I admittedly have a weakness for granola. Maybe it’s the combination of savory and sweet, or that it feels like I’m making a “healthyish” choice for breakfast but I find it incredibly addictive and absolutely delicious! After years of trying different brands there is not one that I’ve found that I like more than my homemade version. The recipe I’ve used for years comes closest to Early Bird Granola which also uses an olive oil base and a variety of nuts, seeds and dried fruit. What I love about my recipe is that it is so adaptable, it can be made nut free, it’s pretty sweet but also salty so feel free to cut back on the maple syrup. The olive oil can be swapped for melted coconut oil which makes for a slightly different flavor. The dried fruit can also be left out or swapped I like it equally as much with dried apricots, cherries or cranberries. It’s a dump out the kitchen pantry recipe into one bowl and literally takes 10 mins to prep. I love making a batch over a weekend if I know I am having guests stay over night or if I need to bring a hostess gift to a friend. This recipe make A LOT but it keeps well in an airtight jar for about a month if you can stop yourself from eating it all.
My Favorite Homemade Granola
Credit: Adapted from Early Bird Granola
Ingredients
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup raw cashews or pistachios, can be left whole or chopped
- 1 cup hulled raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup hulled raw sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup chia or sesame seeds
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 3/4 cup dried apricots chopped or a handful of dried cherries or cranberries
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil
- 1/4 dried crystalized ginger, diced
Directions
- Heat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix oats, nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom.
- Add the vanilla, olive oil, and maple syrup. Stir to combine. Use your hands at this point to make sure everything is well coated. Turn mixture onto baking sheet in one even layer.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes total, checking in on granola every 15 min or so to give it a stir so it doesn’t burn. Granola should smell and look slightly toasted when done.
- Remove granola from oven, let cool completely on baking sheet. Stir in apricots and ginger, add additional flaky sea salt if desired. Break into pieces and start enjoying! Will keep in an airtight container for 3 to 4 weeks.m
Bedford Balabusta 