Easy and Delicious Homemade Granola
Although good granola can be an expensive treat to buy, it is relatively inexpensive to make yourself. Making your own granola with basic but delicious ingredients is a lovely treat. This homemade granola is a versatile addition as a topping for yogurt, ice cream or with milk and fresh berries!
Why should you make homemade granola?
Along with being cheaper, making your own granola is a great way to control what ingredients it is made with. This is a great feature if you have dietary restrictions or just despise an ingredient you find in almost every granola you find in the store. You can also choose to use more or less of the sweetener and spices.
This granola can be made in large batches when you know you’re going into a busy season because it stores in an airtight container very well. You can also make a big batch of Homemade granola because it makes for a fantastic gift for the foodie in your life!
The Spices for Homemade Granola
While pretty minimal and simple, the spices within this homemade granola are what make this granola EXTRA delicious! If you don’t like cinnamon or ginger, feel free to leave them out or replace them with your favorite spices.
Baking Your Homemade Granola
I recommend preparing your granola when you have the time to check on it during the baking process. This is because the granola sitting at the outer edges can easily burn. Checking in on the baking process every few minutes can help you avoid the discouraging discovery that you’ve burnt over half of your granola (ask me how I know!!).
Ingredients and Tools
2 cups Oats – This is the base of the granola. Any oats will work but I recommend buying at least organic. If possible, it’s preferred to use sprouted organic rolled oats.
1 cup Pecans, chopped- While optional, I recommend adding pecans to this mix. While this recipe instructs you to finely chop the pecans, these pecans still give this granola some added texture.
1/4 cup Coconut oil – Any oil can be used but I like to use an unrefined virgin coconut oil.
3 tbsp each honey and Maple syrup – Local Maple syrup and honey are my favorite but I’ve also used storebought. Both turn out great!
1/2 tsp Salt – as with baking anything, salt is an essential ingredient for enhancing the flavors. If you use Redmond Real Salt, you will also get the amazing mineral benefits!
1/2 tsp Ginger Powder – Although a small amount is used, the health benefits and subtle flavor of ginger are a great addition to this granola.
2 tsp Cinnamon – I’ve found almost all granola has a classic subtle cinnamon flavor. So, it’s nice to include it in the mix.
2 tsp Vanilla Extract – The sweet smell and flavor vanilla provides is divine! An essential for all my granola. Learn how to make your own vanilla extract here.
A Mixing Bowl – be sure it’s big enough to hold all your ingredients while mixing.
A mixing spoon – either a metal or wooden spoon works great. Another option is a silicone baking spatula.
Dry Measuring Cups and Spoons
A 9×13 glass baking dish
An oven – To bake your granola!
A storage container – Canning jars are my go to storage container for most items. I find this recipe fits perfectly in a quart jar but any airtight container will work.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F
Measure Oats and spices and add to the mixing bowl.
Chop 1 cup of pecans and add to the mixing bowl.
Measure maple syrup and coconut oil and add to the mixing bowl.
Use a mixing spoon to evenly distribute all ingredients.
Lightly oil a 9×13 glass baking dish and add oats mixture.
Place prepared 9×13 glass baking dish into a preheated oven.
Bake for 10 minutes and stir.
Continue baking for another 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Once golden brown, remove your dish from the oven and let cool.
When completely cool, transfer to an airtight container for storage.
FAQ:
Why should I make homemade granola?
Along with being cheaper, making your own granola is a great way to control what ingredients it is made with. This is a great feature if you have dietary restrictions or just despise an ingredient you find in almost every store bought granola. You can also choose to use more or less of the sweetener and spices.
How long should I bake the granola?
The length of time you bake your granola will vary on your specific oven. If your oven runs cooler than what the oven set at, your baked goods will typically take longer to finish in the oven.
Because of the range in oven temperatures, I recommend preparing your granola when you have the time to check it during the baking process. This is also because the granola on the outer edges cooks faster. Checking it every few minutes can help you avoid the discouraging discovery that you’ve burnt over half of the granola you wanted to prepare (ask me how I know!!).
Do I have to use all the spices listed?
The spices within this granola are what enhance the flavor of granola taste. However, if there is a particular spice that you despise, feel free to skip it. If you remove a spice, I recommend replacing it with one you enjoy.
Can I make this with just Maple syrup?
The features of both maple syrup and honey combine together to give this granola a specific finished texture. If you do not have honey, you can use maple syrup. If you use just maple syrup, I suggest that you add twice the amount to equal the same amount listed in the recipe.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to know! Tag @missyshomestead on Instagram.
