This Walnut Granola Parfait is the perfect easy breakfast, dessert or snack. A simple stovetop walnut granola is toasted in a dry skillet and paired with yogurt for a festive Christmas breakfast or enjoyed any time of the year. It’s ready in just 10 minutes with 7 simple ingredients.
Starting out your day with a delicious Walnut Granola Parfait is an easy way to get in a healthy breakfast that can be assembled quickly and even prepared ahead of time.
This walnut granola parfait is made with pomegranate, walnuts and mint which makes for a great addition to your Christmas breakfast or brunch with pretty layers and flecks of festive red and green.
It’s also simply full of great tastes that can be enjoyed at any time of the year.
The 5-minute quick skillet granola is ready in just a couple of minutes and is full of tasty walnuts, maple syrup and cinnamon.
Whip up a batch of walnut granola in minutes, then simply layer it with yogurt to make a showstopping (but super easy!) granola parfait. Optional toppings of pomegranate and fresh mint make it extra special.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
It's completely versatile! You can change up the flavors or the fruits you use as well as the yogurt to customize it for your liking.
You can serve yogurt parfait for breakfast, brunch or even dessert.
This recipe is great at Christmas or other Winter holidays.
It can easily be made vegan by using vegan yogurt.
Granola is made in a skillet, so it’s easy to control the texture and ingredients.
Stovetop Granola
If you've ever made granola, you'll know that it is SO EASY!
But I've got a hack that's so simple that you can make it in one pan in just five minutes.
Stovetop granola in a skillet!
Simply toast oats in a dry skillet with nuts/seeds etc.. for a few minutes. Then stir in your maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener) along with any flavor add-ins like ground cinnamon.
Presto - skillet granola ready in minutes. Store in a jar in a dry place for up to 1 month (but it's so quick that I usually make it on the day and enjoy right away!)
I've used stovetop skillet granola in this breakfast parfait and the whole thing is ready in 10 minutes. Cook the granola, layer in glasses and enjoy.
Ingredients
Chopped Walnuts: Walnuts are the perfect nut to use for making granola. They are soft yet crunchy at the same time and add a lovely aroma too. If you don’t like walnuts, simply swap for any other nuts. Pecans are awesome in it.
Oats: Oats bulk up this granola and taste incredible when they are toasted. Use rolled oats, steel cut - any oats you have.
Maple Syrup: Maple syrup adds a warming sweetness that binds the granola together. If you’re not vegan, you could swap it for honey. Agave is another great alternative.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon compliments the granola and adds a lovely wintery spice. Swap it for Pumpkin Pie Spice, ground ginger or chai spice blend.
To Serve:
Yogurt: You can choose a dairy free yogurt, vegan yogurt or whichever you like. I love serving this with vanilla yogurt, but other flavors are tasty too.
Maple Syrup: To stir into the yogurt to complement the maple cinnamon flavor of the granola. If you’re using flavored yogurt, you can leave out the maple syrup.
(optional) Pomegranate Seeds: A beautiful fruit that is high in antioxidants. The tart flavor pairs well with yogurt.
(optional) Fresh Mint: Adds the perfect fresh twist to the parfait.
Step By Step Tutorial
You will love just how easy this recipe is. Making the stovetop granola in a skillet takes just 5 minutes.
Then, just layer it in a glass and tuck in! Follow this step by step tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.
Heat a dry frying pan and add the walnuts and oats.
Toast, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until golden and fragrant.
Stir in the maple syrup and cinnamon. Set aside to cool.
Stir the maple syrup into the yogurt and layer the yogurt, granola and pomegranate seeds in two glasses.
Top with a sprig of mint. Enjoy immediately.
To make ahead, prepare the yogurt and store in the fridge and prepare the granola and keep in a jar in a cool dry place.
Layer just before serving.
Tips
Always keep an eye on the temperature of your pan as nuts and oats could burn quickly. Start with a medium low heat.
A cast iron pan will help toast up the nuts and oats evenly.
To make ahead of time, keep yogurt and granola separate to make sure the granola does not get soggy.
Granola should be stored in a jar in a cool dry place.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy at Christmas breakfast along with a stack of Vegan Gingerbread Pancakes.
Keep with festive Christmas colors and serve with a slice of Apple Cake with Apple Icing.
If you're having a holiday party, make this breakfast parfait in mini cups for a brunch appetizer.
