Shamelessly straightforward, fast microwave mug granola is your busy morning bestie! Nourishing, crunchy, cluster-ific, is is also vegan & gluten-free. Yum!
Almost Instant Microwave Granola
You could hang around the kitchen for 45 minutes to an hour, hand-crafting a jumbo batch of artisanal granola. Follow it up with 20 minutes of scrubbing bowls, measuring cups, countertops and a cookie sheet.
Or, you could make my above-pictured, wondrously delectable granola. In 5 minutes. In one mug.
You don’t have to share.
You can pinch yourself now. You’re not dreaming!
Recipe Benefits
- Quick and straightforward to make
- Ready in under 5 minutes
- Gluten-free
- Good source of fiber
- No refined sugar
- Makes one reliable serving (no waste!)
- Can be varied in countless ways!
Ingredients for Nourishing Microwave Mug Granola
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.Toggle betweenUS Customary(volume) andMetric(weights) for preferred measurement option.
This is all that you need ingredients-wise. The salt is optional, so I’m not including it–or the water–in the “five” ingredients:
- rolled oats(certified gluten-free, as needed)
- maple syrup(I have options for using other sweeteners)
- chopped nuts or seeds
- chopped dried fruit
- oil of choice(e.g., coconut oil, olive oil or avocado oil)
Step by Step Instructions
Note that the complete instructions are also in the recipe card below.
Now get your granola groove on! Here’s how:
Step One: Mix the Ingredients in a Large Mug
Place everything EXCEPT the dried fruit into alargemug.
Stir it up with a fork so the oats and nuts/seeds are coated. It’s important to leave out the dried fruit at this stage. Microwaving chopped dried fruit for several minutes leads to teeth-breaking bits of coal.
Step Two: Set Microwave to MEDIUM (50%) Power
Next, a moment of abject TERROR: You will need to (gulp) set the power level button (yes, said button exists on your microwave) toMedium (50%). You may have never touched this button before now. You can do it. Apply finger and push until it reads either Medium or 50% power. Breathe. You did it.
Step Three: Microwave the Granola on Medium Power
Microwave on Medium (50%) for 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 minutes total, stopping halfway through to stir (the oats and nuts/seeds at the bottom of the mug will toast faster than those at the top).
You read the correctly: toast. The oats and nuts/seeds get toasty, golden and fragrant. In the microwave. Really and truly!
Step Four: Stir in the Dried Fruit
Add the dried fruit (if using) and stir things up one last time. The granola will be perfectly crispy in a few minutes as the oats cool.
Step Five: Eat!
Eat the granola straight up as an energizing snack, or add a splash of your go-to milk for a complete meal. With the energy you’ve gained (oat power!), and the time you’ve saved, you will want to run, skip and jump for joy!
Add Flavors to Suit your Tastes
You can tweak this basic recipe with whatever nuts, seeds, dried fruit, dried coconut, extracts, citrus zest that suit your fancy. My fancy tends to be very fancy, so I often add a little bit of everything :). The base recipe is pretty forgiving, so adjust the sweetener and salt—a bit more, a touch less—or add a pinch of a go-to spice.
Happy eating!
More Nourishing, Satisfying Granolas to Try
- Nourishing Oil-Free Granola (vegan, GF)
- How to Make Low-Calorie Granola {vegan, GF, 72 calories}
- Banana Bread Protein Granola (vegan, GF)
- Oil-Free Buckwheat Granola {vegan, GF, oat-free}
- Grain-Free Banana Granola {oil-free, no added sugar}
- Grain-Free Red Lentil Granola {vegan}
- Fresh Apple Pie Granola (vegan, gluten-free)
Fast Microwave Mug Granola (GF)
- Prep Time: 1 minute
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Servings: 1 serving
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons water
- 2 teaspoons oil e.g. olive oil , avocado oil , or melted coconut oil
- optional: 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/3 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned rolled oats gluten-free if needed
- 1 tablespoon chopped nuts or seeds
- 1 tablespoon chopped dried fruit e.g., raisins, apricots, cranberries
Method
- In the large mug (14 to 16 oz), mix the maple syrup , water, oil, salt, oats and nuts until blended.
- Microwave on Medium (50%) power for 2 minutes. Stir, making sure to stir up any syrup on the bottom of the mug. Microwave on Medium (50%) power for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes longer until oats are golden brown.
- Mix in the dried fruit, if using. Let stand for 2 to 3 minutes to cool before eating.
Notes
* Other sweeteners: Use an equal amount of the liquid sweetener of your choice (e.g., agave nectar, brown rice syrup, honey if not vegan) to replace the maple syrup . An equal amount of granulated sugar (any variety) can also be used in place of the syrup; add 2 teaspoons more water along with the sugar. * Spices: Add between 1/4 tsp and 3/4 tsp (1 to 3 mL) of any sweet spice (e.g., cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, allspice) along with the salt in step 1. * Extracts & Zest: Consider adding a few drops of vanilla or almond extract to the syrup mixture, or 1/2 tsp (2 mL) finely grated citrus zest (e.g., lemon, orange or lime).
