This is my go-to granola recipe. Slightly salty, slightly sweet – lots of roasted nuts, with hints of maple and cinnamon. It doesn’t get much better than this! I created it a few years back when trying to come up with a healthier breakfast option over processed cereals. It is incredibly easy to make, and is perfect for breakfast or for a late-night snack. It even stays crunchy in milk!
If you decide to give this a try, make sure to bookmark this page and come back to let me know how you liked it.
Homemade Maple Pecan Granola
Ingredients
3 1/2 c. old fashioned rolled oats (not instant, or quick cook)
1 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. raw, shelled sunflower seeds
1/2 c. raw, shelled pepitas
1 c. dried fruit (tart cherries, Craisins, etc.)
3/4 c. pure maple syrup – we’re not talking Mrs. Butterworth’s here!
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1/4 c. oil (Bertolli extra light olive oil or organic coconut oil is what I use)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 TBSP. cinnamon
2 – jelly roll pans or sheet pans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Mix oats, nuts, and seeds together in a large bowl.
- Mix syrup, brown sugar, oil, salt, and cinnamon in a separate, smaller bowl.
- Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients, and stir well.
- Spread granola equally into two jelly roll pans. (buttered, if not using stoneware pans)
- Place one pan on top rack of oven, and one pan on middle rack of oven.
- Bake at 300°F for 25 minutes.
- Remove pans, stir and re-spread granola.
- Rotate pans so that the pan that was on the middle rack is now on the top, and the top pan is now in the middle.
- Bake for another 25 minutes.
- Remove from pans and place into large bowl.
- Stir in your dried fruit at this point. (If you bake the dried fruit, it will get very tough and chewy!)
- Let cool completely, stirring often to help release heat.
- Place into an airtight container, and store in your cupboard, just as you would store your cereal.
Notes:
If you don’t care for sunflower seeds or pepitas, simply use 2 cups of your favorite nuts. You can also add in 1/2 c. of unsweetened coconut to your oat mixture before baking, if you like. There are so many ways to create a granola that you love!
(Photo by Tori Close)
