granola is divine. truly, food of the gods.
second to my first love of savoring granola with some greek yogurt and spiced coffee on a snowy morning is the way that it makes my whole house smell toasty for the entire afternoon when i bake it. it's nostalgic, kind of smells like childhood even though my mother never baked granola when i was a kid. still, third on my list is giving granola away. it is my seasonal gift of love, joy, and deliciousness. there are few gifts that compare in their thoughtfulness (but perhaps that just reveals my unhinged passion for toasted oats). the time has come to share the gift that keeps on giving--the recipe to you.
the basic technique for making granola is always the same; it's what you put in it that makes it special. the first recipe is your basic, everyday granola. the second, a fancier application of granola deliciousness. the beauty of granola is that you can customize it in any way you like; there are lots of ideas at the bottom.
house granola -- the go-to breakfast cereal, versatile, customizable to your audience
6 c. rolled oats (not instant. a study organic oat is best.)
2 c. mixed nuts and seeds (have fun with sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts, pecans, slivered almonds, halved cashews, flax seeds, whatever...)
1 c. shredded coconut (optional, but it smells wonderful toasted)
1 t. (or 4, if you're me) ground cinnamon
Dash salt
1/2 - 1 c. honey or maple syrup or agave nectar (however sweet you like your granola)
1 c. dried fruit (swap in golden raisins, chopped dates, cranberries,crystallized ginger, sweet cherries, blueberries, strawberries...)
heat the oven to 350 degrees. in a bowl, combine the oats, nuts, and seeds, the coconut if you're using it, cinnamon, salt, and sweetener. spread evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or a little longer, stirring occasionally. the mixture should brown evenly; the browner it gets without burning, the crunchier the granola will be.
remove the plan from the oven and add the raisins**. cool on a rack, stirring once in a whole until the granola reach room temperature.
(**adding raisins afterward will keep them soft. baking them in the granola, as in below, will make them crunchier. it's up to whatever you like. i like them a little crunchy.)
add in this:
nut butters like peanut, almond, sunflower seed (2/3 c.)
spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cardamom, anise
extracts like almond or vanilla (2 t.)
crumbled gingersnaps and crystallized ginger
substitute molasses for half of the sweetener
swap for butter some flavored oils like coconut oil
fancy granola** -- nutty, orange-scented, and peppered with tiny currants. If you want a more decadent "weekend" version, you can always double the butter and add a bit more maple syrup. **my favorite combination.
4 c. rolled oats (not instant. organic oats are actually the best for this)
1.5 c. walnut halves
1 c. unsweetened shredded coconut (large flake is best)
1/2 t. fine-grain sea salt
2/3 c. dried currants
Grated zest of 2 oranges
1/3 c. unsalted butter
1/2 c. maple syrup
preheat oven to 300 degrees. set out two rimmed baking sheets. i like to line them with parchment paper for easy clean up, but it's not necessary if you don't have it around.
combine oats, walnuts, coconut, salt, currants, and orange zest in a large mixing bowl. heat the butter in a small saucepan over low heat and stir in maple syrup. whisk until combined, then pour the maple mixture over the nut mixture and stir until everything is well coated. divide the mixture evenly between the two baking sheets and spread into a thin layer. it's important that you don't overcrowd the pans so you have even toasting.
bake, stirring a couple of times along the way, for 40-50 minutes, or until the granola is toasty and deeply golden. you may want to rotate the pans from top to bottom to ensure even baking.
remove from oven and press down on the granola with a metal spatula--you'll get more clumps this way. let cool completely.
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