Homemade Granola for Winter with Cinnamon and Fresh Ginger

Granola is one of those things that’s easy to overcomplicate, but it doesn’t have to be. This homemade version keeps things simple. Oats and chia seeds plus a variety of nuts are the base. As for the kick, rely on cinnamon and fresh ginger to do the heavy lifting here. Both are considered warming spices, which makes this especially well-suited to winter mornings, when you want something nourishing that also feels comfy, cozy and intentional.

You’ll notice what’s missing here: fruit. That’s not an oversight, it’s a choice. By leaving fruit out of the bake, you get better texture, more control, and endless options later. After your homemade granola has baked and cooled, add your choice of dried fruit, fresh fruit, or nothing at all. Eat it for breakfast, or spoon it over ice cream after dinner.

This is a fruit-free granola by design. Skipping dried fruit during baking keeps the texture crisp and the flavors clean, while giving you complete freedom later on. Add what you love, when you love it. Breakfast with yogurt, a simple bowl with milk, or dessert scattered over ice cream. This DIY granola recipe adapts beautifully.

A Cinnamon Primer for Winter Baking ( and this season’s Homemade Granola)

If you are thinking the bundles of cinnamon sticks and jars of ground cinnamon in the grocery store are your only two options, think again. Cinnamon comes in a variety of varieties. My favorite cinnamon for sweet and spicy culinary endeavors alike is the piquant, rich ground Saigon Cassia Cinnamon. 

Pro tip – Cinnamon for the Win! If you are trying to avoid too much sugar in your morning or afternoon coffee, do what I often do. Add a few drops of Cassia Essential Oil ( My go-to is from DoTERRA) The bright spicy cinnamon flavors blend so well with the natural oils in freshly ground coffee, you will forget all about needing any additional sugar.

Follow the flavor profiles listed below to find your favorite. Then, spice up your homemade granola (or cinnamon rolls, banana bread, brownies or even your own homemade apple cider) with the right cinnamon to suit your individual palate. Where to buy the best cinnamon? Check out Spicewalla, Savory Spice Shop or Penzeys for the best and freshest selection.

• Saigon Cinnamon – Sometimes also called Cassia or Supreme Saigon Cinnamon, this variety offers bold flavors and is intensely aromatic. It’s great in sweet or savory dishes
• Ceylon Cinnamon – This is the OG. The cinnamon you will most commonly find in spice jars on grocery store shelves. Mild, softly sweet. Use more for sweet than savory
• Indonesian Cinnamon – This variety offers a classic flavor. Not too hot or spicy, it is best used primarily with desserts and sweet treats

Using Fresh Ginger in Homemade Granola

Buying, storing, and prepping fresh ginger for this recipe

• If you are shopping at the grocery store: Choose firm, smooth ginger with tight skin. Avoid shriveled knobs or anything that feels soft or fibrous. If you are shopping local at an area farmers market, know that you will be buying younger ginger. It will look pinker and the skin won’t be so tough or fiberous.
• Fresh ginger is definitely the way to go in this recipe. It delivers bright flavor and makes all the difference. Don’t substitute ground ginger, its just not the same. Candied ginger would be ok, if you don’t mind the extra sugar. ( see the bonus recipe for Candied Ginger and Homemade Gingerale at the end of this post)
• If you can’t find fresh ginger, and don’t want to make candied ginger, a better substitute here would actually be ground cardamon.
• Store fresh ginger in the refrigerator (loosely wrapped) to keep it from drying out ( it will keep for a couple of weeks.) Or, better still, slice it or freeze it for longer storage ( up to a year!). Then, grate what you need straight from the freezer.
• Many sources suggest Peeling ginger with the edge of a spoon. Maybe; but I find it to be just an easy with a sharp pairing knife. I generally slice my ginger first and then quickly cut the skin from the slice. If you are using fresh baby ginger from the famers market there is no need to worry about this step. Baby ginger is pink and the skin hasn’t had time to form yet.
• Chop or grate it very finely for this recipe so the ginger disperses evenly and doesn’t create hot spots in the granola.
• A little goes a long way. Fresh ginger can be assertive; start modestly and adjust next time if you want more heat.
• No need to sauté first. The ginger mellows as the granola bakes, leaving warmth and aroma rather than sharp bite. This recipe works best with fresh raw ginger.

