Recipes » Breakfast and Brunch

Crispy Blueberry Almond Granola (free printable labels for gifts)

By Chris Scheuer | Updated on August 27, 2025
4.86 from 7 votes
Just a little heads up... this crispy Blueberry Almond Granola is addictive and it's impossible to eat just one little handful! No worries though... with oats, wheat germ, coconut, maple syrup, honey and a secret ingredient, it's also hearty and healthy!
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Just a little heads up... this crispy Blueberry Almond Granola is addictive and it's impossible to eat just one little handful! No worries though... with oats, wheat germ, coconut, maple syrup, honey and a secret ingredient, it's also hearty and healthy!

This Crispy Blueberry Almond Granola recipe took a few spins around the block before I was happy with it. It all started with some delicious blueberry almond granola that we were introduced to on a trip this summer. After returning home, I couldn't stop thinking about it and decided to come up with my own version.

I happened upon an unusual granola recipe over on the Serious Eats website. To be honest, the recipe sounded strange and I was quite dubious. Until... I began reading all of the rave review comments. Tons of them. Hmmmm.

How to make this unorthodox granola

What could be so strange about a granola recipe? Here's the nutshell rundown for the Serious Eats recipe:

  • Combine oats, flax, wheat germ and chia seed in a large bowl. Add buttermilk (yes, buttermilk!) and butter (butter, really? Really!).
  • Let the oat mixture sit for 20 minutes (for the oats to plump).
  • Add sugar and salt then stir to combine and let it sit again for 30 minutes (for the sugar to melt).
  • Turn the lumpy oat mixture out onto a sheet pan and spread to an even layer.
  • Bake, stirring every 25 minutes, until golden and crispy.
  • Add mix-ins then allow everything to cool.

See what I mean? Strange, right? Buttermilk? Butter? Sugar? In granola?

Why buttermilk?

That was my question too! The recipe creator over at Serious Eats, explains it this way:

  • Buttermilk tenderizes the oats, wheat germ, flax, and chia.
  • Soaking the grains expresses their natural starch, creating clumpy nuggets.
  • Sugar (or in my recipe, maple syrup and honey) interferes with water absorption in oats, so it's not added until later on.
  • Buttermilk's acidity prevents the grains from browning too quickly as they bake.

Her explanation made sense but, as the old saying goes, "the proof is in the pudding"... so I thought it was worth giving the recipe a try!

Blueberry Almond Granola on a white cake stand with a glass jar filled with granola.

The results?

SO, SO delicious! It's amazingly crisp, light and hearty at the same time. And now I agree, the buttermilk does everything she says! I love crisp little clusters of granola, the crunchy nuts and the fabulous pops of intensely flavored dried fruit.

A healthier rendition

Once I was sold on this new granola, I decided to see if I could tweak the recipe to make it healthier. The original recipe called for a cup of sugar and a ½ cup of melted butter. Yikes! Although I don't mind a sweet treat on occasion, consuming refined sugar and butter first thing in the morning isn't my idea of great nutrition.

I swapped the sugar for maple syrup and a splash of honey and subbed coconut oil for the butter. Using maple syrup and honey eliminates the second 30-minute "wait" period (for the sugar to dissolve) in the original recipe.

I also decided, after making several batches, to eliminate the chia seed and flax since there wasn't enough to add a ton of nutritional benefit and we liked the flavor better without them. A spoonful of cinnamon and a generous splash of vanilla were my other tweaks

The result? Addictingly delicious! So good, I find myself taking a little nibble each time I walk past the jar. I'm going to have to hide it from myself so we can enjoy it for breakfast with fruit and yogurt!

Blueberry Almond Granola

Since I wanted a blueberry-almond combination for my granola, I subbed dried blueberries and salted roasted almonds for the myriad of nuts and dried fruit in the original recipe. Since I need to watch my sodium intake, I used Blue Diamond Lightly Salted Almonds which are lower in sodium but still add a nice salty pop to the granola in contrast with the sweet oats and blueberries.

Although I call this recipe, Crispy Blueberry Almond Granola, I also love to throw in a handful of dried cherries. The (optional) sweet-tart cherries add another delicious layer of flavor.

I've already given lots of jars of this Blueberry Almond Granola to friends and everyone has loved it! I think you'll love giving it as a gift too. It's nice to have something to share that's not only delicious but also healthy!

