Granola is such an easy dish to make, y’all. And homemade granola, like this Maple Nut Granola, is so much cheaper than what you can buy in the market. I created this one after tasting a commercially prepared one I really enjoyed, but I didn’t want to pay over $6 a bag for it! Plus, I really like to know exactly what’s in whatever it is I’m eating!
How about you?
There must be a zillion granola combinations; I may have tried half of those! Low-Fat Granola? I’ve got ya’ covered! Or maybe you’re a cherry-vanilla lover? Well, here’s this delicious one for you–Cherry Vanilla Almond Granola. You know cherry and almonds go together like peas and carrots, right?
Beach lover? Island dreamer? Then this Tropical Granola is sure to suit you! One bowlful and you’ll be hula dancing all over the place!
This is the one I keep coming back to time and again. I love it with yogurt and fresh fruit, by itself with milk, sprinkled as a topping over ice cream, stirred into pancakes or even as the topping on a fruit crumble. We even take small bags of it to have as snacks on hikes and long walks.
I think your kiddos would like it in their lunches. If nuts are prohibited, leave them out. Me…I want ALL the nuts! I vary the dried fruits depending upon what I have on hand. The combination of freeze dried blueberries and dried cranberries just happens to be my favorite. Hubby does not like raisins so the dried cranberries sub in for those. Occasionally, I’ll add dried apricots. I try to avoid sweetened dried fruits, however.
Keep Maple Nut Granola on hand for a quick, nutritious breakfast or snack. It’s such a good one, y’all!
Notes
*If you like softer, chewier fruit, wait until removing granola from the oven to add it in.
**I used toasted coconut from my freezer and just added it in about 5 minutes before removing granola from the oven.
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups pecans, walnuts or sliced almonds or a combination
- 1 cup shredded coconut**
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup freeze dried blueberries*
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- In a large bowl, stir together oats, cinnamon, dark brown sugar and salt.
- Add in nuts and mix well.
- In a measuring cup, mix together maple syrup and canola oil. Drizzle over oat mixture and stir well.
- Add in dried fruit.*
- Spread evenly on baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container
