This is my go-to granola recipe. Slightly salty, slightly sweet – lots of roasted nuts, with hints of maple, cinnamon and coconut. 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 Granola

Ingredients

3 1/2 c. old fashioned rolled oats (not instant, or quick cook)
1 c. chopped pecans
1/2 cup raw shelled sunflower seeds
1 c. dried fruit (tart cherries, Craisins, etc.)
1/2 c. shredded coconut – (Unsweetened)
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
1/2 TBSP. cinnamon
2 – jelly roll pans or sheet pans

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. Mix oats, nuts, seeds, and coconut together in a large bowl. (I use my KitchenAid bowl)
3. Mix syrup, brown sugar, oil, salt, and cinnamon in a separate, smaller bowl.
4. Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients, and stir well.
5. Spread granola equally into two jelly roll pans. (buttered, if not using stoneware pans)
6. Place one pan on top rack of oven, and one pan on middle rack of oven.
7. Bake at 300°F for 25 minutes.
8. Remove pans, stir and re-spread granola.
9. 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.
10. Bake for another 25 minutes.
11. Remove from pans and place into large bowl.
12. Stir in your dried fruit at this point. (If you bake the dried fruit, it will get very tough and chewy!)
13. Let cool completely, stirring often to help release heat.
14. Place into an airtight container, and store in your cupboard, just as you would store your cereal.

(Photo by Tori Close)