We've created a free printable label to make gifting this granola quite special, and we'll also include a link for the jars you see in the post!

Get your free printable labels...

blueberry Almond Granola in a sealed jar with a custom label

I know we're going to enjoy this fabulous, season-less Blueberry Almond Granola all year long! It's wonderful for breakfast, as a snack, or even as a crunchy topping on a salad or over ice cream! I think, once you try it, it will become a staple at your house too! ENJOY!

P.S. In case you're wondering, the "secret" ingredient (mentioned on the label) is the buttermilk!

Cafe Tips for making this Blueberry Almond Granola

  • Make sure you use rolled oats (aka old-fashioned oats) for this recipe, not quick oats (which have been processed to help them cook quicker)
  • Dried blueberries and cherries can be expensive. I like to buy mine at Aldi, Trader Joe's Sams Club and Costco, where they tend to be more reasonably priced.
  • This recipe calls for wheat germ. The wheat germ gives the granola a touch of graham-cracker-y flavor. You can usually find wheat germ in the grocery store near the oatmeal. It's also available online.
  • Look for salted, roasted almonds for this granola recipe. I like to use Blue Diamond Lightly Salted Almonds as we are watching our sodium. I have also used Blue Diamond Honey Roasted Almonds which are deliciuos and also lower in sodium. Aldi also carries lightly salted roasted almonds.

Thought for the day:

Lift up your eyes on high
And see who has created these stars,
The One who leads forth their host by number,
He calls them all by name;
Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power,
Not one of them is missing. 
Isaiah 40:26

What we're listening to for inspiration:

How Great Thou Art

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Crispy Blueberry Almond Granola

Chris Scheuer
Just a little heads up... this crispy Blueberry Almond Granola is addictive and it's impossible to eat just one little handful! No worries though... with oats, wheat germ, coconut, maple syrup, honey and a secret ingredient, it's also hearty and healthy!
4.86 from 7 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 24 servings
Calories 232
PRINT PIN COMMENTS

Ingredients
 
 

For the granola:

  • 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant, quick, or steel-cut
  • ½ cup wheat germ
  • 1 cup buttermilk, plus 2 tablespoons
  • ½ cup coconut oil, melted
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, more or less, to taste
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

For the mix-Ins:

  • 1 ¼ cups whole salted almonds, I use Blue Diamond lightly salted almonds
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 8-10 ounces dried blueberries, or 4-5 ounces of dried blueberries and 4-5 ounces of dried cherries

Instructions
 

For the prep:

  1. Line 2 half-sheet pans (13x18) with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray or drizzle the pan with a teaspoon of oil. Use a small piece of paper towel to rub the pan to coat. Set aside.

For the granola:

  1. Combine oats and wheat germ in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
  2. Add the buttermilk and melted coconut oil. Stir well to combine and thoroughly coat all of the oats. Cover with a cleankitchen towel and set aside for 20 minutes for the oats to plum and soak up the liquid.
  3. While the oats are plumping, preheat the oven to 300˚F.
  4. Combine the maple syrup, honey vanilla, cinnamon and ¾ teaspoon of the salt in a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
  5. After the 20-minute plumping time, pour the maple syrup/honey mixture over the oat mixture. Stir well to combine.
  6. Add the coconut and stir again.
  7. Divide the mixture on the 2 prepared pans and spread each to an even layer. (A fork works well to spread it out.)
  8. Bake for 30 minutes then remove the pans from the oven and lift the sides of the foil to heap the mixture into the center of the pan. Stir with a fork, then, spread again to an even layer (This redistributing is important as the outside edges will tend to get brown quicker than the ingredients in the center of the pan.)
  9. Bake for another 40-50 minutes, until nice and golden brown and dry to the touch. Mine usually takes around 40 minutes more after the stir.

For the mix-ins:

  1. While the granola is baking, place the almonds in a large bowl. (I just wash the large bowl that I used for the oat mixture.) Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and stir well to combine. Add the dried blueberries (and cherries, if using) and stir again. Set aside.
  2. To finish:
  3. Remove the granola from the oven and transfer it immediately to the bowl of fruit and nuts. (This softens the dried blueberries and infuses the granola with blueberry flavor.)Take a small taste of the granola and add bit more salt, if needed (Don't worry if the the granola is not super crisp at this point - it will crisp out as it cools). Stir well to combine then turn back out onto the foil-lined sheet pan and spread to an even layer to cool.
  4. When cool, transfer to an airtight container for storage. It will keep for several weeks at room temperature if stored in an air-tight container.

