This wholesome excessive protein granola recipe immediately grew to become a household favourite! With solely 10 minutes of prep, it’s fast and simple to make, and a easy baking trick yields the most important and crunchiest clusters. Sprinkle it over yogurt, pour it right into a bowl with a splash of milk, or just munch on it by the handful. This cinnamon-spiced granola is cozy and scrumptious any means you eat it!
Most mornings throughout faculty, I ate granola for breakfast. After shaking some into my favourite blue bowl and including a little bit of milk, I grabbed a spoon and headed to the couch.
With a e-book balanced on my knees, I slowly turned its pages as I savored my breakfast. That routine offered peace and calm earlier than the chaos of biking to campus, dashing between courses and labs, and scribbling down copious notes in every… Along with the stress from the pop quizzes, midterms, and finals sprinkled all through the semesters.
Upon graduating, I started attempting different breakfasts. After loads of sampling and experimentation, I ultimately gravitated extra in the direction of protein-packed ones — like omelets, these straightforward quiches, and my freshly found favourite protein smoothie — and my particular granola bowl stayed tucked away at the back of my kitchen cabinets.
I just lately noticed it whereas reorganizing my cabinets, and a thought popped into my head. “What if there was a means so as to add protein to my granola?”
Quickly, I smiled as cozy cinnamon smells stuffed my kitchen and I munched on my first handful of this wholesome excessive protein granola. It was attainable — and much simpler than I ever anticipated!
Maybe it’s time to deliver my favourite granola bowl again to the entrance of my cabinets in spite of everything… I foresee many batches of this wholesome granola in my future!
QUICK OVERVIEW – HIGH PROTEIN GRANOLA
Problem: Very straightforward, together with for a lot of newbie bakers.
Style: Calmly sweetened with cozy oats and heat cinnamon filling each chunk.
Texture: Crisp and crunchy — with a lot of large clusters!
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HIGH PROTEIN GRANOLA
Let’s discuss in regards to the elements that you just’ll must make your individual batch of this wholesome excessive protein granola! There are solely six, and there’s a good likelihood you’re conversant in most of them already.
Oats. A key granola ingredient! For this excessive protein granola, each old style rolled oats and fast cooking oats work equally properly, so be happy to make use of whichever one you usually inventory in your pantry. Simply don’t use steel-cut oats… They’re a bit too thick and dry!
Tip: In case you use licensed gluten-free old style rolled oats or licensed gluten-free fast cooking oats, then you possibly can simply make this excessive protein granola gluten-free!
Rice cereal. This ingredient might flip a couple of heads… However surprisingly sufficient, many store-bought granolas additionally embrace rice cereal! (Go forward, test any bins tucked away in your pantry. Did you see it anyplace within the diet label? Whether or not as crisp rice or simply plain ol’ rice??)
I like including rice cereal to my home made granola as a result of it gives a pleasant crunch — and for much fewer energy than liberal drizzles of oil. I’ve combined it into virtually each home made granola recipe that I’ve shared with you! Crisp brown rice cereal is my favourite, however common crisp rice cereal (like Rice Krispies) works splendidly as properly.
Tip: Many crisp brown rice cereal merchandise are naturally gluten-free, so seize a kind of in the event you’d wish to make your excessive protein granola gluten-free too!
Cinnamon. Perhaps it’s simply me, however I really feel like oats and cinnamon go collectively like peanut butter and jelly — or cereal and milk! I shake a beneficiant quantity into my batches of home made granola, and I completely adore the additional cozy and comforting taste that it provides.
Tip: Saigon cinnamon is presently my favourite! It has a barely stronger, richer, and sweeter taste than common cinnamon. I like the heat it gives, and it’s principally the one variety I now use in my baking. Many shops have began stocking it, however I usually purchase mine on-line right here. It’s actually inexpensive!
Sweetener. To maintain the emphasis on the “excessive protein” facet of this granola, I opted to sweeten it with liquid stevia. Stevia is a sugar-free, no-calorie, plant-based sweetener that accommodates nothing refined or synthetic (aka it’s clear consuming pleasant!), and it’s additionally actually concentrated. You solely want ½ teaspoon to make this whole batch!
