Oats & Honey Sourdough Discard Granola
After posting my pantry clean-out granola recipe, I received SO MANY requests for specific flavor combinations of sourdough discard granola. Oats & honey was the most popular by far, and I can see why!
It’s the most prominent granola option at the grocery store, and it’s downright delish. 😋
The sourdough discard (or active starter) does a few things here: it acts as a natural binder, so you need less oil and sugar, it uses up extra starter, and it adds a little of that sourdough goodness.
“Crunchy flavorful homemade granola, clusters guaranteed. Double the recipe so you don’t run out too soon :)” –Recipe tester from Belgium, Europe
Whether you’re topping yogurt, eating it like cereal, or just grabbing handfuls straight from the jar, this sourdough discard granola recipe checks all the boxes.
“Imagine the Nature’s Valley granola bar, but make it less of a dessert and more addictingly snackable.” –Recipe tester from Central Florida
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Why You’ll Love This
- Recipe tested by real sourdough bakers: Before this recipe made it to you, it was tested by 475 home bakers across the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia – and the final version earned an average rating of 4.77 out of 5.
- So easy: Granola is one of those recipes that looks impressive but is honestly just mix, press, and bake.
“It was soft yet crunchy, perfect sweetness, perfect saltiness and easy peasy lemon squeezy to make – it’s really a 5-minute prep before baking type thing.” –Recipe tester from Frederick, MD
- Big crunchy clusters: The sourdough starter helps everything bake into those golden, snackable chunks we all dig for first.
- Better (and cheaper!) than store-bought: Simple ingredients, customizable sweetness, and way more flavor – at a fraction of the cost. One tester shared that she usually spends $8 on a single bag of granola, but was able to make a double batch of this recipe for much less.
“Considering I spend eight dollars on a bag of granola for my granddaughters, I made this entire double batch for dollars. I will be making it from now on.” –Recipe tester from Pennsylvania
Why Add Sourdough Discard to Granola?
Sourdough discard helps bind the granola, reduces the amount of oil and honey needed, and adds subtle sourdough flavor. It also uses up excess sourdough discard and adds the health benefits of sourdough to our snack.
Traditional granola relies on oil and honey to hold everything together – and that works. But by adding some sourdough discard to the mix, we can reduce how much oil and honey we need.
In this recipe, we use 130 g of sourdough discard. Without it, that’d be an additional 130 g of oil and honey to maintain the same texture.
Plus… let’s be real. We’re sourdough obsessed. OF COURSE we’re adding some starter! 🤣
“If you’re looking for granola with big, bakery-style clusters, the perfect touch of sweetness and crunch, plus the health benefits of sourdough… this is your recipe.” –Recipe tester from Ruther Glen, VA
The Recipe Testing Journey
As usual, what I thought would be a quick, straightforward recipe turned into two full rounds of testing and some small but powerful adjustments.
The first version was well-loved, but one piece of feedback stood out: some bakers wanted it just a bit sweeter. So, I tweaked the sweetness, added puffed brown rice cereal for a lighter crunch, and sent the updated version out for round two.
94% of testers said they’d absolutely make that updated version again, which told me we had landed on a winner.
“My husband is from Europe and usually can’t stand American foods from the store because of the ‘fake and overly sweetened’ taste. He loved it! Sweet enough, but not too sweet!” –Recipe tester from Upstate NY
Sometimes the smallest tweaks make the biggest difference.
What Recipe Testers Thought
Across both rounds of testing, bakers said this granola is:
- Easy to make
- Pantry-friendly
- Beginner-proof
The puffed brown rice cereal became a standout addition in the second round of testing. Testers said it added a light, airy crunch that really elevated the texture.
Why did I add puffed brown rice cereal? It’s not an ingredient I keep on hand, and it may sound a bit random. But after purchasing five different bags of store-bought oats & honey granola, I noticed puffed brown rice cereal listed in several of them. It adds a lightness to the granola that really improves the texture. You can sub for something like Rice Krispies if you prefer.
The sweetness adjustment also made a noticeable difference in round two, and clusters formed beautifully for the vast majority of bakers.
The biggest takeaway is that this recipe is simple, customizable, and comes together fast with ingredients most of us already have on hand.
