This paleo and keto granola is extra crisp and a real flavor bomb! Think a combo of toasted nuts and seeds, all caramelized with one great and easy coating.
Note: this recipe was first published on November 2017, and has since been updated to provide more deets and tricks!
Paleo & Keto Granola
Extra (Extra!) Crisp!
I wanna tell you guys a little story! Once upon a time, gnom-gnom was (for a super brief period!) a physical little bakery in Mexico City. Clearly it didn’t work out (oops!), and the lack of demand kept the project from going further.
But this ‘top secret’ granola was one of the best sellers along with our candied pecans… which incidentally used the same topping. Coincidence? I think not!
And the credit goes to? Our sesame ‘sugar’ (now no longer) top secret coating!
Flavor aside, this keto granola is simply suuuper crunchy, even after soaking in almond milk for 10 minutes (you know, while I took the pictures!!)
So feel free to pair it with ice-cold almond milk and raspberries, allowing the granola to soak in the milk for a few minutes will flavor it as well (good stuff!). But it also goes great with Greek-style yogurt and strawberries, if that’s your thing.
The Secret Ingredient: Sesame Sugar (i.e. Halva)
I borrowed the sesame sugar coating from our favorite candied pecan recipe ever. The lightly toasted sesame seeds add such an incredible depth of flavor and aroma!
Once mixed in with the sugar and the cinnamon, an incredible coffee scent will arise. And expect such coffee earthiness to be present in the actual keto granola too.
And if you know the Middle-Eastern sweet treat halva, a mix of sesame and sugar, you won’t think twice about whipping these guys up asap.
A Nutritional Powerhouse
This keto granola is a breeze to customize to your taste-buds desires. Having said that, just make sure to keep the dry to wet ratios roughly the same. And I highly suggest you leave the coating unchanged.
So here’s a run through of what goes into it, and the nutritional perks we know you’ll love. And at 3g net carbs (and 18g fat!) the macros are pretty ideal.
Almonds: are one of the preferred keto nuts, and with reason. They contain a bunch of healthy fats, fiber, protein, vitamin E and magnesium.
Pecans: are very rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (mainly oleic acid) and full of antioxidants (reduce inflammation and reverse damage) and manganese (useful for weight loss).
Sunflower seeds: are incredibly rich in a bunch of nutrients, namely vitamin E, copper and vitamin B1. But you will also find that these guys are a great source of manganese, selenium, phosphorus, magnesium, folate, niacin and vitamin B6. Yup, ideal!
Pumpkin seeds: are little nutritional powerhouses, just like sunflower seeds. Their nutrient profile includes magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc. But they’re also very rich in antioxidants, for that extra boost.
Chia seeds: are simply awesome. These tiny Mexican guys pack a whole lot of protein and add a whole lot of crunch. Chia seeds contain large amounts of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, plenty of high quality protein, and several essential minerals and antioxidants. So if you’re on keto, and having trouble passing (you know, 💩), chia seeds are bound to become your new best friends.
Flax seeds: are a great source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, but also good for fiber, vitamin B1, copper, magnesium, selenium and phosphorus. Whoop!
Sesame seeds: are jam packed with healthy fats, calcium, iron, magnesium and vitamin B-6.
Blackstrap molasses (optional): 1 teaspoon (7g) adds 5g net carbs (depending on your macros, very little effect on carbs/serving). But carbs aside, blackstrap molasses is a nutritional powerhouse rich in vital vitamins and minerals, such as iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and selenium.
Cinnamon: ranks number 1 (out of twenty-six other spices and herbs) in terms of its antioxidant capabilities. Plus, who doesn’t love cinnamon?
Pink Himalayan salt: is highly recommended on the keto diet, and with reason. It contains roughly 84 minerals and trace elements, so a real upgrade from your usual table salt. Plus, it amps the flavors a bunch in this keto granola.
The Deets
Keep in mind that giving a light toast to a handful of the nuts and seeds will amp up their flavors a bunch, so I cannot recommend enough that you get it done. And yes, I know that they’re going in the oven for an hour… but they’ll be going in candied, so you want to get that toast before.
Still, doesn’t take more than 5 minutes with a pan or skillet. Just be sure to keep an eye on them, as you only want them lightly golden. Or you can do 10 minutes in the oven at 350!
