Whereas I’m all for a venture within the kitchen, I typically discover myself too busy to make my very own granola. And if I’m being sincere, the very best granola manufacturers are normally higher than what I whip up in my very own kitchen (though I’ll say this grain-free tahini granola recipe by no means misses). I put my favourite clusters in my morning yogurt and chia pudding, toss them into pancake or muffin batter, and—maybe my favourite software—eat them immediately from the bag all afternoon lengthy on the sofa.
Whether or not you’re somebody who prefers your granola salty, chocolatey, nutty, fruity, grain-free, crunchy, or chewy, we’ve acquired you coated with ten of our workers favorites. And no, we are able to’t promise you received’t need to eat your complete bag in a single sitting.
It appears about time that the model behind issues like OMG Cookie Butter, Superfood Porridge, and Tremendous Ramen (which offered out in an hour after launching this April) would launch a very good granola. In true Kroma vogue, their tremendous granola focuses on nutrient-dense superfoods like maca, goji berries, mulberries, nuts, seeds, and Himalayan pink salt. The bottom is constructed from gluten-free oats sweetened with coconut sugar and flavored with vanilla bean, cardamom, and cinnamon. It’s extra like a cereal than a snackable cluster, so it’s greatest in yogurt, with milk, or on high of a smoothie—however that doesn’t cease me from consuming it straight from the bag. —Kate Kassin, editorial operations supervisor
Once I examined Sakara’s plant-based meal supply service, I additionally acquired a number of luggage of the model’s beloved granola, which is available in flavors like coconut praline and darkish cacao with Brazil nuts, and I’m hoarding them the way in which a dragon hoards a pile of jewels. It’s tremendous crunchy, not too candy, and has impressed me to replenish on my favourite plant-based yogurt and plenty of seasonal fruits to maintain the wholesome breakfast vibes going.—Carina Finn, commerce editor
Struesli was made for the nut-lovers amongst us. It’s a grain-free granola constructed from tiger nuts, walnuts and pecans, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, coconut flakes, and crunchy add-ins like cacao nibs. In case you seen that I didn’t point out sweeteners, that’s as a result of there aren’t any. Struesli goes nice with yogurt, cottage cheese, or chia pudding, and the unique and cacao and occasional flavors have a pure trace of sweetness. Additionally they make a savory selection with flaked sea salt, which makes an excellent topper for avocado toast, soups, and salads. —Ok.Ok.
I can’t get sufficient of all issues buckwheat, so I used to be thrilled to seek out these granola clusters from Lil Bucks. They’re made with sprouted buckwheat and crunchy toppings like coconut chips and pumpkin seed in flavors like chocolate sea salt, bucks n’ honey, and snickerdoodle. All of their flavors are naturally gluten-free, and pack in as a lot as 5 grams of protein.—Ok.Ok.
I like Early Hen for its tremendous easy ingredient record—which can be a bit irritating, as a result of when I attempt to recreate their mixes at dwelling utilizing precisely the identical components, mine by no means end up as completely balanced and crispy-crunchy (no rock exhausting granola boulders right here) as theirs. All of the varieties are nice, however my fave is Farmhand’s Alternative. It contains coconut chips and pecans, is sweetened with maple syrup, and is simply savory sufficient because of a glug of additional virgin olive oil.—Kendra Vaculin, take a look at kitchen editor
As a lady with a nut allergy, it’s been an actual wrestle to discover a good crunchy granola. I used to wander hopelessly down the well being meals aisle, scouring ingredient labels in the hunt for a nut-free granola. Then my sister launched me to Purely Elizabeth. Whereas among the model’s flavors do include nuts, loads of them don’t: The Pumpkin Cinnamon, Vanilla Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Sea Salt, and (my private favourite) Blueberry Hemp granolas are utterly nut-free. Sweetened with coconut sugar and stuffed with historical grains like amaranth and quinoa, each taste of this granola is warmly spiced, deeply toasty, and covetably clustery. I add the Blueberry Hemp (which is studded with tiny dried blueberries) to bowls of Greek yogurt, swirled with blueberry jam. It’s been in my each day rotation for years and I’ll be a loyal buyer so long as nuts nonetheless ship me into anaphylaxis.—Zoe Denenberg, contributor
The dominant taste on this seed-heavy granola is neither cherry nor pistachio nor rose. It’s cardamom—which is frankly simply tremendous by me. The nice and cozy spice is a successful foil to the tart dried cherries, complete pistachios, and flakes of coconut. Rounding out the ingredient record are oats, millet, and amaranth; sesame, flax, and chia seeds; honey, coconut sugar, and olive oil. The feel is on the sticky aspect, however the granola nonetheless maintains its crispness; it seems, not unappealingly, like clusters of hen seed. I additionally loved the peanut butter and jelly vibes of Candy Deliverance’s Strawberry and Salty Peanut taste, though fact be instructed I solely had a number of handfuls earlier than a sure Unhealthy Canine ate your complete bag. Bonus factors for the packaging, which feels much less like granola branding and extra like album artwork for a 70’s psych rock band. —MacKenzie Chung Fegan, contributor
