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Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It NowMy Keto Granola Cereal Has All The Crunchy, Nostalgic Vibes
When I first started a sugar-free lifestyle, I missed cereal so much. I grew up eating it on the daily while I did my homework after school or for breakfast on weekends. Even as an adult, grabbing a bowl for an effortless breakfast, snack, whatever occasion was still such a convenience I took for granted. That is, until I dipped my toes into keto for the first time. No more carby cereals! My keto granola was born in 2017, out of that yearning to recreate the experience again. Here’s why it’s everything I’d missed:
- Sweet, crunchy granola clusters – This might not be the same as those fake-colored, sugary cereals you had as a kid, but the one I used to love most had flakes mixed with granola clusters. My keto cereal has just the crunch, which is the best part anyway. You’ll feel like a kid again!
- Customizable – I let the nuttiness shine with just a hint of vanilla, but you can totally customize the flavor with my variations below.
- Keto friendly and gluten free – My low carb granola cereal has just 2g net carbs per serving, and it’s completely grain-free. I’ve also got a dairy-free option if you need it.
- Easy to make – This keto granola recipe takes less than 30 minutes. Oh, and it’s also kind of fun to break it up when it’s ready!
- Perfect meal prep breakfast – Make a big batch and you’ll be set for weeks. Enjoying a bowl for a keto breakfast is just as effortless as grabbing a box of pre-made stuff.
There are some commercial keto cereals that have popped up since then, but I still like to keep a stash of my own in my pantry. Make it with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my keto cereal recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Nuts & Seeds – Instead of traditional oats, I make the base of my keto granola with almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), and sunflower seeds. Here’s why I chose these and my notes on alternatives:
- The variety prevents any one type from being overpowering, compared to when I used fewer kinds. You can add or swap in other keto nuts, though, such as walnuts, macadamia nuts, or Brazil nuts.
- I usually use salted nuts and seeds. Feel free to use unsalted and add a bit of salt.
- You can also add flax seeds, chia seeds, or sesame seeds, but they don’t make a good replacement for the other nuts and seeds, since they are so tiny. I recommend them only as extras.
- Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – This is my go-to natural sweetener that tastes and dissolves like real sugar (I’m very particular about avoiding any aftertaste). I used to make this recipe using erythritol, but I like the flavor and texture much more with Besti. If you want to use another keto sugar substitute, check out my sweetener conversion chart for how much to use.
- Flaxseed Meal & Egg White – Both help bind the low carb cereal together. (I also use flax as a binder for cauliflower hash browns.) I recommend golden flax seed meal, which has a milder flavor, but the regular brown kind also works. Keto granola doesn’t need a lot of binding power, so it’s totally fine to use other egg substitutes, or an extra flax egg.
- Unsalted Butter – For flavor and it also helps with browning. I wouldn’t recommend salted unless your nuts are unsalted. If you need a dairy free option, you can use coconut oil, butter-flavored coconut oil (my fave for a similar flavor), or ghee (not dairy-free but might work for your needs).
- Vanilla Extract – I like this one.
Reader Review
“Best recipe I have ever had for homemade granola! I can’t believe it only has 2 net carbs per 1/4 cup. My husband loves it too.” –Marsha
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How To Make Keto Granola
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Process the hard nuts. Pulse the almonds and hazelnuts in a food processor intermittently, until most of the nuts are in chopped into large pieces.
- Process the soft nuts. Add the pecans and pulse again, stopping when they are in large pieces.
- Add the pumpkin and sunflower seeds, Besti, and flaxseed meal. Pulse just until all the dry ingredients are mixed well.
- Add the wet ingredients. Add the egg white to the food processor. Whisk together the melted butter and vanilla extract in a small bowl, and evenly pour that in, too. Pulse a couple times, stir a little from the bottom toward the top with a spatula, and then pulse a couple times again. Repeat as needed until everything is coated evenly.
- Bake. Transfer the nut mixture to a large baking sheet, or two small ones, lined with parchment paper. Press into a thin, uniform thin rectangle. Bake the sheet of keto granola until it’s firm, dry, and lightly browned.
- Cool and break apart. Let the mixture cool completely before breaking apart into pieces. Enjoy your keto cereal!
My Tips For The Best Texture
- Process the hard nuts first. Pecans, walnuts, and macadamias are softer than almonds and hazelnuts. I process the harder nuts first and then add the softer ones. When I did them all at once, the soft nuts turned into flour before the hard nuts were broken up into pieces.
