Making homemade granola is a weekly ritual for me. A chia yogurt parfait is one of my go-to breakfasts and I love adding granola for the crunch. As an avid sourdough baker, I wanted to make a sourdough version of my original homemade granola recipe.

In testing, I was thrilled to discover that adding sourdough starter to the wet ingredients let me lower the sweetener. Sugar is typically what sets the binding and creates clusters. In this case, the discard does the job and is also a great way to use up discard.

Sourdough and lower sugar? All the things I love!

Things to Know Before You Start

New to sourdough? Head to my Sourdough 101 article and learn how to get started.
Granola crisps as it cools! It might seem soft when you take it out of the oven, but as long as it’s golden and you let it rest, it will harden up and get crunchy.
I'm all about the low and slow (225F for 2 hours) method for granola. The gentle heat keeps the nuts and seeds from going bitter.
Feel free to swap out the nuts and seeds in equal quantities. I just use what I have!

How to Make Sourdough Discard Granola

Combine the dry. Add the oats, nuts, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and coconut to a large bowl.

dry ingredients including oats in a mixing bowl

Whisk the wet. In a separate bowl, whisk the maple, oil, discard, ground flax, vanilla, almond extract, salt, and cinnamon until smooth and homogenous

Combine. Pour the wet over the dry and stir until all the oats are coated.

Spread thin. Tip it onto a parchment-lined sheet and spread it into a thin, even layer.

spreading granola mixture on a prepared baking sheet

Bake low and slow. 225°F for 2 hours, until golden. It will still be soft right out of the oven, but trust the process.

granola after it bakes and is golden brown

Rest and break. Let it cool on the counter for 20 minutes. This is when it crisps and the clusters set. Then break it up and keep in an airtight container.

Keep the Discard Going

Looking for inspiration for the rest of that discard jar. My sourdough discard cinnamon rolls are Mr. Simon's favorite. If you want to stay in granola mode, my buckwheat granola gives you big chunky clusters with no oats.

Joanie's Balanced Bites

I love oats for blood sugar support because we love fiber around here. They contain beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that forms a gel in your gut and slows how quickly carbohydrates are digested and absorbed, which softens the rise in blood sugar after you eat. But of course, as a carbohydrate, oats still do best with a little support in the form of fat and protein to keep things steady.

Like I mentioned, this goes great on a yogurt parfait or sprinkled on low-glycemic berries like strawberries or raspberries with full-fat milk. I also love it as a crunchy snack alongside a protein source like hard-boiled eggs or string cheese.

Browse ➡️ Blood Sugar-Friendly Recipes

Sourdough Discard Granola (Naturally Sweetened)

Things to Know Before You Start

How to Make Sourdough Discard Granola

Keep the Discard Going

Joanie's Balanced Bites