Homemade Granola

The other day, Eric picked up an oat from the counter, ate it, and exclaimed, “I just found a yummy, cinnamony piece of oat on the counter!”

“Oh!” I said, “I forgot! I made granola today!” It was so easy and low-impact a process I had forgotten all about it. 

This granola recipe is adapted from my mom’s granola recipe. It can be endlessly adapted and changed to include your favorite ingredients. This one is a basic cinnamon, raisin, almond granola. Let me just say, before we go any further, that this recipe is ridiculously easy. You can include any kind of nut/seed, dried fruit, spices, etc. Plus, if you get gluten-free certified oats, it’s appropriate for the gluten-free folks in your life, too.  

Let your imagination run wild! I’m thinking an almond, cinnamon, dried cherry combo would be great!

The Recipe

Makes about 3 1/2 cups

2 cups oats

1 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped,

2 Tbls sesame seeds

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted (or other oil)

1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 275 F. In a large mixing bowl, toss the oats, nuts, seeds, and cinnamon together. Add the melted coconut oil and maple syrup and toss together. Spread the mixture evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes. I find if you line the baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper, the granola cooks evenly and doesn’t need to be stirred. If you want the granola to form some clusters, do not stir during cooking, remove from the oven when cooking time is complete and let cool slightly on the pan. Now, gently toss in the raisins.  Store in jar or other airtight container and enjoy as a snack, a breakfast cereal or mixed with a nondairy yogurt.

What ingredients would you like to see in granola?