Today I'm reviving photos from a post that went live 9/6/2014 - I promise you'll enjoy these photos more!
For a very long time, I thought granola was simply a topping you threw onto your yogurt if you were bored with its one-dimension texture. A little crunch here, a little sweetness there. Nothing too special. Honestly, I was a little disappointed in companies that made it because they always insisted on adding raisins to their mixes.
Yes, yes, I know. Raisins are good for you, they're just dried grapes! I know a majority of the world likes raisins, I just have never liked them. Then I found this recipe for granola and will forever be a convert.
Store-bought granola is good if you're in a pinch, but homemade has a quality that can't be replicated. Better yet, you can adjust all the flavors as you'd like and leave out all the ingredients you don't care for.
This recipe is a little salty, a little sweet, and the coconut oil gives a hint of tropical flavor. It's our favorite one over here, at the moment. It's really easy to add mix-ins to as well.
Hello there, beautiful.
I have a bit of a kitchen hack for you. Since I've always had a hard time getting honey out of a measuring cup, I've found out that it's easiest to get out if you put in the oily mixture first. Honey always sticks to everything in its path. It's delicious, but also really pesky.
In my lifelong attempt to do as few dishes as possible, this little trick really helped it glide out of the measuring cup with no sticky mess to scrape out. Fewer dishes and no sticky mess? A win-win for us! Doing dishes is the bane of my existence.
The next part is personal preference. Some like theirs crispier with a nice crunch to it, and others prefer the pieces to be softer and stuck together. If you're part of the first party, leave it in for a few minutes longer, but make sure to monitor its progress during the last few minutes. This is always when things can turn from beautifully crunchy to a charred nightmare.
If you prefer it softer and stickier, follow the time and temperature listed on the recipe at the end of this post. I've made both and they have their own distinct flavors. Use your own judgment, kids!
What's your favorite thing to top with granola?
Honey and Maple Almond Granola
Store-bought granola is good if you're in a pinch, but homemade granola has a quality that can't be replicated. Better yet, you can adjust all the flavors as you'd like and leave out all the ingredients you don't care for. This recipe is a little salty, a little sweet, and the coconut oil gives a hint of tropical flavor to the granola.
Ingredients
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¾ cup raw slivered almonds
- ¾ cup walnuts
- 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅛ cup sunflower seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Stir thoroughly to combine.
- Stir in the oil, honey, syrup and vanilla. Turn the granola out onto pan and use a rubber spatula or large spoon to spread it out evenly.
- Bake for 24 minutes, stirring halfway through. Mix in smaller seeds/nuts if desired The granola should be a light golden color (but keep an eye on it as honey/maple syrup tends to brown without warning). The granola will become crispier as it cools.
- Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1-2 weeks, or freeze the granola for a longer shelf life.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
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Charlotte @ What Charlotte Baked
Yes, I am always on the hunt for granola without those annoying raisins that my other half hates. And anything almond is always a winner with me! Great recipe, thanks for (re)sharing
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary
Store bought granola has got nothin' on homemade- seriously the difference in taste is world's apart, right?? Love this flavor! I'm a huge fan of honey, maple and almonds, so clearly this granola is perfect for me! I could devour a few bowls of just this for breakfast! Cheers!
helen @ Scrummy Lane
Hello Jessica. You can't beat homemade granola, and you've got some great flavours in yours. I love your honey tip, too!
Dr. Becky
Hi Jess,
Thanks for the recipe, and I'm right there with you on the raisins. They always seemed like a cheap filler to me. I like the idea of pumpkin spice in this recipe. I'll give it a try!
aimee
This granola sounds like the perfect addition to breakfast 🙂
Tori//Gringalicious
I can already tell you just from the title that this granola has the power to completely win my heart!
Jessica
Haha thanks Tori! I have to actually fight my sister out of the container so I can save some for snacking throughout the week. It's a blessing and a curse.
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor
Homemade granola is the best! I love the honey maple almond flavors and would probably want to snack on this all day.
Dawn @ Girl Heart Food
I use that kitchen hack when I'm using molasses. A little grease in the cup and it works like a charm. Love the addition of coconut oil in your granola. I'm a big coconut fan in both food and scented stuff 🙂 I love to top my granola with berries....all kinds. Your granola looks delicious!!
Jessica
Thanks, Dawn! Mmm yes, I love strawberries and greek yogurt with my granola in the morning as a cute little parfait 🙂
Mir
I'm a big believer in a similar kitchen hack. If I'm using honey or peanut butter, I put cooking spray in the cup first and that releases the sticky stuff perfectly!
Love the new pics!
Jessica
It's really a miracle hack! I once watched 20 minutes worth of life hack youtube videos...it was entertaining to say the least. And thank you!! I figured they needed some sprucing up and I make it basically every other week 🙂
cakespy
Simply perfect. Thanks for revisiting (and introducing me to!) this recipe.
Jessica
Why thank you!! My sister always comes over and sneaks into my granola container and eats it by the handfuls.