Stop Paying For Granola: The Easiest And Most Perfect Granola You Will Ever Make
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Making homemade granola is one of the easiest and most comforting kitchen rituals I know. It’s an easy way to save money as an alternative to purchasing granola from the store, which is often over-priced and laden with extra sugar and preservatives, and nobody has time for that.
BONUS, it makes your house smell like a candle store/bakery, so really, it’s a win-win. I adapted this granola recipe from the Minimalist Baker, whom I hold in the highest esteem, for their approachable and inclusive attitude for at-home bakers who enjoy straightforward and seriously delicious recipes. Granola is a super customizable platform to experiment with and it’s easy to swap out ingredients you might not like to something that suits your fancy. When you’re through, you’ll have a large jarful of fresh granola that can sit atop your counter and you can feel like a boss as you douse it with milk to eat as cereal or stir it into yogurt. I eat this stuff every morning. It’s full of everything that is good in this world and it’s simple to prepare.
For this recipe you’ll need.
• 3 cups thick cut rolled oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill brand)
• 1/2 cup Roasted Coconut Chips (from Trader Joe’s, these are life changing. Trust.)
• 1 cup almonds (unsalted & whole)
• 1 cup walnuts (halves)
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. of salt
• 1/2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 heaping Tbsp. cocoa powder (optional)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp. honey (sub maple syrup or agave for vegan)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
I tinkered with the ingredients depending on what I had handy, for example: I swapped pecans with walnuts, left out the dried cranberries and cut out 1 Tbsp. of sugar (which I also swapped out for brown sugar) to align more closely to my tastes. Fell free to follow my adapted recipe here OR the original Nut & Honey Coconut granola from Minimalist Baker.
• Preheat oven to 340.
• Mix the oats, coconut, cinnamon, brown sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and nuts together in a large bowl.
• Stir in extra virgin olive oil, honey and vanilla extract and pour over the dry ingredients and mix well.
• Finally, spread the mixture evenly onto a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. I usually check on mine half way through and mix it around a bit so as to ensure optimal crispness on every surface.
• Before removing, make sure the granola is visibly browned
• ENJOY!
So there you have it! EASY AS PIE! If you haven’t eaten still warm granola from the oven as you gaze upon the changing leaves outside, whilst sipping a warm cup of coffee, you haven’t lived.