Trace: Many stevia manufacturers and merchandise have totally different sweetness ranges, so that they’re not essentially 1-for-1 substitutes for one another. I extremely advocate utilizing the identical one which I do for the most effective taste and texture! You’ll find it at many health-oriented grocery shops, however I purchase it on-line right here as a result of that’s the most effective value I’ve discovered. You’ll additionally use it in all of these recipes of mine — I promise it’s not a “one-time use” ingredient!
Nonetheless… I additionally acknowledge that some folks don’t like or can’t tolerate stevia, so I’ve included different options within the Notes part of the recipe. Verify there in the event you’re focused on substituting one thing else!
Egg whites. That is the primary a part of the “excessive protein” issue! The whites comprise the vast majority of the protein in eggs, so including egg whites to this wholesome granola boosts the protein content material. But that’s not all they do…
The egg whites additionally act because the glue that holds the granola clusters collectively!
Sure, it could look like an odd granola ingredient. No, your granola does not find yourself with bits of scrambled egg in it.
Take into consideration once you bake a batch of your favourite oatmeal cookies. An egg goes into that cookie dough too, proper? But you don’t find yourself with bits of scrambled egg sprinkled all through your cookies. The identical factor applies right here! So long as you (a) whisk the egg whites rather well and (b) evenly coat the cereals with the liquid combination, your excessive protein granola will prove with completely crunchy clusters and nil fragments of scrambled egg.
Protein. Egg whites didn’t add fairly sufficient protein, so I wished a second supply… However that meant reaching for protein powder.
I’ve discovered a lot about baking with protein powders through the years. I’ve a complete FAQ Web page devoted to it! The #1 lesson? Virtually all protein powder manufacturers and merchandise behave otherwise in baking recipes… So that you often find yourself with noticeably totally different outcomes once you strive substituting one for an additional. That usually means it’s important to search out the very same protein powder that I exploit (and hope it hasn’t been discontinued!), experiment by yourself, or abandon the recipe altogether — none of which I wished you to undergo to bake a batch of this excessive protein granola.
I rapidly realized one thing else: I used to be solely contemplating plant-based and whey-based protein powders — and there’s one other class the place the precise model doesn’t matter as a lot.
So as an alternative of pigeonholing you into shopping for one very particular ingredient, I determine to check collagen peptides powder. Many of those manufacturers embrace the very same factor (collagen peptides and nothing else!), so that they’re extra interchangeable and due to this fact simpler to find as properly.
The decision? Full success! Collagen peptides powder added a giant protein increase with out affecting the granola’s taste or texture. No chalkiness, no tang, no bizarre aftertaste… Simply heat, cozy, cinnamon-spiced large and crunchy clusters. Hooray!
HOW TO MAKE HIGH PROTEIN GRANOLA
With these elements now sitting in your counter, let’s rapidly go over easy methods to make the most effective excessive protein granola. I promise this recipe is fast and simple — however there are a couple of key issues to cowl first!
Room temperature eggs. I noticed this after my first try… So please study from my mistake. Your eggs should be room temperature — not chilly! That’s as a result of collagen peptides powder usually clumps in chilly liquids.
Sure, I admit it… I ought to’ve learn my tub’s full label earlier than starting. The small print subsequent to the “Urged Use” very helpfully defined that reality after I seen large white lumps in my mixing bowl. Oops.
But in the event you’re impatient — or neglect to set your eggs out far sufficient upfront — I’ve a straightforward trick to rapidly heat them up! Microwave water till it’s sizzling to the contact, gently place your complete eggs into it (sure, nonetheless of their shells!), and allow them to sit for 10-Quarter-hour. Much like the best way a shower or sizzling tub warms your pores and skin, the water may even heat up the eggs and convey them to room temperature.
Trace: It’s not only for granola — that is my trusty trick for making cake batter and cookie dough too!
