My husband and I were enjoying an evening snack of homemade Maple Almond Granola recently. Here’s how it went: Him: Crunch, crunch, crunch…yum. Hey where’d you get this? Her: I made it. Him: You made this? Wait, how did yo- HOW DID YOU MAKE THIS?! Her: Um, I just made it. Like stirred stuff together then baked it. Him: But…HOW?! And so on and so forth. The conversation literally continued on in this way for a solid 3 minutes. It was hysterical. Apparently the fact that you can make granola – really good granola – from scratch, and that it’s incredibly easy too was a source of intense wonderment for my man.
Maple Almond Granola combines pantry staples like old fashioned oats, nuts, and sesame seeds with maple syrup, honey, and coconut oil, which are tossed together and then baked. The result is a perfectly crunchy, naturally sweetened granola that’s as good sprinkled on top of yogurt as it is by the handful!
This granola recipe is highly customizable too. Don’t like pecans? Use walnuts, or another type of nut, or leave them out! Fresh out of sesame seeds? Use pepitas or sunflower seeds instead. Dig raisins? Add in a handful. Use what you’ve got!
Start the Maple Almond Granola by combining the dry ingredients into a large bowl, including 3 cups certified gluten-free old fashioned oats, 1/2 cup almonds, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, and 1/4 cup sesame seeds. Roughly chop another 1/2 cup almonds then add them to the bowl.
Finish with a sprinkling of 1/2 teaspoon salt and a dash or two of cinnamon, then stir everything together.
In a small saucepan, melt 1/4 cup coconut oil with 6 Tablespoons pure maple syrup and 2 Tablespoons honey over medium heat.
Stir occasionally until the coconut oil melts, about a minute or two, then add 1/2 teaspoon each vanilla and almond extract.
Pour the coconut oil mixture over the dry ingredients then stir to thoroughly coat. Spread the mixture onto a silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes at 300 degrees, stirring halfway through. Note: the granola will not be crunchy when hot, so take it out when it’s golden brown!
Let the granola cool completely before stirring in 1 cup dried fruit like raisins, dried apricots, dried cranberries, etc., then store in an airtight container at room temp for up to a week.
Get your taste buds revved, because this granola is divine. I hope you enjoy!
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