Buckwheat Granola Recipe (No Oats, Gluten-Free, Oven or Dehydrator)

This buckwheat granola recipe is a delicious, crunchy alternative to traditional oat-based granola. Made with buckwheat groats instead of oats, it’s naturally gluten-free and can be made using either the oven or a dehydrator.

This is a simple, everyday buckwheat granola recipe you can customize with different flavors and add-ins, depending on what you have on hand.

Breakfast is known to be the most important meal of the day, but getting a healthy morning meal together for the whole family can be daunting.

And truly, reaching for a box of breakfast cereal just isn’t the best option. When you analyze the nutritional content of boxed cereals, most end up looking more like a dessert than a wholesome start to the day. In fact, puffed rice (though it doesn't have artificial colors) is the GI equivalent of eating jelly beans for breakfast (source)!

Enter this buckwheat granola recipe, which is simple to make and can be made in bulk. The coconut oil and flakes help make it a filling start to the day. This version uses cranberry, pistachio, and orange for a delicious flavor combination that make a lovely homemade gift idea, but feel free to mix it up with other flavors according to your preferences.

Once you’ve made this base buckwheat granola recipe, you can easily switch up the flavors and will have endless possibilities of variations to make.

About Buckwheat

Contrary to its name, buckwheat isn't wheat or a type of wheat, and it has no gluten.

Buckwheat is a wonderful gluten-free grain-like seed (a pseudo-grain) with a lovely crunchy texture that's even crispier when soaked and dried. It's full of important nutrients like B vitamins, iron, magnesium, boron, and calcium and is thought to be alkalizing (source, source).

Using buckwheat in granola is a great option for people who are avoiding oats but aren't on a super low-carb/keto diet.

Soaking and Sprouting

While you can use either raw, soaked, or sprouted buckwheat for this recipe, I like to soak or sprout mine. Doing so increases the bioavailability of nutrients while reducing buckwheat’s starch content, and also increases the bioavailability of its protein content (source). If you're new to soaking and sprouting grains, buckwheat is an excellent place to start.

Soaking buckwheat and then drying it in a dehydrator or oven results in a fantastic light and crispy cereal. When I first had it years ago, I couldn't believe how lovely it tastes. It's even possible to make healthy “rice krispie” treats using sugar-free marshmallows and soaked and dried buckwheat in place of the crisp rice cereal.

Buckwheat Granola Without Oats

Most granola is made with oats, but this buckwheat granola recipe is completely oat-free. That makes it a great option for those avoiding oats due to gluten concerns, sensitivities, or dietary preferences.

While oats are naturally gluten-free, they are often cross-contaminated with wheat during growing or processing. Even certified gluten-free oats don’t work for everyone, so using buckwheat is a simple way to make a truly gluten-free granola without oats.

Ingredients

• buckwheat groats (Use soaked or sprouted buckwheat. Make sure to buy hulled raw buckwheat and not buckwheat kasha, which is toasted buckwheat. I recommend organic buckwheat, if possible.)
• dried cranberries
• pistachios
• coconut flakes
• cacao nibs (Chocolate chips or dark chocolate chunks could also be used.)
• cinnamon
• salt
• coconut oil
• honey (Maple syrup or a low-carb sweetener can be used as well)
• orange juice (Use lemon juice or plain water to reduce carbohydrates)
• orange zest

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and spread on baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and crispy.

Alternatively, place on dehydrator trays and dry until completely dry and crunchy.

Recipe Notes

• Use soaked or sprouted buckwheat for optimal nutrition, but you can use plain buckwheat groats as well.
• You can use 1/8 teaspoon stevia extract or low-carb sweeteners instead of the honey to reduce the glycemic load.
• Using a dehydrator to gently dry the granola gives the nicest result, but toasting it in the oven works fine too.
• Make sure to either dehydrate this granola or bake in the oven at a very low temperature. If you roast it at a higher temperature, the granola will have a much deeper taste that you might not like.

Flavor Variations for Buckwheat Granola

Once you’ve made this base buckwheat granola, you can easily switch up the flavors.

While this specific combination is great and very festive for gifting, there are so many other options for making a world of variations on this granola. How about:

• chocolate chips or cacao nibs and almonds (chopped, sliced, or whole)
• coconut and pecans
• walnuts, dried apples, and cinnamon
• maple extract with walnuts
• almonds with cinnamon and vanilla

Basically you can swap nuts or seeds, use a different dried fruit, add chocolate or spices and of course adjust sweetness to taste to make your own versions.

How to Serve

Enjoy this delicious homemade buckwheat granola served with oat milk, Easiest Homemade Coconut Milk, or Easiest Almond Milk. Of course you can use regular milk as well.

You can also use it as a topping for ice cream, pudding, yogurt, smoothies, a smoothie bowl, or a parfait.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is buckwheat granola gluten-free?

Yes, this buckwheat granola recipe is naturally gluten-free since it’s made without oats or wheat. For best results, choose buckwheat that’s certified gluten-free if you have celiac disease or high sensitivity.

Can you make granola without oats?

Yes, you can make delicious granola without oats by using ingredients like buckwheat groats, nuts, seeds, or coconut flakes. This recipe uses buckwheat for a crunchy, nutritious alternative to traditional oat-based granola.

What does buckwheat granola taste like?

Buckwheat granola has a light, crisp texture with a slightly nutty, earthy flavor. When baked or dehydrated with sweeteners and spices, it becomes pleasantly crunchy and similar to traditional granola.

Do you have to soak buckwheat for granola?

No, you don’t have to soak buckwheat, but soaking or sprouting it can improve digestibility and texture. It also helps create a lighter, crispier granola.

Is buckwheat the same as kasha?

No, kasha is toasted buckwheat, which has a stronger flavor and won’t work as well for this recipe. For granola, use raw, hulled buckwheat groats.

Can I use buckwheat groats instead of oats?

Yes, buckwheat groats are a great substitute for oats in granola, porridge, overnight oats or even baked oatmeal. In granola, they provide a similar crunch but are naturally gluten-free and grain-free.

Other Gluten-Free Breakfast Ideas

Here are some more gluten-free breakfast options to help start your day on the right foot.

• 3-Ingredient Buckwheat Crepes: great with savory or sweet toppings. They're thinner than buckwheat pancakes, but you can definitely use them as such!
• Chocolate Chia Pudding: rich and decadent with blended and non-blended options.
• Mixed Berry Chia Pudding: refreshing and filling.
• Homemade Protein Bars: taste like candy, but they're good for you.
• Teff Waffles: these have an interestingly chocolatey taste and can be easily made into pancakes as well.
• Blender Waffles: fun to make and eat.

I'd love to hear what you think about this granola.
Let me know in the comments!

This recipe was developed by Sarah Teng, the author of Little Fig, a blog that sadly isn't around any longer.