Whisk + fold. As soon as your eggs attain room temperature, the method takes mere minutes! Whisk them till they’re utterly damaged up (search for them to seem frothy and bubbly). Subsequent, you’ll whisk within the collagen peptides powder. In case you discover any clumping, comply with Dory’s recommendation and simply maintain whisking, simply maintain whisking, simply maintain whisking whisking whisking. (Every other “Discovering Nemo” followers on the market??) The clumps will develop smaller and may ultimately disappear! Lastly, whisk within the cinnamon and sweetener — after which put the whisk down.
While you pour within the oats and rice cereal, swap to a spatula and gently fold them in. An excessive amount of or too vigorous of stirring will utterly squish the sunshine and ethereal rice cereal, which suggests you’ll miss out on the stunning crunch it provides! Use a light-weight hand to toss these two cereals till they’re evenly coated with the liquid combination. Act rapidly so the rice cereal doesn’t flip soggy both!
Bake. It’s virtually time to bake! Switch the moist granola combination to a giant rimmed baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat (extremely advisable!) or parchment paper. I discovered this trick from my buddy Phi’s cookbook!
Beforehand, I baked my granola in cake pans, however the clusters generally turned out too small from the frequent stirring required for them to prepare dinner right through… Or quite tender as a result of I didn’t wish to break them up an excessive amount of.
A big rimmed baking sheet instantly solved each!
The bigger floor space meant I might unfold out the granola combination in a thinner layer, and it additionally resulted in even baking with much less stirring… So I ended up with the most important and crunchiest clusters conceivable. It’s a gamechanger — and the easiest way to bake home made granola!
After the primary section of baking, you’ll gently break aside the large granola layer into items. You should use a spoon to do that or — in the event you’re very cautious! — your fingers. (Simply don’t burn your self!) The following time you take away the pan from the oven, you’ll gently stir or transfer these items round. Those closest to the pan’s edges typically crisp up quicker, so I wish to swap them out with the middle items to make sure all the things finally ends up with the identical quantity of crunch. Briefly pop the pan again within the oven yet another time, and that’s it!
Break aside clusters. That is elective! In case you see any additional large clusters nonetheless lingering on the baking sheet, comparable to ones that look too giant to suit on a spoon, gently break them into smaller fragments as soon as the granola is cool sufficient to the touch.
FAQS ABOUT HIGH PROTEIN GRANOLA
Is that this excessive protein granola low fats, low calorie, sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, or clear consuming?
Sure — to all the things! When made as written, it’s naturally sugar-free, dairy-free, clear consuming, low fats, and low calorie (in comparison with extra conventional recipes). In case you use licensed gluten-free oats and authorized gluten-free rice cereal, your excessive protein granola can be gluten-free as properly.
Can I exploit one other sort of oats?
You wager! Old school rolled oats and fast cooking oats (in addition to the gluten-free variations of each) work equally properly.
What can I substitute for the rice cereal?
In case you can’t discover crisp brown rice cereal, then common crisp rice cereal (comparable to Rice Krispies) is the most effective different. You may as well use frivolously crushed rice pocket cereal (comparable to Rice Chex). In a pinch, you possibly can substitute further oats, however take into account that the feel and diet data can be totally different.
Can I exploit a special sweetener?
Completely! I’ve included totally different choices within the Notes part of the recipe, so test there for the most effective options.
What about one other protein powder?
I haven’t tried, so I’m not personally positive. Try my Protein Powder FAQ Web page earlier than making an attempt to substitute the rest!
Can I omit the protein powder?
In case you’re not a fan, strive my common home made granola recipe as an alternative. It has the identical taste and texture — however no protein powder concerned!
My collagen clumped after I combined it with the egg whites. What ought to I do?
Preserve whisking! The lumps ought to flip smaller (and hopefully disintegrate) the longer you whisk. You may typically smear out any very persistent ones alongside the aspect of the bowl with a spatula too. Additionally, add within the cinnamon. It’s simpler to identify any lingering white lumps in opposition to a backdrop of brown specks!
My granola turned out tender and a bit soggy. Why’s that?
There are a couple of widespread culprits. First, utilizing the unsuitable pan sort and measurement. See the “Bake” header within the “The best way to Make Excessive Protein Granola” part above for extra particulars! Second, you may not have unfold your moist granola combination into as skinny and even of a layer. If components are thicker, they’ll prove softer. Lastly, it may not have been baked lengthy sufficient.
