This low carb granola recipe is hands down going to be one of the best keto granola options you’ve ever tried! You’ve probably noticed, there aren’t a lot of keto cereal options out there, so coming up with this easy and delicious keto cereal was a must. With just 10 minutes of prep time, you’ve got a winner on your hands. And the best part? Now you have a perfect keto granola treat to grab on mornings when you want a crunchy bowl that’s wholesome and yummy.
Low Carb Cereal Options
In the low carb community, you’ve got three basic cereal options: muesli, hot cereal, and granola. They’re all great low carb cereal options, but paleo granola is my absolute favorite. When I was a little girl, cold cereal was foreign to me. Literally. Cold cereal was a foreign concept when I moved to the U.S. from Russia as a little girl. Russians eat oatmeal and other types of hot cereal, but the American version with crunchy cold cereal and milk was totally unfamiliar. Once I tried it, though, it quickly became a favorite throughout my childhood. But instead of breakfast, one of my favorite parts of the day was sitting down with a bowl of cereal in the afternoon – be it with my latest art project, in front of the TV, or even a homework assignment. I had the house to myself, and that “me time” between school and evening activities was this introvert’s bliss. My favorite childhood cereal was filled with granola clusters, and I used to pick them out because they were the best part! This was back when I didn’t worry about finding cereals without sugar or whether there were carbs in granola. Creating a low carb granola cereal recipe has been on my list for a while now. I knew it would bring back those nostalgic memories! So imagine my delight, as an adult, every time I get to pour a bowl of keto friendly cereal comprised completely of grain-free granola clusters that I feel good about! I’m willing to bet that your inner child is going to be just as excited about this homemade sugar-free granola when you try it, too. Cereal can now be a part of your morning routine and I highly recommend a sprinkle of it on keto oatmeal too!
The Best Keto Granola Recipe with Nuts and Seeds
The idea for a low carb granola cereal recipe was inspired last year when I made my sugar-free candied pecans. As I tossed the pecans in egg whites and vanilla, it occurred to me that crushed nuts tossed in the same coating would make a grain-free granola that could double as a keto cereal. When I decided to try making my own keto granola recipe, I knew I had to try it with vanilla and egg white as the binder, just like I did for the candied pecans. This low carb granola also has some butter for more flavor (yummm, butter). Don’t skip that, but you can use ghee or coconut oil for a dairy-free option if you need to! Even with the egg white, however, you’ve still got to make sure the gluten-free granola will stay together. How to do that and keep the crunch, though? The solution was adding some golden flax seed meal, since that tends to bind things together as well. It worked marvelously in my recent cauliflower hash browns recipe, and fortunately, it worked out for this low carb granola too. This low carb cereal recipe uses hazelnuts, almonds, and pecans (oh, my!). All yummy, and all perfect for a keto cereal recipe. You can use any combination of nuts that you prefer because this sugar-free cereal recipe is so versatile. Check out this low carb keto food list for other good options. Whichever nuts you choose to include in your low carb granola, you need to process them in order. The key is to pulse the harder nuts first, then add the softer ones later, so that they all get chopped uniformly. If you can’t use nuts, try nut-free keto cereal instead. Also note that you’ll be running the food processor again several times throughout the recipe steps, as more ingredients are added, so the pieces will gradually get smaller as you progress through the steps.
Sweeteners for Low Carb Granola Cereal
As always, you have a variety of keto-approved sugar substitutes you can use for this delicious unsweetened granola to make it the perfect keto breakfast cereal. I’ve made a simple sweetener conversion chart for reference if you need it. Erythritol and monk fruit are going to give you the best results, as they are granulated and the texture contributes to the keto cereal feel. If you’re not looking for a low carb cereal option, you can also use coconut sugar in your keto granola for that same texture. Stevia works for flavor, and of course, you can leave it out altogether if you prefer. You’re the chef here – make it delicious for you!
How To Make Sugar Free Granola
Now it’s time to actually make this delicious keto cereal. Gather together all of your ingredients and preheat the oven. In only 10 minutes, you’re going to have two cookie sheets filled with low carb cereal goodness ready to bake. It’s that simple and quick! Your first step is to pulse the hardest nuts in your food processor. In this recipe, that’s going to be almonds and hazelnuts. Pulse them until they are about one-half to one-quarter of their original size. Then you can add the pecans and pulse once or twice, leaving those in larger pieces. (Remember, they are softer, and you’re going to pulse more later!) The next step in making a delicious low carb granola is to add your seeds, sweetener, and golden flaxseed meal. Pulse a little, but not too much. The low carb cereal mix should be well blended, but the seeds should be largely whole still. After this, you’ll add your liquids and combine well, first by stirring it in with a spatula and then with a couple of pulses. What you’re looking for here is a damp, coarse crumble and larger pieces that are also coated. Now spread your low carb granola mixture out over your two cookie sheets. Using your spatula, push it down all together until you have two large rectangles, each about 1/4″-1/3″ thick. Keep an eye on it while it’s baking, checking it at the 15-minute mark. When it’s done, it will be lightly browned (especially around the edges). After it’s completely cooled, you can break it into pieces. Make sure to wait, though, as it will be softer when it first comes out and crisp up as it cools down. And that’s it, friends! You have just made a delicious keto granola treat. If you’ve been looking for a grain-free cereal or (almost) no carb granola, you now have your winner!
How To Store Low Carb Granola Cereal
Just a quick note: this keto granola recipe makes quite a few servings, so you need to store it carefully. The best way is in airtight containers, in a cupboard or pantry (no sunlight). If you do this, you should be able to store your no carb granola for quite some time. Personally, I’ve done it for a few weeks with no problems at all. It will even stay nice and crisp when it’s kept airtight! You can use the fridge, but there’s no need. I try to keep this nutty low carb granola around at all times. It’s so good with unsweetened vanilla almond milk, and maybe some fresh raspberries thrown in. Another great option is to use it as topping for a parfait, like this triple berry crisp smoothie parfait. I have to confess though – sometimes I eat this keto granola straight out of the container. I can never have too many snacks that I can eat one-handed at work, and this is regularly one of them.
Food processor – This is the main tool used for this keto granola recipe. And, it’s large enough to hold a double batch if you want to make more. XL baking sheet – I love the size of this pan, and the non-stick is so good that you don’t even have to use parchment paper. (For other pans, I do recommend parchment paper.) You can also use two jelly roll pans side-by-side.
Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too - I’d love to see it! The nuts and seeds I used were salted. If yours are not, you may want to add a little sea salt to the mixture in step 4.
