I love granola. And what I love even more is making my own. It’s like a choose your own adventure game every time.
Do I want walnuts or pumpkin seeds? More ginger or maybe some dried cranberries or coconut?
It’s a blank canvas to add to your recipe repertoire for your breakfast and beyond. And it’s the perfect crunchy, nutty addition to yogurt and fresh fruit.
Store bought granolas contain cane sugar or concentrated fruit juices which are both super duper sweet. This recipe uses maple syrup to tone down the sweetness and offer a richer note of flavor to play off the spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
Instead of butter I use coconut oil to make it a deliciously dairy-free for those who are sensitive.
Regular or thick cut rolled oats will give you a great texture to your granola. Instant oats are too processed to bake well and their lack of nutrient-density can spike your blood sugar.
Recently maple syrup grading changed. What used to be grade B is now known as grade A dark. The darker syrup is less refined and has more minerals and nutrients, so you’ll definitely get more maple flavor and bang for your buck by buying grade A dark.
BONUS: This recipe is guaranteed to make your house smell intoxicatingly delicious, like spiced cinnamon cider on a fall day.
Enjoy!
Cinnamon-Spiced Granola
Adapted from The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook
Makes about 2 quarts
Ingredients:
3 cups thick cut or regular rolled oats (not instant)
2 cup coarsely chopped raw nuts: any combo you like of walnuts, almonds, or pecans
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup shredded, unsweetened, and unsulphured coconut
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp high mineral salt
½ cup pure grade A dark maple syrup
½ cup melted virgin coconut oil
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
Optional additions:
- Raisins
- Dried apple
- Dried cranberries
- Dried cherries
- Sunflower seeds
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 275F. Line 2 9x13 baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the rolled oats, chopped nuts, spices, and salt into a medium bowl and mix well. Add melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla to the oat mixture and mix together.
Spread half of the mixture onto each baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir with a spatula. Return the baking sheets to the oven and bake another 10 minutes. Your granola should be golden brown and nicely toasted.
Mix in coconut and dried fruit if you’re using it at this time. Let cool completely before transferring to a large glass jar. I use 2 1-quart ball jars. Seal tightly and store at room temperature for 2-3 weeks.
Recipe variation: I also enjoy leaving out the maple syrup and all of the coconut oil except 1 tbsp. This makes the granola more like muesli, a raw or lightly toasted oat, nut, and fruit combo popular in Germany and Switzerland. I add honey to taste to my plain, unsweetened yogurt, then add the muesli. This method of not baking in the sugar helps me control for sweetness if I’m feeling like I’d like a little less of it.
Enjoy!
