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This sweet and salty sourdough granola is a wholesome snack that is super easy to make. This recipe is delicious as is, but it is also easy to customize with your favorite nuts, dried fruits, and seeds. Eat it as a snack or sprinkle it over yogurt or fruit.
Table of Contents
This sweet and salty sourdough granola has been on repeat around here lately. It’s the kind of snack that’s too easy to keep grabbing by the handful.
It’s just the right mix of crunchy, lightly sweet, a little salty, and totally addictive in the best way.
This base recipe is simple and wholesome, and you can easily make your own version with any nuts, seeds, or dried fruit you have on hand.
I love it over yogurt, fruit, homemade cottage cheese, or even warm breakfast grains like millet. It’s also perfect as-is for a grab-and-go snack.
In fact, even my husband—who’s usually not much of a granola guy—has been sneaking handfuls every time he walks through the kitchen.
Breakfast is one of my favorite ways to use up extra sourdough starter. On the weekends, I’ll whip up crepes, sourdough biscuits and gravy, or no-flour sourdough pancakes.
But this granola is an easy make-ahead option. It keeps in the pantry for weeks (though it never lasts that long at our house).
My latest obsession is making homemade pantry staples. I’ve been canning homemade bone broth and making sourdough breadcrumbs.
And for sure, I have to stock up on more of this sourdough granola because we can’t get enough of it!
Ps. If you want to make a few breakfast pantry items, in addition to granola, we also love keeping sourdough Cinnamon Toast Crunch in the pantry.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Sweet and Salty: This is a classic granola recipe with a little extra emphasis on the sweet and salty. The secret is the extra sprinkle of salt while the granola is still hot.
Simple Ingredients: Sourdough granola is made with wholesome pantry staples, most of which you probably have on hand.
Easy: Making homemade granola is incredibly easy and takes just a few minutes of hands-on time.
Versatile: This recipe is delicious on its own, but it can also serve as a base for your favorite add-ins. You can add any nuts, seeds, or dried fruits you prefer.
Sourdough: Discard recipes are a great way to add a subtle hint of tang and to use up starter left over from your regular feeding routine.
Ingredients
Sourdough Starter: Use active or inactive starter. New to sourdough? Download my free sourdough starter eBook.
Rolled Oats: Use rolled oats, not quick oats. Quick oats will get mushy in this recipe.
Nuts and Seeds: I used almonds, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds, but you can use any nuts and seeds you have on hand.
Dried Fruit: Chop any large pieces of dried fruit into bite-sized pieces. That way, each bite will have a combination of textures and flavors: crunchy, chewy, sweet, and salty.
Salt: Coarse salt creates a better contrast with the sweetness. I used coarse kosher salt.
Get the full list of ingredients and measurements on the printable recipe card below.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter, butter, maple syrup, and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
Step 3: Add in the rolled oats, chopped nuts, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Stir until the dry ingredients are coated with the starter mixture.
Step 4: Spread the granola in a tight, thin single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until it is toasty and golden.
Halfway through, you can rotate the baking sheet if needed, but do not stir it.
Step 5: Remove from the oven. While still hot, top the granola with the dried fruit and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Then, gently toss to combine. Try not to break up the clusters yet.
Step 6: Let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet, then break it up to your desired texture.
Store in a mason jar for a pretty pantry staple or in any airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.
Tips for Success
- Add the salt while the granola is still hot. This allows the salt to dissolve and absorb into the food, giving it a delicious sweet and salty flavor.
- I like to keep a little frozen sourdough starter on hand. If I’m low on starter, I can still make granola and other discard recipes in a pinch. Just pull it out to thaw an hour or so before you need it.
- If you prefer a less sour flavor, use a freshly fed starter. If you like more tang, use discard that is a couple of days old.
- Wait until the granola is completely cool to break it apart. This will help it stay in yummy clusters. The flavor doesn’t fully develop until it has cooled.
- Double or triple this recipe. It’s a great homemade pantry staple that lasts up to a month!
Storing Sourdough Granola
Store your leftover sourdough granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.
Lately, I’ve been really into making my own pantry staples and displaying them in jars. And granola in a mason jar looks really beautiful (canned pinto beans and candied jalapeños look really pretty, too).
Just pour it in the jar and add a tight-fitting lid. I like these reusable lids for pantry storage.
Recipe Variations
Chocolate Covered Pretzel: Add crushed pretzels. After it has slightly cooled, toss in some chocolate chips.
Cinnamon Apple Pie: Toss in bite-sized dry apples, nutmeg, and a little extra cinnamon. Freeze-dried apples would be delicious in this!
Chocolate Cherry Chunk: Use chopped dried cherries and a little cocoa powder. When it’s out of the oven and slightly cool, toss in some dark chocolate chips.
Banana Bread Granola: Combine walnuts, sliced almonds, and banana chips.
Tropical Granola: Swap out the maple for honey. Then, mix in dried pineapple, coconut flakes, chopped macadamia nuts, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
FAQs
If your granola isn’t crunchy, it may have too much moisture, be baked too low, or spread too thick on the baking sheet. Let it cool completely. It gets crunchier as it cools.
Definitely! It’s often much cheaper than store-bought. Plus, it uses simple pantry staples and helps use up discard.
The sourdough starter acts as a binder and adds flavor.
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Sweet and Salty Sourdough Granola Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sourdough starter, active or inactive
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts, (I used almonds and walnuts)
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, divided
- 1/3 cup dried, bite-sized fruit
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter, butter, maple syrup, and vanilla until thoroughly combined.1/4 cup sourdough starter, 3 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add in the rolled oats, chopped nuts, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir until the dry ingredients are coated with the starter mixture.1 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup chopped nuts, 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, divided
- Spread the granola in a tight, thin single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until it is toasty and golden. Halfway through, you can rotate the baking sheet if needed, but do not stir it.
- Remove from the oven. While still hot, top the granola with the dried fruit and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Then, gently toss to combine. Try not to break up the clusters yet.1/3 cup dried, bite-sized fruit
- Let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet, then break it up to your desired texture. Store in a mason jar for a pretty pantry staple or in any airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.
Notes
- Wait until the granola is completely cool to break it apart. This will help it stay in yummy clusters. The flavor doesn’t fully develop until it has cooled.
- I used almonds, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds, but you can use any nuts and seeds you prefer or have on hand.
- Chop any large pieces of dried fruit into bite-sized pieces. That way, each bite will have a combination of textures and flavors: crunchy, chewy, sweet, and salty.
- Add the salt while the granola is still hot. This allows the salt to dissolve and absorb into the food, giving it a delicious sweet and salty flavor.
- If you prefer a little less tang, use a freshly fed starter. If you like more tang, use discard that is a couple of days old.