Sugar-Free Granola Recipe With Almonds and Orange

This Chunky Sugar-Free Granola Recipe with orange and almonds is my answer to “I love granola, but I eat low-carb now.” It’s packed with oats, almonds, coconut and seeds, scented with fresh orange zest and vanilla, and baked until crunchy and golden. 

With this healthy granola recipe, you get big crunchy clusters (a must in my book!), roasted almond flavor, and bright orange flavor with no added sugar. Plus, because sweeteners can be so individual and even in flex, I’ve included a few sweetener options as well.

Why You’ll Love This Granola

Granola is one of my favorite things ever. Especially with lots of chunks and nuts. But this recipe is something special. I just love how the sliced almonds get completely coated with the sweetener for a candied almond touch, and the citrus addition is just yum.

This homemade sugar-free granola is:

• perfectly crunchy and chunky.
• amazingly good (The almond and citrus flavors complement each other well with the oats and seeds.)
• low in sugar compared to most store-bought and homemade granolas. Packaged granolas can have between 9 and 20 grams of sugar per serving!
• adaptable for whatever sweetener you like and for food allergies as well.
• loaded with healthy fats from coconut oil, nuts, and seeds.

Ingredients 

• rolled oats (I use gluten-free oats)
• sliced almonds
• shredded coconut: (I use unsweetened. You can also use coconut flakes for larger pieces of coconut.)
• sunflower seeds
• pumpkin seeds
• keto brown sugar (See notes for alternatives.)
• orange zest
• low-carb maple syrup (See notes for alternatives.)
• coconut oil
• vanilla extract (almond extract would be great as well, or use half of each)
• ground cinnamon 
• salt

Directions

• Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet.
• Place brown-sugar alternative and orange zest in bowl and massage.
• Add sugar-free maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract to the mixture.
• Place the rest of the ingredients, except coconut, into a large bowl. Mix well.
• Pour orange sweetener mixture over the oat mixture and gently stir to coat.
• Spread the mixture into a thin layer on baking sheet.
• Bake for 15 minutes, stir in shredded coconut, and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes until the oats are slightly golden brown. Do not overbake.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool before stirring to allow the granola to form clusters.
• Break up granola and cool completely before storing.

Recipe Tips

• Press it: After you spread the granola on the baking sheet, press it firmly into an even layer with the back of a spatula or your hand. Don’t stir it too much while it bakes—just rotate the pan and break it up gently at the very end.
• Lower and slower: Low-carb sweeteners can brown faster than sugar. I like to bake this at 300–325°F until the edges are just turning golden. It will crisp up more as it cools.
• Use a touch more fat for low-carb versions: If you’re using sugar-free sweeteners, bumping the coconut oil up to 1/3 cup helps the granola hold together and keeps it from feeling dry.
• Taste test: Especially if you’re using stevia or swapping sweeteners, taste the melted coconut oil + sweetener + vanilla + zest before you add it to the oats. It should taste a little sweeter than you want the finished granola—baking will mellow it.

How to Serve

This granola is great as a topping on dairy-free or Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, in a bowl with coconut milk or almond milk, in a healthy trail mix, or just by the handful. 

For more of a dessert vibe, sprinkle it over berries with a (large) dollop of whipped cream or low-carb ice cream, or use in a regular or coconut yogurt parfait. It’s fabulous on pudding too!

How to Store

• Room temperature: Store completely cooled granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1–2 weeks.
• For maximum crunch: Glass jars with tight lids are better than bags. If the granola softens a bit over time, you can spread it on a baking sheet and re-crisp it at 275°F for 5–10 minutes, then cool completely again without stirring.
• Freezer storage: Granola actually freezes well. Store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let it sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before eating; it thaws quickly and stays crunchy.

Variations

I make this granola with low-carb sweeteners, but sometimes I like to mix them with regular sweeteners or just choose to avoid sugar alcohols and allulose completely. Here’s how you can do just that.

Sweetener Variations

Refined-Sugar-Free (Not Low Carb) Option
If you don’t need it to be low carb but still want to skip refined sugar:

• Use 1/3 cup coconut sugar instead of the sugar-free brown sweetener.
• Use 1/2 cup honey or pure maple syrup instead of the keto maple-style syrup.

Stevia-Only (No Sugar Alcohols / Allulose) Version

• Omit the sugar-free brown sweetener and keto syrup.
• Keep the coconut oil at 1/3 cup.
• Sweeten the melted coconut oil, vanilla, and orange zest mixture with liquid stevia or monk fruit drops to taste (start with 20–30 drops and adjust).
• This version will be less clumpy and lighter in color, but still toasty and lightly sweet

Flavor Variations

Though I know you’re really going to love this almond orange version, here are some other delicious options to try.

Warm Vanilla Pecan

• Use chopped pecans instead of sliced almonds.
• Skip the orange zest.
• Increase vanilla to 2 teaspoons and cinnamon to 1 teaspoon.

Toasted Coconut Macadamia

• Use 1 cup sliced almonds and 1 cup chopped macadamias.
• Increase shredded coconut to 1/2 cup.
• Skip the orange zest; add 1/4 teaspoon almond extract with the vanilla.

Maple Walnut Cinnamon

• Use chopped walnuts instead of almonds.
• Skip the orange zest.
• Use maple-style syrup (or real maple syrup if you like).
• Increase cinnamon to 1 teaspoon.

Special Diet Options

• For a nut-free version, omit the almonds and add extra pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
• Make this recipe completely gluten free by using certified GF oats (not quick cooking).

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and either grease your baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

• Place low-carb brown sugar and orange zest in a small bowl, and massage them together with your hand.

• Add the sugar-free maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract to the orange sweetener mixture.

• Place the rest of the ingredients, except the coconut, into a large bowl. Mix well.

• Pour the orange sweetener mixture over the oat mixture and gently stir to coat the mixture evenly.

• Spread the mixture into a thin layer on the baking sheet.

• Bake for 15 minutes, stir in shredded coconut and continue baking for an. additional 10-15 minutes until the oats are slightly golden brown. Do not overbake.

• Remove from the oven and allow to cool before stirring to allow the granola to form into clusters.

• Break up granola and cool completely before storing in a container.

Refined-Sugar-Free (Not Low Carb) Option
If you don’t need it to be low carb but still want to skip refined sugar:

• Use 1/3 cup coconut sugar instead of the sugar-free brown sweetener.
• Use 1/2 cup honey or pure maple syrup instead of the keto maple-style syrup.

Stevia-Only (No Sugar Alcohols/Allulose) Version

• Omit the sugar-free brown sweetener and keto syrup.
• Keep the coconut oil at 1/3 cup.
• Sweeten the melted coconut oil, vanilla, and orange zest mixture with liquid stevia or monk fruit drops to taste (start with 20–30 drops and adjust).
• This version will be less clumpy and lighter in color, but still toasty and lightly sweet

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is merely an approximation. Optional ingredients are not included and when there is an alternative, the primary ingredient is typically used. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts since they have been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.