- Don’t overprocess. You want to have plenty of nut pieces remaining, and most of the seeds should be intact. Keto granola tastes best when there are some pieces in it, otherwise you’ve just got a weird cookie situation!
- You can also use a large bowl for mixing in the wet ingredients. This is a bit easier than using the food processor for that step, but I often mix in the processor anyway to avoid washing another bowl. 😉
- Don’t have a food processor? I’ve had this one for almost 10 years and highly recommend it. It’s still going strong, and large enough to hold a double batch of this keto cereal. You can try chopping the nuts and seeds using a knife, or possibly use a powerful blender, but the texture of the granola turns out a bit different.
- Spread the mixture in a thin, even layer. My ideal thickness is 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick. If you make the layer thicker, it won’t crisp up, and if the thickness is uneven, you’ll end up with burned spots.
- This baking sheet I use is the perfect size to get the right thickness. Even though I do recommend parchment paper here, the silicone non-stick surface is so good that I can often skip lining it for many other keto recipes.
- Cool completely to get crispy. Your low carb granola will be soft when you remove it from the oven — this is normal! It will crisp up as it cools. It’s easier to crumble afterward.
Keto Granola Cereal (Low Carb & Easy)
Whip up my fast, easy, keto granola recipe with nuts & seeds in 30 minutes! This keto cereal is crunchy, grain free, and just 2g net carbs.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (163 degrees C). Line a large baking sheet (I used this size), or two small ones, with parchment paper.
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Pulse the almonds and hazelnuts in a food processor intermittently, until most of the nuts are in chopped into large pieces (about 1/4 to 1/2 of the full size of the nuts).
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Add the pecans. Pulse again, stopping when the pecans are in large pieces. (Pecans are added later since they are softer.)
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Add the pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, Besti, and golden flax seed meal. Pulse just until everything is mixed well. Don't over-process! You want to have plenty of nut pieces remaining, and most of the seeds should be intact.
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Add the egg white to the food processor. Whisk together the melted butter and vanilla extract in a small bowl, and evenly pour that in, too.
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Pulse a couple times, mix a little from the bottom toward the top with a spatula, then pulse a couple times again. Repeat as needed until everything is coated evenly. Again, avoid over-processing. At the end of this step, you'll have a combination of coarse meal and nut pieces, and everything should be a little damp from the egg white and butter. (Alternatively, you can do this step in a large bowl instead to avoid over-processing.)
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Transfer the nut mixture to the prepared baking sheet in a uniform layer, pressing together into a thin rectangle (about 1/4 to 1/3 in (.6-.8 cm) thick). Bake for 15-18 minutes, until lightly browned, especially at the edges.
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Cool completely before breaking apart into pieces. (The granola will be soft when you remove it from the oven, but will crisp up as it cools.)
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/4 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you make this recipe more easily and get the best crunchy texture.
- Variations: See my variations here to make berry, chocolate, peanut butter, cinnamon, or even pumpkin spice flavors.
- Note on salt: 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, or use salted butter.
- Storage: My keto granola recipe makes a big batch! I keep it in glass jars, but any airtight container in the pantry is fine. It will last at least 3-4 weeks, maybe even longer — I’ve never had it last longer to find out!
- Freeze: If needed, it will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Cheat Sheet System!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Keto Granola Cereal
Flavor Variations
I love this classic vanilla flavor the most, but I’ve also had fun transforming this keto cereal into different flavors. Try these variations:
- Berry – Mix in dried berries, like my sugar-free dried cranberries, blueberries, or strawberries, to add a burst of fruity flavor. I always do this by hand, so they don’t turn to mush in the food processor.
- Chocolate – My recipe for chocolate keto granola is in my Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook! You can also mix in 1/2 cup of sugar-free chocolate chips into my version here after cooling.
- Peanut Butter – Melt 1/4 cup of sugar-free peanut butter (I like this brand because it’s thick like the regular kind, not runny) together with the regular butter. Then you can proceed with my keto cereal recipe as usual.
- Cinnamon – Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice is amazing for fall) at the same time that you add Besti. Feel free to adjust the amount to your taste.
Ways I Use It
I have to be honest, sometimes my husband and I enjoy this low carb granola right out of the jar! But there are also so many other ways to eat it:
- Milk – The obvious choice! Regular dairy milk is not keto, but you can make a bowl of keto cereal with almond milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, or watered down heavy cream. My personal go-to is almond milk with 1-2 tablespoons of half & half, pictured towards the top of this post. Keep in mind that half & half is not strictly keto, so you can use heavy cream if it doesn’t fit your macros.
