This healthy Aquafaba Granola is vegan, oil-free, and lightly sweetened. With oats, coconut, and walnuts, it's perfect for a wholesome homemade breakfast, snack, or yogurt mix-in. I love this lighter, soft-baked granola recipe, and I think you will too!
I used to have a love/hate relationship with granola. I loved that both storebought and homemade granolas contained whole grains, nuts, and fruit, but hated the added sugar and oil. This recipe solves that problem, making a lighter, oil-free granola that bakes up tender instead of crunchy.
The magic ingredient is aquafaba - chickpea cooking liquid. It might be new to you, but I promise you it's easy to find and use. This granola bakes up toasty and soft, and very snackable. My family and friends devour it!
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Jump to:
- Why You'll Love Aquafaba Granola
- Ingredients You'll Need
- What Is Aquafaba?
- Why Make Granola with Aquafaba?
- Canned vs. Homemade Aquafaba
- How to Make Aquafaba from Dried Chickpeas
- Do I Have to Whip Aquafaba?
- Recommended Equipment
- How to Make Aquafaba Granola - Step-By-Step
- Storage and Serving
- Substitutions
- Recipe FAQ
- Other Wholesome Breakfasts and Snacks
- 📖 Recipe
Why You'll Love Aquafaba Granola
You'll love this granola because it's:
- Vegan and plant-based.
- Lightly sweetened - and it's easy to make it sweeter.
- Oil-free, to make it more wholesome
- Lighter in calories, yet still satisfying and delicious!
Ingredients You'll Need
Granola is versatile to make - you can swap in any number of ingredients! I use:
- Rolled oats
- Shredded or flaked coconut
- Walnuts
- Aquafaba
- Maple syrup
- Ground cinnamon
- Vanilla extract
Use old-fashioned or quick-cooking rolled oats; both work fine. Instant oats are too powdery; steel-cut are too big.
Although I've used flaked coconut in these pictures, shredded coconut works a little better because it is smaller and dries better. You can use unsweetened or sweetened coconut; unsweetened coconut makes for a barely-sweet granola.
I use chopped walnuts. Use whatever nuts you like, as long as they're chopped up a bit. Pecans would go nicely with the maple syrup.
I use aquafaba as a binder, in place of oil. I've got lots of info on that below! You'll only need the amount from 1 can of chickpeas.
I use maple syrup as a sweetener to make this vegan-friendly. You can use an equal amount of honey instead, but that's not strictly vegan since it comes from bees.
I add cinnamon and vanilla extract for added flavoring. Be sure your cinnamon is flavorful and not old. Vanilla is optional, but I find it adds a little sweetness.
What Is Aquafaba?
Aquafaba is a newcomer as far as ingredients go. It's the weird name for cooking water or brine from chickpeas (or other legumes, although chickpeas work best). It's used as a substitute for eggs in vegan cooking and baking.
Don't be scared. Your granola will not taste beany.
Aquafaba can be used for a variety of things, including making vegan meringues and marshmallow popsicles [like the ones that I beta-tested in the delicious cookbook For the Love of Popsicles (affiliate link)].
Why Make Granola with Aquafaba?
I use aquafaba, or the cooking liquid from chickpeas, as a binder for this granola. This way I can make granola with no oil. It cuts out added fat, adds minimal calories, and makes the granola lower-calorie!
I also love that it's less waste. You're not buying anything extra if you'd already eat chickpeas. You would usually pour liquid from chickpeas down the drain; instead, I save it in a glass jar and stash it in the fridge for a week (or two!). Waste not, want not!
Canned vs. Homemade Aquafaba
If you're new to using aquafaba, I recommend using the liquid from a can of chickpeas. It whips more reliably than the liquid from homemade chickpeas. I have the best results whipping canned chickpea aquafaba 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.
However, you wouldn't be the only person who cooks their own chickpeas because of concerns about BPA or other chemicals in can liners. Using aquafaba from homemade chickpeas can be hit or miss; having success with it depends on how you cook your chickpeas. You'll want thick, viscous liquid left behind from the chickpeas.