“EASIEST GRANOLA TO MAKE AND SO GOOD.” –Recipe tester from Garland, TX
“Give it a try! The rice cereal is totally worth adding and makes a difference!” –Recipe tester from Carlisle, PA
“Do it, you won’t regret it – signed, a picky eater.” –Recipe tester from Jersey City, NJ
Here’s a collection of photos from recipe testers:
Ingredients for Oats & Honey Sourdough Discard Granola
- Coconut oil or avocado oil: I love the subtle coconut flavor from coconut oil, but you can absolutely use a neutral oil or even melted butter. See the substitutions section below for more options.
- Honey: The main sweetener. It also helps bind everything together and gives you that classic oats-and-honey flavor. You can swap in maple syrup, which many testers enjoyed, though it slightly changes the traditional “oats & honey” flavor profile.
- Light brown sugar or coconut sugar: Adds a little extra sweetness and helps with browning. Coconut sugar will give you a slightly deeper, caramel-like flavor.
- Vanilla extract or vanilla paste: If you have vanilla paste, it bumps the flavor up a notch and gives a stronger vanilla vibe. If not, good old extract works just fine.
- Cinnamon: Adds great flavor.
- Sourdough starter (active or discard): If you’re using discard, make sure it’s less than 10 days old, or it may impart bitter or unpleasant flavors into the granola. If it has hooch on top or smells funky, don’t use it!
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: I recommend rolled oats (also called old-fashioned oats) instead of quick or steel-cut oats.
- Puffed brown rice cereal: This adds a light, airy crunch that keeps the granola from feeling dense. Several testers specifically called it out as a standout addition – it really does elevate the texture.
- Add-ins: Sliced almonds, shredded coconut, millet, pumpkin seeds, or raisins all work beautifully here – make it your own! See the substitutions section below for more options.
- Sea salt: To balance the sweetness and make the honey flavor pop.
- Cooking oil spray: For lightly spraying the sheet pan so the granola doesn’t stick.
“So much better than store bought granola that even my picky husband and 7-year-old loved it!” –Recipe tester from South Jersey
Substitutions
- Oil: Coconut oil was the clear favorite among testers (about 70% used it). Testers also had success with avocado oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, and even vegetable oil. Butter was mentioned multiple times as a great backup – especially when someone ran out of coconut oil – and still gave crisp, flavorful clusters.
- Sweeteners: Honey is the main sweetener here (it’s oats and honey for a reason), but maple syrup works beautifully in its place if that’s what you prefer. For the brown sugar, about three-quarters of testers used light brown sugar, though dark brown sugar and coconut sugar both worked well, too. Some skipped the brown sugar entirely and used all honey or maple syrup – it still turned out great, just a bit softer.
- Adjust the sweetness: If you want it less sweet, you can reduce the amount of brown sugar or skip it altogether. If you prefer it sweeter, you can add an extra 10–20g of honey or brown sugar.
- Puffed brown rice cereal: Most people who omitted the puffed brown rice cereal and made it as straight granola agreed it was still delicious – just a bit denser in texture. If you don’t have (or can’t find) puffed brown rice cereal, the most popular swap was Rice Krispies. Puffed quinoa, puffed wheat, and puffed millet also worked really well. A few testers got creative with other substitutions, too – and that’s the beauty of granola. You can truly make it your own.
Note: Popular puffed brown rice cereal brands included Nature’s Path (my favorite), 365 by Whole Foods Market, One Degree Organic Foods, Arrowhead Mills, and Farmers We Know. You can find it at more health-focused stores like Whole Foods, Amazon, Sprouts, Earthfare, and Azure Standard. International testers recommended Rude Health and President’s Choice Organic.
- Starter: Both active starter and discard work well here, so use what you have on hand.
- Make it your own: Think of this as your base recipe. You can customize it with whatever you have on hand. Sliced almonds, shredded coconut, pumpkin seeds, and raisins/craisins were all popular add-ins. Pecans, chocolate chips, walnuts, dried cranberries, flax, and hemp seeds were also favorites among testers. If you’re adding anything that might melt, stir it in after the granola has cooled.
Check out my Pantry Clean-Out Sourdough Discard Granola Recipe
Equipment You’ll Need
- Half sheet pan: A half sheet is large enough to spread out in a thin, even layer of granola. I love my USA Pan – it’s nonstick without Teflon.
- Scale: Granola is forgiving, so you don’t have to be exact – but I’m a sucker for a kitchen scale. I like weighing for consistency and to get the ratios right.
- 4-quart mixing bowl: Something big enough to stir everything together without oats flying everywhere.
