Birthday Cake Granola (Gluten-free)

Every day can feel like your birthday with this birthday cake granola recipe! With its colorful sprinkles, crunchy, sugary bits, and of course birthday cake flavor, this granola is great on yogurt or eaten straight up as a snack! This healthy-ish granola is gluten-free with whole grains and fiber!

I'll admit, in making this granola I was trying to replicate the Safe + Fair Birthday Cake Granola... oh man, is that stuff delicious! After many batches and lots of little tweaks, I'm satisfied that this granola hits all the necessary birthday cake flavors and is crunchy and sweet, just like that granola!

What You'll Love About This Version

With many different recipes for birthday cake granola, this is what sets this one apart!

• Actually has a birthday cake flavor! Some recipes only use vanilla and toss in some sprinkles, but that doesn't actually translate to 'birthday cake' flavor.
• Make it gluten-free with your favorite gluten-free oats!
• Add in your own custom extras such as almonds, chia seeds, or other mix-ins.
• Uses whole-grain puffed cereals for a little something different and added healthy whole grains!
• Ground flax is undetectable but adds nutrients and fiber.

Birthday Cake Granola Ingredients

• Gluten-free Oats: Old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick-cooking or steel-cut oats. If you need gluten-free, make sure to use the best gluten-free oats you can find and afford.
• Puffed rice cereal & puffed millet cereal: use both or just one of these! These are cereal puffs, not Rice Krispies
• Ground Flax
• Rainbow Sprinkles
• Sugar: This granola is on the sweet side. The sugar crystallizes while it bakes and makes the granola crunchy and sweet at the end. You can reduce the sugar if you desire less sweet granola.
• Coconut Oil
• Maple Syrup
• Vanilla Extract
• Cake Batter Flavor: this is the secret ingredient to getting that birthday cake flavor! I used McCormick brand.
• Kosher Salt

How to Make the Granola

Making homemade granola is so easy and it smells amazing while it bakes! Sure you can also easily buy granola, but I promise homemade granola fresh from the oven is worth every bit of effort!

1. Combine the oats, cereals, ground flax, sprinkles, and granulated sugar together in a large bowl.
2. Melt the coconut oil and whisk it together with the maple syrup, vanilla, cake batter flavor, and salt.
3. Pour the wet mixture over the oat mixture. Stir until well combined.
4. Spread the granola evenly on a large baking sheet.
5. Bake until just golden brown.

Helpful Tips

• Don't overcrowd the pan! The granola should be in one even layer with a little room to spare. (After taking the above picture, I actually spread the granola out on a larger pan because the layer was a little too thick.)
• Keep an eye on it! Oven times and pan sizes vary so keep an eye on the granola. I check it every 5-10 minutes past the 25-30 minute mark. Once it looks golden brown, it's done. You definitely don't want to overbake this granola. If you take it out and try a piece, it should be crisp, not raw tasting. If it seems underdone, pop it back in for 5 minutes and check again.
• For chunky granola: Don't stir the granola at all during baking or while it cools. Once the granola is cool, break apart into large chunks.
• For non-chunky granola: Stir halfway through baking and also after the granola comes out of the oven.
• Store granola in an airtight container for at least one week. You can keep eating the granola until it's gone or until it tastes stale.

If you're looking for more gluten-free breakfast recipes, be sure to check out:

• Easy Two-ingredient bagels, a fan favorite!
• Or Gluten-free Lemon Poppyseed Muffins, one of my favorites!