How to Make Aquafaba from Dried Chickpeas
- Combine 1 pound of unsoaked chickpeas (garbanzos) with 6-7 cups water and 1 teaspoon table salt in a 3.5-4 quart slow cooker.
- 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, viscous, and perfect to whip up.
- Don't add extra water, as this will thin out the liquid. Don't skip the salt; I believe it stabilizes the aquafaba.
- If the liquid isn't thick and viscous after it cools, store it uncovered in the refrigerator for a few days. This will allow some liquid to evaporate, making the remaining aquafaba thicker.
Do I Have to Whip Aquafaba?
Yes, for this recipe. Aquafaba works in this granola if you whip it like you would egg whites; it's too thick and clumpy if you don't beat and aerate it. Beating the aquafaba thins it out so it can coat the large quantity of ingredients in the granola.
Fortunately, you don't need to build structure or hold peaks for this recipe, which is the scary part of whipping both egg whites and aquafaba. Be patient; aquafaba takes longer to beat than egg whites.
Recommended Equipment
Whip aquafaba using an electric mixer. A Kitchenaid stand mixer (affiliate link) works, as does a handheld mixer. The hand mixer (affiliate link) works best if you have a whisk attachment; aquafaba takes longer to whip using the two beaters. It will take prohibitively long, and may not whip at all, if you use a handheld whisk.
Use a large mixing bowl with steep sides. Don't use one like what I've used in these photos 🤣 Aquafaba spatters a lot and is sticky as it dries; steep sides will help contain the mess.
You'll need a 17-inch half sheet pan (affiliate link), or something similarly long and wide, to spread out the granola. Granola needs to be in a single layer so that it can dry out as it bakes.
How to Make Aquafaba Granola - Step-By-Step
I've adapted the proportions for this recipe from my Cherry, Almond, and Cinnamon Granola. I got inspiration from Minimalist Baker on switching out the oil for aquafaba.
- Place aquafaba in a bowl with steep sides, like the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high speed. I find a hand mixer (affiliate link), with a whisk attachment, works best since it's a small amount of liquid. A stand mixer also works.
- Mix until the aquafaba is white and foamy, about 3-5 minutes, depending on how deep your bowl is. If you have trouble whipping the liquid, tilt the bowl so it pools along one side.
- Add the maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Mix again for another minute.
- 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.
- Pour granola onto a 17-inch half sheet pan (affiliate link) and spread into a single layer.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to help let off steam and help the granola dry.
Tip: If you use sweetened coconut or add additional maple syrup, your granola may brown more quickly than mine.
Storage and Serving
The granola will be soft-baked and tender, rather than crunchy, even after it cools. Cool the granola completely before packing into containers or adding dried fruit.
Store cooled granola in a glass jar or other airtight container, away from heat and humidity. It will stay good for several weeks, particularly if you leave out dried fruit.
My 7 year old snacked on the granola on its own when I first made it, and it's still a favorite years later. I grab handfuls of it when I feel snacky. The granola is great with milk, and it's also wonderful with yogurt!
Substitutions
Oats are naturally gluten-free, but usually processed on the same equipment as wheat. This granola will be gluten-free if you choose certified gluten-free oats.
If you have a coconut allergy, substitute an additional 2 cups (or 160 grams) of oats.
If you have a walnut or other nut allergy, substitute additional oats. Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) would also be another good substitute.
Cinnamon allergies are rare, but I would substitute nutmeg or mace to accomodate one. Using a half quantity of ground cloves or ground cardamom (but not both) to start would also be a good choice; add more if necessary.
Recipe FAQ
Yes! In this recipe, aquafaba (or chickpea cooking liquid) acts as a binder. This cuts out oil as a binder.
Although I cut out added oil in this recipe, it's not fat free. Oats contain only small amounts of fat. Coconut and walnuts also contain fat, but it at least comes from whole foods. To reduce the total fat content of this granola, you can reduce the quantity of coconut and walnuts by half (to 1 cup each) and increase the oats by 2 cups.