- Whisk: I love the OXO Good Grips whisks because they’re sturdy and don’t flop around when you’re mixing thicker ingredients like honey and starter.
- Spatula: A sturdy silicone spatula helps you press the mixture firmly into the pan, which means bigger, better clusters later. You can also place parchment paper on top and press down to pack it tightly.
How to Make Oats & Honey Sourdough Discard Granola (Step-by-Step Instructions)
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Preheat to 325°F (160°C) conventional.
Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients
If you’re using coconut oil and it’s solid, melt it first.
In a large bowl, whisk together:
- 60 g coconut oil or avocado, grapeseed, vegetable, or canola oil
- 90 g honey or maple syrup
- 40 g light brown sugar or dark brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 10 g vanilla extract (about 2 teaspoons) or vanilla paste
- 6 g cinnamon (about 2 teaspoons)
Whisk for a good 15–20 seconds so the honey and sugar start to dissolve a bit.
Step 3: Add the Sourdough Starter
Whisk in 130 g sourdough starter (active or discard). If you’re using discard, make sure it’s less than 10 days old, or it may impart bitter or unpleasant flavors into the granola. If it has hooch on top or smells funky, don’t use it!
Step 4: Fold In the Dry Ingredients
Using a spatula or large spoon, fold in:
- 310 g old-fashioned rolled oats
- 30 g puffed brown rice cereal (optional) or Rice Krispies, puffed quinoa
- 35 g nuts/larger seeds (optional) sliced almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
- 30 g dried fruit (optional) raisins, dried blueberries, dried cherries, dried apricots
- 15 g small seeds (optional) flaxseed, chia seeds, hemp hearts
- 35 g shredded coconut (optional) sweetened or unsweetened
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Note: If you skip all the optional add-ins, the mixture will be a little wetter than usual – just fold in an extra 60g of rolled oats to balance it out. That said, this recipe is super flexible, so don’t be afraid to adjust as you go!
Mix until everything is evenly distributed.
The optional mix-ins are totally flexible. Here are some tester-approved options by category:
- Nuts & larger seeds: pecans, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, Brazil nuts, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
- Shredded coconut: sweetened or unsweetened both work – several testers preferred sweetened for extra flavor
- Small seeds: flaxseed, chia seeds, hemp hearts – millet or wheat germ also work well here
- Dried fruit: raisins, craisins, dried blueberries, dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried apricots, dried mango, dried figs, freeze-dried apples or bananas, goji berries
- Chocolate: stir in after the granola has fully cooled – mini chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, cacao nibs, or even a drizzle of almond bark
Step 5: Spread and Compact the Granola
Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper or lightly oil it.
Spread the granola evenly, then press it down firmly with a spatula or something hard and flat.
Many recipe testers used parchment paper on top and pressed it down with their hands. You can also use another sheet pan to press firmly on the parchment.
The tighter you pack it, the bigger the clusters will be.
Step 6: Bake
Bake for 15 minutes, rotate the sheet pan, and bake for another 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and break up the granola into clusters. You can use a spoon, spatula, or even your fingers (once it cools down slightly).
Put it back in the oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Keep an eye on it – granola can brown quickly toward the end.
Also, do not – I repeat, do not – panic if the granola feels soft at the end of baking. It crisps up as it cools. Give it about 10 minutes after you pull it out of the oven, and it’ll be nice and crunchy.
How to Store Homemade Granola
Once completely cooled, store your granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 weeks.
I prefer glass because it keeps things nice and crisp. A mason jar works great – and makes it very easy to reach in and grab a handful whenever you want to munch on it.
How to Serve Granola
We love eating granola by the handful straight out of the jar – and this honey oat version is no exception.
Here are a few other ways to enjoy it:
- Make granola bars by scoring the pressed granola with a knife or bench scraper before baking
- Sprinkle it over yogurt with fresh berries
- Pour milk over it like cereal
- Add it to smoothie bowls for crunch
- Sprinkle it over pancakes or waffles with a drizzle of honey
- Use it as a crumble topping on banana bread or other quick breads before baking
- Stir it into cottage cheese for a sweet + salty + crunchy combo
Troubleshooting Tips
Not getting big clusters?
One of the biggest predictors of chunkier clusters was how firmly the granola was packed before baking. Really press the oats down with parchment on top, packing them tightly, and you’ll get larger pieces.
Still soft or not browned enough?