I used to be initially reluctant to attempt Tom’s Excellent 10. It’s nothing private. I’ve simply all the time thought-about granola to be unhappy and sand-like: the underwhelming fish in an amazing sea of breakfast cereals. However after I tore open a packet and shoved a handful into my mouth, I instantly understood all of the hype. Apart from the nippiness, brown-bag packaging and the rolled oats, nothing about this granola is anticipated. I’ve tried the Ginger Zing and Authentic varieties, and each presents a burst of taste. The Zing—spiked with candied ginger, Vermont maple syrup (additionally infused with ginger), and a touch of black pepper, is spicy and bracing, like ginger chews in granola type. An entire bowl of the stuff will hearth up your morning routine, however it’s additionally the proper afternoon snack. The cinnamony Authentic was a crowd-pleaser among the many pals I shared it with, dessert-sweet and full of chocolate chips, pistachios, and dried cherries.—Ali Francis, contributor
Upon my first chew of Grandy’s Authentic Coconola, I used to be disillusioned. I’d misinterpret the “coco” within the title for “cocoa” and had bought the bag anticipating an enormous chocolatey crunch. After that preliminary shockwave, nevertheless, I used to be shortly in a position to re-evaluate. I noticed that what I had in my palms was the perfect granola I’d ever eaten: tremendous crunchy, stuffed with hearty heat flavors, and candy sufficient to maintain issues attention-grabbing. Although I’m an avid shopper of grains, you’ll notice it is a grain-free granola. That signifies that it’s heavy on the nuts and seeds. The “coco” denotes its coconut-flake base, however I wouldn’t say this granola is overly coconutty. The heavy hand of sesame and sunflower seeds brings a savory steadiness, whereas cashews, pumpkin seeds, and pecans add fatty richness. And simply in case you’re questioning: Sure, they do make a darkish chocolate model.—Joe Sevier, senior editor, cooking & search engine optimization
In case you, like me, love consuming granola straight out of the bag simply as a lot as you like sprinkling it over yogurt, you’ll respect the proper marriage of snackable clusters and supreme crunchiness present in Michele’s Granola. Constructed from scratch in small batches and hand-packaged in Maryland, Michele and her workforce make upwards of 8 flavors—assume Lemon Pistachio, Ginger Hemp, and seasonal additions like this winter’s Cranberry Pecan. The Cinnamon Raisin is my favourite granola, although, which comes as no shock: I’m workforce oatmeal raisin cookie via and thru, and this taste is paying homage to the toasty, crisp, and flippantly spiced cookie edges I so crave.—Alaina Chou, commerce producer
It is a good factor Goldilocks did not have to decide on between bowls of granola. Too candy, not candy sufficient, sticky, dry, all oats, no oats, chewy nuts, and leathery dried fruit shards… I believe she would agree with me that granola is in a full-blown state of disaster. No surprise so many individuals have turned to creating their very own for the reason that likelihood of liking something store-bought is about nil. With one exception. Bola’s Barely Candy granola is gluten free, with just-enough sweetness and richness to interrupt out of muesli territory whereas additionally not tasting like dessert. You would not put it on ice cream, and that could be a praise. There is a contact of vanilla and salt, however that is it. Bola’s revelation is texture: the almonds shatter somewhat than go chewy when eaten, and each factor, from gently toasted oats to pepitas, feels and tastes distinct—or ought to I say, good.—Christopher Morocco, take a look at kitchen director
I began shopping for this granola a pair years in the past after I seen it in my neighborhood grocery retailer, and it’s the closest factor on the shelf to selfmade granola (while not having to purchase 15 totally different components and babysit a slow-roasting baking sheet of oats all morning). This one is brittle and toasty and salty. I’m keen on the Banana-Walnut Crunch and the Cinnamon Chocolate, that are each candy sufficient to eat with unsweetened yogurt.—Anna Hezel, contributor
My mornings are all about effectivity, and Matchaful’s grain-free activated matcha granola manages to ship each a caffeinated punch and a seedy, coconutty chew in every brilliant inexperienced cluster. I’ll be sincere—I typically roll my eyes on the thought of grain-free granola—aren’t oats essentially the most important half? However between the hemp and pumpkin seeds and the uncooked unsweetened shredded coconut, this granola nonetheless achieves the heft I like with nary an oat in sight. The sweeteners used are coconut sugar and maple syrup, and there’s additionally virgin coconut oil, vanilla extract, and Himalayan pink sea salt. This granola has essentially the most stunning, complete clusters that make this the consummate nutritious snack at any time of day. —Ok.Ok.
