Finding a good quality granola at the grocery store can be difficult (and pricey!). Making your own is easy, cheap, and allows you to personalize the flavors. Use it as a topping on yogurt or a smoothie bowl, eat with milk and fruit, or enjoy on its own!
Ingredients
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (use certified gluten-free oats for gluten-free granola)
- 1 ½ cup raw nuts and/or seeds (we used a mix of pecans and hemp hearts – other options include walnuts, cashews, chia seeds, flaxseeds, pepitas, sunflower seeds, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt (if you’re using standard table salt, scale back to ¾ teaspoon)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- ½ cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- optional: unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts and/or seeds, salt and cinnamon. Stir to blend.
- Pour in the oil, maple syrup and/or honey and vanilla. Mix well, until every oat and nut is lightly coated. Pour the granola onto your prepared pan and use a large spoon to spread it in an even layer.
- Bake until lightly golden, about 21 to 24 minutes, stirring halfway (for extra-clumpy granola, press the stirred granola down with your spatula to create a more even layer). The granola will further crisp up as it cools.
- Let the granola cool completely, undisturbed (at least 45 minutes). Break the granola into pieces with your hands if you want to retain big chunks, or stir it around with a spoon if you don’t want extra-clumpy granola.
- Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, or in a sealed freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. The dried fruit can freeze solid, so let it warm to room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe from Cookie and Kate