Timing matters. Most bakers pulled theirs out after 35–40 minutes of total baking time, when it was perfectly golden brown. A few who removed it early (while still pale) found it didn’t crisp up quite the same – often just an oven variation issue.
If it feels slightly soft in spots when you take it out, that’s normal. Let it cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes. Granola continues to crisp as it cools. If it’s still soft after a 10-minute cool-down, pop it back in the oven for about 5 more minutes.
FAQs
Yes – you can absolutely skip the puffed brown rice cereal. The texture will just be a little more dense.
Yes, you can double this – and several testers did. Just make sure you use two sheet pans and rotate pans halfway through baking so everything browns evenly. Overcrowding one pan can lead to uneven clusters and softer spots.
“You won’t go back to store-bought granola.” –Recipe tester from Phoenix, AZ
Oats & Honey Sourdough Discard Granola
Ingredients
- 60 g coconut oil or avocado, grapeseed, vegetable, or canola oil
- 90 g honey or maple syrup
- 40 g light brown sugar or dark brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 10 g vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 6 g cinnamon
- 130 g sourdough discard or active starter
- 310 g old-fashioned rolled oats
- 30 g puffed brown rice cereal (optional) or Rice Krispies, puffed quinoa
- 35 g nuts/larger seeds* (optional) sliced almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
- 30 g dried fruit* (optional) raisins, dried blueberries, dried cherries, dried apricots
- 15 g small seeds* (optional) flaxseed, chia seeds, hemp hearts
- 35 g shredded coconut (optional) sweetened or unsweetened
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- Cooking oil spray for spraying the sheet pan
Before You Begin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 60 g coconut oil (melt first if needed), 90 g honey, 40 g light brown sugar, 10 g vanilla extract, and 6 g cinnamon.
- Then, whisk in 130 g sourdough discard.
- Finally, fold in 310 g old-fashioned rolled oats, 30 g puffed brown rice cereal (optional), 35 g nuts/larger seeds* (optional), 35 g shredded coconut (optional), 15 g small seeds* (optional), 30 g dried fruit* (optional), and 1/2 tsp sea salt. See Recipe Notes for alternate mix-in suggestions.
- Spray a half sheet pan with Cooking oil spray or line it with parchment paper. Spread granola mixture in an even layer across the full pan.Press down firmly with a spatula or the back of a measuring cup. For extra compaction, place a sheet of parchment paper on top and press down firmly with your hands before baking. The tighter you pack it, the bigger your clusters will be.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the sheet pan and bake for another 15 minutes. Using a spoon, break apart into clumps. Because the edges tend to brown faster, push them toward the center when you break it up.
- Bake for an additional 5–10 minutes, or until the granola is golden brown all over. Ovens vary, so keep an eye on it toward the end. When done, it will still feel soft in spots – let it cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes. It crisps up as it cools.
- Store in an airtight container (I prefer glass) at room temperature. Keeps for up to 4 weeks.
Notes
- Nuts & larger seeds: sliced almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, Brazil nuts, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
- Shredded coconut: sweetened or unsweetened both work – several testers preferred sweetened for extra flavor
- Small seeds: flaxseed, chia seeds, hemp hearts – millet or wheat germ also work well here
- Dried fruit: raisins, craisins, dried blueberries, dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried apricots, dried mango, dried figs, freeze-dried apples or bananas, goji berries
- Chocolate: stir in after the granola has fully cooled – mini chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, cacao nibs, or even a drizzle of almond bark
“Just make it, and you will become addicted like I am.” –Recipe tester from West Haven, CT
Conclusion
If you’ve got oats, honey, and a little extra sourdough starter hanging around, this is your sign.
It’s simple, crunchy, and way too easy to “just have a handful” of. I hope you enjoy!
Other recipes you might like:
Literally my go to granola now! No more store bought! I have it every single day in my homemade yogurt parfait! It is heavenly and I have to stop myself from munching on it straight out the jar haha! You nailed it like always Rebekah!
I used sprouted oatmeal, coconut oil, coconut sugar, honey, sprouted pumpkin seeds, walnuts, unsweetened coconut, golden flax seed. I added dried wild blueberries after the initial 15 minute bake so they stayed a little chewy. I like smaller chunks so after the initial bake, stirred and moved outside edge to middle every five minutes until it was all evenly browned and crunchy. Absolutely delicious on my yogurt every morning, and a handful now and then. So many options, so customizable…perfect recipe.