The Sweetener
Like any respectable candied recipe, this one works best with a brown sugar replacement! My current favorite is Lakanto’s golden (tastes and smells sooo good!!), there’s only some light cooling aftertaste and it crisps up nicely in a few hours.
Your other option is to use allulose or xylitol (non-corn though to avoid tummy troubles!). Just keep in mind that your granola will take up to a day to crisp up.
As mentioned earlier, I also like to add a blackstrap molasses for that extra brown sugar kick (and a tonne of umami!). But then again, its totally optional! Though must say, I’m rather fond of sticking to the more natural route with blackstrap molasses.
Keep in mind that blackstrap molasses is considered a low glycemic sugar. One teaspoon (7g) adds 5g net carbs, so just 0.4g net carbs a serving (i.e. half the sugar of a strawberry!). But carbs aside, it’s also known to be a nutritional powerhouse rich in vital vitamins and minerals; such as iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and selenium.
Fun fact: Molasses contain high amounts of chromium, which has been studied to increase glucose tolerance levels.
And if using xylitol, make sure to be careful if you have a pup around the house, as it’s highly toxic to the little guys! 🐕
Looking for more keto cereal recipes?! Don’t miss out on our cinnamon toast crunch or cocoa puffs!
(Extra Crisp) Paleo & Keto Granola
Ingredients
For the keto granola
- 105 g almonds lightly toasted*
- 95 g pecans lightly toasted*
- 75 g sunflower seeds lightly toasted*
- 60 g pumpkin seeds lightly toasted*
- 110 g chia seeds
- 56 g flax seeds
- 60 g sesame seeds lightly toasted
- 8-10 tablespoons golden erythitrol or xylitol (we use 8)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon blackstrap molasses optional**
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 egg whites
- pink Himalayan salt to taste
Serving suggestions
- almond milk ice cold!
- full-fat Greek style yogurt
- raspberries
- strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250°F/120°C. Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment paper or a baking mat.
- Mix almonds, pecans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds and flax seeds in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Lightly toast sesame seeds over medium/low heat for 4 to 6 minutes. Watch out they do not burn or they'll taste bitter! You know they're ready when they're lightly golden, and you press one between your fingertips and it turns to powder.
- Add sesame seeds, sweetener, molasses (optional) and cinnamon to a food processor and pulse a couple times until powdered and mixed thoroughly.
- Add sesame sugar to nut mix and combine thoroughly. Set aside
- Beat egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold gently into granola mix until fully combined.
- Spread granola onto prepared baking tray in a single layer and sprinkle with pink Himalayan salt. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until they begin to harden, checking every 15 minutes or so. Allow to cool completely, as they'll continue to crisp up while cooling. Depending on the sweetener you use, these might get their full crunch after an overnight rest (think xylitol!).
- Break up in chunks and store in an airtight container for up to a week, in the fridge for 2, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Notes
Nutrition
and some food (for thought) 👁️
a newsletter about functional food to nourish, create and evolve.
(p.s. we don’t talk about fight club 🪄 )
xo! Paola
I just LOVE this granola with Fage yogurt. 20 grams is just enough.
This is my second batch. It was so much work for me the first time that I searched for other granola “easier” recipes. There’s toasting the nuts, and toasting the sesame seeds. Then dragging out, using and washing the food processor and hand Mixer. Then baking everything and washing those pans. I have foot pain, so had to do the recipe over a week’s time.
The other granolas didn’t even come close! I gave the other batches for my hubby to enjoy!!! Thank you so much for this delicious granola!! It is so worth the work!!!!
Hi Paola,
Are the almonds meant to be whole and raw, or can they be sliced or slivered?
Thanks!
Beats any commercial Keto granola hands down, plus I can vary my nuts & seeds to taste. The egg whites make it super crispy & light. Back in my old hippy days I’d make granola, but it was never crispy & of course full of rolled grains. My hubby takes it for work snacks and I eat it daily! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I’m finding this is my “go to breakfast “ now! Just an ounce of this granola, mixed with berries, Greek yogurt, and sweetener. The crunch and taste are great. I look forward to having it.
Plus, no frypans to clean up after making an egg!!
not a fan of molassas; would sugar free pancake syrup work?