Great for breakfast along with bagels and Vegan Cream Cheese.
Pair with this delicious Cardamom Cold Brew Iced Coffee.
Variations
Change up your granola by using your favorite nuts including pecans, macadamia nuts or even pistachios.
Try making your own yogurt for the perfect breakfast made completely from scratch.
Add different flavors to your yogurt by purchasing flavored yogurt or adding a few drops of your favorite flavor extract.
To add an extra layer of sweet, try adding some chocolate chips or white chocolate chips to the skillet granola once it's fully cool.
Special diets
Make it gluten-free: To make this recipe gluten free, read your labels and make sure your oats are certified gluten free.
Make it Vegan: To make a vegan breakfast parfait, use vegan yogurt such as cashew yogurt or coconut yogurt.
Storage and Freezing
Freezing: This parfait recipe cannot be frozen as yogurt is best eaten within 5 days of opening.
Storage: Store the stovetop granola in an airtight jar in a cool, dry place for up to 1 month.
Make ahead: You can easily make this ahead - just don't assemble the parfaits until you're ready to eat them! Prepare the Walnut Granola and store it in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 1 month. Then, when you're ready to enjoy them, just layer your breakfast parfait and serve!
FAQs
Does Vegan Yogurt Have Probiotics? If you decide to use vegan granola in this breakfast parfait, you'll find that most of them contain probiotics from the fermenting process.
Are Granola and Muesli The Same Thing? Granola is traditionally dry and sweetened while Muesli is raw.
Can I Bake Granola Instead of Making Stovetop Granola? You can bake your granola in the oven after mixing with maple syrup and cinnamon at 325F for 20 minutes making sure to flip a few times through the cooking time to prevent burning.
You'll Also Love
I hope you love this 5-minute Stovetop Walnut Granola served in a yogurt breakfast parfait. You’ll be sure to love these other recipes too!
Fluffy Vegan Waffles
Pear and Gingerbread Parfait
Easy Vegan Egg Nog
Gingerbread Granola
Get the recipe
Check out the Veggie Desserts + Cakes cookbook on Amazon
📖 Recipe
Walnut Granola Breakfast Parfait
Equipment
- skillet / frying pan
- Glasses (to serve)
Ingredients
- ½ cup (50g) walnuts, chopped
- ¾ cup (65g) oats
- 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
To serve
- 1 ½ cups (350g) plain yogurt (or vegan yogurt)
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
- Sprigs of mint
Instructions
- Heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat and add the walnuts and oats. Toast, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until golden and fragrant, then stir in the maple syrup and cinnamon. Set aside to cool.
- To serve, stir the maple syrup into the yogurt and layer the yogurt, granola and pomegranate seeds in two glasses. Top with a sprig of mint. Enjoy immediately.
- To make ahead, prepare the yogurt and store in the fridge and prepare the granola and keep in a jar in a cool dry place. Layer just before serving.
Notes
- Always keep an eye on the temperature of your pan as nuts and oats could burn quickly. Start with a medium low heat.
- A cast iron pan will help toast up the nuts and oats evenly.
- To make ahead of time, keep yogurt and granola separate to make sure the granola does not get soggy.
- Granola should be stored in a jar in a cool dry place.
- Change up your granola by using your favorite nuts including pecans, macadamia nuts or even pistachios.
- Try making your own yogurt for the perfect breakfast made completely from scratch.
- Add different flavors to your yogurt by purchasing flavored yogurt or adding a few drops of your favorite flavor extract.
- To add an extra layer of sweet, try adding some chocolate chips or white chocolate chips to the skillet granola once it's fully cool.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
April
Had this for breakfast this morning and it was so delicious. I am so glad I found your tasty recipe.
Angela
Great granola recipe. I love the parfait with the pom seeds!
Jess
My family eats homemade granola almost daily. This is such a great way to mix it up just a bit. Love the addition of the walnuts!
Michelle
These are sooo pretty and festive. My kids love yogurt for breakfast and were so happy to have these!
Luci
Yum! This breakfast parfait looks absolutely delicious! I love the added homemade walnut granola. Granola is always so much tastier when it's homemade!
Sarah James
What a delicious start to the day. I love walnuts and maple syrup and I hadn't thought of making granola on the stovetop. Looking forward to trying your Walnut Granola Parfait for breakfast and a quick and easy dessert. Thanks for sharing.