- Yogurt – I love to top my keto yogurt (or sometimes just whole milk Greek yogurt) with crumbled keto granola, almost always with fresh berries. This also works well with my chia seed pudding.
- Smoothies – Add a sprinkle on top of your low carb smoothie, or even a keto protein shake.
- Muffins – Mix low carb granola into your muffin batter, or just use it as a crunchy topping. Try it with my keto blueberry muffins!
- Ice Cream – Crumble it over your keto ice cream for a crunchy contrast.
- Pancakes & Waffles – Top your keto pancakes or keto waffles with your favorite low carb fruit, a dollop of my sugar-free whipped cream, and a sprinkle of this granola. It also works over a simpler pancake topping of butter and my keto maple syrup.
- Oatmeal – Oats are not keto, but I make my own keto oatmeal or keto overnight oats with alternatives. This granola is surprisingly delicious on top!
More Keto Breakfast Recipes
Tired of eggs and bacon for breakfast? I got you! Try some of my other popular options for when you miss the carbs or sweetness:
633 Comments
Cheryl
0Maya, I love this keto granola recipe. I had been buying my keto granola and an 11 oz bag is 13.00. So I thought why not make my own. I immediately checked Wholesum Yum because I have used so many of your other keto recipes and have had great success with them. Thanks again for providing your expertise!
PS: I added 1/4 cup of matcha powder and it tasted great!
Margaret baxter
0I have a slight nut allergy is there any other cereal recipes I can try to make?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Margaret, I have another keto cereal recipe that is nut free.
Don
0Are the nuts in this recipe raw or roasted?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Don, I used both raw and roasted. If you click on the different nut types in the recipe you can see what types were used.
Toni Darling
0Finally I can eat some cereal for breakfast. This turned out delicious. I left out the seeds didn’t know if I would like milk on seeds lol. This granola taste just like cereal. I love this recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Sorscha
0This recipe looks amazing! I would love to try making it, but I have reactions on-and-off to erythritol. And I don’t feel good about allulose, which I also see a lot in the stores, but I understand is banned in certain countries as a novel food… Is there another sweetener I could substitute? I use liquid stevia usually, but I don’t think that would work here.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sorscha, I used to make this recipe with erythritol but now prefer to make it with Besti (the recipe card needs to be updated), because it doesn’t have that cooling aftertaste, among other benefits. Besti is a blend of monk fruit and allulose. You can learn more about allulose here, but it’s perfectly safe to use and naturally occurring in maple syrup, figs, and several other fruits. It’s not new to our bodies, only new(ish) in it’s granulated form. In addition, the “ban” in some countries is a bit of a misnomer — there is no country I’m aware of that actively banned allulose, they simply have not actively approved it, as approving any new food requires a process and in many countries this takes a very long time. I have not tried this recipe with any other sweeteners so can’t comment on what else might or might not work, sorry.
Naziya
0Hi. Can I make this without eggs? If yes. How do I prepare?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Naziya, The granola will not turn out as good if you to not use the egg white, but you could use Wholesome Yum maple syrup or Wholesome Yum keto honey.
Cheri
0I made this for the second time today, and it was very good. I didn’t have any hazelnuts on hand, so I used Brazil nuts instead. I also used a heaping teaspoon of cinnamon as well as a cup of unsweetened coconut flakes, and it turned out fantastic. I used a ninja chopper for the nuts. I put the nuts and the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and mixed everything with a wooden spoon, and put it in the oven; I baked it 15 minutes. This is better than any store-bought cereal. Thank you for this yummy recipe.
Sandy
0I have made this cereal a few times and it is excellent. I also have used walnuts in place of the pecans, used half butter and half coconut oil, added 1/4 cup of shredded coconut, a half tsp. of cinnamon. If I don’t have any hazelnuts I used sliced almonds. If you want this to be like cereal bars break into large pieces and drizzle on some melted dark chocolate. SO YUMMY!!! Thanks for this delicious recipe.
Stephanie
0Thank you for this amazing recipe that helped me to finish many nuts & seeds packs opened and avoid unhealthy granola from supermarket. I added some raisins, coconut flakes and cinnamon to up the flavor and awesome everybody love it!! Love your recipes!
Aubri Bell
0Made this yummy recipe with the Besti brown sugar and it’s to die for. Great recipe!
