Matcha Granola (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

This healthy matcha granola is SO delicious, vegan and gluten-free! Also easy to make and made using simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. Serve with oat milk and berries for a tasty breakfast or filling snack. You can also make a big batch and use it during busy mornings, your whole family will love it!

Hey there, matcha lovers!

I have a new delicious way to enjoy vibrant matcha green tea powder: Matcha granola!

What's better than starting the day with some energizing, earthy and antioxidant-packed matcha? I usually go for a vanilla matcha latte when I crave matcha or feel like I need a boost in energy, but this crunchy, healthy and plant-based matcha granola is now my new obsession! 

I made a huge batch and simply cannot stop eating it!

This healthy green tea granola is great simply served with oat milk and berries, but I use it everywhere, such as layered in chia parfaits, topping vegan overnight oats, over coconut yogurt or vegan chocolate pudding, decorating vanilla smoothie bowls... it is so crunchy and slightly sweet, making it the perfect addition to add texture and flavor to desserts and breakfasts.

And I find it hard to appreciate it by looking at the pictures, but the matcha granola is GREEN, omg, how fun! The matcha flavor is perfectly balanced with vanilla extract, cinnamon and maple syrup and you get a good crunch from the nuts. 

This recipe is so easy to make and on top of the matcha, it includes other nutrient-dense ingredients, such as rolled oats and ground flax seeds. All you have to do is mix everything and then bake, that's it.

As a side note, this homemade granola recipe is quicker than other granolas as it needs to bake only for 20-25 minutes. You will love how this recipe is done without much effort!

Perfect for breakfast or as a healthy snack, this matcha granola is a delicious and wholesome way to energize your day!

Let me know if you give it a try! ❤️

Matcha powder: what it is and where to find it

In case you are new to matcha powder, here is a quick summary. 

Matcha powder simply is ground whole leaves of green tea. Compared to steeping regular green tea leaves in hot water, when you enjoy matcha, you are actually consuming the whole leaf. 

This is the main reason why matcha powder is SO healthy: you are not discarding any part of the leaves but instead, you are getting all the health benefits from green tea.

Matcha powder offers an exceptionally high antioxidant content, offering sustained energy to your body without the abrupt peaks and subsequent crashes often associated with coffee consumption.

As a reference, matcha is packed with antioxidants: about 3 times more than the equivalent cup of regular green tea, and about 17 times more than blueberries (when comparing the same weight). 

You can also find matcha powder in some grocery stores or Asian markets, but I like to get mine online as it is easier. For this recipe, I used the culinary-grade matcha powder from the brand Jade Leaf.

Why you should try this recipe

• Easy and quick granola recipe
• LOADED with nutrition, such as fiber, healthy fats and plant-based protein
• Rich in antioxidants
• Great recipe to add to your meal prep routine
• Energizing granola recipe
• Made with only a few simple and healthy ingredients
• Versatile and easy to customize
• Delicious combination of matcha green tea flavor with hints of vanilla and cinnamon
• No white sugar and free of preservatives and additives
• 100% gluten-free and vegan

Ingredients you will need

• Rolled oats: old-fashioned oats are the best kind of oats to make granola for their chewy texture. Quick-cooking oats can work too if that's all you have, although it might make the granola less crunchy. Avoid instant oats, it does not work well for making granola. And use certified gluten-free oats if necessary!
• Matcha powder: there are mainly 2 different kinds of matcha powder you can choose from: ceremonial matcha powder (higher quality and more expensive) and culinary grade matcha powder (great for baking and less expensive). I always use culinary matcha (I like this matcha from Jade Leaf that I get online) when baking with matcha, so I can keep my more expensive matcha for when making fresh matcha lattes. 
• Ground flax seeds: they add a ton of nutrients, such as fiber and healthy omega-3 fats, but also the flax helps create mini clusters by sticking to the oats while baking.
• Coconut oil: you will only need a small amount for the whole batch of granola. Coconut oil helps create a granola that's more crunchy without having to include a ton of sugar. You can use refined or unrefined coconut oil depending on if you want a mild coconutty flavor or not.
• Maple syrup: amazing sweetener for making granola. It carries a mild caramel-like flavor that's perfect with the matcha. 
• Shredded coconut: adds more texture and flavor. Choose unsweetened coconut and swap for coconut flakes if that's what you have.
• Cinnamon & Vanilla: technically optional, although adds great flavor that pairs well with matcha.
• Nuts: you will need 1 cup of your favorite nuts or seeds for this recipe. You can make a mix-and-match to add different textures. I used about ½ cup of cashews and ½ cup of almonds, but walnuts, pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts, pecans and sunflower seeds all work well.

