One of our favorite treats and tricks is having granola around the house that way we can guarantee that if we get a little hungry between hours we will have a delicious healthy snack and it also serves as a delicious breakfast or topping option!
The best part of this recipe besides it being super easy is that it allows you to have full control of the flavor, amount of sugar and the quality of the ingredients it is made with.
It doesn’t hurt how amazing it smells either, trust us when we say that after tasting this, you will never go back to store bought!
Ingredients
- 4 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats (or regular oats)
- 1 ½ cup of raw nuts and/or seeds (Im using pecans, cashews chia and sliced almonds)
- 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt (if you’re using standard table salt, lower to ¾ teaspoon)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup of coconut oil (could use olive oil)
- ½ cup of maple syrup, honey or agave
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup of dried fruit, chopped if large (we usually go for cranberries, pineapple and raisins)
- ½ cup of dry coconut flakes or grated coconut
Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed 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 wet ingredients in a bowl, the oil, maple syrup or honey or agave and vanilla. Mix it well until its uniform.
Mix the oats with the wets 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, let it cook for 5 more mins then take it out and add the coconut flakes, mix well and put back in the oven for the remaining time (5 – 9 mins) (for extra-clumpy granola, press the stirred granola down with your spatula to create a more even layer). Take out of the oven and add the dried fruits and mix.
The granola will further crisp up as it cools.
Let the granola cool completely, undisturbed (at least 45 minutes).(Add chocolate chips, if using).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.