Rose
0Adapted to use flaked almonds and unsweetened desiccated coconut, which I toasted in my Airfryer. Added ground almonds, chopped hazelnuts, macadamias and pecans. Used Swerve brown sweetener and flaked sea salt. The whole family loves it!
Ashley
0Baking my second batch right now, my house smells AMAZING!! This stuff is so delicious and so much more affordable (probably healthier) then the store bought options. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!
Rachael
0Pictures would be most helpful for these not exactly measurable pulse instructions.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Rachael, There is a video at the top of the recipe card that should answer all your questions.
Dirt
0Oh. My. Goodness!!!!! I just used what I had: walnuts, pumpkin seeds. I used monkfruit instead of erythritol and it’s so good. Thank you!!!!!!
Joanne
0The granola is fantastic and all my friends want me to share the recipe with them. They love it too!
Dimple
0Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe. My husband and I started a Keto diet plan which called for eating plain nuts for snacks. We had every nut known to mankind and they weren’t being eaten. This recipe has taken care of that! My husband can’t stop eating this granola and it’s perfect with my yogurt in the morning.
Kathleen B
0I’m excited to try your recipe. My question is how do you store it and for how long? ? I will use the 1/4c to top my light yogurt for breakfasts and this recipe makes quite a bit?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Kathleen, There is a whole section in the post about how to store the granola.
Christina S
0If you wanted to incorporate oats 2-3cups for a cereal style granola, what modifications would you make?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Christina, I have never used oats in this granola because they are not low carb, so I have no suggestions on that alteration.
Kimberly Maione
0Omg. This was amazing. Can’t wait to use it with yogurt.
Beyo
0This is amazing… love it! Thank you!
ChefK
0The recipe says 12 servings. How much is a serving? 1/4 or 1/2 a cup? In the video it looked like you used about 1 cup!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0The serving size that the nutrition info is based on is 1/4 cup (which is FDA standard for granolas), but I had around 1/2 to 2/3 cup in the bowl in the video.
Saoirse Guerin
0Absolutely love this recipe I have it with yoghurt. Thank you so much for sharing.
Darcy
0This is delicious and very easy. I added cinnamon. I was unable to find my favourite keto granola at Costco. I am so happy I found your recipe! Thank you thank you!
Shelly
0This granola is REALLY yummy. I enjoy it on top of yougart or eat it as a dessert sometimes. I really appreciate this recipe and the hard work that was put into making this such a success.
Carol
0I love this granola! It’s easy to make and so satisfying. I enjoy grabbing a handful as a healthy snack or add to almond milk or yogurt for a meal.
Cammie
0I love granola and was missing this with my yogurt since on keto. I tried this recipe, and I LOVE it!! It’s delicious. I wasn’t sure I’d like it because I’m not a fan of pecans, but I didn’t even notice them. Next time I make this (and I will) I’m going to add some coconut. Also, if you want a bit of sweetness, add some (Lilly) chocolate chips per serving.
I will definitely be making this regularly, and I forgot to mention I had other people try this granola and they couldn’t believe it was keto.
Lesan
0This is, by far, my favorite granola recipe! I’ve tried so many keto recipes, and this one turns out just the way I hope every time! I don’t always have hazelnuts on hand, so I will substitute walnuts and a dash of chia seeds. Terrific base and I would highly recommend giving this a try!
Antionnette
0Wow! Wow!Wow!
What an amazing creation! My kids love love love it. I adore and enjoy it. It took me a while as I did 2 batches and fill my cereal pan. This cereal is worth every second and every penny I put in it. I also made some sugar free dried cranberry and have it like cereal, in my chia seed pudding breakfast, on my ice cream, on my yogurt, and everything my kids are eating.
A hearty thank you Maya!
Carol
0Omg!!! These are amazing. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Just one question……can I freeze the granola?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Carol, If you made more than you will eat over 5 days or so, then you can store it in the freezer.
Brenda
0I LOVE this granola! I eat it by itself or as a cereal with almond milk. I use a granular pre/pro/post biotic and it’s perfect to add it to my cereal. I sometimes add a few blueberries or strawberries to it!
Jennifer
0So easy and so good!! This will definitely be on repeat, thank you!
Amanda Elliott
0can you use walnuts and macadamias instead of pecans and hazelnuts.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Amanda, Absolutely! Enjoy.
Colleen
0I’d love the carbs per cup somewhere. I have 1/3 and wondering if that’s too much?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Colleen, The serving size is listed on the recipe card. It’s 1/4 cup. I hope that helps!
