My Homemade Granola

I have been making this granola for years. I have yet to find a store-bought granola that checks all the boxes for me: organic ingredients, low/unprocessed sugar, and no seed oils. There are some that come close, but they just don't compare to the crunch and taste that you get with homemade.

This recipe is a great starting point. You can get creative with the flavors and ingredients to suit your taste. I love adding pumpkin seeds, pecans, and pumpkin pie spice for a yummy fall granola, or macadamia nuts and coconut are a great combo. One year for the holidays, I made it with dark chocolate chunks and dried cherries... it was so delicious! You can also adjust the sweetness to your liking. The recipe is written with 1/3 cup of maple syrup or honey but when I make it, I use 1/4 cup and do half of each. You can also increase the sweetener or add a touch of brown sugar to make this more of a treat.

I prefer to use organic oats and organic raw nuts. Many non-organic oat and nut crops in the US are exposed to harmful herbicides and pesticides that I want to avoid. I also use sprouted oats and nuts when I can to enhance the nutritional benefits of the granola. My preferred brands for oats and nuts are One Degree Organic Foods and Lark Ellen Farms. You can read all about the benefits of sprouted nuts in my post here.

If you want to add any dried fruit, do it after the granola has cooked and cooled. Your kitchen will smell amazing while this granola bakes... just like oatmeal cookies! The end result is lightly sweet, crunchy, toasty, nutty, and oh so good. This recipe makes a lot, but you will be surprised how fast it disappears!

Granola

Ingredients

• 3 cups rolled oats, not quick cooking

• 1 1/2 cups nuts of choice, roughly chopped - almonds, walnuts, and pecans are a great combo

• 1/3 cup oil – olive, coconut, or ghee, or a combination (if using coconut oil or ghee, melt first)

• 1/3 cup liquid sweetener – maple syrup or honey – or a combination of both

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp cinnamon

Optional Ingredients

• 1 cup coconut flakes - add in the last 5 minutes of baking to lightly toast

• 1 cup dried fruit - add after granola has baked and cooled

• 1 cup chocolate chips - add after granola has baked and cooled

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

2. Add the oats and the chopped nuts to a large bowl and mix to combine.

3. If using coconut oil or ghee, use a microwave-safe bowl or Pyrex measuring cup and melt it in the microwave first. Add the sweetener of choice (I like half honey and half maple syrup). Add the vanilla, salt, and cinnamon and whisk well to combine.

4. Slowly pour the wet ingredients over the oats and nuts while stirring to combine and mix until all of the oats and nuts are evenly coated.

5. Spread evenly onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes for even browning.

6. Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks.

Notes:

Adjust the sweetener to your taste… add more if you like a sweeter granola! If adding dried fruit or chocolate chips, wait until granola is baked and cooled, then mix in. If adding coconut, add in the last five minutes of baking so it will lightly toast and not burn.