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Holy cow! Granola has gotten expensive. Making your own Granola is easy and much more cost-effective than store-bought. You control what goes into it so it is also healthier for you than store-bought granola.
Granola can be customized to your taste in almost any combination. No matter what combination you throw together, it’s really, really hard to go wrong with homemade granola. Always stir in dried fruit or chocolate chips at the end. The fruit can burn and the chocolate would melt if mixed in before cooking. Let the granola cool completely before breaking it into chunks.
Granola can be stored for 1-2 months. Store in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place.
Granola can also be frozen for 3-6 months. A vacuum sealer works best, but any freezer-safe container or freezer bag will do. Just remove as much air as possible before placing it in the freezer. Let it warm to room temperature for a few minutes before eating.
Homemade Granola
Ingredients
- 5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats)
- ⅔ cup oil (canola, coconut or vegetable)
- ½ cup honey (or maple syrup)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup shredded coconut (optional)
- 1 cup nuts (chopped almonds, sunflower seeds, pistachios. pecans, or walnuts) (optional)
- 1-2 cups dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, apricots, pineapple, mango, cherries, etc.) and/or chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine oats, coconut, and nuts if using.
- In a small bowl combine honey or maple syrup, oil, and brown sugar. Microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until sugar dissolves. Add vanilla and salt. Stir to combine.
- Pour the oil and sugar mixture over the oats. Stir until oats are evenly coated. Press the mixture on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 40 minutes. Turning once halfway through. Cook just until the top turns a light golden brown, it will get crispier as it cools.
- Remove from oven. For large clumpy granola press down on the finished granola in the pan and then let it cool on a wire rack. Cool completely before breaking apart into pieces as large or as small as you like. Add dried fruit or chocolate chips of your choice if using. Store in an air-tight container or zip-lock bag at room temperature.
