Learn how to make delicious granola with puffed rice cereal at home! This recipe is easy to make, tasty, nutritious, great for meal prep and can be customized to your liking.
While many store-bought granolas have puffed cereal in them, most homemade granola recipes simply use oats. Oats are tasty, but granola made with just oats tends to be dense compared to granola with puffed cereal. That’s why I created a homemade granola that’s lighter and crunchier, like store-bought (but better)!
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Ingredients for Granola with Rice Puff Cereal
Apart from the base ingredients, you can easily customize this recipe to your taste preferences. Try different mixes of nuts and seeds or add some spices for a new flavor each time!
For the recipe, you’ll need:
- Rolled oats: The base of any homemade granola is rolled oats and this recipe is no exception!
- Puffed rice cereal: Any type of puffed rice can work for this recipe. I purchase plain, unsweetened and unflavoured puffed rice at an Asian grocery store or bulk food store as it’s less expensive than buying actual cereal; but use what you like or have on hand.
- Mixed nuts and seeds: Select any mix of nuts and seeds you like for this recipe. If the nuts are whole (large pieces) chop them before tossing into the granola. I typically use a mix of chopped walnuts along with sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
- Ground flax seed and ground chia seeds: To help hold the granola clumps together, and for extra nutrition, I use a mix of ground flax seed and chia seeds. You can use just flax seed or just chia seeds, depending on what you like (or have available).
- Brown sugar and maple syrup: These two ingredients create a nicely sweetened granola. The sugars also help to form granola clumps, but this recipe makes for a fairly loose texture (as opposed to a clumpy/ chunky granola).
- Vegetable oil: To get a beautifully crisp granola with amazing flavor, use some vegetable oil. Any neutral-flavored, liquid oil will work.
- Salt: Enhance the flavor of your granola with some salt. You can adjust the amount to your preferences (if you like a salty-sweet granola, use a little extra).
- Vanilla extract: This gives your granola an amazing flavor and creates the best smell as it bakes!
How to Make Granola with Puffed Rice
This recipe couldn’t be easier to make and takes only 2 simple steps!
Step 1: Mix Granola
In a large mixing bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients including the rolled oats, puffed rice cereal, mixed nuts and seeds, ground flaxseed and/or chia seeds, brown sugar and salt.
Make sure there are no clumps of brown sugar (it needs to be evenly mixed throughout).
Then pour in maple syrup, vegetable oil and vanilla extract.
Stir until everything is well coated with the liquid ingredients.
Step 2: Bake, Cool and Serve
Spread your granola onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Make sure the granola is in an even layer, spread out as much as possible.
Bake in an oven preheated to 325 °F for 30 minutes, tossing once about halfway through cooking.
Once out of the oven, let your granola cool fully while still on the baking tray.
When cooled, you can crumble it and serve. This granola isn’t super clumpy and creates more of a loose cereal texture.
Create a Balanced Vegan Meal with Granola
I consider a balanced meal one that contains a good source of plant-based protein, carbohydrates, fats and lots of vegetables or fruits.
This recipe provides plenty of carbohydrates from the oats and rice cereal. These carbs should provide lasting energy along with fiber to help keep you feeling full.
There’s also some plant-based protein from the nuts and seeds.
Lastly, this recipe offers healthy fats from the nuts, seeds and vegetable oil. This makes for a satisfying and satiating meal.
If you’re looking to round out the meal, serve your granola with some fruit for added fiber and nutrition. Bananas, apples or berries are great choices that pair well with granola but use whatever you like (or have on hand).
I typically serve granola with plant-based yogurt or milk along with fruit.
How to Store Puffed Rice Granola
Once completely cooled, store leftover granola in an airtight container or jar. You can keep it on the counter if planning to use within a few days. For longer storage, keep it in your fridge. If the granola was fully cooled before placing in a container, it shouldn’t become soggy in when refrigerated.
If you make this recipe, please rate and comment below to help others benefit from your experience!
Granola with Puffed Rice Cereal
Equipment
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats (250 grams)
- 2 cups puffed rice cereal (50 grams)
- 1 cup mixed nuts and seeds *
- 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed (25 grams)**
- 2 tablespoons ground chia seeds (10 grams)**
- ¼ cup brown sugar , lightly packed (60 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup maple syrup (60 milliliters)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (45 milliliters)
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Step 1: Mix Granola
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together rolled oats, puffed rice cereal, mixed nuts and seeds, ground flaxseed, ground chia seeds, brown sugar and salt. Make sure there are no clumps of brown sugar.2 cups rolled oats, 2 cups puffed rice cereal, 1 cup mixed nuts and seeds, 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed, 2 tablespoons ground chia seeds, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Then add maple syrup, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Mix until the dry ingredients are evenly coated with liquid ingredients.¼ cup maple syrup, 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Step 2: Bake, Cool and Serve
- Spread your granola into an even layer on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Bake in an oven that’s preheated to 325 °F for 30 minutes, tossing once halfway through baking.
- Once out of your oven, let the granola cool completely on the baking tray.
- Crumble the granola to serve. This granola has a loose texture without too many clusters.
Video
Notes
**Can use 5 tablespoons ground flaxseed OR 5 tablespoons ground chia seed if both aren’t available. Accuracy of nutrition information cannot be guaranteed (certain ingredients may not have all nutrients listed in the database); amounts may vary (and will vary depending on brands of ingredients used); all nutrition fact values rounded to the nearest whole number.
Nutrition
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About Nicole Stevens
Nicole is a vegan Registered Dietitian (RD) and founder of Lettuce Veg Out.
She helps people thrive on a vegan diet with balanced recipes and easy-to-understand nutrition science.
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