Where to buy Fresh Ginger

Fresh ginger is available in area grocery stores and Asian markets. This is older ginger and it will have a thicker brown skin. If you already know me, you know I like to shop locally at area farmers markets. In the Charlotte area, fresh ginger root is available, in season (and then, for as long as it lasts) from the following farms ( to name a few): Windcrest Farm in Monroe NC; A Way of Life Farm in Bostic, NC and Honey Tree Farm in Conover NC (shop with both of these farmers on Saturdays in Building A at the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market), and Garden Window Farm and Seven Sisters Farm both from in Denton, NC ( shop with them on Saturdays at the Uptown Farmers Market in Charlotte NC.)

Making Homemade Vanilla

This DIY Homemade Granola recipe starts with 4 cups of rolled oats and ends with a splash of homemade vanilla, added before baking. Here’s the recipe and the story behind my homemade vanilla….

Make your own homemade vanilla use a pint of your favorite local vodka, gin, rum or bourbon and 2 split vanilla beans. Place the beans in the vodka in a decorative jar or bottle and all it to sit for 2 weeks. As you use your hand crafted vanilla, add more vodka, gin, run or bourbon to top off the bottle. As the color begins to lighten, add another split bean. No need to pull out older beans – they will eventually dissolve in the alcohol over time.

I started this bottle of homemade vanilla back in 1982!! At the time I wasn’t even thinking about shopping for local spirits… I just bought the cheapest vodka in the liquor store. That same glass jar is till the one I keep my vanilla in, but now I refill with whatever local NC vodka I have on hand at the time.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Homemade Granola…

What can I substitute for the fresh ginger in this recipe? You’d think the answer here would be ground ginger; but lets rethink that a bit. Actually ground cardamon will deliver more flavor that than ground ginger. Candied Ginger is also a great substitute for the fresh in this recipe

What’s the best cinnamon for granola? Saigon Cinnamon if you want bold flavor; Ceylon Cinnamon if you prefer a more subtle taste.

How long does homemade granola last?
Stored airtight in a glass jar or sealable freezer bag, about 2–3 weeks. It keeps perfectly in the pantry. Storing homemade granola in the fridge or freezer will make it soft instead of crunchy.

How do I make this recipe vegetarian or gluten-free?
Easy Peasy, my friend. It already is! If you’d like to make a vegan recipe, simply trade out the local honey for sorghum syrup molasses or organic sugar

Bonus Recipe: Heidi’s Homemade Candied Baby Ginger

1 pound fresh baby ginger, thin sliced

4 cups organic granulated sugar

4 cups water, plus more for the initial cooking

pinch of salt

Put the thin baby ginger slices in a large stainless steel pot, add enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for ten minutes. If you are making this recipe with older store-bought ginger you will want to repeat this precooking process one more time.

Mix the sugar and 4 cups of water in the pot, along with a pinch of salt and the ginger slices, and cook until the temperature reaches 225F measured on a candy thermometer

Remove from heat and let the ginger stand in the syrup for at least an hour while the mixture cools.

Remove the ginger from the syrup, reserving the syrup, and place the sliced ginger on a cake rack fitted over a baking sheet with sides. Drain the ginger and then sprinkle with additional sugar to coat both sides of the ginger. As the ginger cools more sprinkling sugar may be necessary.

How to Make Your Own DIY Ginger Ale

Combine: 1 to 2 Tbsp. of ginger syrup left over from making the candied ginger. Fill a tall glass filled with ice, add ginger syrup and the juice of a half of a lime and top with your favorite sparkling soda water. Adjust flavor adding more ginger syrup or lime as needed. Stir to blend and garnish with lime wedge or a sprig of fresh mint

More About Heidi Billotto…

Heidi Billotto is a culinary storyteller, educator and on-air expert who brings local food, chefs, restaurants, and local producers to life where ever she goes with a genuine curiosity, a passion for what she does and her signature joyful style.