How to make matcha granola recipe

This recipe is so simple and pretty quick too: this whole recipe can be done in under 60 minutes, including the cooling time!

Start by pre-heating the oven to 300º and then, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients: rolled oats, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, ground flax, cinnamon, matcha powder and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine and set aside.

In a medium bowl, add the coconut oil and melt using the microwave. Then, add the maple syrup and vanilla extract and stir until smooth and uniform (I like using a whisk).

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the oats and stir until combined.

Bake

Pour the granola mixture over the prepared baking sheet and use the back of a spoon or a spatula to spread it out. Try to keep the granola in one even layer without big piles or empty spaces. Keeping the granola tight can help the clusters to form.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Then, stir + flip the granola and press it once more into one even tight layer to encourage cluster formation.

Bake for another 10-15 min or until golden brown watching carefully so it does not burn. 

Cool down and serve

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP: once the granola is just out of the oven, it will still be soft. You have to let it cool down completely at room temperature UNTOUCHED so it can crisp and finish up cooking. This can take 30-45 minutes. Try to be patient, it is worth it and this will ensure you get a super crunchy granola!

Helpful tips

• Pressing down on the granola before baking and at mid-cooking after flipping is essential to create mini clumps. Keeping it all in one single layer without dispersing the granola too much also helps it not to burn.
• Every oven is different, so watch carefully towards the end of the baking time: you want it to be golden brown and dried out without burning. For me, this took only 20 minutes, but could be up to 30 minutes depending on your oven. 
• For a stronger matcha flavor and a deeper green color, you can sprinkle more matcha powder over the granola once baked. I like to do that so it turns my milk or overnight oats greener when I serve it. So, feel free to taste and adjust matcha flavor to your preference! 
• Cooling down the granola is not optional. For the best granola crunchy texture, you will have to allow the coconut oil to cool down, which will help crisp the oats.

Serving suggestions

We love this gluten-free matcha granola served as a breakfast cereal bowl with oat milk and fresh berries. The matcha slowly colors the milk to a light green hue and flavors it with a delicious sweet and earthy matcha flavor.

You can also try pairing it with flavored milk for a delicious twist on your breakfast bowl, such as strawberry almond milk or chocolate hemp milk.

But, you can serve this granola in so many other ways to add crunch and flavor to your meals. Here are a few ideas: 

• Layered with antioxidant-rich chia pudding 
• In homemade trail mix
• Smoothie bowl
• Chocolate pudding
• Yogurt bowl
• Overnight oats
• Flax seed pudding

Variations to the recipe

This recipe is super versatile! Here is how you can customize it:

• Use your favorite nuts: I like cashews and almonds together, but use whatever nuts you like or have on hand.
• Dried fruits: feel free to toss in a handful of dried cranberries, goji berries, raisins or dried blueberries once the granola is all done (do not bake the fruits or they will burn).
• Switch the spices: the combination of cinnamon and vanilla really goes well with the matcha, although you can try nutmeg, cardamom, chai spice mix or pumpkin spice mix.
• Boost the protein: feel free to add 1-2 tablespoons of chia seeds or hemp seeds to make this granola high in plant-based protein.
• Sweeter: if you like your granola sweeter, then add about ¼ cup of coconut sugar to the mixture or incorporate some chopped dates once the granola is done and has cooled down.

Storage tips

Once the granola has completely cooled down, then you can transfer to a sealed glass jar or an airtight container. Then, keep at room temperature for a couple of weeks (best fresh flavors if enjoyed within 1 week).

You can also freeze granola for up to 3 months! Let it thaw on the counter covered before serving.

FAQ's

More matcha recipes to try

• Vanilla matcha latte
• Matcha coconut energy balls
• Iced blueberry matcha latte
• Mini matcha brownies
• Matcha chocolate oatmeal
• Strawberry matcha smoothie
• Iced matcha lemonade
• Matcha chai latte
• Lavender matcha latte
• Vegan matcha white chocolate cookies
• Mango matcha latte
• Matcha affogato

Try these granola recipes next!

• Vanilla almond granola
• Superfood turmeric granola
• Spiced sweet potato granola
• Nut-free granola bars

I hope you like this matcha granola recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!

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📖 Recipe