Granola is a typical healthy snack, but store-bought granola contains more sugar which is not good at all. Homemade granola is easy to make, and you can control what goes into the granola to make it healthy and catered to your taste.
What is Granola?
Granola is a common breakfast food that consists of oats, nuts, and fruits, all coated in a sweetener like honey. It is usually baked or toasted until crisp and golden brown. Granola can have a cereal-like size and consistency or be made into larger clusters.
What to Add into Homemade Granola?
You can add anything into your homemade granola, but you will need old-fashioned oats because they will hold up better in the oven. The other ingredients of the granola will be up to you and can be changed according to your preference.
You can choose your favorite nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. You can also add chocolate chips and dried coconut flakes into your granola mix. You can adjust to add or reduce the amount of each ingredient, depending on your taste.
This granola recipe is a basic recipe, but you can also make different variations of granola by changing the ingredients and flavorings. For example, you can make gingerbread granola by adding molasses and gingerbread spices into the mix. You can also make chocolate granola by adding some cocoa powder.
You can use a scale or measuring cup to get the amount right or just eyeball everything. However, if you have more dry ingredients than listed in the recipe, you will need to increase the measurement of the wet ingredients. The idea is to get everything evenly coated so the ratio of dry to wet ingredients needs to be proportionate.
How to Make Healthy Granola?
Making healthy granola is very easy and you will only need a little equipment and an oven. There is barely any cooking needed for this recipe so you can even get young children involved in the process. If you have all the ingredients prepped and ready to go, the entire process will take less than 40 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (you can use certified gluten-free oats if you want to make your granola gluten-free)
- 1 ½ cup raw nuts (you can also use a mixture of nuts and seeds or just seeds)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ½ cup olive oil or melted coconut oil
- ½ cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup dried fruit (if the fruit is large, chop it into smaller pieces)
- Optional: ½ cup chocolate chips, cacao nibs, or coconut flakes
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a large, rimmed baking sheet. Line it with parchment paper or baking paper and set aside.
- Combine the oats, nuts, seeds, salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Mix everything and make sure it is well-blended.
- In a separate bowl, combine the oil, maple syrup/honey, and vanilla. If the mixture is too thick, microwave it for about 10 to 20 seconds to get it to a thinner consistency. Once the wet mixture is well-mixed, add to the dry mixture and toss to evenly coat. Once everything is lightly coated with the wet mixture, pour the oat mixture onto the baking sheet and spread everything to form an even layer of granola.
- Bake the granola for about 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly golden. Stir the granola halfway into the baking process to ensure everything crisps up evenly. Keep an eye on the granola as it cooks to avoid overbaking.
- Once the granola is done baking in the oven, take it out, and let it cool completely. Once the granola is cooled, break it into smaller pieces, and mix in the dried fruit. If you are using chocolate chips or coconut flakes, add them when the granola has cooled to retain the texture of the chocolate and coconut.
- Transfer the finished granola into an air-tight container and store it at room temperature. Serve with yogurt, milk, or use as toppings for other desserts and dishes.
How to Store Homemade Granola?
The granola can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 ½ weeks. You can also store the granola in the freezer using a sealed freezer bag. With this method, the granola can last up to 3 months but since the granola can freeze solid, you will need to defrost before serving. Just let the frozen granola warm up to room temperature for 5 minutes before consuming. You can also create granola bars with your homemade granola to take on the go.
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