Easy Granola Recipe

I love granola in my yogurt... or even just with milk. I have posted a granola recipe on my blog before, and have only made that one... but it is kind of expensive because you have to get ingredients at the health food store. So I was wanting to try another recipe that was good and easy. I found this one. It also didn't have to bake as long nor did I have to stir it around every 10 minutes. All about that. I love making granola because it makes your house smell so good. :)

Ingredients 

This master recipe helps you customize your own homemade granola so you can put your favorite ingredients and flavors in.

Base: 

4 Cups Old Fashioned Oats

1 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Chips (add more nuts and oats if you don’t want the coconut)

Spices:

1 Pinch of Salt

1 Tablespoon of your favorite spice like cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or a mixture of cardamom, ginger, cinnamon and cloves for a gingerbread taste.

Nuts or Seeds:

1 Cup of raw sliced almonds, chopped pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or a fun combination.

Dried Fruit:

1/2 Cup of dried cranberries, raisins, chopped apricots, chopped cherries, ect.

Oil or Fat:

1/4 Cup Melted Butter, Canola Oil, or Coconut Oil

Sweetener:

1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar, Maple Syrup, Honey, Agave, or Sweetener of your choice.  I usually use a Brown Sugar and Honey combination.  You could also try 2 tablespoons of peanut butter.

Flavoring:

1 1/2 Teaspoons of vanilla, almond, or your favorite extract.

Optional: Lemon or Orange Zest

Directions

First, preheat the oven to 300° and line an edged pan with tin foil.  Then mix together base, spices, nuts, and dried fruit in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl or measuring cup combine the oil and sweetener until it resembles a liquid caramel. 

Then spread out the granola evenly on the foil-lined pan and bake for about 30 minutes until it is lightly golden.  If you want your granola to stick together in chunks, don’t stir it!  Set it on a wire rack and let it cool completely before breaking the granola up.  If you don’t like your granola to stick together, stir every 8-10 minutes during the cooking time and right after you take it out of the oven.