No! The aquafaba is whipped and combined with other flavors, so you don't notice any unusual flavors.
It depends. You don't have to whip aquafaba for some recipes. I beat it when I make aquafaba granola to aerate and thin it. That way, it mixes smoothly with the maple syrup and cinnamon, evenly coating the oats, coconut, and walnuts. In my testing, the granola only turned out well when I beat the aquafaba.
Aquafaba from a can of chickpeas whips more reliably than aquafaba from home-cooked chickpeas. However, if you cooked your chickpeas with salt and didn't use excess water, your homemade aquafaba may be thick and viscous enough to whip up well when cooled. For best results, store the aquafaba in the refrigerator, uncovered, for a few days to let it concentrate to improve how it whips up.
Oats are naturally gluten-free, but are processed on the same equipment as oats. Choose oats that are certified gluten-free if you must avoid gluten for health reasons.
Yes! My aquafaba granola is vegan since it's sweetened with maple syrup and it contains no eggs, dairy, or other animal products. It would not be considered vegan if you substituted honey for the maple syrup.
Since aquafaba comes from chickpeas, it does have carbs. Specifically, it has oligosaccharides, which are a fermentable carbohydrate and a culprit causing gassiness and bloating when you eat beans.
I'm not an expert on the low-FODMAP diet, but I do try to pay attention to gut health whenever possible. Aquafaba would likely not be low-FODMAP, if that's something that concerns you. However, you're using ½ cup aquafaba in this recipe, spread out over 8 cups of granola, meaning you're having ½ tablespoon at a time in a ½ cup serving.
To accommodate an allergy, I would substitute 2 cups (160 grams) of oats for the coconut or walnuts in this recipe. Pepitas (or pumpkin seeds) would be another great substitute for the walnuts.
Other Wholesome Breakfasts and Snacks
Here's some of my other favorite wholesome recipes, perfect for breakfast or healthy snacks.
Interested in other recipes? I save and share recipes I like or want to try on my Pinterest page - follow me there! You can also check out my Facebook page for more recipes and helpful tips. I'm also happy to try to help troubleshoot my recipes there.
Have you tried this recipe? Or have a question about it? Rate it or leave a comment below! (PS: rating my recipes helps other people find them, too!)
📖 Recipe
Aquafaba Granola (No Added Oil, Vegan!)
Equipment
- handheld or stand mixer
- 17-inch half sheet pan (affiliate link)
Ingredients
- 4 cups rolled oats (320 grams; old-fashioned or quicdk)
- 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut (170 grams; sweetened works too)
- 2 cups walnuts (240 grams; chopped)
- ½ cup aquafaba (130 grams; liquid from a can of chickpeas)
- ⅓ cup maple syrup (112 grams; honey works too)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional but recommended)
Instructions
- Place aquafaba in a bowl with steep sides, like the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high speed. A hand mixer (affiliate link), with a whisk attachment, works best since it's a small amount of liquid, but a stand mixer also works.
- Beat until aquafaba white and foamy; it won't be yellow anymore. This will take between 3-5 minutes, depending on the bowl and the mixer you use.
- Add maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla if using. Beat together with the mixer for a minute to combine.
- Stir in oats, coconut, and chopped nuts with a rubber spatula, mixing until everything is coated.
- Spread on the large baking sheet in as flat a layer as you can.
- Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. (If you have clumps they will be chewy, not crunchy.)
- Cool completely at room temperature. Add dried fruit, if desired, after it cools.
- Store in glass jars or airtight containers at room temperature. Granola will last for a few weeks.
Notes
[Originally published October 12, 2022. Restructured and expanded on October 5, 2025.]
Leona Konkel says
I'm proud of this recipe. Since using the aquafaba makes the granola lower calorie, I often make this for our breakfast and snacks, every time I have a can of chickpeas! I hope you also love it. Let me know when you try it!