hearty granola with home-baked goodness

I’ve been making this hearty granola since my college days. Once I tasted the granola sent to my roommate in her mother’s care packages, I was hooked. Home-baked granola is so much better than the commercially made varieties that you’ll wonder why you ever paid $9.95 a pound for that stuff in the first place. Do make this—you won’t turn back. And you can alter the ingredients depending on your mood or what is in your cupboard.

 

hearty granola

Serves: Makes about 10 cups
Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup raw sunflower seeds
  • 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
  • ½ cup wheat germ
  • ½ cup flax seed meal
  • ½ cup coconut flakes
  • ½ cup coconut oil
  • ½ cup honey or pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons almond or peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

1

Heat the oven to 350°F.

2

In a large shallow baking dish or on a rimmed cookie sheet, mix the oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, wheat germ, flax seed meal, and coconut flakes.

3

Warm the coconut oil in a glass measuring cup for 30 seconds in the microwave, or until it melts.

4

Add the honey or syrup to the oil and heat for an additional 30 seconds. Mix in the almond butter, vanilla, and salt (be careful—the mixture will be hot). Pour this over the dry ingredients and stir well.

5

Bake for about 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the granola is golden brown.

6

Let cool. Add the nuts, raisins, and cranberries. Store in an airtight container; the granola will stay fresh for several weeks.

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1 Comment

  • Reply
    Janis Reeser
    November 18, 2016 at 12:51 am

    This is my favorite granola recipe. I make it at least twice a month. I leave out the chopped nuts and it is still delicious.

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