Aquafaba Granola (with No Added Oil!)

I used to have a love/hate relationship with granola. I loved that it contained whole grains, nuts, and fruit, but hated how much added sugar and oil it had. Homemade granola had a similar problem, until I developed this recipe for a lightly sweetened granola with NO added oil!

I understand being skeptical, but my family gobbles this up. I had friends visit, and they likewise chowed down on it and complimented it several times!

The magic ingredient in this recipe is aquafaba, which sounds scary and esoteric, but I promise you it isn't. Read on for details!

Jump to:

• What is aquafaba?
• Canned versus homemade aquafaba
• How to make granola using aquafaba
• Storage and Serving
• 📖 Recipe

What is aquafaba?

Aquafaba is the weird name for cooking water or brine from chickpeas (or other legumes, although chickpeas work best). It's a fantastic substitute for eggs in vegan cooking and baking. It's a newcomer as far as ingredients go, but don't be scared. Your granola will not taste beany.

If you'd eat chickpeas anyway, you're not buying anything extra. Normally when you use a can of chickpeas, you would simply pour all that liquid down the drain. Now that I have a use for it, I drain the liquid into a glass jar and stash it in my fridge for a week (or two!). Waste not, want not.

Aquafaba can be used for a variety of things, including making vegan meringues and marshmallow popsicles (like the ones that I tested in For the Love of Popsicles (affiliate link)). I love that I can use it in granola like this, adding minimal calories and cutting out all the added fat that would come from using oil instead.

Since aquafaba comes from chickpeas (or other beans, although I've never tried that), it does have carbs. Specifically, it has oligosaccharides, which are a fermentable carbohydrate and a culprit causing gassiness and bloating when you eat beans.

So aquafaba would likely not be low-FODMAP, if that's something that concerns you. I'm not an expert on the low-FODMAP diet, but I do try to pay attention to gut health whenever possible. That said, you're using half a cup of liquid in this recipe, which will be spread out over 8 cups of granola, meaning you're having a half tablespoon at a time.

Canned versus homemade aquafaba

If you've never used aquafaba before, using liquid from a can of chickpeas will be your most sure-fire bet. However, if you're concerned about BPA or other chemicals in can liners, you're not alone.

Using aquafaba from homemade chickpeas can be hit or miss, but I have had great success! Here's the key for me:

Use 1 pound of chickpeas, unsoaked. Add 6-7 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours, until the chickpeas are thoroughly cooked. When you remove the chickpeas and cool the liquid, you'll find it's thick and viscous and perfect to whip up.

If you use aquafaba from a can of chickpeas, I've had the best results when I leave the liquid in the fridge uncovered for a day or two, to let a little moisture evaporate and make the liquid a little thicker.

How to make granola using aquafaba

I've adapted this recipe from my Cherry, Almond, and Cinnamon Granola. I got inspiration from Minimalist Baker on switching out the oil for aquafaba.

Aquafaba only works if you whip it like you would egg whites. The great thing is that in this recipe, you don't need to build structure or hold peaks, which is the scary part of whipping egg whites. You just want to make the liquid less thick.

Using hand mixer (affiliate link) (with a whisk attachment if yours has one) works best since you're using a small amount of liquid; a stand mixer will work as well. If you have trouble whipping the liquid, just tilt the bowl so it pools along the side. Beat it on high until foamy. The liquid will stop looking yellow and will become white.

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Add the maple syrup and cinnamon and mix again. I usually do this with my hand mixer (affiliate link) as well. It only takes another minute or so.

You can use an equal amount honey instead of maple syrup if you'd like. It's vegan with the maple syrup, though, whereas it's not if you use honey.

Use a spatula to stir in the oats, coconut, and nuts. Stir as much as you need until everything is coated and there are no dry bits.

Use old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats; both work fine. Instant oats are too powdery, though, and steel-cut are too big. And of course, use whatever nuts you like, as long as they're chopped up a bit.

Although I've used flaked coconut in these pictures, shredded coconut works a little better because it is smaller and dries better. I use unsweetened coconut for a barely-sweet granola to add to flavored yogurt, but sweetened coconut will work just fine as well.

Pour granola onto a baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to help let off steam and help the granola dry.

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Let cool before you store the granola or add dried fruit. Or omit the dried fruit so you can top it with fresh fruit instead.

Storage and Serving

Once the granola is thoroughly cooled, store it in a glass jar or airtight container away from heat and humidity.

Granola will stay good for several weeks, particularly if you leave out dried fruit.

My 7 year old snacks on the granola on its own. I also grab handfuls of it when I feel snacky. The granola is great with milk, and it's also wonderful with yogurt!

Want other quick, easy, and healthy breakfast options?

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📖 Recipe

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