Homemade Granola

Making homemade granola is a great way to make a homemade breakfast ahead of time.  You can control not only the ingredients to make it healthy (organic, non-GMO, sugar-free, etc), but you can also easily customize what you put into it, such as dried fruit or nuts.

Here’s an easy recipe to help you make delicious homemade granola at home!

Ingredients

• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup nuts of your choice, roughly chopped (such as almonds, walnuts, or pecans)
• 1/2 cup seeds (such as sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds)
• 1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries chopped apricots, etc)
• 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it to prevent sticking.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl: rolled oats, chopped nuts, seeds, dried fruit, ground cinnamon (optional), and a pinch of salt.

Mix well to distribute the ingredients evenly.

Combine the wet ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl or a small saucepan.

Heat the honey or maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract until the mixture becomes warm and the coconut oil has melted. Stir thoroughly to combine.

Pour the warm wet mixture over the dry ingredients in the large bowl. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to thoroughly coat the dry ingredients with the wet mixture, mixing thoroughly.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet with the parchment paper or in a pan.

Spread it out in an even layer, pressing it down slightly with the back of a spoon or spatula.

Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until the granola turns golden brown and crisp. Stir the granola gently every 10 minutes to ensure even browning.

Once baked, remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the granola to cool completely on the sheet. It will become crunchier as it cools.

Once cooled, break the granola into desired-sized chunks or leave it as it is for a loose granola. Transfer to an airtight container for storage.