I was wondering that myself.
Hi Marjorie, the molasses is completely optional, for the flavor only. 🙂
this is NOW one of our favs and something i’m sure we will keep on hand!! thanks for the hard work! we made it late one nite, and the next morning i jumped out of bed to have my “cereal” for the morning. i so anticipated my first taste of it because everything we have tried of yours is AMAZING!! 5 stars, freakin rockin amazin!!! thanks so much!
This is simple to make and also delicious. Nice to be able to reach into a jar and have a crunchy granola bite as well as in a bowl with milk. I wonder about adding a little cocoa next time…
Awesome to hear Anna!! And YES on the cocoa! You could either swap it for the sesame… or just add a bit extra (because sesame and cocoa are a great match too!). xo!
Hi! When swapping the cocoa for the sesame.. would you use the same amount, 60g of cocoa? Thanks!!
I would love to try this granola, but cannot have eggs. Just wondering if you think whipped aquafaba would work for the eggs? Thanks for your help.
I’m honestly not sure Patricia! I’m very intrigued by aquafaba though!
Melted butter might actually work. I’ve made candied nuts this way, with egg white, and with melted butter and both come out great. I’ve done aquafaba for things where the whipped egg white is for lift and it’s been fine, but I’m not sure if it has the sticking power of egg whites!
Thanks for your comment and help Anne, but I am allergic to dairy and eggs! No it is not easy to adapt these recipes to fit such a diet.
Try duck eggs. I can’t eat chicken eggs but duck eggs have no effect on me. Just remember that duck eggs have a higher fat and protein content and less water.
Coconut oil. keep the granola refrrefrigerate and the coconut oil will solidify and add the crunch
I am completely in love with this recipe! Thank you! I had to substitute hazelnuts for the almonds and hemp seeds for the pumpkin seeds, but I will be making this over and over again! I also couldn’t wait for it to cool, so I put it in the freezer so it’d crisp up faster! 😉 I could hardly stop eating it since it’s been so long since I’ve had “real” granola. I think I better double the recipe next time!
Just made this, why didn’t I start making it a year ago??? It’s absolutely delicious! Going to experiment with some cocoa powder and vanilla next! Thank you so much, you truly are a keto goddess!! <3
Wow…no matter what you add or how you do it, it always turns out crunchy and so flavorful. I even tried adding cayenne pepper to give it a nice bite and that blew me away. I can literally live on this. I even throw it in my spinach salad with roasted green bananas, crispy bacon, sweet onions and cooked egg. How can anyone not love eating like this to stay in a Keto state? Guess what I’m having for supper tonight…lol…
absolutely delicious! thank you!
Sesame seeds didn’t powder. I toasted in oven on pampered chef toaster stone tray. They were oily in texture and just spun around with sweeteners until I added sugar free breakfast syrup.
You really should put a warning label on this recipe, I could not stop eating it! (Made a half batch on a Saturday and polished it off on Monday.)
Thanks a million for a brilliant granola recipe that will be a staple in my home.
LOL definitely! I literally have to divide it and seal it in plastic bags so I don’t overeat 😂 so happy to hear it was a hit!
I forgot to add my rating, 10 out of 5 stars for sure!😁
Lol thanks love!!
I want to make this but in the form of a granola bar. I’m thinking of packing it into silicon bar molds to bake? Do you think it’ll work? I’ve been wanting crunch granola bars for some time but no other recipes compare to yours! Any suggestions to make granola bars? Thanks!
Yeah that will def work! Depending on thickness you may have to adjust baking time to make sure they’re crisp all the way through
Sounds good, thanks!
I LOVE this granola! I’ve made it every weekend for the last three weeks and find so many uses for it. I nibble as a quick snack, or lately I’ve been putting a serving over ricotta cheese sweetened with a little Swerve as breakfast. It’s so satisfying and has a great texture and crunch. With this recipe, I feel like I get to eat “regular” food. Thank you!!!
Just made this for the first time and as it’s cooling in the pan I nibbles and nibbled telling myself, just one more piece…just that little bit sticking off the side….until I had to walk away to keep from eating the pan. This will be fabulous in the morning with vanilla almond milk, a few blueberries and some toasted coconut chips. Also considering adding cocoa nibs when I tire of blueberries. Thank you for the recipe.