No matter which purpose, it’s straightforward to repair. Simply pop your granola again within the oven and maintain baking till it’s crisp and crunchy!
My granola seems a lot darker than yours. Is that okay?
Most certainly! Totally different sweeteners will yield a a lot darker colour. For instance, honey and pure maple syrup can generally give granola an virtually chocolate brown look. So long as it isn’t black and doesn’t style burnt, try to be nice!
What’s the easiest way to retailer this excessive protein granola? How lengthy will it final?
Retailer your absolutely cooled granola in an hermetic container. It ought to keep recent and crunchy for a minimum of per week, if not two or extra! It additionally freezes properly. (See my suggestions within the Notes part about easy methods to freeze and thaw it!)
Time to munch on one other handful… And pull out my favourite blue bowl once more! 😉 And once you make your individual, bear in mind to snap an image and share it on Instagram utilizing #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the picture itself! (That ensures I’ll see your image! 🙂 ) I’d like to see your wholesome excessive protein granola!
Wholesome Excessive Protein Granola
This excessive protein granola recipe immediately grew to become a household favourite! It’s fast and simple to make, and a easy baking trick yields the most important and crunchiest clusters. Sprinkle it over yogurt, pour it right into a bowl with a splash of milk, or just munch on it by the handful. This cinnamon-spiced granola is cozy and scrumptious any means you eat it! Leftovers will maintain for a minimum of per week (if not two or extra!) if saved in an hermetic container.
Directions
-
Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a giant rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat (extremely advisable!) or parchment paper.
-
In a big bowl, whisk collectively the egg whites till the egg whites are damaged up and barely bubbly. Whisk within the collagen peptides powder till absolutely included. (If any clumps stay after vigorously whisking, smear them out alongside the aspect of the bowl with a spatula.) Whisk within the cinnamon and stevia. Pour within the brown rice cereal and oats, and gently fold them in with a spatula till each cereals are evenly coated.
-
Unfold the combination evenly onto the ready pan. Bake at 325°F for 20 minutes. Gently stir to interrupt up the granola and transfer the clusters across the pan to forestall the bits closest to the sting from burning. Bake for an extra 10 minutes, then gently stir once more. Bake for an extra 4-8 minutes (for a complete of 34-38 minutes), or till the granola is crunchy. Let the granola cool for five minutes earlier than breaking up any additional giant clusters. Cool the granola utterly to room temperature on the pan earlier than transferring to an hermetic container.
Notes
IMPORTANT EGG WHITE NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: You do NOT find yourself with bits of egg in your granola! It’s similar to once you put eggs in cookie dough. You don’t find yourself with chunks of scrambled cooked eggs in your cookies, proper? Similar factor right here! You totally combine collectively the elements so that you’ll by no means see bits of cooked egg in your granola. I promise!
The egg whites should be at room temperature. Many collagen peptides powders clump in cooler liquids, together with egg whites used straight from the fridge, and gained’t dissolve correctly. In case you neglect to set out eggs far sufficient upfront, then microwave 1 ½ cups of water for 45-60 seconds. (It ought to really feel much like the temperature of a sizzling tub — actually heat however not scalding in the event you stick your finger into it.) Place the entire eggs (nonetheless of their shells) within the heat water for 15+ minutes earlier than drying them off and utilizing in Step 2.
I haven’t tried substituting something for the egg whites. (Nonetheless, readers have mentioned that flax “eggs” and aquafaba each work decently instead in my different granola recipes, in order that is likely to be a superb place to begin if you could make this granola egg-free.)
COLLAGEN PEPTIDES POWDER NOTES: For the most effective outcomes, use collagen peptides powder that solely contains collagen and nothing else. (I like this one and this one.) I haven’t tried substituting something for it, so I can’t personally vouch for the outcomes of utilizing different protein powders. In case you’d wish to strive utilizing one other sort of protein powder (ie plant-based or whey-based), I extremely advocate reviewing my Protein Powder FAQ Web page first.
