Sourdough granola is an easy and fun use of your sourdough discard. Easily adaptable, this crunchy and flavorful homemade granola is one you will want to keep on hand for snacking at all times!

sourdough granola on yogurt in white bowl with spoon sticking out side

This homemade granola with sourdough discard is so great because it is so versatile! Change up the ingredients to make new flavors, and you always have a great snack when you need one – and an easy way to use your discard!

The sourdough tang flavor isn’t seriously pronounced in this recipe, but it does give a hint of extra flavor and helps add to the texture of the granola.

Want to make granola bars instead of loose granola clusters? Head over to my Sourdough Granola Bars Recipe!

Other easy sourdough discard recipes that are great for breakfast:

Make sure you also check out 30 easy recipes that use sourdough discard for more ideas for how to use your sourdough starter in quick ways!

jar with homemade granola with some sprinkled on counter

Table of Contents hide

1) Ingredients in homemade granola

2) How to make homemade granola with sourdough discard

3) Sourdough Granola Recipe

Ingredients in homemade granola

Homemade granola is full of awesome ingredients that provide you with energy, keep you full for longer, and don’t have any weird additives. I love that you can change and combine your favorite things to make it suit you!

Old Fashioned Oats – to get that chewy, hearty texture to your granola you want Old Fashioned oats. Avoid the “instant” or “quick cooking” oats as they won’t give you the end product you want.
Oil – You need a little fat to help the oats get toasty and crispy. You can use coconut oil or olive oil, depending on what you have on your pantry.
Sourdough Starter – The starter here acts as a binding agent to help form nice clusters of granola, and lends a subtle sourdough tang to the granola.
Nuts and Seeds – packing a nutrient punch and tons of crunchy
Dried Fruit – Dried fruit adds a bit of sweetness and fun texture to this homemade granola recipe. Add the dried fruits after baking, otherwise they can turn hard.
Spices – Cinnamon pairs great with almost anything, but you can also add cardamom, or swap out for an apple pie spice blend!
Sweetener – You could also use maple syrup, honey or brown sugar.
Other Mix-Ins – Granola is so great because you can add in lots of fun “extras”! I added in mini chocolate chips here! Make sure the granola is completely cool before you mix these in, though.

overhead image of granola in jar and sprinkled on counter

How to make homemade granola with sourdough discard

This recipe is so easy to make! For the full set of directions, make sure you scroll down to the recipe card below.

Preheat the oven to 325 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine together the starter, honey, vanilla and melted coconut oil.
In a large mixing bowl, combine together the old fashioned oats, nuts, seeds, spices, and salt. Do NOT add the dried fruit right now, it will turn hard when you bake it.

Add the starter mixture to the oat mixture and toss to coat evenly.
Spread the granola mixture onto the prepared pan and press into an even layer. It won’t reach all the way around the pan, and that’s ok, but make sure there are no holes in the middle, try to get it as even and together as you can. Press it down with your hands so its even and there are no holes.

Bake for 20 minutes. The granola will continue to crisp up as it cools, so its ok if it seems not quite done when you pull it out. If its toasty and fragrant, its done. **see note below for information on if you should stir it or not.
Allow to cool, then break it into clusters.
Add in the dried fruit.

**Tips for big clusters of granola – Firmly press the granola into the pan in an even layer, and don’t stir during the baking process. When you remove the pan from the oven, give the granola one last firm press in the pan and allow it to cool completely before you break it up.

**Tips for small clusters of granola – If you want smaller clusters, simply stir several times during the cooking and when you evenly spread the granola back into the pan give it a light press instead of a firmer one. Then when the granola is just cool enough to handle, break it into smaller clusters.

What kind of sourdough starter does this recipe need?

For this recipe, your starter needs to be at a 100% hydration sourdough starter. For more information, read Feeding Your Sourdough Starter.

The sourdough starter does not need to be fed and active, it can be discard. You can also use fed and active starter, too. Either works in this recipe.

If your starter has been sitting in the fridge for a week and has a lot of hooch (the liquid that the sourdough yeast produces as it consumes) on top, the granola will have a more pronounced sourdough tang.
If your starter has been sitting on the counter and was fed yesterday, your granola will have a less pronounced sourdough flavor.

Are you new to sourdough? Read the Ultimate Guide to Sourdough for Beginner’s to get the answers to all your questions!

How to store homemade granola

To store: Store, once cool, in an airtight container on the counter for 3 to 4 weeks.
To freeze: These also freeze well. Stack them with pieces of parchment paper between each bar, and place in a freezer safe container. They will keep for 3 months.

Other great breakfast recipes:

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