Notes

See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips to ensure success.
If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn’t have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 5gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 0.2mgSodium: 87mgPotassium: 233mgFiber: 4gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 0.3IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 1mg
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Course: Breakfast, Snacks
Cuisine: American

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162 Comments

  1. My husband and I have been walking this earth together, hand in hand, for 57 years and love nothing more than sharing fine food that nourishes the soul as well as the palet. I made your very delicious Blueberry Almond Granola and would love to receive the label so that we can gift your lucious offering to family and friends. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Kind Regards from Oz.

    Reply

    1. Hi Monika, Congratulations on 57 years of happy marriage - that's really something to celebrate! So lovely to hear how much you enjoyed this recipe and that you plan to share it with family and friends. The labels are on the way to your inbox - Enjoy!

      Reply

  2. Hi Chris, would love the pretty labels for this Blueberry almond granola
    I think its so wonderful that you provide these pretty labels, thank you
    Kind regards,
    Brigitte

    Reply

  3. May I have the labels please. TIA!
    I seriously love all your recipes —all the way from Melbourne, Australia. God bless you! 🙏🏽

    Reply

  4. I just made this recipe this morning. It’s delicious! I love homemade granola. Mine toasted up quicker than 40 minutes I checked at 30 minutes and it was very toasty. By way of constructive feedback, I noticed step 5 says to add the maple/coconut oil mixture. I think it should be the maple/honey mixture since the coconut oil was already added in a previous step. I’m looking forward to trying your other granola recipes.

    Reply

  9. Hi,
    The recipe sounds delicious; looking forward to making it.
    Please send PDF for the labels.
    Thank you for Blessing us with your recipes and The Word .

    Suzanne

    Reply

    1. So glad you are enjoying the site, Suzanne! We are happy to send the labels your way.

      Reply

  10. Thanks for the recipe, it looks delicious! Can I use homemade buttermilk (aka milk with lemon juice)?

    Reply

  11. This granola looks delicous and I can't wait to make it for friends & family gifts! Please send instructins for printable label. Thank you for a great recipe!

    Reply

  13. Thank you for the recipe, scripture, and song. Sharing your gift of faith in multiple ways is very uplifting to see. I have made this recipe 3xs so far and am presently waiting for the oats to plump to make another batch. The first time I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out wonderful! The second time and third time I doubled the recipe and added 1/2 the sugar Craisins. It give that wonderful tart to the sweet. Only using 2 cookie sheets for a double recipe takes a little longer to bake but it still comes out perfect. Thanks again.

    Reply

    1. Thank you for the review, Carmen! So glad to hear you're enjoying the site!

      Reply

  14. COMPLETELY burned after 40 total minutes cooking time. I make granola all the time cooking it for about 18 minutes total... This recipe calls for 60-80 minutes - crazy! I made it exactly as directed but did take it out after 40 minutes before it was completely inedible. Also, why do I need to spread it out over 2 pans? The recipe also didn't state how to manage 2 pans in an oven. I put both in and changed racks after 20 minutes but it all burned.

    Reply

    1. Hi Maggie, I’m so sorry you had trouble with this recipe. I tested the granola numerous times and never had an issue with it burning.
      I adapted this recipe from a Serious Eats recipe. They direct to bake the granola for 100 minutes at 300. Did you back it at 300? I found the recipe took longer than other granolas because of the moisture from the buttermilk.
      Again, I’m so sorry this recipe did not work for you. I hate wasting good ingredients!

      Reply

  15. I have purchased all the ingredients and will make this yummy-looking granola next week. I would LOVE to have the label for this. Thanks !

    Reply

  16. Hello Chris,
    Thank you for the recipe. Can't wait to try it. What a perfect treat for Mother’s Day gifting. Please send the labels!

    Thank you,
    Gayle Humann

    Reply

    2. Hi Chris,
      I apologize as I know you sent me the labels but cannot find in my email. Can you resend?
      Thanks so much,
      Gayle

      Reply

  17. I generally don’t request labels until I’ve tried the recipe, but your Blueberry Granola HAS to be a winner; ingredients and photos are already making it a shoe-in! I would LOVE the labels! Thanks so much

    Reply

  32. I’ve just finished making my first batch of your granola recipe and it is so tasty, recipe is definitely a keeper
    Please could you send pdf labels. Thank you so much Kay

    Reply

  34. Please send me the labels! Thank you!
    Also- where do the coconut flakes fit in the recipe? (I may have missed it.)

