives it that wow factor.
Naturally sweet - Dried fruits add bursts of sweetness.
Crunchy texture - Egg white creates that addictive crunch.
Budget-friendly - Cheaper and tastier than store-bought.
Great for gifting - Makes a wholesome homemade treat.
No waste - A smart way to use up that forgotten tahini jar!
I've tested multiple batches and found this version hits the sweet spot - not too oily, not too sweet. I tossed in cranberries, raisins, and pistachios for colour and fun, but feel free to make it your own! Look up the Variations section for more ideas!
🛒Ingredient Notes
This recipe for easy tahini granola from scratch is crunchy, not too clumpy, and uses olive oil and an egg white! Fancy, right?
- Whole or rolled oats
- Tahini
- Almonds: Replace them with nuts like walnuts, pecans, or cashews. For a nut-free option, consider using seeds like pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
- Cardamom powder: This is optional. You can skip it.
- Olive oil: I have used extra-virgin olive oil, but you can easily replace it with melted coconut oil, vegetable oil or ghee.
- Honey: Easily replace this with maple syrup, date syrup or jaggery syrup! I have a granola recipe with jaggery on reels. Do check it out.
- Egg white: You can skip the egg white and increase the olive oil to ¼ cup. So instead of 2 tbsp, you will be using 4 tablespoon of oil.
- Vanilla sugar: I happened to have some, but you can substitute it with vanilla extract. Use 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for half a teaspoon of vanilla sugar.
- Dried fruits and/or seeds: Customise this based on what you have on hand or your taste. Consider all kinds of raisins, dried cranberries, pistachios, chopped dried apricots, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, etc.
Refer to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this page for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
🥣Instructions
Honey and tahini can be a bit stubborn to measure and pour. I usually measure oil first, then honey in the same cup - it slides right out! But for this recipe, lightly greasing your measuring cup helps. And trust me, a good rubber spatula is your best friend to scrape out every last bit into the bowl.
Preheat the oven to 150°C. Measure and add the dry items to a large bowl. That would be the rolled oats, almonds, salt, cardamom powder and vanilla sugar. In a small bowl, add the egg white, oil, honey and tahini.
Use a small whisk to whisk the liquid until it is mixed thoroughly. Then pour this over the dry items in the large bowl.
I like to use a rubber spatula and fold the mixture until no trace of dry ingredients remains. One of the reasons we use rolled or old-fashioned oats is that they can withstand moisture.
Spread the mixture into a thin, even layer on a lined baking sheet. I like to press it down before placing it in the middle rack of the preheated oven.
Stirring every 10 minutes is ideal, but at least once halfway through is crucial. Focus on unbaked areas near the edges for even browning-bake until golden.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown, remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan. Don't fret, the granola texture will be soft until it cools down completely. Lastly, stir in your favourite dried fruits and or seeds.
💡Serving Suggestions
Enjoy your Tahini Granola by adding fresh ingredients just before serving. Sprinkle a handful of sliced strawberries, banana slices, or a handful of fresh blueberries on top. The burst of fruity freshness not only adds vibrant colour but also complements the nutty and sweet notes of this granola.
📝Variations to Try
This is my favourite part of writing a recipe post because most of the time, I come up with ideas that I wish I had thought of before. Like, adding chocolate chips or coconut slices would have taken this Tahini granola up a notch! But there is always another batch waiting to be baked, right?
Here are a few of my favourite variation ideas:
- Add dark chocolate chips or chunks during the last few minutes of cooling time so they do not melt away.
- Mix in orange zest for a fragrant and citrusy flavour.
- Add coconut slices along with almonds for a toasty flavour.
- Toss in a variety of freeze-dried fruits like kiwi, strawberries, mango or cherries to create a colourful granola.
👩🏽🍳Tips
- Granola needs enough time in the oven to crisp up. If it's not baked long enough, it may remain soft.
- If the granola is spread too thickly, it may not bake evenly, leading to a lack of crunch.
- The sweeteners and fats in the recipe act as binding agents. If there's not enough honey or tahini, the ingredients may not stick together well, resulting in a less crunchy texture.
- Stirring halfway through baking ensures your tahini granola bakes evenly, especially if your oven has hot spots.