Hi! I’m new to all this keto diets. I’ve decided to give it a try because the other diets demand to abandon meat and I don’t have energy all day and always hungry.
I can’t understand 1 thing. WHY should you use sweeteners? I’ve heard they cause cancer. I’d rather don’t use anything! Can I use dry fruits instead? Or they are high in carbs? Thank you
I mean if you’re talkig about Splenda etc then yes, but Erythritol etc are natural seeeteners. You need to decide for yourself 😉
I’ve made this recipe many many times and it is always a hit. I have made many substitutions depending on what I have on hand. I’ve used different variations of nuts, I haven’t used sesame seeds if I’m out, etc. The granola is definitely THE BEST with these sesame seeds, but it’s not a deal breaker. The one requirement is molasses, NO MATTER WHAT. The molasses is the absolute best part and gives an umami that’s undeniable. Also a decent amount of pink salt really amps the flavor. I love this granola!!!
Right?! Molasses are bomb 😍
Also, I don’t have sesame seeds so I replaced it with golden flaxseed! Super stoked about it
I used walnuts instead of pecans because that’s what I had, and I didn’t have sesame seeds so instead I mixed together stevia, ground flax, cinnamon and the blackstrap with my fingers. I did everything else per the recipe and baked it for twenty minutes and it was crunchy and perfect. Thanks for the great recipe!
but the molasses are not keto or did I miss something
Remember at keto is not a list of foods, its a metabolic state… so similar how you can eat a handful of berries, you can eat other things in small quantities too (cue in molasses). xo!
Right on!
Could I use something like choc zero syrups instead of molasses????
Hi Paola, I’m planning to make this today but I’m confused about when to add the blackstrap molasses. If I add it to the food processor with the Swerve and cinnamon won’t it be a gooey mess instead of a powder? Should I powder the dry ingredients first and then add the molasses?
Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes!
Oh I’m excited to try this. In desperation I came up with a recipe that’s rather shockingly similar 😝. I didn’t make the sesame sugar — which I sure will next time! — and I haven’t ever whipped my whites, just tossed the whites through the nut mix. What’s the benefit of whipping the whites?
Better texture ☺️
I’m baffled by using whites at all – whipped or not. What purpose do they serve? Thanks!
The egg whites moisturize the mixture allowing the sweetener to adhere to the nuts.
Sounds like a great recipe. Can’t wait to try it. Only comment I have is we tend to talk about Omega 3s in seeds. Great crunch and otherwise nutritionally, but the O3s are not usable to the human body from plants.
I really don’t care for the molasses or xylitol, but I love dark chocolate. I have 80% dark chocolate with only 4 grams of sugar. How can I substitute this in with your granola without the sweetners? Would the recipe still be the exact same ?
Paola, Where are you? Actually, I am just wondering about your elevation… I’m in a new city at 7600 feet, trying to figure out if, when you say “very high elevation,” and provide your baking experiences there, whether I will have greater or lesser affects of my new elevation! Thank you for making Keto cooking possible for me, a person new to the kitchen! (It’s like you are reading my mind, giving the answers to all the questions in my head, right there in the deets!) And thanks for your help!
Hi! I’ve just tried making this but the sesame sugar ended up more like a paste?
You overground it and made tahini 😉
Don’t hesitate, just make this, it’s delicious. I used just 6T of swerve, as a personal sweetness preference adjustment, and this is DELICIOUS. Just had a bowl with labne and a few raspberries: thank you so much for developing it!
Snow day here in Michigan today, so nothing makes a cold day better than some granola! My daughters and I are going to bake up a storm today with your site, and the first to get made is this yummy granola. You are truly a master and we’ve been delighted with every recipe you’ve shared. ❤️
Can I substitute tahini for the sesame seeds?
The recipe is delicious! However, when I calculate the net carbs I get 14g per serving. Can you please show me how you made your calculations?
Your recipes are amazing! We live in Louisiana and it’s Mardi Gras time so I’m going to make your cinnamon rolls and decorate with purple, green and yellow cream cheese glaze.
We miss Red Velvet cake. Any chance you may be working on a recipe for that? Your butter-cream cheese frosting would be amazing with it.
All the best!