    Reply

    1. Hi Carol, we'll be happy to send the labels.
      I have clarified the coconut in the recipe. Thanks for noticing that!

      Reply

  36. My family dries blueberries, so we want to have this granola on hand! Please send me the Crispy Blueberry Almond Granola gift labels! Thanks, so much+

    Reply

  37. Thank you Chris!!!! Looks amazing!!! 🙂 Maybe I missed it, but where do you purchase your Weck jars at the cheapest price? Thanks!

    Reply

  39. Dear Chris!
    Looking forward to making this. I have made granola for years for my husband. This is a totally new twist! Thank you.
    Please send the labels. TY

    Reply

  41. Greetings, Chris! I am looking forward to making this as gifts for family and friends. Please send the labels and remember how much we appreciate you! Kathy

    Reply

  42. I added dried blueberries to my grocery list for this week! I can not eat whole almonds though what would you suggest? I do eat slivered & sliced, maybe just add salt? Thank you! Oh and please send me the PDF. They will make a nice gift for my house guests! Thank you

    Reply

  43. Hi Chris,
    please send me the PDF for the pretty granola labels. Am planning to make this for gifts … like you, am intrigued by the different ingredients in this granola - but your recipes always deliver beautiful results - so I’m off to purchase buttermilk!! Thanks for such an inspiring website.
    My best,
    Fiona

    Reply

  45. Saw this in my inbox and grabbed some dried blueberries from Trader Joe’s. Would love to try and gift! Please send your lovely labels. Hope you’re all well and enjoying the cool temps!

    Reply

  50. Can canola oil be substituted for the highly saturated coconut oil? I am a registered dietitian , and coconut oil has been mistakenly sold to the public as a healthy oil. Not so! Thank you.

    Reply

    1. Hi Judy, I know there's controversy on both sides regarding coconut and canola oils. Coconut oil does give the granola really nice flavor but any oil will work for this recipe. Use whatever oil you feel best about.

      Reply

  51. Cant wait to try this.....LOVE your Best Ever Granola which btw freezes really well. Have you tried freezing Crispy Blueberry Almond Granola? Please send me the printable labels.
    Thanks!
    Pat

    Reply

  53. I may make this as a thanksgiving table gift. Would you please send the pdf for the labels and also the link for the jars please?

    Reply

  55. Dear Chris, I will be sharing this wonderful granola with my friends and neighbors and would love to have the beautiful labels to add to the
    the jars. Thank you!

    Reply

  59. Dear Chris,
    Please send me the labels for your Crispy Blueberry Almond Granola. Thanks, so much! I have been looking for a recipe like this for a long time. Looks like I have hit the jackpot. Thanks again, Meryl

    Reply

  60. Sounds yummy but I imagine that the addition of Buttermilk would be ruled out if one is allergic to lactose..any ideas for a substitute?

    Reply

  61. Thank you Chris for another GREAT recipe! I would appreciate a copy of the pdf for the labels for the Crispy Blueberry Almond Granola and links for the jars and ribbon too please - sooo cute!!!

    Reply

    1. Sounds like another winner recipe. Can’t wait to make and share with my family and friends. Please send the labels for crispy blueberry almond granola. Thank you Sharon

      Reply

  66. Iwould love the labels and links to the jars. Would be a nice gift to take as a hostess gift so they can enjoy the next morning.

    Thank you

    Reply

  69. Have made your “Best Ever Granola” several times and it’s the best! But I’m up to the ‘challenge’ of discovering if this new recipe could possibly be even better! Thank you!
    Would love to have the labels as I intend to give this as gifts.
    Pam

    Reply

  73. This sounds like a wonderful gift idea! I’m going to try substituting vegan buttermilk (almond milk with apple cider vinegar) in the recipe for dairy free friends.

    Would love the PDF and link for jars! Thank you!

    Reply

  77. Chris, this sounds delicious! Can I use the milk and vinegar trick for the buttermilk in this recipe like I do for baked goods that call for buttermilk?

    Reply

  79. Hi Chris
    I can't imagine a better granola than yourDouble Almond Paleo Granola but I will definitely give this one a try. I would love the printable labels. Thank you!

    Reply