- Granola tends to brown faster around the edges, so keep an eye on it and rotate the tray if needed.
- Cooling the granola completely on the baking sheet is crucial. The cooling process further hardens the sweeteners, contributing to the desired crunch.
- Clumpy granola lover? Use a bit more honey and avoid over-stirring to get those big, crunchy clusters.
❄️Storage
Proper storage is key to keeping your Tahini Granola fresh and delicious. Here's a quick guide on how to store it:
- Container: Transfer the cooled granola into a large airtight food-grade container. Avoid over-packing or stuffing to fit all. Make sure there is enough room to shake up. This helps to prevent moisture and keeps the granola crisp and easy to scoop and serve.
- Check for Moisture: If you notice that the granola loses its crunch, you can revive it by placing it in a preheated oven for a short time. Just be cautious not to overheat and burn it.
- Freezer: Did you know you can place your granola in a freezer-friendly container and freeze it for months? It does not have to be thawed! It is ready to eat from the freezer, crispy and chilled!
Enjoy this granola with yoghurt, a snack on its own, or with your favourite milk!
☝️Recipe FAQS
Well, you can replace tahini with cashew butter, which I find is the closest in taste, but this recipe can be made with any nut or seed butter of your choice.
The ingredient that primarily makes granola stick together is the sweetener in the recipe, often in the form of honey, maple syrup, or another liquid sweetener. In addition to the sweetener, using ingredients like nut butter or even egg white can enhance the binding effect. The fat contributes to the overall stickiness, helping to create those desirable clumps and clusters in the finished granola.
I find using whole oats or rolled oats, or old-fashioned oats works best for an even texture.
If your oven has hot spots or is an electric oven like mine, then it is highly recommended to keep a close eye on it.
Serve it with your favourite milk, warm or cold, sprinkle it on yoghurt, or enjoy it as a snack on its own. Experiment with different fruits for added freshness!
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for weeks. Freezing is an option too; just ensure it's in a freezer-safe container.
In homemade granola, you have the flexibility to choose from various oils based on your preferences and dietary considerations. Commonly used oils for granola include: Olive oil, coconut oil, vegetable oil, canola oil and grapeseed oil.
🍚Related Recipes
- If you happen to have some date syrup, then do try my Emirati granola with date syrup.
- In the mood for a loaf cake, make my popular tahini loaf cake that got me new readers and followers.
- Microwaves can be used to make granola - did you know that?
- For a warm oatmeal breakfast bowl, try my brown butter oatmeal!
Looking for other sweet snack recipes? Try these:
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📖 Recipe Card
Tahini Granola
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats, (old fashioned or whole oats)
- 1 cup almonds, (or pecans, cashews or walnuts)
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla sugar, (optional)
Wet Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ⅓ cup honey
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 1 large egg white
- 1 cup dried fruits, see notes
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment (baking) paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the old-fashioned oats, almonds, cardamom powder, vanilla sugar, and salt.3 cups rolled oats (old fashioned or whole oats)1 cup almonds (or pecans, cashews or walnuts)1 teaspoon cardamom powder½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon vanilla sugar (optional)
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg white, olive oil, honey, and tahini until smooth using a small whisk or fork.2 tablespoon olive oil⅓ cup honey⅓ cup tahini1 large egg white
- Pour the tahini mixture over the oat mixture, stirring well to ensure even coating. Use a rubber spatula and perform the folding motion ensure every dry ingredient is moistened.
- Dump the oat mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread it carefully with a spatula, creating an even layer. I like to press down and spread to a thin layer.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, remembering to give it a good stir at the halfway mark and again a bit later, ensuring that golden hue. Keep an eye on it, as it can easily go from baked to burnt.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Once cooled, mix in dried fruit and nuts or any other tasty additions you like.1 cup dried fruits see notes
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in room temperature for weeks! Serve with your favourite milk, yoghurt and chopped seasonal fruits.
Simone says
one of the best recipes I have tried for granola. Made 2 batches this week already!
Famidha Ashraf says
I am surprised after a year, still no comments in this fantastic recipe! I made a batch recently and this is a great option to have for suhoor too!