Vegan YouTuber Shares 'Failproof' Granola Cup Recipe

Jem Mantiri, the creator behind The Fruity Jem YouTube channel, recently shared a video featuring six simple and delicious variations of vegan granola cups. After testing the recipe 23 times, Mantiri says she’s confident this is a “fail-proof” base that works every time.

Known for her playful, approachable food content, Mantiri makes plant-based eating feel creative and fun. In this video, she walks viewers through her go-to granola cup recipe and shows how to customize it with different flavor combinations, ranging from fruit and dark chocolate to matcha and spiced apple. The result is a recipe that’s easy to batch-prep and adaptable for any season or taste.

Below is the full breakdown, starting with the base recipe, followed by each of the six topping variations.

The granola cup base

Mantiri starts by mixing rolled oats, salt, and cinnamon. You can also swap in apple pie or pumpkin pie spice. She notes that quick oats will give a softer texture, while rolled oats offer more bite. She also recommends replacing a third of the oats with extras like chopped nuts, seeds, or dried fruits.

In her version, she uses sunflower seeds to keep the flavor neutral.

The wet ingredients include:

1 mashed banana (or applesauce as a substitute)
Peanut butter
Maple syrup
Optional: vanilla extract

She mixes everything together until combined, scoops 2–3 tablespoons into each muffin cup, and presses the mixture into a cup shape.

Baking instructions:
Bake at 175°C (345°F) for 12–15 minutes, until golden brown. Let them cool completely before filling.

Pro tip:
Use a silicone muffin tin or grease your pan well to avoid sticking.

Yogurt and fresh fruit

This is the classic combo. Mantiri fills the cooled granola cups with her favorite yogurt and tops them with fresh blueberries, strawberries, and kiwi.

It’s simple, fresh, and easily customizable with whatever fruit is in season.

Chocolate and banana

Mantiri layers banana slices into the cup first, adds yogurt, then drizzles over melted dark chocolate.

Once chilled for 30 minutes, this cup sets into a creamy, crunchy treat.

Bounty bar (coconut and chocolate)

Inspired by the childhood candy bar, this version combines:

2 parts desiccated coconut
1 part yogurt
A splash of liquid sweetener to balance the tartness

She mixes the filling until it sticks together like the center of a Bounty bar, spoons it into the cups, and tops it with melted chocolate. You can drizzle or cover the whole top.

Matcha and berries

To create this, Mantiri mixes:

4 tablespoons yogurt
½ teaspoon matcha powder
A splash of liquid sweetener

She tops the mixture with blueberries but encourages viewers to try strawberries, raspberries, mango, or pineapple. Nuts or seeds can also be added for crunch.

Pineapple, mint, and ginger

This tropical mix blends grated ginger and chopped mint leaves into yogurt. Mantiri fills the granola cups with the yogurt, then tops them with pineapple chunks and more mint.

“It might sound like a weird combination, but I promise this works,” she says.

For those not into pineapple, she suggests swapping in peaches or nectarines. This flavor was inspired by her pineapple carpaccio recipe.

Apple crisp

Perfect for cooler months, this variation stirs cinnamon and raisins into yogurt or unsweetened applesauce. She tops it with chopped apples raw or softened in the microwave.

Mantiri finishes each one with extra raisins and encourages viewers to make them visually appealing. “We eat with our eyes first,” she says.

You can find more vegan food content on The Fruity Jem YouTube channel.