Homemade Granola
Most store-bought granola is just overly sweet oat cereal. Making it at home gives you control over the sweetness, the ingredients, and most importantly, the clusters. The two non-negotiable secrets to getting big, crunchy clusters are firmly pressing the granola into the pan before baking and letting it cool completely without touching it.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup raw pecans roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup raw walnuts roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup raw pepitas
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 1/4 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with the parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, pecans, walnuts, pepitas, chia seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Pour the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla over the dry ingredients and mix until everything is evenly coated.
- Spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet in a thin, even layer.
- Press down firmly on the granola with the back of a spatula to compact it into a tight slab.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then remove and gently stir while keeping some larger clumps intact.
- Press the mixture down again and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes until light golden brown.
- Let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet for at least 45 minutes without disturbing.
- Break the cooled granola into clusters and mix in the dried cranberries and apricots.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
Do not stir the granola while cooling or clusters will break apart.
The granola will not feel crispy when first removed from the oven - it crisps as it cools.