In case you’d like to easily omit the collage peptides powder, then use this granola recipe of mine as an alternative. (It has the identical large clusters, crunchy texture, and tastes the identical!)
CINNAMON NOTE: I extremely advocate Saigon cinnamon! It tastes barely sweeter, richer, and stronger in comparison with common cinnamon. It’s principally the one variety I now use in my baking. Many shops have began stocking it, however I typically purchase it on-line right here.
SWEETENER NOTES + ALTERNATIVES: Many stevia manufacturers and merchandise have totally different sweetness ranges, so that they’re not essentially 1-for-1 substitutes for one another. For the most effective style and texture, I extremely advocate utilizing the identical one which I do. You’ll find it at many health-oriented shops, however I usually purchase it on-line right here as a result of that’s the most effective value I’ve discovered. (You’ll additionally use it in all of these recipes of mine!)
In case you’d like to make use of a special sugar-free sweetener, ¼ cup of granulated sucralose was my style testers’ favourite different for the liquid stevia. Different choices embrace ¼ cup of this granulated stevia or 1 ½ teaspoons of this powdered stevia instead of the liquid stevia. The baking time and temperatures will stay the identical.
You may as well substitute ¼ cup (60mL) of sugar-free maple syrup, pure maple syrup, honey, or agave AND omit two egg whites to compensate for the added liquid quantity.
Relying on the sweetener you utilize, your granola might find yourself a darker brown than what you see in my photographs. That’s regular and okay! So long as your granola is darkish brown — however not black! — you haven’t burned it.
OATS NOTE: Fast cooking oats (additionally known as “on the spot” or “one-minute” oats — and the gluten-free model, if vital!) could also be substituted for the old style rolled oats. I don’t advocate substituting metal minimize oats.
RICE CEREAL NOTES: The brown rice cereal provides a giant crunch to your granola clusters with none oil or butter. It’s such a terrific trick, and I exploit it in principally all of my granola recipes! (In case you test the elements of your favourite store-bought granola cereals, I wager a few of them use rice cereal as properly!) I like Barbara’s, and One° is analogous.
Common crisp rice cereal (i.e. Rice Krispies) could also be substituted instead of the brown rice cereal. In a pinch, another choice can be rice pocket cereal (like Rice Chex) that you just’ve frivolously crushed so it’s about ¼ of its unique measurement.
Chances are you’ll substitute further oats for the rice cereal, however your granola gained’t be as crunchy.
DAIRY-FREE OPTION: No modifications wanted!
NUT-FREE OPTION: No modifications wanted!
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: Use licensed gluten-free brown rice cereal (I like Barbara’s, and One° is analogous) and authorized gluten-free old style rolled oats or licensed gluten-free quick-cooking oats.
HOW TO STORE: Retailer the granola in an hermetic container at room temperature. It ought to final for a minimum of per week (if not two or extra!).
HOW TO FREEZE: To freeze, line a baking sheet with foil (for simple clean-up!). Organize the absolutely cooled granola in a single layer on the foil. Place within the freezer for two hours or till absolutely frozen. Switch to a zip-topped bag lined with a paper towel, and squeeze out as a lot air as you possibly can earlier than sealing the bag and inserting it within the freezer. (I really suppose it tastes actually good frozen!)
After thawing the granola, it’ll be a bit bit chewy, so unfold it out on a baking sheet in a skinny even layer. Bake at 325°F for 6-9 minutes or till it turns crisp and crunchy once more.
{gluten-free, dairy-free, clear consuming, low fats, sugar-free, larger protein}
View Vitamin Info + Weight Watchers Factors
You may additionally like Amy’s different recipes…
♡ Wholesome Chocolate Granola
♡ Wholesome Peanut Butter Granola
♡ Wholesome Carrot Cake Protein Muffins
♡ Wholesome Peanut Butter Protein Balls
♡ Wholesome Oatmeal Raisin Power Bites
♡ Wholesome Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars
♡ Wholesome Strawberry Lemon Protein Cookies
♡ …and the remainder of Amy’s wholesome granola recipes and larger protein recipes!