Joe Azzopardi
0This sounds terrific cannot wait to try it
Carmen
0Hi Maya! I have a Question, can I substitute the flax seed meal for xanthan gum, and what it would be the ratio thank you.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Carmen, Xanthan gum does not work in this recipe. Feel free to skip the flax in this recipe if you can’t tolerate it. The flaxseed and egg white work together as a binder. If you skip the flax, your granola won’t cluster together at much, but it will still be a delicious cereal.
Carmen
0🙂 thank you so much
Sinda
0Ok thank you. Thank you also for the Free Printable Keto Food List.
Lynda Pedersen
0I’ve gone through 2 batches of this….I love it mixed with homemade yogurt and berries. I’ve recently bought hemp hearts and oat fiber for other recipes. Would either or both of these work in the granola recipe?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Lynda, You could add hemp hearts to this granola recipe, but I don’t think oat fiber would benefit the texture. Enjoy!
Heather Hawk
0I am allergic to peacans. Can I use cashews as a substitute for the granola?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Heather, Feel free to sub in any keto-friendly nut for the pecans. Enjoy!
Sinda
0This sounds really good, is there anything else I can use for a binder instead of flax, I’m allergic to that. Am going to try it with out the flax. Maybe fiber powder or almond flower or coconut flower?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Sinda, Feel free to skip the flax in this recipe. The flaxseed and egg white work together as a binder. If you skip the flax, your granola won’t cluster together at much, but it will still be a delicious cereal.
Pascale Kull
0Oh, my…! So good! I had to muzzle myself to not eat it all before baking 😀
I added soy flakes for more protein and a little bit of maple syrup as I love that flavor.
Bye bye all you store-sold granolas! Never will I ever buy you again. With this recipe I can play around and build my very own, amazing granola.
Next batch with cinnamon and dried apple. Or white chocolate chips and raspberries. Can’t wait to try more….
Thank you Maya!
Marci
0I just love your recipes. And I would LOVE to make this. BUT I cannot have eggs. What would I substitute or should I just forget about egg altogether and add more coconut oil/butter?
Reme
0What does the asterisk mean on the ingredient list for “almonds”?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Reme, The asterisk refers you to the ‘Notes’ section just below the recipe. I used salted nuts, but if you are using unsalted, then you may want to add a pinch of salt to the recipe to help balance flavors. Enjoy!
REME
0Thank you! It didn’t have an asterisk by the note so I wasn’t sure. I think if you add that you won’t have as many questions. I saw the question and answer after I submitted in other comments.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Marci, The egg white holds the ingredients together into clusters. You can omit the egg white, but the cereal will not cluster together like traditional granola. I hope this helps!
Tebogo Tsetsewa
0So yummy and easy to make! Absolutely obsessed! Thank you for sharing!
Safina
0Hi how do you store this as I have made a big batch?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Safina, This granola can be stored in an airtight container in a dark place like a pantry. If you made more than you will eat over 5 days or so, then you can store it in the freezer.
Phyllis Dufrene
0Another keeper! So easy to prepare and delicious. Satisfies the desire for cereal, a quick breakfast. I thought 1/4 cup was never going to fill me up but totally did.
I added apple juice sweetened dried cranberries.
Gloria Ingram
0I love the flavor but I would like a little crispier. Any suggestions
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Gloria, Yes, let it sit out overnight on the baking rack. Either covered with a tea towel on the counter or in the oven with the door propped slightly open. The longer it sits in the open air, the crisper it will become.
Julie
0Hi Maya! I am prepping snacks and meals for my camping trip this week. I just made this low carb granola and it smells and tastes amazing! I appreciate all of your hard work in providing regular folks like me easy to follow recipes. Thank you so much!
Tracy Baugh
0My husband loved this recipe and so did I. It was easy and tasty but I couldn’t find hazelnuts so I used walnuts instead. I’m going to add coconut also next time for a variation. This would make a great gift for keto friends, perfect for packaging in mason jars..
Alyson
0I really like this recipe and I like that you can play with it and add other ingredients, thank you very much this is a firm favourite
Andre
0What could I use in place of hazelnuts?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Andre, You can use more almonds and pecans, or sub with any other keto-friendly nut you prefer.
Kyje
0Also makes fab granola/muesli bars, I broke 1/2 into larger snack size bars and crumbled the rest for breakfast.
Thank you!
Georgie
0Quick, easy and delicious. Much more economical than store bought and you are in control of the ingredients! Brilliant go to breakfast.