This granola is extra delicious the 2nd day thanks to the sourdough discard. I especially like it with coconut added
I cannot stop making this recipe. As soon as my container is low, I get another batch cooked. My husband is also a true fan of this recipe as well and he has made it too!
Easy and delicious granola! Love how customizable this recipe is and it’s so quick! I’ve made it at least 4 times already, it’s that good! My favorite mix ins so far are pumpkin seeds and mini chocolate chips! Don’t skip the brown rice puffs, they really help nail the right texture. I also use avocado oil since that’s what I keep on hand. Love that this can be tossed together with stuff you likely already have!
So good! Mine wasn’t very crispy so next time I’ll bake for a little longer or add rice puffs (I didn’t have any at the time). Still tastes great.
OMG this is SO good!! You need to make it, seriously!! I’ve never made granola till this, now I wonder why I didn’t!! As it sits it seems to bring the ‘sweet’ out more. It’s FANTASTIC!!
Yay!! Glad you enjoyed!!
This recipe is AMAZING!! Love your recipes ❤️❤️
This is the best granola I have ever had. I used avocado oil and maple syrup. I feel like the maple syrup made it a little sweeter vs honey and preferred that version of it better for our preferences. My family request that I make this all the time now. It’s quickly is becoming a staple in my house.
It’s delicious and it smells amazing! Super easy to make.
This is hands down the best granola I’ve made. No more store-bought for us. Thanks, Rebekah, for sharing….
Finally got a chance to make this recipe and I’m so glad I did! My husband prefers a simpler granola so the fact that this is so customizable is a huge win. I made half with just the puffed rice and oats, and the other half included some extra seeds/nuts/fruit. I thought his would be too plain, but it’s not! Great flavor, perfect crunch, and I love that I can have a good mix of cluster sizes depending on how much I want to break it apart. I used coconut oil and heated the honey slightly before mixing.
Well, I hope it’s not against the rules to eat this stuff warm. I just couldn’t wait. My house smelled so good. And this granola tastes even better! I’ve been making inclusion loaves so I had extra almonds, walnuts, pistachio nuts and dried blueberries, and dried cherries, dried cranberries and of course I added coconut. I added everything I could find except I was going to use up some special K cereal and I forgot to do that. I’m making it again next week for my oldest grandson to take home.
This is so yummy! I added more nuts & coconut, left out the dried fruit and seeds. Love the flexibility of this recipe and the much lower sugar and oil from my normal go to. I baked mine about 3 minutes longer so it would brown a touch more.
This is so yummy! I added more nuts & coconut, left out the dried fruit and seeds. Love the flexibility of this recipe and the much lower sugar and oil from my normal go to. I baked mine about 3 minutes longer so it would brown a touch more.
I’ve been making granola for years with a very different recipe, this one is quick, easy, and scrumptious! My husband keeps a jar of it by his chair for after dinner snacking (he likes this one way better than my previous recipe). This is my 3rd time making this one and this time I added some dried blueberries that were left over from making your Blueberry Bagels. [YUM, AGAIN!]
This was really bad granola in my opinion 😫. I’ve been making granola for about 15 years now & I do have a favorite recipe that I use, but I thought I’d try this one out. I thought it was terrible. Looks good, tastes yuck. I usually like cinnamon, but 6g was way too much for me. I don’t know what else was wrong with it, but it just tasted really bad in general. Back to my usual granola recipe I guess!
Sorry to hear that! Sometimes the health of your discard makes a huge impact on the final result. If it had hooch on top or was in the fridge for longer than two weeks, it can impart off and bitter flavors into the granola.
Really delicious- it was take your granola to work day!
One adjustment I will make next time is to add the raisins after baking and I will lower the oven temperature by 15 degrees or so. I found the raisins overcooked and the pistachios were a bit over as well. However it was still delicious! This will be a staple for us for sure!
So glad you enjoyed the granola recipe!
Do you happen to have a recommendation for adding peanut butter to the recipe? My favorite nature’s valley bars are the crunchy butter granola ones and I would love to be able to make a healthier version at home. Thanks!
Ooh yum! I’ll look into developing a recipe like the one you mentioned.
I love everything from here… but this granola was not good imo 🙁 I reduced the brown sugar by half because it said it could be left out. and no seeds or fruit- said you could sub oats. Not sweet or flavorful at all to me (I like things on the less sweet side). Good crunch though. Kids thought it was too thick also.